5 things to know for March 3: War with Iran, Nationwide protests, Primaries, Clinton depositions, Nancy Guthrie

Alexandra Banner, CNNTue, March 3, 2026 at 11:40 AM UTC

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Large swaths of Middle Eastern airspace have been shut down as the conflict in Iran escalates. See how the disruptions along major flight routes have carved a “hole in the sky,” forcing airlines to reroute planes onto longer, costlier paths.

Here’s what else you to get up to speed and on with your day.

Smoke rises from Israeli airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut. - Ibrahim Amro/AFP/Getty Images1️⃣ War with Iran

As the war with Iran enters its fourth day, US and Israeli officials are signaling that their joint military operation is far from finished. Israel said it is carrying out “simultaneous strikes” in Tehran and Beirut, targeting Iranian military sites and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah. Iran, meanwhile, is retaliating by attacking neighboring US allies, plunging the region into further upheaval. President Donald Trump told CNN the “biggest surprise” of the war has been Iran’s strikes on Arab countries, and he warned that the “big wave” of US action is still to come. The US State Department has also ordered the departure of non-emergency personnel from Jordan, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar and Kuwait, after urging Americans to leave the Middle East immediately.

2️⃣ Nationwide protests

Thousands of people gathered peacefully across the US on Monday to protest the US-Israeli military operation in Iran, exposing sharp divisions over the strikes. Demonstrators rallied from Boston — where speakers denounced “endless, immoral wars” — to New York and Los Angeles, chanting “hands off Iran” and “No war on Iran.” Similar protests unfolded in Chicago, Portland, Oregon, and Madison, Wisconsin. At the same time, some Iranian Americans have openly welcomed the killing of Iran’s supreme leader and called for regime change, reflecting deep rifts within the diaspora over the conflict.

3️⃣ Primaries

All eyes are on Texas, where today’s high-stakes primaries are expected to offer an early snapshot of voter engagement and party momentum. The first votes will begin to come in at 8 p.m. ET, when polls close in most of the state. While every election night is slightly different, Texas typically reports quickly: In November 2024, more than half the vote was counted within the first hour, and nearly 90% was in by midnight. The first results of the 2026 primary season, however, will come from North Carolina, where polls close at 7:30 p.m. ET. All polls in Arkansas close an hour later at 8:30 p.m. ET. In 2024, most of the vote in both states was reported by midnight.

4️⃣ Clinton depositions

The House Oversight Committee on Monday released video of the closed-door depositions of Bill and Hillary Clinton that occurred last week as part of the panel’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. Although former President Bill Clinton has more documented ties to Epstein, it was Hillary Clinton’s deposition that grew more heated as she frequently clashed with Republicans. Bill Clinton, with a calmer demeanor and visibly shaking hands, denied having any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes. Lawmakers repeatedly showed the former president photos of him with women from the released Epstein files, asking if he had sex with them. Each time, he said he did not.

5️⃣ Nancy Guthrie

One month after Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Arizona home, investigators still have no clear account of what happened to the 84-year-old. Aerial video on Monday showed her daughter, “Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie, and other family members laying flowers at a memorial outside the house. Authorities say they have received tens of thousands of tips and pursued thousands of leads, but none have produced a breakthrough. DNA recovered from inside the home — described by investigators as a mixture from multiple people — is now undergoing genetic testing.

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Today’s edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN’s Andrew Torgan.

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