A (0:00)

Today is Thursday, March 5th. What to know about the war intensifying in Iran and spreading across the region, potentially into NATO territory, and how more than a dozen nations are being pulled into the conflict. Also, a murder suspect poised to become a sheriff and the problems reported at polling stations on the first primary of the year. Plus, we're remembering a college football icon previewing the newest batch of Apple products and celebrating women on this Women's History Month. Those stories and even more news to know next. Welcome to the Newsworthy. All the day's news in less than 15 minutes. I'm Erica. Mandy, thanks so much for being here. Let's do this. The war with Iran seems to be intensifying, with even more countries getting pulled into the conflict. Yesterday, NATO air defenses shot down an Iranian ballistic missile headed toward an important military base in Turkey, where American forces are stationed. Several European nations deployed military assets to the region to defend their citizens and other interests. And the US Sank an Iranian warship in international waters with a torpedo. It was the first sinking of an enemy ship since World War II. And American officials still say there will be no let up in the strikes. Israel is also still hitting Iranian targets. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says American and Israeli warplanes will soon gain total control of Iranian airspace, letting them pick off targets and deliver, quote, death and destruction all day long. More than 1200 people have already been reported killed in Iran since the war began six days ago. Of course, we've told you about the strikes that have killed Iran's supreme leader along with other top leaders. And the Trump administration now says the leader of an Iranian unit behind a plot to assassinate President Trump has also been killed. Still, the Iranian regime remains intact, and it's not giving in. Iran is still mostly focusing on U.S. allies and assets in the Middle east, as well as countries that have tried to mediate in this conflict. Besides the missile headed toward Turkey, Iran has also reportedly continued to fire at Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, all in the last day. But the top US General said Iran is now firing fewer missiles than it did at the start of the war. And he says Iran's military capabilities have been greatly diminished. Back in the U.S. congress held its first vote on this conflict. The Senate took up an effort to essentially halt the war. The resolution would have demanded Congress approve any other attacks before they're carried out. But it failed, mostly along party lines, with all but one Republican voting to allow the Trump administration to keep acting unilaterally. The US House is set to take a vote on its own War Powers Resolution today, but it is also expected to fail, mostly along party lines. Minnesota's governor and attorney general were on count Capitol Hill to answer questions about widespread fraud in their state and their efforts to stop it. Remember, President Trump has said fraud was one reason for sending 3,000 federal agents into Minnesota earlier this year. But Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison told lawmakers it actually made things more difficult. They spoke about a series of resignations at the U.S. attorney's office in Minnesota and how those who are left are now drowning in immigration cases instead of prosecuting fraud. But Republicans say state officials like Walz and Ellison are really to blame. They accuse them of stalling to act on fraud allegations to protect the Somali American community, since Somali Americans are accused in many of the Minnesota fraud cases so far. Republicans also accuse Walz of not stopping Medicaid payments despite knowing about fraud, saying he just didn't want to rock the boat. Walz says he didn't want to take money away from those who actually need it in order to punish those that don't, and he instead suggested lawmakers make some legal changes around Medicaid eligibility issues. Remember, the Trump administration announced last month that nearly $260 million in Medicaid funds won't be reimbursed for Minnesota because of fraud concerns. Minnesota is suing over it. Meanwhile, 650 federal investigators are still in Minnesota now as part of a broader fraud probe. To be continued. A widespread investigation has found Catholic priests in Rhode island preyed on hundreds of children since the nineteen nineteen fifties up to the two thousand and twenties and were consistently protected by the church. This comes from a new report Rhode Island's attorney general released yesterday after years of investigating, and it echoes similar findings of clergy abuse in many other parts of the country. The new report came together because seven years ago, the church let the Rhode Island AG access its trove of records. Now, the report says one thing those church records show besides the abuse is the diocese transferred accused priests to new assignments without fully investigating complaints or contacting law enforcement. It's the same practice that's already been exposed in investigations in Boston, Philadelphia and elsewhere. And just like with those investigations, most of the accused priests in Rhode island avoided any real accountability from both law enforcement and the church. The Providence diocese responded to say there are no credibly accused clergy still active in the ministry. Still, Rhode Island's AG says more can be done, and he hopes the report will prompt new reforms to help victims seek justice. This week, a man awaiting trial for murder won a primary race for sheriff in central Arkansas and now he's considered a frontrunner heading into the general election in November. We're talking about Aaron Spencer. He's accused of shooting and killing a 67 year old man who was his daughter's alleged abuser. The man killed had been charged with sexually abusing Spencer's then 13 year old daughter but was out on bail. Spencer admitted to killing the man after finding his daughter with the man again, but he pleaded not guilty to second degree murder. He says he felt compelled to run for sheriff to protect victims of child sexual abuse and it seems he has a lot of support since. In his primary, Spencer defeated the current sheriff who's been in law enforcement for over two decades. Spencer's case has sparked some heated debates across Arkansas and beyond about a parent's legal limits in protecting their child. His trial is expected to happen before the general election, but if he's found guilty, he will not be able to serve as sheriff and voters will need to pick someone new. What's been called severe confusion over new voting rules in Texas led to some voters being turned away from polling sites during the state's primary election this week. The problems were reported in two counties after a change to how the primaries were running. In previous elections, voters could cast their ballot at any polling location in the county, but this year, local Republicans chose not to hold a joint primary with Democrats, which meant voters had to go to their assigned precinct polling site instead. Many people were unaware of this change and showed up at the wrong location, so some were turned away. A local judge tried to extend polling hours from 7 to 9pm but the Texas Supreme Court blocked that order, leaving votes cast after 7 o' clock in doubt. The chaos came during a close Democratic primary for U.S. senate between Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Tallarico. As of now, Talarico has been declared the winner, but Crockett says the confusion disenfranchised voters and that the results may not be final until the disputed ballots are resolved. Election officials say it could take days or even longer for courts to determine what happens next. More news is still ahead, but first a quick break to tell you about our sponsor, Quince. I've been working on keeping my closet more organized these days, and one way to do that is to be more mindful about what I'm putting in it. So I'm about quality over quantity now. If it's not well made and versatile, it's not worth it. But with my favorite items from Quince, the fabrics feel elevated and thoughtful and the items are always versatile even while the pricing actually makes sense. In fact, one of my go tos in my closet right now is my Quince cashmere sweater. It's great for layering, it feels super soft and it lays just right. And it didn't cost what I thought quality cashmere would. Quince works directly with safe, ethical factories and cuts out the middlemen so you don't have to pay for brand markup or fancy retail stores right now. Go to quince.com newsworthy for free shipping and 365 day returns. That's a full year to wear it and love it. And you will now available in Canada too. Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last. Go to Q U I n c-e.com newsworthy for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quints.com newsworthy now back to the news. A new type of nuclear power project backed by Bill Gates just cleared a major hurdle in the U.S. federal regulators gave approval for TerraPower to begin building a nuclear reactor in Wyoming. This marks the first new US Commercial nuclear reactor to receive construction approval in nearly a decade. The project is part of a broader push to develop a new generation of smaller, advanced nuclear reactors. These designs are meant to be cheaper and easier to build than traditional nuclear plants, which have faced massive costs and long delays in recent years. This reactor uses liquid sodium instead of water to cool the reactor core. The company says that could make the system simpler and safer and and allow the plant to adjust its power output more easily as electricity demand changes. Nuclear power has gained bipartisan support in recent years as lawmakers look for ways to meet the growing electricity demand while still cutting greenhouse gas emissions. But critics say advanced reactors still raise serious safety questions and point to challenges with nuclear waste and cost. The Wyoming project is expected to cost at least $4 billion. If everything stays on track, the plant could start generating electricity by 2031. There's a major shift happening in HIV care across the country. Nearly 20 states are moving to limit access to state run AIDS drug assistance programs, known as ADAPs. These programs are part of the federal Ryan White HIV AIDS program and they help low income Americans pay for their HIV medication or insurance premiums. But a new analysis from the health research group KFF found states led by both Democrats and Republicans are tightening eligibility requirements or cutting back benefits. State officials cite rising drug costs, higher insurance premiums and flat federal funding. The most dramatic change is in Florida, where officials have lowered income eligibility from 400% of the federal poverty line to just 130%. That means someone making $21,000 a year could lose access. Florida is also dropping coverage of biktarvy, the most prescribed HIV drug in the U.S. advocates call these cuts a public health crisis. HIV drugs suppress the virus to undetectable levels, eliminating the risk of transmission. So without consistent access, new infections could rise. And if patients try to stretch their supply and get only partial protection, the virus could become resistant to treatment. ADAP programs serve about a quarter of the 1.2 million people living with HIV in the legendary College football coach Lou Holtz has died at the age of 89. His family says he passed away in Orlando, Florida, surrounded by loved ones, though a cause of death was not released. Holtz was best known for leading Notre Dame to an undefeated season and national championship in 1988, the school's most recent title. Holtz coached at Notre Dame for 11 seasons. Holtz also built or revived programs at several schools, including the Arkansas Razorbacks and South Carolina Gamecocks. Overall, he won 249 games in his career, putting him among the top 10 winningest coaches in major college football history. After retiring from coaching, he became a popular college football analyst on ESPN, where he was known to fans as Dr. Lou. Holtz was inducted into the College Football hall of fame in 2008, and in 2020 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Trump. Tributes from the sports world are pouring in, with many praising Holtz not just as a coach but but as a mentor and storyteller who left a lasting mark on the game. Apple has just introduced its cheapest laptop ever the company this week unveiled a new device called the MacBook Neo, a 13 inch laptop starting at just $599. That makes it about $400 cheaper than Apple's next lowest priced new laptop. Instead of using Apple's traditional Mac processors, the device runs on the A18 Pro chip, the same processor used in the iPhone 16 Pro. Apple says the goal is to make MacBooks more accessible, and this means it'll compete more directly with lower cost Windows PCs and Google Chromebooks. Pre orders are open now, with delivery is expected to start March 11. The company also introduced a new lower priced phone, the iPhone 17e, along with updated iPad Air models, new MacBook Pro laptops and refreshed studio display monitors. The broader strategy appears to be expanding Apple's product lineup at both the high and low ends of the market. That's it for the main news today. So now it's time for Thing to Know Thursday. But first, this episode is brought to you by Oneskin. I've tried a lot of different face moisturizers and there's so much about Oneskin that really stands out Right away. I noticed the feel of it. It's lightweight but still super hydrating. It goes on easily and leaves my face feeling refreshed. Same goes for the eye cream. In fact, it's the first time I've ever been consistent with wearing eye cream because it's simple, it feels smooth, and it's actually effective. It's also certified safe for sensitive skin and free from over 1500 harsh or irritating ingredients. So I can put on Oneskin's products and feel confident each morning and night. And with skincare, consistency really is key, along with OneSkin's OS1 peptide, which has studies to back it up. Born from over a decade of longevity research, OneSkin's OS1 peptide is proven to target the visible signs of aging, helping you unlock your healthiest skin now and as you age. And for a limited time, you can try OneSkin with 15% off using the Code Newsworthy at Oneskin co. Newsworthy, that's 15% off OneSkin Co with the code Newsworthy. And after your purchase they'll ask you where you heard about them. So please support our show and tell them we sent you now back to Thing to Know Thursday all about Women's History Month. It goes with March since there are quite a few March dates that are seen as key to the women's rights movement. Like on March 3rd in 1913, the Women's Suffrage Parade happened in Washington D.C. in March of 1916, the National Women's Party was formed and on March 22nd of 1972, the Equal Rights Amendment was passed in the US Senate. Now every March, the National Women's History alliance comes up with a theme for the celebration. This year's theme is Leading the Women Sharing a Sustainable Future. It spotlights how women care for their environment and communities and what's left to be done to make things better for the next generation. International Women's Day is coming up on Sunday, so marches and other events are planned to celebrate and advocate for gender equality. But all month people are encouraged to do even more like shop women owned businesses, learn more about historical women, or honor the women who make a difference in your life. Well, thank you so much for listening today. We'll catch you up on more news to know tomorrow. Until then, have a great day.