Six minutes of news from around the nation.

The week begins with a seventh U.S. death in war with Iran; SCOTUS to hear case on state lawsuits seeking climate damages; U.S. 'affordability crisis' wallops New Mexico's low-wage corporate workers; and an Idaho nonprofit helps refugee students in uncertain times.

TRANSCRIPT

The Public News Service Daily Newscast, March 9, 2026.

I'm Mike Clifford.

As we begin the week, another American service member has died in the war with Iran.

The Pentagon said Sunday, bringing the number of American troops killed in the conflict now to seven.

The service member who was not publicly identified was seriously injured on March 1, that when Iran struck a Saudi military base where American troops were stationed, that from a statement from U.S. command.

The New York Times notes the service member died Saturday night from those injuries while military health officials were preparing a transfer for more advanced medical care at the U.S. military hospital in Germany.

Meantime the U.S. Supreme Court said to hear a case it will decide whether lawsuits for retroactive damages from climate change can be heard in state courts.

Advocates argue the lawsuits are a way to hold fossil fuel companies accountable. the Trump administration's revocation of the 2009 endangerment finding, which formed a legal basis for many emissions regulations, legal experts believe state-level lawsuits may have a better chance of succeeding.

Similarly, they argue the government's decision to not regulate greenhouse gas emissions opens the door for states and localities to create their own rules.

Corey Radeh White with the Center for Climate Integrity says it's crucial to hold the oil and gas industry responsible for its contributions to the climate crisis.

These suits call them out for their decades of deception and say that under different tort theories or statutes like consumer protection statutes, they should be held liable and forced to pay their fair share of the harm that their deception has caused.

Oil and gas advocates have argued so-called make polluters pay policies provide punishment without a fix.

They warn these lawsuits could raise energy costs on consumers and penalize companies for legal behavior.

I'm Zamone Perez.

And a new study shows the affordability crisis in New Mexico and nationwide is not just about housing, groceries and health care, low worker wages also contribute to the problem.

The report says while companies like Amazon and Walmart are making their CEOs and shareholders richer, frontline workers are struggling.

Sarah Anderson with the Institute for Policy Studies says many workers get paychecks so small they can qualify for programs like SNAP and Medicaid.

She says this low-wage business model amounts to a form of corporate welfare paid by U.S. taxpayers. "20 of the largest and most profitable corporations in this country are not paying their workers enough to meet basic necessities, and many of them are having to rely on public assistance just to get by."

In the new report, titled "America's 20 Largest Low-Wage Employers and the Affordability Crisis," none of the companies listed pay workers enough to afford the average rent for a two-bedroom A year's wages at seven companies on the list isn't enough to pay the average price of a used car.

I'm Roz Brown.

This is Public News Service.

A non-profit group in Idaho that supports students who have been refugees says events like the war in Iran can have a painful impact.

Our Laura Hatch reports Idaho is home to more than 7,700 people who have arrived as refugees since the year 2015.

The organization One Refugee helps those with refugee backgrounds get a college education.

Its Idaho director, Jeannie Levinsky, says political developments nationally and internationally directly affect these students and their families.

It can remind them of the past traumas that they themselves may have faced with war and displacement and also just general sentiments around immigration right now.

There's just been a lot of uncertainty.

One refugee has helped more than 500 students from 38 different countries since the program started in 2014.

It operates in Idaho, Utah, and Arizona with Idaho's office opening in 2020.

A new report considers two New York universities to be among the most hostile campuses for free speech nationwide.

The Council on American Islamic Relations or CARE report evaluates 51 colleges and universities that it says suppressed free speech about the war in Gaza and pro-Palestine protests.

It found Columbia University and the City University of New York were the most restrictive about pro-Palestinian speech.

Dr. Mariam Hassan with CARE says there are ways these two schools, and many others, can improve their rankings.

Review their policies, review their adoption of IRA or any similar definition that's targeting student activism.

Review their biased statements.

Some of these professors were calling the protesters terrorist sympathizers.

IRA is the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

The report notes 12 schools adopted the alliance's strict antisemitism definition.

I'm Edwin J. Viera.

Finally, farmers, conservationists, landowners, and hunters in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley are addressing a decline in waterfowl numbers in the region.

The MAV is known to have the highest concentration of waterfowl on the continent, but experts say drought, farming efficiencies, and economic issues for rice farmers have resulted in lower numbers.

Ryan Delaney with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership says farmers have to choose between making a profit or maintaining the waterfowl habitat.

And when we see declines in waterfowl, we see declines in hunter participation in these areas.

We see declines in revenue streams in these areas.

That combines with an ag economy that is doing less than stellar, creates a significant economic situation in rural America.

He says they hope to at least maintain the current quality of waterfowl habitats.

I'm Freda Ross reporting.

This is Mike Clifford.

Thank you for starting your week with Public News Service.

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