A civil war at Fox News; women sue Texas over abortion laws; JetBlue-Spirit merger foiled

Plus, why one man wants to live underwater for 100 days. [View this email online]( [NPR]( by Suzanne Nuyen Good morning and Happy International Women’s Day! Take a look back at [seven gutsy women]( we’ve covered. Here’s what else we’re following today. First up [Texas abortion rights supporters march near the Austin Convention Center in May of 2022.]( Brandon Bell/Getty Images Five Texas women who were denied abortions under Texas law are suing the state for putting their lives in danger. All of them had medically complex pregnancies and several faced life-threatening conditions but were [turned away by their doctors for an abortion](. Four ultimately left the state to seek one out. 🎧 NPR’s Sarah McCammon spoke to the doctors who joined the lawsuit. On [Up First]( she said doctors are afraid of saying the wrong thing because they don’t want to risk breaking laws like SB 8, which allows private citizens to sue people who help Texas patients get abortions. McCammon says this could be a “rare moment of agreement on both sides” to clarify how the law should be applied. Two of the four Americans who were kidnapped in Mexico last week have returned to the U.S. and are both at a hospital recovering. Officials are “[in the process of repatriating the remains]( of the other two victims, who were found dead at the border. 🎧 NPR’s Eyder Peralta was on [Up First]( to give the latest updates. He says the Mexican president and his security cabinet “promised justice” but emphasized that the four Americans were not targeted and were “in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Documents released in the Fox News lawsuit reveal how a fateful decision to announce Joe Biden as the winner in Arizona during the 2020 election led to a civil war inside the network. Private notes between the network’s top stars showed their [outrage against colleagues]( who were debunking Donald Trump’s election fraud claims. In contrast, reporters felt like they were being punished for doing their jobs. 🎧 Listen to how Fox employees [began to turn on each other]( when a network that built profits by catering to pro-Trump fans saw millions of viewers leave. Tensions have been building in Atlanta for years over plans to build a police training center on forested land — a project known as “cop city.” The conflict has recently caused [at least one death, a state of emergency declaration and domestic terrorism charges](. Critics are accusing the city of failing to fulfill its promise to bring more green space to underserved communities, but supporters say the area had been cleared of trees for a long time. 🎧 Listen to the [nuances of this construction controversy](. The DOJ is suing to block a merger between JetBlue and Spirit airlines, arguing the deal would reduce competition and drive up airfares for consumers. JetBlue’s CEO said the merger [would benefit consumers]( because a bigger JetBlue would be able to compete with the big four airlines — American, Delta, United and Southwest. 🎧 Listen to [why the DOJ isn’t buying his argument](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- ❤️ I’m Really Into [Two side by side photos depicting a rainbow tapestry on the left and a throw pillow on the right woven by NPR’s Natalie Escobar.]( Natalie Escobar Like many, NPR editor Natalie Escobar was searching for a pandemic hobby in 2020. She was an “anxious wreck” when she picked up a loom and started weaving. Since then, weaving has been a way for her to quiet her brain, keep the nerves at bay and [ground herself in “the tangibility of yarn and thread and stitching]( --------------------------------------------------------------- 🎧 Today’s listen [Joseph Dituri — AKA Dr. Deep Sea — underwater in his scuba gear.]( Joseph Ditur Retired Navy officer Joseph Dituri — or "Dr. Deep Sea" — is attempting to break the world record for continuous time spent living in a fixed underwater habitat. He’s not just spending 100 days underwater for fun — he wants his experience to spark scientific curiosity and make strides in biomedical research. "We gotta do something to find everything," he says. 🎧 Listen to [how he’ll spend his time as an undersea guinea pig]( or [read his story](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 🛑 Before you go [Ben Savage (left) and Danielle Fishel speak onstage at the Boy Meets World 25th Anniversary Reunion panel during New York Comic Con 2018. ]( Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for New York Comic - Boy meets ... Congress? Boy Meets World star Ben Savage has announced he will [run as a Democrat for a U.S. House seat]( covering the LA district that includes Hollywood. - There are dog people and cat people — and then there are alligator people. A Texas woman says she [got an alligator from the zoo as a hatchling]( and has been raising it for at least 20 years. It was 8 feet long when a game warden found it. - New York Mayor Eric Adams has a strange masking request: He wants everyone to [take their masks off]( when entering shops to prove they’re not a criminal. --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Find a Station]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Daily News emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]