NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-05-2026 1AM EST

Episode Date: March 5, 2026

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Live from NPR News, I'm Jail Snyder. With the war in the Middle East now in its sixth day, President Trump says he was justified in launching strikes against Iran this past weekend. Speaking at the White House Wednesday, Trump said the U.S. needed to act before Iran did. I think we have great support, and I think if we didn't do it first, they would have done it to Israel and give us a shot if that was possible. The Trump administration has been criticized for giving conflicting reasons for military action. against Iran, and Democrats accuse the president of launching a war of choice. But they failed to push through a war powers resolution in the Senate Wednesday. Senate Republicans blocked the measure in a largely party-line vote. The House is expected to take up its own war powers resolution on Thursday.

In Texas, the Austin area lawmaker James Tala Rico won Tuesday's Democratic Senate primary, that win partly fueled by Latino voters. But as NPR's Ashley Lopez reports, this growing part of the state is not particularly aligned with either party. Counties along Texas's southern border, which have very large Latino populations, were a key part of James Talarico's defeat of Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. Early turnout figures show he won about two-thirds of the vote in those South Texas counties. He also garnered significant support among Latinos in metropolitan areas. This could be a worry for Texas Republicans who saw significant gains among those voters in 2024 and redrew congressional lines in their favor last year with the expectation that most

of these voters would continue to support the party. Affordability was a key part of Talarico's campaign, which is historically one of the most important issues for Latinos. Ashley Lopez, NPR News. Montana Republican Senator Steve Dane dropping his bid for re-election to a third term. Dane's withdrew his name Wednesday just minutes before Montana's deadline for candidates to file for the November midterm election. Shortly before the deadline, Montana's Republican U.S. attorney Kurt Olme filed for Dane's seat and was quickly endorsed by President Trump. A report released Wednesday by the Rhode Island Attorney General documents decades of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence from Ocean State Media David

Wright reports. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Nerona's 300-page report documents an all-too-familiar pattern, priests accused of abuse, shuffled from parish to parish by local bishops. Bishops knew. Bishops knew and did nothing. Worse than that. and nothing, they transferred priests. According to the report, compiled from church records dating back to 1950, the diocese transferred 31 priests to new jobs at least five times each. In response, the Bishop of Providence said that the dioces adopted new safeguards decades ago and that there are no credibly accused clergy in active ministry. For NPR News, I'm David Wright in Providence. And you're listening to NPR, News. The Pentagon has identified the final two of the six U.S. soldiers who were killed a day after the U.S.

and Israel launched their attacks against Iran. The Defense Department says 55-year-old chief warrant officer Robert Marzanne of Sacramento and 45-year-old Major Jeffrey O'Brien were killed Sunday when a drone hit their command center in Kuwait. The four others killed were identified on Tuesday. They include a Polk County Florida native. Central Florida public media's Marion Summerall reports on the Army Reserve Captain. Captain Cody A. Cork was a U.S. Army Reserve soldier who was killed in a drone attack on March 1st in Kuwait, according to the Army Reserve. The city of Winter Haven says Cork grew up there, attending Lake Region High School and continuing his education at Florida Southern College. Winter Haven's Mayor Brian

Yates said, quote, our community is proud of the life he lived and the service he gave. Captain Cody A. Cork was 35 years old. For NPR News, I'm Marion Summerall in Orlando. A federal judge in New York has dealt a setback to the Trump administration, the judge on the U.S. Court of International Trade, ruled Wednesday that companies that paid tariffs that were struck down last month by the Supreme Court are due refunds. And Judge Richard E. ordered those refunds to be made with interest. Eaton has said a Friday hearing for an update on how customs and border protection will carry out the refunds.

I'm Giles Snyder. This is NPR News. This message comes from Wise, the app for international people using money around the globe. You can send, spend, and receive in up to 40 currencies with only a few simple taps. Be smart. Get Wise. Download the Wise app today or visit Wise.com. T's and Cs apply.