• Israel is Rapidly Killing Iran's Top Leaders
  • Middle East War: The Latest Updates
  • Pentagon Seeks $200 Billion for Iran War
  • Iran Intensifies Attacks on Gulf Energy Sites
  • EU Balks at Joining Middle East Fight
The Strait of Hormuz has a long history of disruption

NEW YORK (AP) – The U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran has thrust the Strait of Hormuz once again into the crosshairs of a geopolitical conflict.

State Department cut jobs with deep expertise in Middle East

WASHINGTON (AP) – In the escalating war in Iran, the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs would ordinarily be at the center of the geopolitical fray. Typically led by a veteran diplomat, the bureau’s role would be to coordinate U.S. foreign policy across an 18-country region, much of which has become a chaotic battlefield scarred by drone and missile strikes.

Joe Kent's resignation over Iran war reignites debate over Israeli influence

It was no surprise when Joe Kent showed up on Tucker Carlson’s podcast a day after quitting his counterterrorism job in President Donald Trump’s administration. Here was a top official who resigned to protest the war with Iran turning to right-wing media’s leading critic of the conflict.

Milan Cortina Olympics close as Olympic flag passes to France

VERONA, Italy (AP) – The Milan Cortina Olympics ended Sunday with a closing ceremony paying tribute to Italian dance and music inside the ancient Verona Arena, roughly mid-distance between the far-flung mountain, valley and city venues that made these the most spread-out Winter Games in Olympic history.

US beats Canada for first men's hockey gold at the Olympics since 1980

MILAN (AP) – The United States is on top of the hockey world for the first time in nearly a half-century. No miracle needed.

Eileen Gu in tears after learning of her grandmother's death

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) – By taking chances, Eileen Gu is building a sport. She’s winning medals. Yet on a sunny Sunday at the Olympics where she defended her title on the halfpipe, maybe the best prize of all was knowing her grandma would be proud.

Uber to invest up to $1.25B in Rivian to help launch robotaxis

NEW YORK (AP) – Uber says it will invest up to $1.25 billion in Rivian Automotive to help launch up to 50,000 robotaxis.  Uber are expected to buy 10,000 fully autonomous Rivian R2 robotaxis, with the option to purchase up to 40,000 more in 2030. The companies said that initial deployments of the vehicles are expected to begin in San Francisco and Miami in 2028.

China's Alibaba targets $100B in AI and cloud revenue over 5 years

HONG KONG (AP) – China’s technology giant Alibaba Group pledged on Thursday a goal of surpassing $100 billion in revenue from its artificial intelligence and cloud businesses over the next five years, which it said would be powered by the AI demand boom.

Tesla faces wider probe of self-driving feature

NEW YORK (AP) – Federal auto regulators have escalated a probe of Tesla after several of its cars crashed while using its self-driving feature, just as CEO Elon Musk prepares to roll out a new model with no steering wheel or pedals.

Middle East War: The Latest Updates

Iran intensified its attacks on oil and gas facilities around the Gulf on Thursday in retaliation for an Israeli attack on a key Iranian gas field, dramatically raising the stakes in a war that is sending shock waves through the global economy. Brent crude oil, the international standard, spiked to as high as $118 a barrel, up more than 60%.

Pentagon seeks $200 billion in additional funds for the Iran war

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Pentagon is seeking $200 billion in additional funds for the Iran war, a sizable amount that is certain to be met with questions from Congress, which would need to approve any new money. The department sent the request to the White House, according to a senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

EU leaders balk at joining Middle East fight, grapple with high energy prices

BRUSSELS (AP) – European leaders doubled down Thursday on refusing to join the United States and Israel military campaigns in the Middle East as they met in Brussels to grapple with rising oil and gas prices caused by the war.

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is facing perhaps the most daunting question of the war with Iran, one that could define his time in office: Will he put U.S. troops on the ground in Iran to secure some 970 pounds of enriched uranium that Tehran could potentially use to build nuclear weapons?