President Donald Trump triumphantly announced on Saturday that Israeli and US strikes had killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He was the biggest target in a “decapitation” mission that also reportedly killed a significant number of top Iranian regime figures.  When presidents order airstrikes aimed at debilitating an enemy’s leadership and forcing political change, […]

This story appeared in Today, Explained, a daily newsletter that helps you understand the most compelling news and stories of the day. Subscribe here. Finland made international news earlier this month for a disappointing near miss: Its men’s hockey team looked ready to prevail in the Olympic semifinals, until a (literal) last-minute goal gave Canada the win. Nearly […]

We’re making this story accessible to all readers as a public service. Support our journalism by becoming a member today. Early Saturday, the United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran, marking the start of what appears to be a far-reaching and open-ended war. President Donald Trump said the operation was meant to eliminate […]

This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Editor’s note, February 28, 5:30 pm ET: President Donald Trump announced on Saturday afternoon that Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the airstrikes. The following story was […]

Editor’s note, February 28, 2026, 5:45 pm ET: This article was originally published on February 19, in the lead-up to war in Iran, and updated on February 28 after airstrikes had begun, before the news of the death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. President Donald Trump announced early Saturday morning that the US and […]