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Barack Obama delivered pointed remarks about the nation’s political atmosphere during a speech Friday at the funeral of civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson in Chicago, criticizing what he described as ongoing attacks on democratic institutions without mentioning President Donald Trump by name.

The funeral drew a wide array of prominent political and civil rights figures. Former Presidents Joe Biden and Bill Clinton also addressed the gathering, along with several well-known progressive leaders, including Rev. Al Sharpton.

Jackson, who was 84, passed away last month after suffering from the neurodegenerative disease progressive supranuclear palsy, according to a statement from his family. The longtime activist and former Democratic presidential candidate was widely recognized for his decades of civil rights work and for helping open doors for Black political leaders, including Obama.

Obama’s remarks during the service contained sharp criticism of the country’s political climate. Both he and the other former presidents in attendance have previously been criticized by President Trump, and Obama’s comments reflected those tensions.

“We are living in a time when it can be hard to hope,” Obama said. “Each day we wake up to some new assault on our democratic institutions. Another setback the idea of the rule of law. An offense to common decency.”

“Every day you wake up to things you just didn’t think were possible,” he continued. “Each day, we’re told by those in high office to fear each other, and to turn on each other. And that some Americans count more than others. And that some don’t even count at all. Everywhere we see greed and bigotry being celebrated and bullying and mocker masquerading as strength.”

Later in his remarks, Obama acknowledged that such developments can make it difficult for people to remain hopeful.

“It’s hard to hope in those moments.”

He then turned to Jackson’s legacy, saying the civil rights leader’s life offered a different path forward.

“But this man, Rev. Jesse Jackson, inspires us to take a harder path. His voice calls on each of us to be heralds of change, to be messengers of hope,” Obama said.

Obama recently drew attention after President Trump reposted a video on social media depicting him and his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, as apes. The video was later removed by the White House following criticism and complaints from both Democrats and Republicans.

Joe Biden, who served as Obama’s vice president, spoke after him and delivered his own criticism of the current administration.

“We got an administration that doesn’t share any of the values that we have, and I don’t think I’m exaggerating a little bit,” Biden said, adding that Jackson “knew who we were at our best, that he simply refused to let us off the hook as a party, as a nation, or as individuals.”

Biden also reflected on Jackson’s role in pushing the country toward greater justice.

“And time and again, with triumph and turmoil, with relentless insistence on what is right and just, he helped lead us closer to fulfilling our nation’s promise of restoring the nation’s soul,” Biden said.

Bill Clinton, who awarded Jackson the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000, was also present at the service. In his remarks honoring Jackson, Clinton avoided making any direct or indirect reference to Trump.

President Trump did not attend the funeral. After Jackson’s passing, however, he issued a public message recognizing the civil rights leader while also offering criticism of Obama.

“Jesse was a force of nature like few others before him,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “He had much to do with the Election, without acknowledgment or credit, of Barack Hussein Obama, a man who Jesse could not stand. He loved his family greatly, and to them I send my deepest sympathies and condolences. Jesse will be missed!”

{Matzav.com}

A classified intelligence assessment completed just days before the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran warns that even a sweeping U.S. military assault would be unlikely to topple the country’s entrenched ruling establishment. The report, produced by the National Intelligence Council, concluded that Iran’s clerical and military institutions are structured to preserve […]

NYC Mayor Mamdani released a statement after the NYPD confirmed that the device thrown at a protest outside Gracie Mansion were in fact explosive.

Jewish chef Eitan Bernath has set a Guinness world record for making the largest batch of matzah ball soup. It weighed in at 1,356 pounds, and included 847 matzah balls.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch released an update on the investigation into yesterday’s incident outside Gracie Mansion in Manhattan.

The Chords Bridge at the entrance to Yerushalyim is lit up tonight in the colors of the U.S. and Israeli flags.

[Video below.] Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran will not accept President Donald Trump’s demand for “unconditional surrender,” declaring that the country intends to keep fighting as the conflict continues.

Speaking in an interview with NBC News’ Meet the Press, Araghchi said Iran will not back down and will continue defending itself. “We never give up, we never surrender, and we continue to resist as long as it takes,” Araghchi said. “We continue to defend ourselves, and we are defending our territory, our people, and our dignity. And our dignity is not for sale.”

Araghchi also discussed the current structure of Iran’s leadership, explaining that the country is presently being governed by a temporary council while the Assembly of Experts prepares to select a new supreme leader.

“The council of the interim leadership council is now in charge, and they are doing their act in the absence of the leader, while a new supreme leader is going to be elected soon by the assembly of experts,” Araghchi said. “And the president and the cabinet are also in there, are doing their duties. Parliament, everything is in its place.”

When asked about speculation that the Assembly of Experts may have already chosen the next supreme leader — possibly Mojtaba Khamenei — Araghchi said the matter remains undecided and that the official process has not yet taken place.

“Nobody knows. Actually, there are lots of rumors around, but we have to wait for the assembly of experts to convene and vote for the new supreme leader and the one who is elected by them,” he said.

Araghchi also pushed back against the idea that any outside party could play a role in determining Iran’s next leader, after President Trump suggested he should select the country’s future leadership.

“We allow nobody to interfere in our domestic affairs,” Araghchi said. “This is up to the Iranian people to elect their new leader. They have already elected the assembly of experts, and the assembly of experts would do the job. It is only the business of the Iranian people and nobody else’s business.”

According to Araghchi, Iran believes the war should conclude with a lasting resolution rather than a temporary ceasefire.

“There should be a permanent end of the war,” he said. “Unless we get to that, I think we need to continue fighting for the sake of our people and our security.”

When asked whether Iran would agree to a ceasefire in order to resume negotiations, Araghchi argued that the United States and Israel must first explain what he described as the origin of the conflict.

“Nobody wants to continue this war,” he said. “This is not our war. This is not the war of our choice.”

The foreign minister also addressed Iran’s missile strikes in the region, saying the intended targets were American military sites rather than neighboring countries.

“We are not attacking our neighbors,” Araghchi said. “We are attacking American bases, American installations, American assets, which are unfortunately located in the soils of our neighbors.”

He added that Iran’s president had issued an apology to people in nearby countries for the disruption caused by the conflict.

“Apology in our culture is a sign of dignity and strength,” Araghchi said, adding that the apology was directed to people in the region for “the inconveniences they have faced because of this aggression by the United States and retaliation by us.”

Araghchi was also questioned about reports suggesting Russia has assisted Iran in locating American forces.

“We have a strategic partnership with Russia,” he said. “Military cooperation between Iran and Russia is not something new. It’s not a secret. It has been in the past and is still there and will continue in the future.”

When pressed on whether Moscow has been sharing intelligence with Tehran, Araghchi declined to give specifics.

“They are helping us in many different directions. I don’t have any detailed information.”

Araghchi also rejected claims that Iran was responsible for a strike on an elementary school in southern Iran that reportedly killed more than 170 people.

“It is our school. These are our students, our girls, and they are attacked by an American fighter, a jet fighter, and they have been killed,” he said. “Why Iran is responsible? Have we started this war? Have we attacked our own people?”

Responding to questions about the possibility of U.S. ground forces entering Iran, Araghchi said Iranian troops are prepared to defend the country.

“For the time being, we are capable enough,” he said. “We have very brave soldiers who are waiting for any enemy who enter into our soil to fight with them.”

Araghchi also dismissed claims that Iran is developing missiles capable of striking the United States, saying the country has intentionally limited the range of its missile program.

“We have intentionally limited ourselves to below 2,000 kilometers of range because we don’t want to be felt as a threat by anybody else in the world,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

Lynette Pino watched in February as news about the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie seemed endless. But she decided she didn’t want to get consumed by it. Pino has something in common with NBC “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie’s family: Her son, Darian Nevayaktewa, remains missing, too, nearly 18 years after leaving home before a new school year to see his […]

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani recently attended Friday prayers at a Queens mosque affiliated with the Al-Khoei Foundation, an institution whose website prominently features a message mourning the death of Iran’s late supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. Mamdani described the visit in a Facebook post reflecting on Ramadan gatherings he attended across the city. “As […]

According to reports, a bomb threat prompted the evacuation of parts of Kansas City International Airport, with an ongoing ground stop in place as police and bomb-sniffing dogs search the concourses and terminals. Airport officials say police are working with the FBI to assess and substantiate any potential threat.

The IDF announced Sunday that the Israeli Air Force carried out a strike in Tehran a day earlier that killed Abu al-Qassem Baba’iyan, a senior Iranian military figure closely tied to the country’s leadership. The operation was conducted based on precise intelligence gathered by the IDF Intelligence Directorate.

According to the IDF, Baba’iyan served as the Head of the Military Office of the Supreme Leader and as Chief of Staff of the emergency command at Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters.

Israeli officials said Baba’iyan played a key role in coordinating the activities of various military bodies within the Iranian regime responsible for planning and carrying out operations against the State of Israel, as well as overseeing emergency military responses.

The IDF said Baba’iyan had recently been appointed as the designated chief of staff for the Supreme Leader’s military office following the launch of Operation “Roaring Lion.” During the opening phase of that operation, Mohammad Shirazi, who had served as military chief of staff to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, was killed.

Baba’iyan had also been named Chief of Staff of the emergency Headquarters after his predecessor, Ali Shadmani, was killed during Operation Rising Lion. In that role, he maintained close working relationships with senior Iranian military commanders and political leaders.

His death, the IDF said, is part of a broader series of targeted eliminations of senior figures within the Iranian regime since the start of Operation Roaring Lion, a campaign Israeli officials say has significantly weakened Iran’s leadership responsible for directing military operations.

{Matzav.com}

Footage released by the Saudi Ministry of Defense shows Saudi forces intercepting Iranian drones launched toward Saudi Arabia.

President of Argentina, Javier Milei, is seen visiting the Ohel today.

Authorities in Azerbaijan said Friday they had thwarted a series of Iranian-backed terror plots targeting Jewish and Israeli sites in the capital, including the Embassy of Israel in Baku, a shul, and prominent Jewish community figures. In a video statement, Azerbaijan’s State Security Service of Azerbaijan said it had “prevented terrorist acts and intelligence operations” […]

A man in his 40s was seriously wounded in Tel Aviv after debris from an interceptor missile fell near a gas station during the latest round of attacks. Security camera footage documented the moment the debris struck the area.

Magen David Adom medics arrived quickly and administered emergency treatment at the scene before transporting the injured man to the emergency department at Ichilov Hospital. He sustained a neck injury and was admitted to the trauma room for continued treatment.

תיעוד הנפילה בתל אביב pic.twitter.com/AzMhMWH3Kb

— החדשות – N12 (@N12News) March 8, 2026

At the same time, MDA crews were responding to several other incidents across central Israel. In total, six additional people were treated for injuries in different locations. In Petah Tikva, two individuals were among the wounded: a man in his mid-20s who was moderately injured and a 56-year-old man who suffered light injuries.

Officials said the attack involved a fragmentation missile. Fire and Rescue Services reported that in one location in central Israel, a building apparently collapsed after being struck by shrapnel from the blast.

During the same round of sirens, a separate traffic accident occurred on Route 5 near the Barkan Interchange when a truck collided with a private vehicle. MDA paramedics treated the injured at the scene before transporting two victims to Beilinson Hospital. The driver of the car, a man about 40 years old, was reported in serious condition with multiple-system injuries but remained conscious. Another person sustained light injuries.

Senior MDA medic Yehezkel Goldreich, one of the first responders to arrive at the impact site in central Israel, described what he encountered when he reached the scene:

“I was in a park near the impact when the sirens sounded. Shortly afterward there was a loud explosion. I saw thick smoke rising from the area and rushed to scan the scene. I found frightened people lying on the grass, including a man in his 40s who had suffered a severe shrapnel injury. I provided him with initial medical care on site, and together with additional MDA teams we evacuated him to the hospital, where his condition was classified as serious.”

{Matzav.com}

The United States and Israel have discussed the possibility of sending special forces into Iran to secure the country’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium at a later phase of the war, according to four sources familiar with the deliberations.

Stopping Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon has been identified by President Donald Trump as a central objective of the conflict. A major factor in that effort is Iran’s estimated 450 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity — material that experts say could be further refined to weapons-grade levels within a matter of weeks.

Any attempt to take control of that material would likely involve American or Israeli personnel operating inside Iran, potentially in heavily fortified underground facilities, and doing so while the conflict is ongoing.

It has not yet been determined whether such an operation would be carried out by U.S. forces, Israeli units, or a combined mission involving both countries.

Officials familiar with the discussions say any such move would likely only be considered once both governments determine that Iran’s military is no longer capable of posing a serious threat to the forces involved in the operation.

During a congressional briefing on Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was asked about the fate of Iran’s enriched uranium and whether it would be secured. “People are going to have to go and get it,” he said, without specifying who.

One Israeli defense official said President Trump and his advisers are seriously weighing the possibility of deploying special operations forces inside Iran for targeted missions.

According to a U.S. official, the administration has examined two primary approaches: removing the uranium stockpile from Iran altogether, or sending nuclear experts to the site to dilute the material where it is stored.

Such an operation would likely involve a combination of special operations personnel and scientific experts, possibly including specialists from the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Two individuals familiar with the matter said plans for such missions were among several military options presented to Trump before the war began.

NBC News reported Friday that Trump has discussed the possibility of sending a limited number of U.S. troops into Iran for narrowly defined strategic purposes.

Semafor similarly reported that the president’s list of potential responses includes Special Operations raids targeting Iranian nuclear facilities.

One U.S. official described the complexity of the challenge involved in securing Iran’s uranium stockpile. “The first question is, where is it? The second question is, how do we get to it and how do we get physical control?”

“And then, it would be a decision of the president and the Department of War, CIA, as to whether we wanted to physically transport it or dilute it on premises.”

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, President Trump acknowledged that the use of ground troops remained a possibility — but only under specific circumstances.

“If we ever did that, [the Iranians] would be so decimated that they wouldn’t be able to fight on the ground level,” he said.

When asked directly whether troops could eventually be deployed to secure nuclear material, Trump did not dismiss the possibility. “At some point maybe we will. We haven’t gone after it. We wouldn’t do it now. Maybe we will do it later.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Axios that Trump “wisely keeps all options available to him open, and does not rule things out.”

In addition to the uranium stockpile, administration officials have also discussed the possibility of taking control of Kharg Island, a key oil terminal responsible for roughly 90 percent of Iran’s crude oil exports.

The current location of Iran’s uranium stockpile has also been affected by earlier military action. U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities last June buried much of the material under debris, according to American and Israeli officials, leaving the Iranians themselves unable to reach it.

Those same strikes also destroyed nearly all of Iran’s centrifuges, and officials say there is no evidence that uranium enrichment has resumed since then.

U.S. and Israeli officials believe that most of the remaining uranium stockpile is located in underground tunnel systems at the nuclear facility in Isfahan, with smaller portions stored at Fordow and Natanz.

In the opening days of the war, American and Israeli forces launched strikes on the Natanz and Isfahan facilities that appeared designed to seal the entrances, likely in an effort to prevent the material from being moved.

Officials from both countries view Iran’s 450 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent as a major threat, given that only a short amount of time would be required to increase the enrichment level to weapons-grade.

If the entire supply were enriched to 90 percent purity, experts say it could produce enough fissile material for approximately eleven nuclear weapons.

One senior U.S. official emphasized that talk of deploying troops does not necessarily mean a large-scale ground invasion.

“Boots on the ground for Trump is not the same as what it means for the media,” a senior U.S. official said.

“Small special ops raids — not a big force going in,” another source added.

“What has been discussed hasn’t been thought of in terms of boots on the ground,” a third source said. “People think Fallujah. That’s not what has been discussed.”

{Matzav.com}

Cuban officials said they expect to restart a large thermoelectric plant on Saturday after it shut down earlier in the week, sparking a massive blackout. Felix Estrada Rodríguez, a top engineer at Cuba’s Electric Union, told state-owned Canal Caribe that the Antonio Guiteras plant should be operating by Saturday afternoon. Crews have repaired a broken […]

Footage from Khorramabad, Iran, shows the aftermath of reported U.S.–Israeli airstrikes, which according to local reports targeted a Basij base in the area.

Footage from ongoing interceptions over central Israel as air defense systems intercept ballistic missiles launched from Iran.

The IDF says it eliminated a Hezbollah terrorist cell in southern Lebanon, adding that weapons, communication equipment, and ammunition were discovered in the compound where the terrorists were based.