U.S. expands strikes into northern Iran and disables ship trying to run blockade

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The United States has intensified its strikes on Iran, hitting targets farther north. American forces also fired into a ship the U.S. accused of trying to break its naval blockade on the Islamic Republic. Iran retaliated early Thursday with missile and drone fire targeting U.S. allies Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait before dawn. Days of back-and-forth strikes by the U.S. and Iran across the Middle East and renewed threats to the Strait of Hormuz have shredded the interim deal to end the Iran war and the region could tip back into all-out war. Already, Iranian officials say U.S. strikes have killed more than 35 people and wounded over 300 others.

Trump officials want to make testosterone drugs easier to prescribe. Is that a good idea?

WASHINGTON – Health officials serving under President Donald Trump want to make it easier for men to get a prescription for testosterone. It’s the latest shift in an ongoing debate over the benefits and risks of boosting the hormone. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced this week that the military would begin screening for low testosterone and offering the hormone to troops. That approach follows the advice of some men’s health influencers, who promote testosterone as an all-purpose formula for strength and vitality. Experts disagree with that assessment. But they do say new evidence supports testosterone’s benefits for sexual problems like erectile dysfunction and low libido.

Texas flooding surges from huge rainstorms as rescuers pull people from rising waters

UVALDE, Texas – Devastating flooding in Texas after days of pounding rain is forcing authorities to rescue dozens of people while many more are fleeing higher ground in the state’s Hill Country. The flooding is hitting a region still recovering from deadly floods just a year ago. The National Weather Service says a “deadly flood wave” was barreling down the same river alongside a summer camp where two dozen children were killed last summer. Rivers are rising hour by hour, turning them into fast-moving seas of white water. There was no immediate word of any deaths or injuries from the flooding. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has issued disaster declarations for multiple counties.

New York Times files motion to quash subpoenas served on journalists over Air Force One coverage

WASHINGTON – The New York Times has filed a motion to quash subpoenas that the Justice Department served on journalists who reported on security concerns involving the new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One, teeing up a significant court fight over press freedom and the government’s ability to force reporters to identify sources. The filing was made under seal Wednesday in the Southern District of New York, where the journalists were summoned in subpoenas delivered last Friday to testify before a federal grand jury. The Times’ senior vice president and deputy general counsel says the subpoenas “violate the constitutional rights of The Times and its journalists.”

– The Associated Press