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By
Brittney Melton
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The U.S. and Israel's war on Iran has entered Day 12 with no end in sight. The Trump administration yesterday promised its most aggressive strikes on Iran, while Israel intensified its offensive in Lebanon. Meanwhile, the Iranian government announced that it now considers banks and economic centers in the Middle East potential targets. Iranians revealed that one of their banks has already been targeted.
Mourners carry the casket of a person killed in recent U.S.-Israeli airstrikes for burial at Behesht-e Zahra cemetery on the southern outskirts of Tehran, Iran, on Monday. The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, sparking swift retaliation by Iran with attacks across the region. Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Yesterday's special election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress heads to a runoff after none of the 17 candidates surpassed 50% of the vote. Trump-backed district attorney Clay Fuller will face Democrat Shawn Harris in the runoff. Harris raised more than $4 million and significantly overperformed compared to when he challenged Greene two years ago. But the GOP still holds the upper hand in the red district.
Nearly half of Americans support deploying the National Guard to monitor polling places in the November midterm elections. It would be illegal for the federal government to mandate this. But state governors can legally use them to support elections in many capacities. A recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll released today found that 46% back the idea, while 54% oppose it.
Last month, the Department of Justice quietly released the names of 22 individuals and announced that their federal gun rights had been restored. Most of them had decades-old felony convictions. One person was an exception and had a much more recent charge. Republican Arizona State Sen. Jake Hoffman was indicted in 2024 for being a fake elector in 2020. Trump pardoned Hoffman in November. The restorations are part of a broader DOJ initiative to revive a program that allows individuals with certain felony convictions to regain their Second Amendment rights if they are no longer deemed public safety threats.
People learn and play American Mahjong at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. In-person meetups to play Mahjong are growing in popularity along with interest in the game. Maansi Srivastava for NPR hide caption
More people across the U.S. are showing interest in the centuries-old tile game Mahjong and creating community connections in the process. The game, which consists of tiles that players must place in specific combinations, was first introduced in the nation in the 1920s. Over the last year, Mahjong has increased in popularity, particularly among Gen Z and Millennials. The trend is driven by social media content focused on gameplay and the game's history. NPR saw the interest firsthand during a Sunday afternoon meetup at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. See photos of the gathering. You can also listen to people from the event discuss why they enjoy the game or read the transcript.
by Cheryl Corley, NPR's Midwest Bureau Chief at the National Desk
A portrait of Rev. Jesse Jackson sits next to flowers as his body lies in state at the South Carolina Statehouse on March 2, 2026, in Columbia, South Carolina. Born in 1941 in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson died on February 17. His body will lie in state in Columbia and then be transferred to Chicago for a celebration of life ceremony. Sean Rayford/Getty Images hide caption
I've covered Jesse Jackson for many years, including his run for the presidency in 1988. So it was somewhat surreal to see this giant of the civil rights movement enclosed in a casket covered by a glass top when he lay in repose. During an interview with Jackson's mentee, the Rev. Al Sharpton, he mentioned what I had been thinking — how ironic and fitting that when one of the last leaders of the civil rights era died on Feb. 17, it was during the 100th anniversary of Black History Month.
Thousands paid tribute over several days. Jackson's sons and daughters stood in line to greet mourners. His daughter Jacqueline — rarely seen in public — clasped my hand and then held it longer as I began to walk away. There are moments as a reporter when the official moment becomes a personal one. That interaction will stand out for me, along with many of the stories people told about how Jackson impacted their lives. Later at her father's funeral, Jacqueline would talk about feeding Jackson in his last days. How he taught her to read and write when she was homeschooled. How this activist man, who traveled the country and the globe calling for and making change, was sometimes called Reverend at home but more often just Dad.
There were so many dignitaries, political and religious leaders, entertainers and Jackson allies at his funeral. The breadth of Jackson's influence was visible. There were three former U.S. presidents: Joe Biden, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Two African presidents: Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was a moment to embrace the fact that the man who was "walking history" was no longer with us, and that others, including his son Yusef Jackson, the now CEO of the Rainbow Push Coalition, would have to make new history as they continue Jackson's civil rights and human rights fight.
Christina Chang holds Gemma, a carpet python, during Snake Yoga at HISSS in Portland, Ore. on Feb. 26. Celeste Noche for NPR hide caption
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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