Source: Common Dreams
by Medea Benjamin & Nicolas JS Davies
“The United States has once again launched a war in the Middle East based on false claims about weapons of mass destruction. Like the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the US assault on Iran rests on allegations that international inspectors have already debunked. But beyond the false pretext lies an even more pressing question that few officials in Washington seem willing (or able) to answer: What is the US exit strategy from its war on Iran? President Trump has justified the attack by claiming that Iran refuses to renounce nuclear weapons. As he prepared to launch the war, Trump repeatedly claimed, ‘We haven’t heard those secret words: “We will never have a nuclear weapon”.’ Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, responded by reiterating Iran’s long-standing policy, stating plainly: ‘Iran will under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon.'” (03/07/26)
“An explosion rocked the US Embassy in Norway, damaging the consulate amid Iranian threats of terror retaliation as Operation Epic Fury rages on in the Middle East, according to police and reports. The blast erupted in Oslo around 1 a.m. local time Sunday, hitting the entrance to the embassy’s consular section and causing minor damage, police incident commander Michael Delmer said, NRK reported. ‘At around 1 a.m. we received several reports of an explosion,’ he said, noting there were no casualties. … Delmer stressed the investigation is still in its early stages and it was not clear who was behind the blast.” (03/07/26)
“Critics who call Operation Epic Fury folly or a distraction are missing the point: Iran is just one front in an ongoing, evolving global contest that includes Russia and China. It stretches to other fronts as well, though President Donald Trump has shut down the one in Venezuela and looks to have Cuba headed the same way. But Tehran is much more entangled with Moscow and Beijing, exchanging arms, technical know-how and intelligence. Even now, Russia is giving Iran high-quality intelligence to target missiles on US installations, experts conclude: Such precision is beyond the limited capabilities of the Islamic Republic’s handful of military-grade satellites. The cooperation runs both ways: Tehran has been sending Shahed drones to Moscow for attacks on Ukraine for four years now; it even built a factory in Russia to produce thousands of these cheap, deadly unmanned aerial vehicles.” (03/06/26)
“Heat waves that lead to sudden and damaging drought are spreading across the globe at an accelerating rate, highlighting how climate change-fueled extremes can build dangerously off each other, a new study found. Researchers from South Korea and Australia looked at compound extreme weather — a one-two punch of heat and drought — and found it increasing as the world warms. But what’s rising especially fast is the more damaging type when the heat comes first and that triggers the drought. In the 1980s, that kind of extreme covered only about 2.5% of Earth’s land each year. By 2023, the last year the researchers studied, it was up to 16.7%, with a 10-year average of 7.9%. The average has likely gone even higher with 2024’s record global heat and a 2025 that was nearly as warm, the study’s authors said.” (03/07/26)
“A Florida woman was mauled by seven dogs in front of a registered sex offender’s home as neighbors looked on in horror, according to a report. The victim — who survived — was instantly trampled as the dogs tore into her flesh while she was face down on the ground outside Edward Hayes’[s] Dade City home, neighbor Lourdes Estrada told Fox 13. ‘It was terrifying. I was shocked and freaked out,’ Estrada, who dialed 911 after the horrifying incident, told the outlet. ‘I had never seen anything like that before.’ Hayes tried in vain, Estrada told the station, to pull the savage pets off the woman, who was airlifted from the grim scene in critical condition around 11 a.m. by Pasco County Fire Rescue. The victim was attacked when she approached the Fiesta Drive home to speak with Hayes — and his pets came rushing out, a source told The Post.” [editor’s note: What does him being a “registered sex offender” have to do with it? – TLK] (03/07/26)
Source: The American Prospect
by Whitney Curry Wimbish
“House lawmakers on the Judiciary Committee debated a proposal Thursday that would force state and local police to help federal agents conduct deportations or risk losing federal funding. Not only would it essentially hold local jurisdictions hostage, Democratic lawmakers said, it also violates states’ rights. The bill, the Shut Down Sanctuary Policies Act, aims to punish Los Angeles, New York, and other cities that have policies limiting cooperation with federal agents, such as restrictions on honoring ICE detainers, providing access to jails, and sharing information about individuals’ immigration status. These cities have been in the crosshairs of the Trump administration for months; Attorney General Pam Bondi last year published a hit list of sanctuary jurisdictions, saying they cause risk to American citizens ‘by design’.” (03/06/26)
“A counterprotester demonstrating against a ‘Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City’ event Saturday lit and threw a device containing nuts, bolts and screws at the protesting crowd after someone from that group used pepper spray on the counterprotest, police said. Police are investigating the incident that started late Saturday morning when someone from the anti-Islam protest associated with conservative influencer Jake Lang shot pepper spray into a counterprotesting group near the mayoral residence Gracie Mansion, Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Tensions continued to heighten, she said, when someone in the counterprotest lit and threw a device she described as smaller than a football into the protesting crowd of about 20 people. The device struck a barrier and extinguished itself ‘a few feet from police officers’. The same person then ran, and another person gave a him a second device, which he then dropped. … All three people have been arrested, and an investigation is underway, Tisch said.” (03/07/26)
“The Senate on March 4 wisely rejected a new war powers resolution aimed at halting or restricting President Donald Trump’s ability to carry out further military strikes against Iran. A House version also failed. Introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine [D-VA] the resolution in the upper chamber called for ending hostilities ‘unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a specific authorization for use of military force’ issued by Congress. The resolution, supported by nearly all Democrats, was defective for several reasons. First, the president can engage in military action with or without a declaration of war. He does not need permission from Congress.” [editor’s note: The opposite, of course, is the case — absent a declaration of war, a president has precisely zero “constitutional authority” to engage in one – TLK] (03/06/26)
“Democrat Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs is facing fierce backlash after vetoing a bill that would have created a specialty license plate honoring slain Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, a move Republicans are blasting as a stunning act of partisanship after his assassination. Kirk, who was assassinated while speaking at a Sept. 10 Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University, lived in Arizona with his wife, Erika, and two children. The proposed specialty plate, referred to as the ‘Charlie Kirk memorial’ plate or the ‘Conservative grassroots network special plate,’ featured a photo of the late Kirk and the TPUSA logo in front of an American flag background.” (03/07/26)
“The Pentagon and the Federal Aviation Administration agreed to conduct anti-drone laser tests in New Mexico after the military’s deployment of the lasers led the FAA to suddenly close airspace in Texas twice in the last month. The newly announced testing was being carried out to ‘specifically address FAA safety concerns’, the military said Friday in a statement. It was to take place Saturday and Sunday at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Lawmakers were concerned about an apparent lack of coordination after the Pentagon allowed U.S. Customs and Border Protection to use an anti-drone laser in early February without notifying the FAA. The federal agency that ensures safety in the skies decided to close the airspace over El Paso for a few hours, stranding many travelers. The Trump administration said it was working to halt an incursion by Mexican cartel drones, which are not uncommon along the southern border.” (03/07/26)
