World

Russia has provided Iran with information that can help Tehran strike US military, AP sources say

Seung Min Kim And Aamer Madhani, The Associated Press 4 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia has provided Iran with information that could help Tehran strike American warships, aircraft and other assets in the region, according to two officials familiar with U.S. intelligence on the matter.

The officials, who were not authorized to comment publicly on the sensitive matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity, cautioned that the U.S. intelligence has not uncovered that Russia is directing Iran on what to do with the information as the U.S. and Israel continue their bombardment and Iran fires retaliatory salvos at American assets and allies in the Persian Gulf.

Still, it's the first indication that Moscow has sought to get involved in the war that the U.S. and Israel launched on Iran a week ago. Russia is in the rare club of countries that maintains friendly relations with Tehran, which has faced years of isolation over its nuclear program and its support of proxy groups that have wreaked havoc in the Middle East, including Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis.

The White House downplayed reports that Russia was sharing intelligence with Iran about U.S. targets in the region. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday told reporters that “it clearly is not making any difference with respect to the military operations in Iran because we are completely decimating them.”

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Florida Bar walks back statement on investigation into Halligan, now says there is none

Freida Frisaro And Eric Tucker, The Associated Press 4 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Bar on Friday walked back what it said was an erroneous earlier statement its representatives had made indicating that it had an open investigation into Lindsey Halligan, a former top federal prosecutor in Virginia.

A letter from a bar association representative to an advocacy group that had requested an inquiry into Halligan said that there was an “investigation pending” in response to the group’s complaint.

Jennifer Krell Davis, a spokeswoman for the Florida Bar, also said Thursday that there was an “open file” but declined to comment further “as active Florida discipline cases are confidential.”

On Friday, however, Davis issued a new statement saying, “The Florida Bar wrote a letter to the complainant erroneously stating that there is a pending Bar investigation of member Lindsay Halligan. There is no such pending Bar investigation of Lindsay Halligan.”

Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks arrested for suspicion of DUI after traffic stop

David Brandt, The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks arrested for suspicion of DUI after traffic stop

David Brandt, The Associated Press 2 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence early Friday morning in Scottsdale, Arizona, police said.

Officers conducted a traffic stop in Scottsdale at roughly 1 a.m. and after an investigation, Brooks was arrested. He was taken to jail and released following the booking process around 3:30 a.m.

The 30-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., hasn't played since Feb. 21 because of a fractured left hand. He's expected to be out until at least late March after having surgery.

“We are aware of the situation involving Dillon Brooks and are gathering more information,” the Suns said in a statement. “We have no further comment at this time.”

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks drives past Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks drives past Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Islamic militants abduct more than 300 people in northeastern Nigeria, officials say

Dyepkazah Shibayan And Wilson Mcmakin, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Islamic militants abduct more than 300 people in northeastern Nigeria, officials say

Dyepkazah Shibayan And Wilson Mcmakin, The Associated Press 3 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Islamic militants attacked a town in northeastern Nigeria on Friday, abducting more than 300 people, including women and children, local officials said.

The attack happened in the town of Ngoshe in Borno state, according to Bulama Sawa, an official from the Gwoza area. He told The Associated Press the attack was likely in retaliation for an operation by the military that killed three commanders of the militant Boko Haram group.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for Friday's attack. Nigeria is battling a complex security crisis from different armed groups. The United States has sent troops to the West African nation to help advise its military on the fight against insecurity.

Separate attacks this week also took place in the communities of Konduga, Marte, Jakana, and Mainok between Wednesday and early Friday, according to a military spokesperson.

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

FILE - Police officers patrol during the gubernatorial and state Assembly elections in Lagos, Nigeria, Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba, file)

FILE - Police officers patrol during the gubernatorial and state Assembly elections in Lagos, Nigeria, Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba, file)

LONDON (AP) — London police say four men have been arrested on suspicion of aiding Iran by spying on the Jewish community.

In a statement Friday, the Metropolitan Police said the suspects, one Iranian and three dual British-Iranian nationals, were taken into custody on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service. The men are suspected on spying on locations and individuals.

Police said the men, aged 22, 40, 52 and 55, were arrested at addresses in and around north London shortly after 1 a.m. and that searches are ongoing at the addresses as well as other properties nearby.

Six other men were also arrested in Harrow, west London, on suspicion of assisting an offender and have been taken into custody, the force said.

Japan says a second Japanese person is detained in Iran and demands their early release

Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Japan says a second Japanese person is detained in Iran and demands their early release

Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press 2 minute read Thursday, Mar. 5, 2026

TOKYO (AP) — A second Japanese national has been detained in Iran, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said Friday and demanded the early release of both people.

The ministry confirmed the second person had been detained before the Feb. 28 military strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel.

The ministry said the detainee is safe and in good health but gave no other details such as the timing of the detention or whether it is related to the detention of a Japanese journalist reported last month.

Japanese officials had confirmed the first person's detention though they refused to give the detainee’s identity.

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Thursday, Mar. 5, 2026

FILE -Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi delivers a speech during the special Diet session, Feb. 20, 2026, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)

FILE -Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi delivers a speech during the special Diet session, Feb. 20, 2026, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)

Brazilian soccer player suspended for 12 games after sexist remarks about a female referee

Mauricio Savarese, The Associated Press 2 minute read Thursday, Mar. 5, 2026

SAO PAULO (AP) — A Brazilian sports court said on Thursday it suspended a defender of top-flight club Red Bull Bragantino for 12 matches because of sexist remarks he made about a female referee after a Sao Paulo state league game.

Defender Gustavo Marques was also fined in 30,000 Brazilian reais ($5,700) for his comments about referee Daiane Muniz after Bragantino lost 2-1 to Sao Paulo in a Feb. 21 quarterfinal of a state-level tournament.

The suspension is valid for all competitions organized by the Sao Paulo state soccer federation but does not stop Marques from playing national-level competitions like the Brazilian league or the Brazilian Cup.

“It was our dream to reach the semifinal or even the final, but she killed our game. I think the Sao Paulo state's soccer federation has to look at matches of this importance and not give it to a woman,” Marques had said in a post-match interview to TNT Brazil. “It is no good for us to play against Sao Paulo, Palmeiras, Corinthians, and they put a woman to referee a match of this importance.”

Some Gulf countries frustrated with lack of notice about Iran strikes, defense help, AP sources say

Samy Magdy, Michelle L. Price And Aamer Madhani, The Associated Press 6 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

CAIRO (AP) — The Trump administration is confronting mounting discontent from allies in the Persian Gulf who have complained they were not given adequate time to prepare for the torrent of Iranian drones and missiles bombarding their countries in retaliation for strikes launched by the U.S. and Israel.

Officials from two Gulf countries said their governments were disappointed in the way the U.S. has handled the war, particularly the initial attack on Iran last Saturday. They said their countries were not given advance notice of the U.S.-Israeli attack and complained the U.S. had ignored their warnings that the war would have devastating consequences for the entire region.

One of the officials said that Gulf countries were frustrated and even angry that the U.S. military has not defended them enough. He said there is belief in the region that the operation has focused on defending Israel and American troops, while leaving Gulf countries to protect themselves and said that his country’s stock of interceptors was “rapidly depleting.”

Like others in this story, the Gulf officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing a confidential diplomatic matter.

Mother of 2 girls found in shallow graves in Cleveland charged with murder

Mark Scolforo And Sue Ogrocki, The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Mother of 2 girls found in shallow graves in Cleveland charged with murder

Mark Scolforo And Sue Ogrocki, The Associated Press 2 minute read Thursday, Mar. 5, 2026

CLEVELAND (AP) — The mother of two young girls found buried inside suitcases in Cleveland was charged Thursday with two counts of aggravated murder, police said.

Aliyah Henderson, 28, is accused of killing Mila Chatman and Amor Wilson, whose remains were recovered after a dog walker led authorities to the suitcases four days earlier.

Mila's father, DeShaun Chatman, said Thursday that he had been looking for his daughter and pursuing custody for five years before investigators told him late Wednesday she was dead.

Chatman said he repeatedly sought emergency custody and had tried to locate Mila through a child welfare agency, but those efforts were unsuccessful because he did not know where they were living.

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Thursday, Mar. 5, 2026

People visit a memorial at the site where two girls bodies were found earlier this week, in Cleveland, Thursday, March 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

People visit a memorial at the site where two girls bodies were found earlier this week, in Cleveland, Thursday, March 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

US and Venezuela agree to reestablish diplomatic relations in major shift after Maduro’s ouster

Regina Garcia Cano And Megan Janetsky, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

US and Venezuela agree to reestablish diplomatic relations in major shift after Maduro’s ouster

Regina Garcia Cano And Megan Janetsky, The Associated Press 3 minute read Thursday, Mar. 5, 2026

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The United States and Venezuela agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations in a major shift in a historically adversarial relationship, the State Department said on Thursday.

The move comes after rounds of Trump administration officials have visited the South American nation following a U.S. military operation that deposed former President Nicolás Maduro in January. Since then, the Trump administration has been stepping up pressure on Maduro loyalists now in power to accept its vision for the oil-rich nation.

Relations between the two countries were cut off in 2019, during the first Trump administration, in a decision by Maduro. They closed their embassies mutually after U.S. President Donald Trump gave public support to Venezuelan opposition lawmaker Juan Guaidó, who claimed to be the nation’s interim president in January that year. That prompted U.S. diplomatic staff to move to neighboring Colombia.

The State Department in a statement on Thursday said that talks between the countries were “focused on helping the Venezuelan people move forward through a phased process that creates the conditions for a peaceful transition to a democratically elected government.”

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Thursday, Mar. 5, 2026

People attend a student-led march on National Youth Day to call for the release of detainees, considered to be political prisoners by their relatives and human rights groups, in Valencia, Venezuela, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacinto Oliveros)

People attend a student-led march on National Youth Day to call for the release of detainees, considered to be political prisoners by their relatives and human rights groups, in Valencia, Venezuela, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacinto Oliveros)

House narrowly rejects Iran war powers resolution in early test of Trump’s strategy

Lisa Mascaro, Stephen Groves And Mary Clare Jalonick, The Associated Press 6 minute read Thursday, Mar. 5, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House narrowly rejected a war powers resolution Thursday to halt President Donald Trump's attacks on Iran, an early sign of unease in Congress over the rapidly widening conflict that is reordering U.S. priorities at home and abroad.

It's the second vote in as many days, after the Senate defeated a similar measure along party lines. Lawmakers are confronting the sudden reality of representing wary Americans in wartime and all that entails — with lives lost, dollars spent and alliances tested by a president's unilateral decision to go to war with Iran.

While the tally in the House, 212-219, was expected to be tight, the outcome provided a clarifying snapshot of political support for, and opposition to, the U.S.-Israel military operation and Trump's rationale for bypassing Congress, which alone has the power to declare war. At the Capitol, the conflict has quickly carried echoes of the long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and many Sept. 11-era veterans now serve in Congress.

“Donald Trump is not a king, and if he believes the war with Iran is in our national interest, then he must come to Congress and make the case," said Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Last 2 names of 6 US soldiers who died in Kuwait attack identified by the Pentagon

Hannah Fingerhut, Konstantin Toropin And Rebecca Boone, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview

Last 2 names of 6 US soldiers who died in Kuwait attack identified by the Pentagon

Hannah Fingerhut, Konstantin Toropin And Rebecca Boone, The Associated Press 6 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The last two names of the six U.S. soldiers killed in a Kuwait attack were released Wednesday by the Pentagon, and they are from California and Iowa.

The soldiers identified Wednesday were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54, of Sacramento and Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa.

The Pentagon said Marzan was at the scene when a drone strike hit the command center in Kuwait and is “believed to be the individual who perished at the scene,” according to the statement. A medical examiner will confirm identification, the Pentagon said.

The Pentagon listed O’Brien’s home address as Indianola but his listed address is in Waukee. Both are suburbs of Des Moines. A person answering the door at the Waukee home did not immediately comment, saying the family would release a statement.

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Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026

This combination of images provided by the U.S. Army taken on May 16, 2025 shows, from top left, Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of Des Moines, Iowa, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minn., Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Lakeland, Fla., and Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Neb. (Sgt. Brent Newton/U.S. Army via AP)

This combination of images provided by the U.S. Army taken on May 16, 2025 shows, from top left, Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of Des Moines, Iowa, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minn., Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Lakeland, Fla., and Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Neb. (Sgt. Brent Newton/U.S. Army via AP)

Cracks appear in Trump’s MAGA base as leading figures criticize the Iran war

David Bauder, Meg Kinnard And Ali Swenson, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview

Cracks appear in Trump’s MAGA base as leading figures criticize the Iran war

David Bauder, Meg Kinnard And Ali Swenson, The Associated Press 6 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026

NEW YORK (AP) — For President Donald Trump, some of the sharpest criticism he's faced in the early days of the Iran war has come from once-loyal media figures far more accustomed to singing his praises.

Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly and Matt Walsh are among those to express discontent. It's been noticed in the White House, which has been playing defense on social media and in interviews.

To be sure, these critics are the minority of the media MAGAsphere, where Fox News' biggest stars remain cheerleaders. But their words illustrate conservative media's influence and how valuable it is to Trump when all runs as a well-oiled machine — and, by contrast, how much of a problem it can be if it fractures.

Much of the criticism has centered on Israel's influence on Trump's decision to go to war. Carlson, the former Fox News star who has built his own independent operation, told ABC News over the weekend that the attack was “absolutely disgusting and evil.”

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Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026

FILE - President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office at the White House, Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

FILE - President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office at the White House, Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

Patrick O’Connell to bare his ‘demons’ in a memoir on building The Inn at Little Washington

The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Patrick O’Connell to bare his ‘demons’ in a memoir on building The Inn at Little Washington

The Associated Press 2 minute read Tuesday, Mar. 3, 2026

NEW YORK (AP) — Award-winning chef Patrick O'Connell has a book scheduled for September about how he converted an old garage into an international destination for food lovers.

O'Connell's “Main, Middle & Gay” is a memoir by the founder of the Michelin-starred restaurant, The Inn at Little Washington. The title is a reference to streets where the restaurant and hotel is located in Washington, Virginia.

“This book was eight decades in the making. (I had to wait till most of the characters were dead). Unleashing my demons was freeing,” the 80-year-old O'Connell said in a statement released Tuesday by Celadon Books, which will publish his memoir Sept. 15.

“Finally, the jagged pieces of the jigsaw puzzle of my life have been assembled into a haunting portrayal worthy of a southern, gothic novel — proving that fiction can rarely compete with reality.”

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Tuesday, Mar. 3, 2026

This photo provided by Celadon Books shows the book cover for "Main, Middle & Gay," by Patrick O'Connell. (Celadon Books via AP)

This photo provided by Celadon Books shows the book cover for

Supreme Court blocks law against schools outing transgender students to their parents in California

Lindsay Whitehurst, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Supreme Court blocks law against schools outing transgender students to their parents in California

Lindsay Whitehurst, The Associated Press 3 minute read Monday, Mar. 2, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court cleared the way Monday for California schools to tell religious parents if their children identify as transgender without getting the student's approval, granting an emergency appeal from a conservative legal group.

The order blocks for now a state law that bans automatic parental notification requirements if students change their pronouns or gender expression at school.

The decision comes after religious parents and educators challenged California school policies aimed at preventing schools from outing students to their families. Two sets of Catholic parents represented by the Thomas More Society say it caused schools to mislead them and secretly facilitate the children's social transition despite their objections.

California, on the other hand, argued that students have the right to privacy about their gender expression, especially if they fear rejection from their families. The state said that school policies are aimed at striking a balance with parents’ rights.

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Monday, Mar. 2, 2026

FILE - The Supreme Court is photographed, Feb. 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul, File)

FILE - The Supreme Court is photographed, Feb. 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul, File)

Trump takes unconventional approach to communicating to the public about war in Iran

David Bauder, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview

Trump takes unconventional approach to communicating to the public about war in Iran

David Bauder, The Associated Press 6 minute read Monday, Mar. 2, 2026

Typical of an unconventional presidency, the Trump administration waited more than 48 hours to make any live, public communication to the American people about why it had decided to go to war with Iran.

President Donald Trump discussed why he launched the attack prior to a White House ceremony honoring military heroes on Monday but took no questions from reporters. Earlier in the day, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine briefed journalists at the Pentagon.

The two days previous, Trump delivered two pretaped statements that were released on Truth Social, the social media site owned by the president's media company, and granted telephone interviews to more than a dozen journalists — several of which produced fragmented responses that, to some, clouded as much as they cleared up.

The communications strategy opened Trump to criticism that he hadn't done enough to explain the rationale and objectives of the war, even as the American military suffered its first casualties. By contrast, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has teamed with the U.S. against Iran, delivered two statements the day the war began and addressed reporters Monday at the site of a missile attack that killed nine people. The Israeli military has held multiple press briefings each day.

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Monday, Mar. 2, 2026

President Donald Trump arrives for a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Monday, March 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump arrives for a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Monday, March 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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