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US military confirms all six crew members dead after refueling plane crashed in Iraq

Four of six crew aboard a US military refuelling aircraft have died after it crashed in Iraq, US Central Command (Centcom) says. Rescue efforts continue after the loss of the KC-135, it said, having earlier said neither hostile nor friendly fire were involved in the downing of the aircraft.

U.S. to deploy thousands more troops and at least one more ship to the Middle East: Report

“The Pentagon is moving a Marine expeditionary unit and more warships to the Middle East, as Iran steps up its attacks in the Strait of Hormuz,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has approved a request from Centcom for an element of an amphibious ready group and attached Marine expeditionary unit, typically consisting of several warships and 5,000 Marines.”

Judge blocks subpoenas in criminal probe of Fed Chair Jerome Powell

A federal judge on Friday said he was blocking subpoenas that the Justice Department served to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell in a probe purported to be about the management of the central bank's renovation.

Cuban President Says Talks Were Recently Held with the US to Resolve Differences

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said Friday that his government has held recent talks with the U.S., marking the first time the Caribbean country confirms such speculation. He said the talks “were aimed at finding solutions through dialogue to the bilateral differences between our two nations. International factors facilitated these exchanges.” He did not elaborate on those factors.