Iran Attack, Guns & Drugs Case, & Burger Overlords

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Adam Rogers
March 02, 2026

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Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed Saturday in a joint US-Israel military strike, confirmed by Iranian state media. The 86-year-old had ruled Iran for 36 years. Trump confirmed US intelligence tracked and targeted Khamenei, and warned bombing would "continue uninterrupted throughout the week" to achieve "peace throughout the Middle East."
Seven senior Iranian officials were also killed, including the IRGC commander, defense minister, head of military intelligence, and chairman of Iran's nuclear weapons research organization, decimating the chain of command. Iran announced 40 days of mourning and faces an immediate succession crisis. The Iranian Red Crescent said more than 200 people have been killed and roughly 700 others have been injured.
Surviving senior official Ali Larijani vowed an "unforgettable lesson" for the US and Israel, while Trump called on Iranians to "take over your government" once the bombing concludes. Leading opposition figure and exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi urged security forces to join the nation in the uprising.
Iran launched retaliatory strikes on Israel and US-allied military bases and nations on Sunday. US Central Command confirmed three American service members were killed and five seriously wounded during Operation Epic Fury. At least eight people were killed in a missile strike near Jerusalem.

A new United Nations report says the cocaine market is now the fastest-growing segment of the global illicit drug trade, fueled by rising production in South America and expanding demand beyond traditional markets. Global output exceeded 3,700 metric tons in 2023, up 34% year over year, while worldwide users increased from 17 million in 2013 to 25 million in 2023.
Trafficking networks are growing globally and using increasingly sophisticated concealment methods, including chemically altered drugs and shipments hidden in legitimate goods. While North America and Europe remain primary destinations, seizures and consumption are rising sharply in Africa and parts of Asia.
The report highlights Ecuador as a major export hub and violence hotspot tied to trafficking routes. Authorities seized a record 290 metric tons of cocaine in 2024 as homicide rates surged fivefold in five years, reflecting the growing influence of transnational criminal networks.

The Supreme Court will hear arguments today in United States v. Hemani, a case challenging a federal law that bars unlawful drug users from possessing firearms. The dispute is one of the court's first major Second Amendment tests since its 2022 Bruen ruling, which requires the government to prove any gun restriction is rooted in the nation's historical tradition of firearms regulation.
The 1968 Gun Control Act makes firearm possession by unlawful drug users a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Lower courts struck down the law as applied to Ali Hemani, a Texas man charged after admitting regular marijuana use. Hunter Biden was the most high-profile person charged under the same law, convicted in 2024 for possessing a gun while addicted to crack cocaine. His dad later pardoned him.
The Justice Department argues Congress can temporarily disarm people deemed dangerous, while Hemani’s lawyers say occasional drug use cannot justify losing gun rights. The ruling could set the boundaries for which groups of Americans Congress can legally disarm.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cut military fellowship programs at 22 universities and think tanks, including Yale, Princeton, and MIT, calling them too "woke" for armed forces officers. (More)

OpenAI struck a deal Friday to provide AI services to the Pentagon hours after the Trump administration banned federal agencies from using rival Anthropic's Claude. (More)

A gunman killed two people and wounded 14 at an Austin bar overnight before being shot dead. The FBI is now investigating possible terrorism ties to the Senegalese-born American suspect. (More)

Afghanistan's new penal code punishes wife-beating with 15 days in jail but animal abuse with five months, the U.N. said — formally enshrining inequality between men and women into law. (More)

Protesters stormed the US Consulate in Karachi Sunday after the US and Israel killed Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei, clashing with security forces and leaving 22 dead and 120 injured across Pakistan. (More)

Belgian special forces and French helicopters seized a Russian shadow fleet tanker in the North Sea Saturday, escorting it to port after catching it dodging western sanctions. (More)

US stock markets closed lower on Friday (S&P -0.43%, Nasdaq -0.92%, Dow -1.05%) due to new economic data showing signs of higher inflation. (More)

Berkshire Hathaway's Q4 operating earnings dropped 29% to $10.2 billion, hurt by weak insurance results — the last quarter under Warren Buffett before Greg Abel took over as CEO. (More)

OPEC+ agreed Sunday to boost oil output by 206,000 barrels daily, hoping to offset potential supply disruptions from US and Israeli strikes on Iran. (More)

Tyler Reddick won at COTA to become the first driver in NASCAR history to win the opening three races of a season, giving Michael Jordan's 23XI Racing a historic sweep. (More)

Colorado quarterback Dominiq Ponder, 23, died early Sunday when his Tesla lost control on a curve in Boulder County, caught fire, and rolled down an embankment. (More)

Scream 7 broke franchise and February horror records with a $64.1 million domestic opening weekend, making it the biggest horror debut in Paramount's history. (More)

Even when you're stuffed, your brain still lights up for tempting food like it's starving, new brain scans revealed — suggesting overeating isn't just a willpower problem. (More)

Archaeologists found a 17th-century document in a Sudanese rubbish heap confirming the existence of King Qashqash, previously considered a legendary ruler of ancient Nubia. (More)

Heart attack deaths rose among adults under 55 between 2011 and 2022, with women dying at higher rates than men after a first attack, a new study found. (More)

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