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Iran official’s claims of change spark hope, skepticism · Apple News Today

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  [THOUGHTFUL MUSIC]
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  Shumita Basu, Narrating: Grief is one of the most universal of human experiences. And yet, we don't talk about it very much. Instead, we're often left feeling alone with our sadness. That's why "CNN's" Anderson Cooper is choosing to talk about grief, be direct with it, in his new podcast. He talks with people about those they've lost, the things they've left behind, and how we can coexist with loss: with love and with laughter. Listen to "All There Is with Anderson Cooper" on Apple Podcasts.
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  Good morning! It's Monday, December 5th. I'm Shumita Basu. This is "Apple News Today." On today's show, investigating a shooting attack that knocked out power for an entire county, why Democrats think jam-band icon Dave Matthews can help in the Georgia runoff and children making millions of dollars playing with toys on YouTube.
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  But first, there are conflicting reports and serious skepticism this morning about whether real change could be coming to Iran after weeks of protests for women's rights, some of the most significant demonstrations against the regime in decades. Iran's attorney general made provocative comments recently, saying that Iran's parliament and judiciary are reviewing the country's mandatory hijab law. He also said that the country's so-called "morality police" had been abolished.
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  The government hasn't confirmed or denied that the feared police force has been disbanded. And "CNN" points to some state media reports that are pushing back on the attorney general's claim, saying the judiciary doesn't oversee the morality police. These contradictions have a lot of people in and out of Iran questioning whether the government is truly willing to accommodate protesters' demands for more freedom. You can hear this in what Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on "CBS" yesterday about the possibility that the morality police had been abolished.
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  [START CBS NEWS ARCHIVAL CLIP]
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  Antony Blinken: That could be a positive thing. But we have to see how it actually plays out in practice and what the Iranian people think. This is about them, and it's up to them.
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  Analysts are watching for a couple of things here: they want to see whether these comments reflect long-term, significant changes to the hijab law or if they're just temporary measures to quiet protests. Iran's leadership doesn't always march in lockstep in the way that some might think. There are hard-liners and there are reformers, all fighting for power. Often, that battle happens behind the scenes. But what we may be seeing now is some of that fight spilling out into the public. Reformers sometimes made progress in the past only to be pulled back by the powerful clerics. Ordinary Iranians and U.S. foreign policy officials are now trying to answer a critical question: is something truly different this time?
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  People are weathering freezing temperatures with no heat in a North Carolina county after shooting attacks on two power substations knocked out electricity over the weekend. Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields says whoever opened fire knew what the impact would be.
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  Ronnie Fields: I can say this, this individual that's done this, it was targeted. It wasn't random.
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  The FBI is helping local and state authorities look into the attacks. And officials are working with the energy company to restore power. Nearly all homes and businesses in the county were affected. Some power has been restored, but as of this morning, tens of thousands were still in the dark. It's a very dangerous situation. No power means no heating, no refrigeration for medicines, no way to run critical medical equipment.
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  There's been speculation that the attack was connected to a local drag show that drew protests. LGBTQ+ communities are on alert after a deadly shooting at a performance in Colorado last month. The Moore County Sheriff says investigators are looking into possible links but haven't made that connection yet.
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  Ronnie Fields: We don't have anything, no motivation, no group has stepped up to acknowledge or accept that they are the ones that have done it. So, yeah, I call 'em cowards.
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  With damage potentially running into millions of dollars, restoring power involves complicated repairs that could take days.
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  Tomorrow, Georgia voters will decide whether to send a Democrat or a Republican to the U.S. senate in a runoff election. Republican Herschel Walker faces Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock, who, at a recent rally, brought out a musical guest.
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  [CROWD SHOUTING]
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  Dave Matthews: This is called, "Something to Tell My Baby."
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  [MUSIC - "SOMETHING TO TELL MY BABY" BY DAVE MATTHEWS]
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  If you've got your '90s goggles on this morning, you'll know that voice is Dave Matthews. Campaigns have often leaned on musicians to help encourage people to get out the vote. "New York Magazine" reports on how Democratic campaigns have been tapping Dave Matthews to reel in a very niche prize: white suburban Gen Xers. In tight races, campaigns have to use every trick they can think of, including the nostalgia factor of a jam-band icon. And Matthews was quite a draw at a recent Atlanta rally, where people lined up for hours to see him onstage with Warnock.
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  It's not clear whether the musician can make a difference here. Matthews campaigned for three other Democratic Senate candidates recently. Two lost, one won. Now, lots of people find Dave Matthews' songs pretty cringey, and a Republican campaign spokesman took the opportunity to pounce, asking "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution" before the event, "Haven't Georgia voters suffered enough?" Either way, they will have their say tomorrow.
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  If you've got young children in your life, there's a decent chance that you're familiar with the kids on this YouTube channel. Here's a clip where they're playing with brand-new, fresh outta the box Batman toys.
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  [START VLAD AND NIKI YOUTUBE ARCHIVAL CLIP]
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  Vlad Vashketov: Wow! It's the new Batcave!
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  [CHILDREN SHOUTING "YAY!"]
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  Niki Vashketov: Whoa, this is my car!
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  [CHILDREN SHOUTING "YAY!"]
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  [END VLAD AND NIKI YOUTUBE ARCHIVAL CLIP]
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  They're siblings named Vlad and Niki. That video has racked up more than 7 million views. Their YouTube channel has close to 100 million subscribers. "The Wall Street Journal" profiles these kids and others who've made their families millions of dollars with videos like this. It's a simple formula: give a cute kid a super popular brand-name toy, film them playing with it and watch the views come rolling in. That can translate to big-money deals with toymakers and Hollywood studios.
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  The "Journal" asked Vlad and Niki's mom why she thinks these videos have so much appeal. And she said it's because when other kids watch, they feel like her kids are their friends. The "Journal" says the biggest hurdle ahead for these families and young creators is time. After all, child celebrities, and their audiences, all eventually get older.
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  You can find all these stories and more in the Apple News app. And if you're already listening in the News app, stick around. We've got a narrated article coming up next from "TIME" with more on the midterms. It takes a look at how Democrats defied the odds to hold on to the Senate. So sit back, listen to that and I'll be back with the news tomorrow.
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