​Authorities are preparing to reveal more information about the investigation into the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.  Read More World News 

Russia attacks Ukraine’s energy supplies as US halts its access to satellite images

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian officials said Russia had targeted energy facilities with dozens of missiles and drones in a nighttime attack. The barrage hobbled the country’s ability to deliver heat and light to its citizens and to power weapons factories vital to its defenses. The overnight onslaught — which also pounded residences and wounded at least 10 people — came days after the U.S. suspended military aid and intelligence to Ukraine to pressure it into accepting a peace deal being pushed by the Trump administration. Also on Friday, the U.S. government said it halted Ukrainian access to unclassified satellite images that had been used to help it fight back against Russia.

Trump weighs new sanctions on Russia, days after pausing military aid and intel sharing with Ukraine

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he is “strongly considering” levying new sanctions and tariffs on Russia for its war against Ukraine. He’s floating the possibility of applying new pressure on Moscow after the White House this week paused U.S. military aid and assistance to Kyiv. In a post on his Truth Social platform Friday, Trump said he is considering the action “based on the fact that Russia is absolutely ‘pounding’ Ukraine on the battlefield right now.” The sanctions threat came as Trump faces criticism for increasing pressure on Ukraine to reach a deal while playing down or even denying Russia’s responsibility for starting the war with its invasion three years ago.

Trump says he sent a letter to Iran’s supreme leader over country’s advancing nuclear program

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump says he sent a letter to Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a development that was not immediately confirmed by the supreme leader. Trump made the comments in an interview aired on Friday by Fox Business News. The White House confirmed Trump’s comments, saying that he sent a letter to Iran’s leaders seeking to negotiate a nuclear deal. The interview is expected to air in full on Sunday. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported Trump’s comments, citing the broadcast. However, there was no immediate word from the office of the 85-year-old Khamenei, who has final say over all matters of state.

Homeland Security ends collective bargaining agreement with TSA staffers, an attack on worker rights

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Democrat is slamming the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to end the collective bargaining agreement with the tens of thousands of Transportation Security Administration workers responsible for protecting air travel. The department Friday criticized the union and said poor performers were being allowed to stay on the job. The department says the agreement was hindering the ability of the organization to “keep Americans safe.” Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi is the top Democrat on the Homeland Security committee in Congress and praises the work of TSA staffers. The TSA workers’ union says it’ll have a statement soon. President Donald Trump’s administration pushed out the TSA administrator the day the Republican president was sworn into office.

Stock market today: Wall Street heads toward its worst week since 2022 as losses mount

NEW YORK (AP) — More losses are hitting Wall Street at the close of a brutal week. The S&P 500 fell 1% Friday after erasing an early gain of 0.6%. It’s coming off a punishing stretch where it swung at least 1%, up or down, in each of the last six days, and it’s on track for its worst week since 2022. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 340 points, and the Nasdaq composite sank 1.4%. Treasury yields also dropped in the bond market following a U.S. jobs report that was slightly weaker than economists expected. Stock indexes dropped across most of Europe and Asia.

90,000 Palestinians attend the first Friday prayers of Ramadan in Jerusalem

JERUSALEM (AP) — Some 90,000 Palestinians have prayed at the al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City under tight security by Israeli forces. It was the first Friday prayers of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Thousands made their way from the West Bank into Jerusalem for the prayers after Israel allowed men over 55 and women over 50 to enter from the occupied territory for the prayers. Tensions have risen in the West Bank the past weeks amid Israeli raids on militants. But there was no immediate sign of frictions on Friday. This Ramadan takes place as a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is in place in Gaza since mid-January — though its future is uncertain.

WWII bomb disposal operation in Paris causes hours of travel chaos and Eurostar line closure

PARIS (AP) — Train services will gradually resume and roads will reopen after the disposal operation of an unexploded World War II bomb caused transportation chaos in Paris. The disruption on Friday included the suspension of high-speed train links with London and Brussels. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said that almost 500 trains were canceled and the disruption affected around 600,000 people at the Gare du Nord, France’s busiest train station. It wasn’t immediately clear how the bomb was made safe or disposed of. Tabarot said that “we’re delighted and relieved that all this has come to an end.”

The Pope has now been in the hospital for 3 weeks battling double pneumonia. How serious is that?

LONDON (AP) — Friday marks three weeks since Pope Francis was hospitalized for bronchitis, which then led to double pneumonia. He was also treated for a complex lung infection and has since suffered several respiratory crises requiring further treatment, including machines to help him breathe. Doctors not involved in the pope’s care say the road ahead could be tricky, even if His Holiness fully recovers. They say a recovery could take months and that there could be long-term consequences, like muscle weakness and memory problems.

Investigation advances into Gene Hackman’s mysterious death, with update by New Mexico authorities

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities are preparing to reveal more information about the investigation into the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa. The couple’s partially mummified bodies were discovered last week at their home in the hills of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Hackman was 95 and Arakawa was 65. Authorities have scheduled a briefing Friday to provide an update on the case. Officials say they do not suspect foul play and testing for carbon monoxide poisoning was negative. Arakawa’s body was found with an open prescription bottle and pills scattered on the bathroom counter. Hackman was found in the home’s entryway. A dog that was in a kennel near Arakawa also died.

Private lunar lander is declared dead after landing sideways in a crater near the moon’s south pole

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A private lunar lander is no longer working after landing sideways in a crater near the moon’s south pole. Intuitive Machines announced the news Friday, less than 24 hours after the botched landing attempt. The lander, named Athena, missed its mark by more than 800 feet and ended up in a frigid crater. It managed to send back pictures confirming its position and activate a few experiments before going silent. Company officials say it’s unlikely its batteries can be recharged and the mission is over. NASA paid $62 million to Intuitive Machines to get its three experiments to the moon.