• Trump Raises the Possibility of a ‘friendly Takeover of Cuba’ Coming out of Talks with Havana
  
  President Donald Trump said Friday that the U.S. is in talks with Havana and raised the possibility of a "friendly takeover of Cuba" without offering any details on what he meant.Speaking to reporters outside the White House as he left for a trip to Texas, Trump said...
• Korean War Soldier's Remains ID'd After 75 Years
  
  The remains of a U.S. Army soldier who first served in World War II and was killed during the Korean War have been identified decades later, thanks to an old photograph and a refined forensic technique , after modern DNA methods failed, military officials announced Thursday.
• Trump: More Iran Talks Expected on Friday
  
  President Donald Trump said he was not happy with Iran but more talks were expected on Friday on Tehran's nuclear program. Speaking to reporters before a trip to Texas, Trump said he wants to make a deal with Iran but reiterated that Tehran cannot have a nuclear weapon.
• Trump Raises Prospect of 'Friendly Takeover' of Cuba
  
  President Donald Trump on Friday raised the prospect of a "friendly takeover" of Cuba, telling reporters at the White House that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was dealing with the issue at a "very high level."
• 2 Journalists in Belarus Imprisoned as Part of a Crackdown on Free Speech, Media Groups Say
  
  A court in Belarus has convicted two independent journalists on charges of high treason and handed them long prison sentences, the latest move in the government's crackdown on dissent and free speech, a media rights group said Friday.Uladzimir Yanukevich, 65, who founded...
• US Seeks Forfeiture of Oil Tanker, 1.8M Barrels of Venezuelan Crude Oil
  
  The United States is seeking the forfeiture of Motor Tanker Skipper, an oil tanker seized by the U.S. in December, and approximately 1.8 million barrels of crude oil cargo supplied by Venezuelan state-run PDVSA, the Justice Department said on Friday.In its complaint, filed...
• Tensions between Son of Iran's Last Shah and Kurdish Dissidents Show Cracks in Iranian Opposition
  
  Public tensions have surfaced between the exiled son of Iran's last shah and a coalition of Kurdish Iran dissident groups in recent days.The frictions have highlighted cracks in the Iranian opposition in the wake of mass antigovernment protests and a brutal crackdown and as...
• France Maintains Travel Warning for Israel, West Bank
  
  The French foreign ministry on Friday reiterated its advice to nationals not to travel to Israel, Jerusalem, and the West Bank even for tourism or family visits as a result of the security situation in Iran.
• Argentina's Senate Convenes for Final Labor Reform Vote, as Unions and Opposition March in Protest
  
  A coalition of labor unions, opposition parties and leftwing organizations marched through downtown Buenos Aires on Friday, in protest of President Javier Milei's sweeping labor overhaul to be debated in the Senate in the coming hours.The bill, which grants employers...
• IAEA Report: Iran Must Allow Inspections, Points at Isfahan
  
  The U.N. nuclear watchdog issued a confidential report on Friday urging Iran to let it inspect all its nuclear sites and pointing at Isfahan as a place of interest because of a new enrichment plant and near-bomb-grade uranium that was stored there.
• Rubio to Visit Israel Next Week Amid Iran Tensions
  
  U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Israel next week, where he will discuss Iran, the State Department said in a statement on Friday, as the U.S. has assembled a large military force in the region amid rising tensions with Tehran. The State Department said...
• Israel's Top Court Allows Aid Groups to Keep Working in Gaza as Israeli Strikes Kill 4 There
  
  Israel's top court on Friday moved to allow international aid groups to keep operating in the Gaza Strip and other Palestinian territories as Israeli strikes killed at least four people across the wartorn enclave. The Supreme Court's order, which followed a petition from 17...
• UN Nuclear Watchdog Says It's Unable to Verify Whether Iran Has Suspended All Uranium Enrichment
  
  Iran has not allowed the United Nations nuclear watchdog to access nuclear facilities affected by the 12day war in June, according to a confidential report by the watchdog circulated to member states and seen Friday by The Associated Press. The report from the International...
• UK Govt Withdrawing Staff From Iran Amid Security Concerns
  
  The United Kingdom is taking precautionary steps to reduce diplomatic staff in the Middle East amid escalating security concerns.
• China Urges Citizens in Iran to Evacuate: Report
  
  China has advised its citizens to avoid traveling to Iran and urged those in the country to evacuate as soon as possible, citing the security situation, state news agency Xinhua reported on Friday, amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran.
• IAEA: Iran Stored Highly Enriched Uranium at Underground Site
  
  Some of Iran's most highly enriched uranium, close to weapons grade, was stored in an underground area of its nuclear site in Isfahan, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said in a confidential report sent to member states on Friday and seen by Reuters.
• Report: Druzhba Pipeline Carried Ukrainian, Russian Oil Before Attack
  
  The Druzhba pipeline exported some Ukrainian oil, as well as much higher volumes of Russian crude, before it was damaged a month ago by a Russian strike that has led to a halt in supply, three industry sources familiar with the matter said.
• Sources: US Envoy Barrack Meets Iraq's Ex-Prime Minister Maliki
  
  U.S. envoy Tom Barrack met former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, the Shiite alliance's candidate for premier, on Friday, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Maliki has been nominated by a powerful Shiite bloc to return to the post.
• Lawmakers: US Military Downed Border Protection Drone
  
  The U.S. military used a laser Thursday to shoot down a "seemingly threatening" drone flying near the U.S.-Mexico border. It turned out the drone belonged to Customs and Border Protection, lawmakers said. The case of mistaken identity prompted the Federal Aviation...
• Hungary, Slovakia Seek Probe Into Druzhba Pipeline Damage in Ukraine
  
  Hungary and Slovakia agreed on Friday to set up a joint committee to investigate damage to the Druzhba pipeline in Ukraine, calling on Kyiv to grant it access and restart Russian oil flow.
• JD Vance: No Endless War as Trump Weighs Iran Strikes
  
  Vice President JD Vance reportedly said there's "no chance" military strikes on Iran would result in the U.S. becoming involved in a prolonged war.
• 50,000 Without Power After Ukrainian Strike on Russia's Belgorod
  
  About 50,000 people were left without power in the Russian city of Belgorod on Friday after Ukrainian missiles struck it overnight, the regional governor said. The governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said about half of those affected should be reconnected by the end of Friday.
• Russian Deputy PM: Oil Reserves Enough for 62 Years
  
  Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak on Friday said his country has enough oil reserves to last the next 62 years.
• Ukraine Seeks Allies to Build Air Defenses
  
  Ukraine is considering forming consortia with its allies to build air defenses capable of downing ballistic missiles and overcome a critical deficit of munitions for U.S.-made Patriot systems, its defense minister said.
• Sweden Intercepts Suspected Russian Drone During Visit by French Aircraft Carrier
  
  Sweden's military has intercepted a suspected Russian drone off the south of the country as a French aircraft carrier was docked in the port of Malmo, officials said.

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