Americans’ views on the economy are improving, according to new CBS News polling. Anthony Salvanto, CBS News executive director of elections and surveys, joins “America Decides” to break down the findings. Source

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps is inside Yemen, and serving side-by-side with the Houthis amid ongoing attacks on commercial ships, the deputy commander of U.S. Central Command said. Source

Donald Trump’s first criminal trial will begin March 25 after a New York judge denied his bid to dismiss his “hush money” case Thursday. It will be the first criminal trial for a former U.S. president in history. CBS News chief election and campaign correspondent Robert Costa has more. Source

In an unexpected move, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis testified Thursday in a hearing over her alleged misconduct in the Georgia election interference case against former President Donald Trump. CBS News congressional correspondent Nikole Killion has the latest. Source

Paul McCartney’s 1961 Höfner bass, which was stolen decades ago, has been returned, the former Beatles member confirmed on his website. Source

Nikki Haley is making the case to potential donors in Texas that she’s a viable alternative to Donald Trump. The effort comes with Haley trailing Trump by 35 points in South Carolina, where voters will submit primary ballots in a little over a week. CBS News campaign reporter Taurean Small has more. Source

Colleges are offering some help to students struggling with financial aid applications after the Department of Education rolled out a simplified FAFSA form that ran into delays and glitches. Schools have extended deadlines with some offering their own aid forms now in addition to the federal forms. Medora Lee, a money and finance reporter for USA Today, joined CBS News to break it all down. Source

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ relationship with Nathan Wade, the lead prosecutor in the Georgia election interference case against former President Donald Trump, has been the subject of a hearing Thursday in Atlanta. One of Trump’s co-defendants in the case has accused Willis of financial impropriety stemming from the relationship, something that could disqualify her and her office from prosecuting the case. CBS News congressional correspondent Nikole Killion has more. Source

Ratings of the current economy are at their highest level in over two years; they’ve also been trending up, albeit slowly and remain mired in negative territory. Source

The switch comes weeks after a Delaware judge invalidated his $55.8 billion Tesla pay package​. Source