U.S. Air Force Crash, Violent U.S. Attacks & Historic Heatwave - Friday, March 13, 2026 - The NewsWorthy

The Newsworthy — U.S. Air Force Crash, Violent U.S. Attacks & Historic Heatwave
Host: Erica Mandy
Episode Date: Friday, March 13, 2026
Episode Length: Under 15 minutes

Episode Overview

This fast-paced news roundup, hosted by Erica Mandy, covers several of the most pressing national and global headlines from Friday, March 13, 2026. With her signature balanced and approachable style, Erica guides listeners through major stories: the escalating Iran conflict and U.S. military incidents, violent attacks on American soil, historic heatwaves across the U.S., government policy updates, and notable moments in pop culture and entertainment. Mandy aims as always for fairness, clarity, and context, mixing serious news with lighter segments to keep it accessible and engaging.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S. Air Force Crash and the Iran Conflict

[00:50 – 03:28]

Military Aircraft Crash:
- A U.S. Air Force refueling aircraft, involved in the ongoing conflict in Iran, crashed in Iraq.
- Details about casualties were still emerging at air time: “American officials have not said whether there are any confirmed deaths, only that rescue efforts are ongoing.”
- The incident is not believed to be due to hostile or friendly fire.
- Five service members were on board; a second tanker was also involved but landed safely.
Other Military Incidents:
- On the same day, a fire broke out aboard the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier, injuring two sailors (expected to recover).
- At least seven American service members have died due to hostile fire since the war began last month; civilian casualties in Iran reportedly exceed 1,800.
Escalating Conflict and Geopolitics:
- Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, vows to continue attacks on U.S. military bases unless they close and to keep leveraging the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
- Khamenei credits proxies like Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iraqi militias for their support.
- Israeli PM Netanyahu calls on the Iranian population to oppose their government.
Economic Impacts:
- Oil prices hit $100 a barrel and global stocks react negatively due to war fears.
- U.S. eases sanctions on Russian oil to stabilize prices; President Trump downplays oil concerns, emphasizing the focus on nuclear nonproliferation.
“President Trump also downplayed the concerns about oil disruption, arguing that keeping Iran from having nuclear weapons was more important than rising prices.” (Erica Mandy, 03:28)

2. Violent Domestic Attacks: Michigan Synagogue & Virginia University

[03:29 – 06:08]

Attack on Michigan Synagogue:
- A driver, described as a U.S. citizen from Lebanon, intentionally rammed a truck into a synagogue, armed with a rifle and explosives.
- Exchanged gunfire with security; suspect died, one guard injured, all others, including a preschool group of 140 children, escaped safely.
- Motive possibly linked to personal losses in recent Middle East airstrikes; anti-Semitic incidents increasing nationwide.
“Anti-Semitism cannot be tolerated.” (Michigan’s Attorney General, 05:12)
Shooting at Virginia’s Old Dominion University:
- Gunman was a former Army National Guard member who previously served prison time for trying to help ISIS.
- He killed one instructor and wounded two before being stopped by ROTC students.
- Investigated as terrorism; FBI asks for more info but assures public the active threat is over.

3. Senate Passes Historic Housing Bill

[06:09 – 07:53]

Senate passes bipartisan bill to increase housing supply, remove restrictive land use regulations, expand manufactured housing, and ban large institutional investors from buying single-family homes.
Critics worry the ban could tighten rental supply, but supporters argue institutional investors drive up rents and evictions.
President Trump supports the bill—if paired with his voting reforms; passage in the House is still uncertain.
The House may enter lengthy negotiations rather than pass the broader Senate bill.

“Supporters say average buyers need to have a better shot at home ownership, since it's a way to build wealth.” (Erica Mandy, 07:24)

4. Historic U.S. Weather Extremes

[10:36 – 11:42]

California Heatwave:
- Temperatures 20°F above normal; several Southern California locations expect highs in the 90s and possibly triple digits.
- Cooling centers open; residents advised to avoid sun and monitor for heat exhaustion.
- Bay Area and Sacramento could see records set early next week.
Polar Vortex Elsewhere:
- Midwest and Eastern U.S. brace for extreme cold—Chicago single digits, Atlanta in the 20s.
- “While California is in the 90s, Chicago is expected to be in the single digits.” (Erica Mandy, 11:39)

5. FBI & UFC Fighter Training Partnership

[11:43 – 12:29]

FBI agents participate in unprecedented MMA training session with UFC fighters at Quantico, aimed at preparing agents for physical confrontations.
FBI Director Kash Patel, a fan of mixed martial arts, champions the move; “this training will put the bureau in a position to be even better prepared to help the American people.”
Critics argue the FBI should prioritize neighborhood-appropriate training, not what’s needed in the octagon.
Trump White House plans to host a UFC fight on the Ellipse this year.

6. White House’s War Videos Draw Backlash

[12:30 – 13:05]

The administration posts social media videos mixing war footage with pop culture icons (e.g., SpongeBob, Wii Sports).
Content creators and IP holders criticize the use of their work without permission; others question appropriateness.

“Several people in the entertainment, sports, and video game industries have spoken out against the Trump administration using their intellectual property without their permission.”
The White House responds, thanking media for “covering all of our banger videos.”
Context: Blurring of war and entertainment is not new, but experts note the trend has intensified in the social media/AI era.

7. Live Nation's Ticket Price Gouging Controversy

[13:06 – 14:10]

DOJ lawsuit settlements reveal employee messages bragging about “robbing” fans and calling customers “so stupid for paying inflated charges.”
Live Nation denies these messages reflect company policy; says it will investigate.
Settlement requires Live Nation to divest venues and allow competition, but several states plan further legal action seeking a company breakup.

8. Preview: 98th Academy Awards (Oscars)

[14:11 – 14:41]

Oscars air Sunday hosted by Conan O'Brien, featuring performances from Josh Groban, Misty Copeland, and K-pop’s Demon Hunters.
“Sinners” leads the field with a record 16 nominations, facing off against “One Battle After Another,” “Marty Supreme,” and “Hamnet.”
Major nominees are streaming ahead of the show.

Notable Quotes

“American officials have not said whether there are any confirmed deaths, only that rescue efforts are ongoing.” (Erica Mandy, 01:09)
“Oil prices reached $100 a barrel and stocks sank worldwide over fears the conflict could drag on longer than hoped.” (Erica Mandy, 03:12)
“He exchanged fire with the synagogue's security guards and died. One of those guards was also hurt, but everyone else was able to get out safely, including the 140 students at the synagogue's preschool.” (Erica Mandy, 04:00)
“ROT students subdued and killed the gunman. The FBI says there is no longer a threat.” (Erica Mandy, 05:40)
“The White House thanked journalists for, quote, covering all of our banger videos.” (Erica Mandy, 13:05)
“They called fans, quote, so stupid for paying inflated charges and bragging they were, quote, robbing them blind.” (Erica Mandy, 13:19)

Timestamps for Noteworthy Segments

U.S. Air Force Crash & Iran War Update: 00:50–03:28
Michigan Synagogue & Virginia University Attacks: 03:29–06:08
Senate Housing Bill: 06:09–07:53
California Heatwave / U.S. Weather Extremes: 10:36–11:42
FBI Training with UFC Fighters: 11:43–12:29
White House War Pop Culture Videos: 12:30–13:05
Live Nation Price Gouging Controversy: 13:06–14:10
Oscars Preview: 14:11–14:41

Memorable Moments

The “banger videos” comment from the White House, highlighting the administration’s tone in response to criticism over war messaging. (13:05)
Touching escape of 140 preschool children during the Michigan synagogue attack. (04:00)
Employees’ brazen texts revealed in the Live Nation controversy, calling fans “so stupid.” (13:19)
The dramatic temperature contrast between heatwave-stricken California and frigid Chicago/Atlanta. (11:39)

Feel Good Friday Segment

[16:19–End]

Community in Colorado organizes a parade of classic cars for Max Archuleta, an 80-year-old vintage car lover with terminal cancer.
Dozens of strangers honored the request, providing a deeply meaningful experience for Max and his family.

“Archuleta says he was shocked so many strangers were willing to put on the show…”

Summary:
This NewsWorthy episode captures a snapshot of an anxious, news-packed Friday: war and tragedy alongside resilience and community. Erica Mandy’s evenhanded style ensures listeners understand both the seriousness of current events and the heartwarming actions that offer hope amid turmoil.

Transcript

A (0:00)

Today is Friday, March 13th. What to know about violent attacks at a Michigan synagogue and a Virginia university. We'll also tell you about a rescue effort underway after a US Military aircraft crashed in the Middle east and what's behind the backlash to the White House's war videos on social media. Plus, why UFC fighters are working with FBI agents this weekend, what LIVE Nation employees apparently said about customers paying high prices for tickets and what to expect from this weekend's Academy Awards. Those stories and even more news coming up. Welcome to the Newsworthy all the Days News in less than 15 minutes. I'm Erica. Mandy. Thanks so much for being here. Let's do this. Damage from the war in Iran is growing by the day. Yesterday, a U.S. air Force refueling aircraft being used in the Iran conflict crashed in Iraq. As we published this morning, American officials have not said whether there are any confirmed deaths, only that rescue efforts are ongoing. It's also not clear exactly what happened. They say it was not an act of hostile or friendly fire, and at least five service members were on board. A second tanker was also involved but landed safely. Now, this crash was actually the second issue reported by the US Military yesterday. The other involved another key asset in the ongoing war, the the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford. There was an onboard fire in the main laundry area and two sailors were hurt, but they are expected to recover. Overall, at least seven American service members have died from hostile fire since the war began last month. On the other side, a US based human rights group says more than 1,800 people have been killed in Iran, mostly civilians. And the U.S. defense Department now says it's revisiting how it wants to handle this conflict to minimize civilian casualties. Still, intense airstrikes have been reported around Iran early this morning, and multiple nearby countries are reporting incoming Iranian attacks. Yesterday, Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, released his first public message since being chosen to take over for his father. And he made it clear, as expected, he's taking a similar hardline stance as the elder Khamenei did before his death. The new supreme leader warned attacks on US Military bases in the region would continue if the bases aren't shut down. He also said Iran would hold on to leverage by keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed and by continuing attacks on energy infrastructure in the Middle East. And he thanked Iran's proxies like Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and pro Iranian militias in Iraq for their support. Well, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also made comments yesterday and encouraged the Iranian population to take down the government. Of course, the rest of the world is keeping a close eye on all of this, too, partly because of the impact it's having on the global economy Once again. Yesterday, oil prices reached $100 a barrel and stocks sank worldwide over fears the conflict could drag on longer than hoped. To help relieve the surge in prices, the US Announced it would further ease sanctions on Russian oil for the next month. But President Trump also downplayed the concerns about oil disruption, arguing that keeping Iran from having nuclear weapons was more important than rising prices. Stay tuned. Well, back in the US A driver rammed a truck through the doors of a Michigan synagogue. It was an attack the FBI said was purposely meant to target the Jewish community. Authorities say the suspect drove down the hallway with a rifle and a large number of explosives. He exchanged fire with the synagogue's security guards and died. One of those guards was also hurt, but everyone else was able to get out safely, including the 140 students at the synagogue's preschool. The suspect was a US citizen from Lebanon. And CBS News cites a source who says several of his close family members were killed in an airstrike about 10 days ago. An investigation is still underway. His attack came in the face of a significant rise in anti Semitic incidents in the U.S. michigan's Attorney General issued a statement saying anti Semitism cannot be tolerated. A deadly shooting at a Virginia university is now being investigated as terrorism. Officials say the gunman was a former Army National Guard member who spent eight years in prison for trying to help isis. He was out on supervised release, and he opened fire on a classroom at Virginia's Old Dominion University yesterday. One instructor was killed and two other people were hurt before ROTC students subdued and killed the gunman. The FBI says there is no longer a threat to, but it would still like anyone with information on the attack to contact them. It's being called the largest housing affordability package in a generation, and the Senate just passed it in a bipartisan vote of 89 to 10. The bill includes roughly 40 provisions meant to increase housing supply and lower costs. For example, it would remove land use regulations that critics say slow construction. It would expand manufactured housing that can often be built faster and at a lower cost than traditional homes. And it would ban large institutional investors from buying hundreds of single family homes. That last part has some critics who say limiting those investors will only lead to less rental housing and higher rent, since landlords won't have as much competition. But reports show institutional investors are actually more likely to sharply raise rents and file for eviction at higher rates than smaller local landlords. Plus, supporters say average buyers need to have a better shot at home ownership, since it's a way to build wealth. And President Trump is on board. He would be willing to sign the bill in its current form if Congress also passes his voting bill, since that's his top priority right now. But the housing measure still needs to pass the House, where its future looks a little more uncertain. The House passed a similar, more narrow bill earlier this year that did not include the part about institutional investors. And instead of taking up the Senate one, House leaders have suggested they would rather launch a formal process to negotiate a final deal between the chambers. That process can take months. More news is still coming up, but first the Newsworthy is brought to you by Wild Grain, the first bake from frozen subscription box for sourdough breads, artisanal pastries and fresh pastas. 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For a limited time, Wild Grain is offering our listeners $30 off your first box plus free croissants for life, which are also delicious when you go to wildgrain.comnewsworthy to start your subscription today. That's $30 off your first box and free croissants for life when you visit wildgrain.comnewsworthy or you can use the promo code Newsworthy at checkout. Now back to the news. A historic March heat wave is bearing down on Southern California today. It's expected to be 20 degrees warmer than normal for mid March, meaning temperatures in the 90s. Temperature records were already broken yesterday and more are expected to be set today. Officials opened cooling centers and encouraged everyone to stay out of the sun as much as possible and watch for signs of heat stroke or heat exhaustion. The heat wave should weaken a little by tomorrow, but things will heat right back up in Southern California and the rest of the state starting next week. Temperatures could top 90 on Monday around San Francisco and in the Sacramento area and parts of the Southern California and Nevada deserts could reach triple digits. Meanwhile, a so called polar vortex is in the forecast for the Midwest and East, meaning while California is in the 90s, Chicago is expected to be in the single digits and and even Atlanta could drop to the 20s. In what the FBI is calling a historic opportunity, agents are being trained by UFC fighters. Of course, the mixed martial arts league is known for brutal combat and FBI Director Kash Patel has been a longtime fan. Now he says a two day training session at Quantico will give agents the chance to learn and train with some of the greatest athletes on earth. Patel says this training will put the bureau in a position to be even better prepared to help the American people. But critics, including some former FBI leaders, say it's an example of what they see as Patel's misplaced priorities. They also say the current training for FBI agents is more appropriate for agents working in American neighborhoods and not the octagon. By the way, this isn't the first time the UFC has worked with the Trump administration. In fact, the White House is hosting a UFC fight on the Ellipse later this year on President Trump's birthday. All week, the White House has been taking an unusual approach to messaging when it comes to the war in Iran. In a series of social media videos, the White House has combined video from the war with figures from movies, tv, sports, music and video games. For example, footage of explosions, then a cut of spongebob squarepants saying, wanna see me do it again? And yesterday, the White House's social media account spliced together footage from the Nintendo game Wii Sports and videos of strikes on Iran. And those are just a couple of examples. Several people in the entertainment, sports and video game industries have spoken out against the Trump administration using their intellectual property without their permission. And other critics have suggested the White House is not taking the war seriously enough. In response to news reports, the White House thanked journalists for, quote, covering all of our banger videos. This isn't the first time war and pop culture have meshed. For example, there were pro war Looney Tunes shorts made during World War II. But many analysts say in the age of social media and AI, things have been stepped up quite a bit and that it's sometimes hard to see where government stops and entertainment begins. Live Nation may have already reached a settlement with the Justice Department, but now court documents are being made public that are sparking new backlash. They include a series of messages between two Live Nation employees whose jobs involve handling tickets at Live Nation venues. And in several messages, they brag about price gouging customers. That's their words. They called fans, quote, so stupid for paying inflated charges and bragging they were, quote, robbing them blind. Well, Live Nation says those messages don't reflect the company's values, that the conversation was just off the cuff banter between two friends, not anything that had to do with policy, decision making or facts. Still, the company says it will be looking into the matter. Remember, Live Nation was sued by the federal government, 39 states in Washington, D.C. for allegedly running an illegal monopoly. Now, the DOJ's settlement requires Live Nation to divest 13amphitheaters and let competitors like StubHub sell tickets on their platform. But several states say that's not enough and they're continuing to sue, hoping to break up the company. And they're preparing their own case now. Hollywood is rolling out the red carpet for the 98th Academy Awards this weekend. This year's Oscars are happening on Sunday in Los Angeles. Conan o' Brien is making a comeback as host, and he's promising to bring some surprises. The show also features performances from Josh Groban, Misty Copeland and the trio behind K Pop. Demon Hunters. Sinners leads the Oscar nominations with a record 16 total, but it still faces plenty of competition from films like One Battle After Another, Marty supreme and Hamnet, among others. If you want to catch up before the big show this weekend, many of the big nominees are available to stream now. The Oscars will be broadcast live on ABC and hulu starting at 7pm Eastern on Sunday. That's it for the main news today. So now it's time for Feel Good Friday when we bring you one extra feel good or positive news story before the weekend. But first, this episode is sponsored by Rosetta Stone. Think about this. If you start learning a new language now, by the time summer rolls around, you'll already feel more confident speaking and understanding that new language. Now is the perfect time to start, whether you have a trip coming up a or you simply want to have that amazing new skill. I'm always so impressed when someone knows another language and I realize that actually it can be me, especially with the right method. Rosetta Stone has been a trusted leader in language learning for over 30 years. They have a method that helps you naturally absorb your new language. You learn by connecting words, visuals and meaning in context, the way language is meant to be learned. They even have something called True Accent that gives you real time feedback on pronunciation, like having a personal coach. How cool is that? And of course, we're all so busy, so we need something flexible. Thankfully, Rosetta Stone allows you to access lessons from your desktop or mobile app, whether you have five minutes or an hour. Ready to start learning a new language this spring? Visit rosettastone.com newsworthy to explore Rosetta Stone and choose the language that's right for you. Go to Rosetta Stone.com Newsworthy and begin your language learning journey now. Okay, now back to Feel Good Friday, A community in Colorado came together to give the gift of a lifetime to a stranger. 80 year old max Archuleta has been a vintage car lover all of his life. But he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and his family says he no longer has the energy to go to the car shows he once enjoyed. His granddaughter wanted to lift his spirit, so she turned to social media asking if anyone with a classic car would be willing to drive by his house. And dozens of drivers showed up, putting on their own classic car parade just for Archuleta. He got to see cars from the 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond slowly driving past his home with drivers waving and honking their horns. Archuleta says he was shocked so many strangers were willing to put on the show and his family says they're now grateful for a memory with him that they'll cherish forever. Thank you so much for listening today. We'll be back tomorrow with our special edition Saturday episode. You'll hear expert analysis on the war in Iran and we spoke with an American about his experience being stranded in the Middle East. Then we'll be back on Monday with the latest news. For now, have a great weekend.