And We're Only Two Months in...

Good morning.

February didn’t exactly tiptoe out the door, did it? More on that in our top story below. There’s plenty on tap this week, too. Midterm election season begins Tuesday with several key races to watch. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where she’s expected to answer questions about the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. (It’s still TBD whether top Dems will go ahead with an impeachment vote.) And the February jobs report will cap off the week. It’s also Women’s History Month, and this year’s theme is all about sustainable transformation. Here’s why these three colors have become synonymous with the month-long celebration. Now, let’s get to the news…

— Marina Carver / Senior Editor / Brooklyn, NY

International

And We're Only Two Months in...

What's going on: The US and Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran over the weekend, an operation President Donald Trump said was aimed at crippling the country’s military and halting its nuclear ambitions. Dozens of Iranian leaders who had gathered at a compound were killed in a CIA-orchestrated attack. Among them: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled Iran for nearly four decades. In southern Iran, at least 115 people — most of them children — were killed when a strike destroyed a girls’ elementary school. Iran retaliated swiftly, immediately launching strikes across the Middle East, killing at least nine in Israel. Three US troops were killed in Kuwait, according to US officials.

What’s next: President Trump told The New York Times that the operation could last up to five weeks and warned that more American casualties are “likely.” As the fighting expands, some European countries have offered to support the US in an effort to stop Tehran’s retaliation in the region. The president said he’s open to speaking with Iran’s new leadership, which is expected to select a new supreme leader within the next few days. At the same time, he has urged Iranians to take over their government — but so far, no one appears to have answered his call. Tehran said it “will not negotiate” with the US.

What it means: The strikes represent a sharp turn for a president who campaigned on avoiding “forever wars” and keeping “America First,” and critics were quick to bring the Twitter receipts. Democrats blasted the president’s move, with one calling military action without congressional approval, “dangerously illegal.” The White House rejected claims it had acted in haste, saying Iran posed an “imminent threat,” but security intelligence doesn’t support that claim (Iran lacks missiles that can reach the US mainland). And while many Iranians celebrated the end of Khamenei’s authoritarian rule, his death has also left a leadership vacuum and raised the risk of instability across the region. Globally, the ripple effects showed up fast. Protests erupted at a US consulate, and markets are on edge amid fears the conflict will affect energy prices.

Related: What Changed Trump’s Mind on a Regime Change in Iran? (Associated Press)

The News in 5

🗞️ The FBI is investigating the Austin mass shooting, which left three dead and 14 injured, as a potential act of terrorism. 

🗞️ The CDC’s new acting director said something pretty standard about vaccines, and staff basically gave him a standing ovation. 2026, everyone.

🗞️ Users are rallying behind this AI company after it took a stand against the Pentagon. Goodbye, ChatGPT?

🗞️ One college professor is under fire for making “abhorrent” and racist remarks when she accidentally went off mute during a Zoom meeting.

🗞️ A handful of companies are pledging tariff refunds, and here’s how to get them.

Health

Heart of the Matter

What's going on: Heart attacks aren’t just an older person’s problem anymore. According to an American Heart Association (AHA) study, the share of adults ages 18 to 54 who died in the hospital after a severe first heart attack jumped 57% between 2011 and 2022. Most of those hospitalized were men — but women died at a higher rate (always the overachievers). After researchers accounted for all the usual suspects — high blood pressure, high cholesterol — heart attack deaths were more closely associated with nontraditional risks like low income, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and non-tobacco drug use. And women were more likely to carry a higher number of those nontraditional risk factors.

The takeaway: You’re not alone if you haven’t thought much about your heart health (guilty as charged) — but we probably should. Risks for women can begin as early as 35. At least three-quarters of heart attacks happen to people with no prior history. The study also showed that women received fewer cardiovascular procedures in the hospital. Which is why being your own advocate matters. Know the warning signs. The AHA’s heart attack risk calculator is worth bookmarking — especially the 30-year estimate, not just the 10-year one. Use it to start a real conversation with your doctor. And if kidney disease, diabetes, or substance use are part of your health history, ask whether you need additional screening beyond a basic cholesterol check. 

Related: A Key Cancer Screening Panel Has Been Dark for Nearly a Year (NBC News)

Health

The Toll of Time Change

What's going on: If you’re feeling unusually grumpy and sleep deprived, your body might just be bracing for this weekend’s daylight saving time switch. This bizarre ritual we subject ourselves to twice a year isn’t just annoying and confusing — especially for parents who just got their little ones to sleep through the night. Doctors say springing forward and falling back can also be bad for our health. Changing the time alters our natural, biological clock and can mess with our hormones, alertness, hunger signals, and mood. The spring change tends to hit hardest. A later sunrise makes mornings feel brutal, and research links the time jump to spikes in hospital visits and even fatal car accidents.

What it means: More than seven in 10 Americans want to stop changing the clock but disagree on where to leave it locked. There are at least four bills currently in Congress related to daylight saving time, and since the government won’t make a move, some states are trying to take matters into their own hands. For now, here’s what you can do to prepare this week: shift bedtimes incrementally and recommit to good sleep hygiene (aka stop doom scrolling). And once you’ve sprung (or crawled) forward, don’t adjust your wakeup time, make it a habit to get outside in the daylight, and find ways to move your body to help you get back on track.

Related: How To Fall Asleep and Stay Asleep (USA Today)

On Our Calendar

A few things to jot down today…

🗓️ The Supreme Court hears arguments on the federal gun ban for drug users in a case that’s created some unexpected alliances.

🗓️ Celebrate Read Across America Day with these videos and activities for kids. 

🗓️ Purim begins at sundown. If one of us is caught sampling every flavor of this holiday treat, move along.

Psst…For more dates worth knowing this week, check out the Skimm+ calendar.

Know It All

Science confirms the most exhausting decade is your…

Skimm'd by: Rashaan Ayesh, Mallory Simon, Stephanie Gallman, Maria del Carmen Corpus, and Marina Carver. Fact-checked by Sara Tardiff.