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"Iran's supreme leader killed in US-Israeli strikes on Iran."

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by Brittney Melton March 1, 2026 Good morning. This week, U.K. police arrested ex-ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson as part of its Jeffrey Epstein investigation, some transgender Kansans had their IDs abruptly invalidated, and medical professionals demanded that the Department of Homeland Security release children in ICE detention. Today's top stories Israel's military said it began a new wave of attacks in Iran, one day after a joint American-Israeli operation killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He was 86 years old. Iran's state media confirmed his death. On social media, President Trump warned Iran against further retaliation. Khamenei’s death ends his 36-year rule over the country. Israel’s military said the attack also killed top Iranian security officials. The Iranian government has announced 40 days of mourning. The U.S. and Israel launched the attack against Iran as part of a major military operation intended to topple the Islamic regime. Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/AP ➡️ The death of Iran’s supreme leader leads to a big question: What happens now? Sources & Methods host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR national security correspondent Greg Myre and NPR international correspondent Daniel Estrin about what this means for the country’s regime. ➡️ Congress did not authorize yesterday's strikes, which have deeply divided lawmakers. Article 1 of the Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power to declare war. Reaction to the overnight attack has not split cleanly on partisan lines, though Republicans offered most of the praise. ➡️ House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is pushing for a vote on a war power resolution following the strikes. Jeffries joins NPR's Emily Kwong on All Things Considered to explain what the resolution would do if it is passed.  ➡️ The Defense Department is calling the series of airstrikes “Operation Epic Fury.” The Trump administration’s recent operations have drawn criticism, not just for the missions themselves but also because of their names and the intent behind them. ➡️ European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the developments in Iran "greatly concerning." Here’s how other world leaders have reacted.  ➡️ Military strikes on Iran pose serious risks to oil markets and, by extension, the global market. Because trading markets are closed until late Sunday, the extent of the impact on oil prices remains unclear. Latinos unpack complicated feelings about the U.S. by Marisa Peñaloza, senior producer for NPR's national desk After many phone calls with the group of Latinas called Las Comadres Para Las Americas, or the Godmothers for the Americas, I traveled to Austin in January for one of their monthly potlucks. The organization was founded 25 years ago. Its founder, Nora de Hoyos Comstock, tells me to think of it as a "Latina culture club."  Ilana Panich-Linsman for NPR The women typically steer clear of politics. But that night, they broke the rule to discuss what they see as the Trump administration's assaults on Latinos amid an aggressive immigration crackdown and as the country celebrates its 250th anniversary. I was curious to know how and if Latinos will join the festivities.   The idea to look into this occurred to me after the head of the America250 planning commission told Axios that Latinos will be "front and center" in the country’s celebrations. "Just the word celebration alone is triggering,” Evelyn Escamilla, one of the Comadres, told me. “I'm Mexican American. I was born in this country. I was raised in this country. Yet because of my heritage, I'm afraid. I'm afraid to be out in the street. I don't think we have much to celebrate.” Many nodded in agreement. Educated, multigenerational and U.S. citizens, the group of about two dozen women told me that even though demonization of Latinos isn’t new, this time it feels different. When the U.S. president calls Latinos “rapists,” “animals” and “criminals,” it brings up feelings of anxiety and being targeted, making them question if they belong, they told me.  We know millions of Hispanics sent Trump back to the White House in 2024. But now most disapprove of his immigration and economic policies, according to nationwide polling.  I asked the women if any of them or their families voted for President Trump. Nearly half of the group’s hands went up. Many said they are angry, but they also feel hopeless and afraid.  Conservative Latino groups like The Libre Initiative don’t see why U.S. citizen Latinos should feel concerned about immigration enforcement. They are not the administration’s target, Daniel Garza, the initiative’s founder, told me. Garza also feels that the economy is improving.  As I dug deeper into my reporting, I found a surprising statistic: According to a recent UCLA report, Latinos provide about 70% of the growth in the national GDP and the labor force. If Latinos in the U.S. were a country, they would have the 5th largest GDP in the world.  Another surprising data point is that Latinos are over-represented in the armed forces. I met with a group of U.S. military veterans in Austin. One of them, Chris Sanchez, told me, ”Latinos in the military, we're not liberal. We're not conservative. We're Americans.” For them, the question is not if they’ll celebrate their country’s 250th birthday; the question is how . They are patriotic, proud of their service, and despite disagreeing with the way President Trump is running the nation and with how this administration is prone to pick fights — with Venezuela, Iran or Greenland, for example — they told me they feel hopeful about their country.  Check out more great reads from the NPR network you may have missed: ➡️ A U.S. veteran adopted an orphan from Iran when she was two. She grew up on a Midwest farm, attended church every Sunday and loved listening to her late father’s World War II stories. Now, in her 50s, she faces deportation. The U.S. government says she has overstayed her visa. She tells NPR her story on the condition of anonymity, out of fears that speaking out could complicate her immigration case. ➡️ When a loved one goes missing, families must manage their lives while spearheading expensive, full-time search operations. Charlie Shunick's sister, Mickey Shunick, was kidnapped in 2012 and later found murdered. Charlie said the three-month effort to find her cost the family $50,000. Now, as a missing persons advocate, Charlie helps others navigate the nightmare "nobody is prepared for." ➡️ While partisan gridlock paralyzes Congress, state-level Democrats and Republicans have found common ground tackling some of the biggest issues of the 2026 legislative season, including artificial intelligence and data centers. While the two parties still clash over issues like taxes, lawmakers have used similar talking points on topics like big tech and the rising cost of housing. ➡️ The Department of Energy has publicized new rules that slash environmental and security requirements for experimental nuclear reactors. The changes come after President Trump called for three or more experimental reactors to come online by July 4. Last month, NPR reported on the existence of the new rules, which were quietly rewritten to accelerate a new generation of nuclear reactor designs.  Newsletter continues after sponsor message The news doesn’t stop, and neither will we. We’re here 24 hours a day, seven days a week, delivering the trusted news that millions of people rely upon.  You can help ensure that NPR remains available to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay, by donating now.   Donate Today ➔ Pod Club pixdeluxe/Shutterstock Thanks for tuning in last week to the It’s Been A Minute episode " Has the vegan business bubble burst? ” In it, guest host Danielle Kurtzleben, journalist Mark Bittman and writer Rachel Sugar explored how the early 2010s veganism boom shifted to a culture that prioritizes protein. NPR listener Lisa Ersland said she is glad the topic of vegan business was brought up. “The capitalistic desire to turn something like plant-based eating into a business totally misses the mark,” Ersland says. “It's the same thing in my mind as trying to make money off of kindness.” Today, we’re listening to TED Radio Hour. This episode explores whether social media broke a generation or just altered it. The conversation comes as the world’s most powerful tech giants are standing trial in a landmark case that could change how children consume social media. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, youth online safety activist Maximilian Milovidov and author Catherine Price debate social media bans, attention spans and what "fun" looks like off-screen. Listen to the episode, or read the transcript. How do you think social media has impacted young people? Listen to this episode and share your thoughts with us here. You could appear in next week's Sunday newsletter. Love podcasts? For handpicked episode recommendations every week, check out Pod Club — a newsletter written FOR podcast fans BY podcast fans. Subscribe here!  And on The Sunday Story from Up First, NPR’s Bobby Allyn explains the origins and future of prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket. Users have placed bets on everything from local rain forecasts to the U.S. declaring war on Iran, flooding these markets with billions of dollars. Sandwiched NPR It's time for the Sunday Puzzle! For this week's on-air challenge, puzzle master Will Shortz will name two things from the same category. You name the only thing in that category that fits between these two things alphabetically. For example, if you are provided with the clues “blue” and “indigo,” the answer would be “green.” All of these words are colors of the rainbow. Test your skills here. Check the page later to hear the answers, or catch them live on Weekend Edition at 8:41 a.m. ET.  This week's online challenge comes from Andrea Carla Michaels, of San Francisco. Name a famous 20th-century writer. Remove the last two letters of their first name and the last letter of their last name. The result will name a clothing material. What is it? Submit your answer here, and you could win a chance to play next Sunday's on-air puzzle.  Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from HPR-1 News/Talk (edit station). This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen. 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!