AP News Summary at 12:19 a.m. EST

Trump fires Homeland Security Secretary Noem after mounting criticism over her leadership

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has fired his embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Trump said he was nominating Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin for the position in an announcement on social media on Thursday. The announcement came after Noem faced a two-day grilling on Capitol Hill from Republicans and Democrats and as Noem faced mounting criticism over her leadership of the Department of Homeland Security. Trump says he’ll make Noem a “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas.” Noem touted her achievements on social media and thanked Trump for the new role.

Every facet of Iran's military and theocracy is under assault. These images show the damage

CAIRO (AP) — The U.S. and Israel are striking a much wider array of targets in Iran than they did during 12 days of war last summer, when their focus was on the country’s nuclear enrichment sites. Experts say the aim now appears to be destroying Iran’s military and weakening the grip of its theocratic rulers. U.S. Central Command alone says it has hit more than 2,000 targets in less than a week, a far heavier barrage than any American bombing campaign in the Middle East in more than a decade. Israel says it has hit hundreds of sites. The bombardment has affected military bases, weapons factories, soldiers and police, and state TV.

Intense Israeli strikes hit Iran and Lebanon as US warns the bombardment will 'surge dramatically'

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Intense Israeli airstrikes are pounding the capitals of Iran and Lebanon as the U.S. apparently struck an Iranian drone carrier at sea in its unrelenting campaign against the Islamic Republic’s fleet of warships. Iran launched new retaliatory attacks early Friday against neighboring countries that host U.S. forces. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The latest strikes mark a full week of attacks affecting countries across the Middle East. The Israeli military says the fighting has destroyed most of Iran’s air defenses and missile launchers. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warns that strikes against Tehran were “about to surge dramatically.”

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

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The State Department says the United States and Venezuela have agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations in a major shift in a historically adversarial relationship. The move comes after rounds of Trump administration officials have visited the South American nation after a U.S. military operation deposed of former President Nicolás Maduro in January. Since then, the Trump administration has been stepping up pressure on Maduro loyalists who now run the oil rich nation. Relations between the two countries were cut off following another geopolitical debacle in 2019, during the first Trump administration.

Justice Department publishes missing Epstein files involving uncorroborated claim about Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has released additional Jeffrey Epstein files involving uncorroborated accusations made by a woman against President Donald Trump that the department said had been mistakenly withheld during an earlier review. The department said last week that it was reviewing to determine if any records were improperly withheld after several news organizations reported that the massive tranche of records that had been made public didn’t include files documenting a series of interviews conducted in 2019 with a woman who made an allegation against Trump. The department said those files had been “incorrectly coded as duplicative,” and therefore were inadvertently not published along with the millions of other Epstein files.

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

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has narrowly rejected a resolution that would curb President Donald Trump’s powers in the Iran war. Thursday's roll call offers a snapshot of the support and opposition in Congress for the widening conflict that's reordering U.S. priorities at home and abroad. It’s the second vote in as many days. The Senate defeated a similar measure along party lines Wednesday. Lawmakers are confronting the sudden reality of representing the nation in wartime and all that entails — with lives lost, dollars spent and alliances tested by a president’s decision to attack Iran. Republicans largely back the war, while Democrats oppose. But there are splinters in the parties.

More than 20 states sue over new global tariffs Trump imposed after his stinging Supreme Court loss

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some two dozen states are challenging President Donald Trump’s new global tariffs in court. On Thursday, the states filed a lawsuit over import taxes he imposed after a stinging loss at the Supreme Court. Democratic attorneys general leading the suit argue that Trump is overstepping his power with planned 15% tariffs on much of the world. Trump has said the tariffs are essential to address trade deficits. He imposed duties under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 after the Supreme Court struck down tariffs he imposed last year under an emergency powers law. The new suit argues that law was intended to be used only in specific, limited circumstances.

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

CLEVELAND (AP) — Police say the mother of two girls found buried inside suitcases in a Cleveland field has been charged with two counts of murder. Twenty-eight-year-old Aliyah Henderson is accused of killing Mila Chatman and Amor Wilson. Their remains were recovered after a dog walker led authorities to the suitcases four days earlier. Mila's father, DeShaun Chatman, says he had been looking for his daughter and pursuing custody for five years before investigators told him late Wednesday that she was dead. Phone numbers linked to Henderson were no longer hers, and it was unclear if she was represented by a lawyer.

Pentagon says it is labeling AI company Anthropic a supply chain risk 'effective immediately'

The Trump administration is following through with its threat to designate artificial intelligence company Anthropic as a supply chain risk in an unprecedented move that could force other government contractors to stop using the AI chatbot Claude. The Pentagon said in a statement Thursday it has “officially informed Anthropic leadership the company and its products are deemed a supply chain risk, effective immediately.” Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said in response that the company has no choice but to challenge the Trump administration in court.

Britney Spears arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Britney Spears has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol near her Southern California home. Authorities say Spears was pulled over after reports that her BMW was driving fast and erratically on a highway on Wednesday night. The California Highway Patrol says she was jailed after taking a series of field sobriety tests. A representative for Spears calls the incident “completely inexcusable” and says she plans to comply with the law and seek help. Jail records show she was booked early Thursday and released later in the morning. The district attorney will decide on charges.