A crackdown on nationwide protests in Iran has killed at least 538 people and even more are feared dead, activists said Sunday, while Tehran warned that the U.S. military and Israel would be legitimate targets if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

Another over 10,600 people have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous rounds of unrest in Iran in recent years. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said of those killed, 490 were protesters and 48 were members of security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll.

The Iranian government has not offered overall casualty figures for the demonstrations.

RELATED STORY | Protests erupt in Iran's capital after exiled prince's call; internet cuts out soon after

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Irans security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the countrys capital and its second-largest city again Sunday morning.

U.S. President Donald Trump has offered support for the protesters, saying on social media that Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by either U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The White House, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment, has not indicated it has made any decisions. The massive ongoing U.S. military deployment to the Caribbean has created another factor that the Pentagon and Trumps national security planners must consider.

Defiance in Parliament

The threat to strike the U.S. military and Israel came during a parliamentary speech by Mohammad Baagher Qalibaf, the hard-liner speaker of the body who has run for the presidency in the past.

He directly threatened Israel, calling it the occupied territory."

In the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territory and all American military centers, bases and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets, Qalibaf said. We do not consider ourselves limited to reacting after the action and will act based on any objective signs of a threat.

Lawmakers rushed the dais in parliament, shouting: Death to America!

It remains unclear how serious Iran is about launching a strike, particularly after its air defenses were destroyed during the 12-day war in June with Israel. Any decision to go to war would rest with Iran's 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Trump, Netanyahu meet on Gaza war, warn Iran over nuclear ambitions

The U.S. military has said in the Mideast it is postured with forces that span the full range of combat capability to defend our forces, our partners and allies and U.S. interests. Iran targeted U.S. forces at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in June, while the U.S. Navy's Mideast-based 5th Fleet is stationed in the island kingdom of Bahrain.

Israel, meanwhile, is watching closely the situation between the U.S. and Iran, said an Israeli official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to not being authorized to speak to journalists. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio overnight on topics including Iran, the official added.

The people of Israel, the entire world, are in awe of the tremendous heroism of the citizens of Iran, said Netanyahu, a longtime Iran hawk.

At the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV mentioned Iran as a place where ongoing tensions continue to claim many lives," adding that I hope and pray that dialogue and peace may be patiently nurtured in pursuit of the common good of the whole of society."

Demonstrations were held in some international capitals in support of the protesters. A spokesperson said U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was shocked" by reports of violence against protesters resulting in scores of deaths and called on Iranian authorities to use maximum restraint and restore communications.

Protests in Tehran and Mashhad

Online videos sent out of Iran, likely using Starlink satellite transmitters, purportedly showed demonstrators gathering in northern Tehran's Punak neighborhood. There, it appeared authorities shut off streets, with protesters waving their lit mobile phones. Others banged metal while fireworks went off.

The pattern of protests in the capital has largely taken the form of scattered, short-lived, and fluid gatherings, an approach shaped in response to the heavy presence of security forces and increased field pressure, the Human Rights Activists News Agency said. Reports were received of surveillance drones flying overhead and movements by security forces around protest locations, indicating ongoing monitoring and security control.

In Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city some 725 kilometers (450 miles) northeast of Tehran, footage purported to show protesters confronting security forces. Protests also appeared to happen in Kerman, 800 kilometers (500 miles) southeast of Tehran.

FROM THE ARCHIVES | Operation Midnight Hammer: What we know about US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites

Iranian state television on Sunday morning had correspondents appear on the streets in several cities to show calm areas, with a date stamp shown on screen. Tehran and Mashhad were not included.

Government rhetoric ratcheted up. Ali Larijani, a top security official, accused some demonstrators of killing people or burning some people, which is very similar to what ISIS does, referring to the Islamic State group by an acronym.

State TV aired funerals of slain security force members while reporting another six had been killed in Kermanshah. In Fars province, violence killed 13 people, and seven security forces were killed in North Khorasan province, it added. It showed a pickup truck full of bodies in body bags and later a morgue.

Even Iran's reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, who had been trying to ease anger before the demonstrations exploded in recent days, offered a hardening tone in an interview aired Sunday.

People have concerns, we should sit with them and if it is our duty, we should resolve their concerns, Pezeshkian said. But the higher duty is not to allow a group of rioters to come and destroy the entire society.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the countrys economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Irans theocracy.

If you have federal student loans, major changes to repayment plans are on the horizon.

Beginning July 1, 2026, new federal rules will reshape how student loans are repaid, and experts say borrowers should start preparing now to avoid surprises.

For many borrowers, student debt already carries a heavy burden. UNLV graduate student Emmett Lovett, who is working toward a masters degree in clinical mental health counseling, says he has nearly six figures in student loans.

About $90,000, Lovett said. He added that if he pursues a doctoral degree, his debt could grow even more: If I go on to get a PhD, thats six more years."

RELATED STORY | Education Department pushes to end SAVE payment program for millions of student loan holders

Chip Lupo, writer and analyst with WalletHub. explained that the new rules will phase out many existing repayment plans for new loans beginning in mid-2026, except for undergraduates.

All new federal student loans will be placed under a new system called the Repayment Assistance Program, which is income-driven and designed to simplify repayment and reduce the risk of overwhelming debt.

Under the new law, graduate students will face new borrowing limits, with a proposed cap of $20,500 per year and a total of $100,000 for their degree.

While undergraduate borrowing limits will remain unchanged, the elimination of the popular Grad PLUS loan for future borrowers could affect students seeking advanced degrees.

For current borrowers with loans taken out before 2026, there is time to adjust. Lupo recommends reviewing existing repayment plans, comparing options, and keeping track of important deadlines to avoid unexpected challenges as the new rules take effect.

RELATED STORY | Number of borrowers with serious delinquencies on student loans expected to rise

Despite the uncertainty, Lovett remains focused on his goals.

Im constantly asking my professors how I can find help to pay for school, he said.

The goal of the new law is to make student loan repayment more manageable for borrowers. But whether youre repaying existing loans or planning to borrow in the future, the advice remains the same: Review your loans early, confirm your repayment plan, and stay informed about upcoming changes.

This story was originally published by Shakeria Hawkins with the

Scripps News Group in Las Vegas.

The Golden Globes bill themselves as Hollywoods booziest bash. This year, is anyone ready to party?

Political tension and industrywide uncertainty are the prevailing moods heading into Sunday night's 83rd Golden Globe Awards. Hollywood is coming off a disappointing box-office year and now anxiously awaits the fate of one of its most storied studios, Warner Bros.

A celebratory mood might be even more elusive given that the wide majority of the performers and filmmakers congregating at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, oppose the policies of President Donald Trump. Likely to be on the minds of many attendees: the recent U.S. involvement in Venezuela and the fatal shooting of 37-year-old mother Renee Good in Minneapolis by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

But through their ups and downs, the Globes have always tried to put pomp over politics. Host Nikki Glaser has vowed as much.

RELATED STORY | Warner Bros rejects Paramount takeover again and tells shareholders to stick with Netflix bid

Youd be surprised that half the room had no clue why I was saying Venezuela, Glaser told The Associated Press earlier in the week, referring to her comedy-club warm-ups. People arent getting the news like we all are.

Glaser, a comic known for her roast appearances, has promised to go after A-listers in her second time hosting.

Were going to hit Leo, Glaser said. The icebergs are coming.

Heres what to look for at this years Globes:

How to watch and stream the Globes and red carpet

The Golden Globes kick off at 8 p.m. EST on CBS while streaming live for Paramount+ premium subscribers. E!s red carpet coverage begins at 6 p.m. EST.

The Associated Press will be have a livestream show beginning at 4:30 p.m. Eastern with a mix of stars' arrivals, fashion shots and celebrity interviews. It will be available on YouTube and APNews.

Could Warner Bros. own the night if not itself?

The overwhelming Oscar favorite One Battle After Another comes in with a leading nine nominations. Its competing in the Globes musical or comedy category, which means the drama side might be more competitive. There, Ryan Cooglers Sinners, Chlo Zhaos Hamnet and Joachim Triers Sentimental Value are all in the mix.

But thus far, One Battle After Another has cleaned up just about everywhere. Much of Paul Thomas Andersons cast is nominated, including DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, Chase Infiniti and Benicio Del Toro.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Survey reveals America's most hated holiday movies and 2025's top-rated films

If it and Sinners take home the two biggest prizes, it will be a banner night for Warner Bros. even as its future hangs in the balance. The studio has agreed to be acquired by Netflix is a deal worth $82.7 billion. Movie theaters have warned such a result would be a direct and irreversible negative impact on movie theaters around the world.

The merger awaits regulatory approval, while Paramount Skydance is still trying to convince Warner shareholders to accept its rival offer.

How might the top acting awards go?

After an audacious promotional tour for Marty Supreme, Timothe Chalamet is poised to win his first Globe in five nominations. In best actor, comedy or musical, hell have to beat DiCaprio, a three-time Globe winner, and Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon).

In best actress, comedy or musical, Rose Byrne is the favorite for her performance in the not especially funny A24 indie If I Had Legs Id Kick You. One prominent nominee in the category, Cynthia Erivo (Wicked: For Good), wont be attending due to her schedule in the West End production Dracula.

Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) is the clear front-runner in best actress, drama. In the star-studded best actor, drama, category, the Brazilian actor Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent) may win over Michael B. Jordan (Sinners) and Joel Edgerton (Train Dreams).

In the supporting categories, Teyana Taylor and Stellan Skarsgrd come in the favorites.

Who'll give the most memorable speech?

The Globes, formerly presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, have no overlap or direct correlation with the Academy Awards. After being sold in 2023 to Todd Boehlys Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions, a part of Penske Media, the Globes are voted on by around 400 people. The Oscars are voted on by more than 10,500 professionals.

But in the fluctuating undulations of awards season, a good speech at the Globes can really boost an Oscar campaign. Last year, that seemed to be the case for Demi Moore, who won for The Substance and gave the night's most emotional speech. Mikey Madison (Anora), however, scored the upset win at the Oscars.

A few potentially good moments this year went instead in a Golden Eve ceremony earlier this week. There, the Cecil B. DeMille and Carol Burnett honorees, Helen Mirren and Sarah Jessica Parker, accepted their awards.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Wicked: For Good is even more popular than the first, soaring to a $226 million global debut

One to watch, if he wins, will be the Iranian director Jafar Panahi. His revenge drama It Was Just an Accident is up for four awards. Panahi has spent most of his career making films clandestinely, without approval of authorities, and was until recently banned from leaving the country. Last month, he was sentenced to a year in prison, which would be only his latest stint behind bars if Panahi returns home to serve it. This week, protests over Irans ailing economy have spread throughout the country in a new test to Iran's leaders.

What to look for in the TV and podcast categories

For the first time, the Globes are trotting out a new podcast category. The nominees are: Armchair Expert, Call Her Daddy, Good Hang With Amy Poehler, The Mel Robbins Podcast, SmartLess and Up First.

In TV, HBO Maxs The White Lotus another potential big winner for Warner Bros. leads with six nominations. Netflixs Adolescence comes in with five nods.

But the most closely watched nominee might be The Studio. The first season of Seth Rogens Hollywood satire memorably included an episode devoted to drama around a night at the Globes. (Sample line: I remember when the red carpet of the Golden Globes actually stood for something.) The Studio is up for three awards, giving three chances for life to imitate art.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is calling for the federal government to allow state agencies to assist in the investigation into the death of 37-year-old Renee Good, who was fatally shot last week by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent.

Speaking Sunday on NBC News' "Meet the Press," Frey pushed back at the narrative that the ICE agent was acting in self defense. He also said there is "deep mistrust" over the federal investigation into the shooting "because so many of the things that we are hearing are not true."

RELATED STORY | Who was Renee Good? Woman killed by ICE agent in Minneapolis mourned in multiple states

"If it was an FBI investigation that was done jointly with an investigation from the [Minnesota] Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, we could have some trust that there were entities and individuals at the table that were properly reviewing the evidence," Frey said.

"The ICE agent was not run over, as Trump stated," he added, urging people to watch bystander video from the incident that has circulated online.

WATCH | Three different angles of the Minneapolis ICE shooting

Three different angles from Minneapolis shooting

Federal authorities have blocked state and local investigators from accessing evidence in the shooting and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said that decision makes it unable to investigate.

The BCAs Force Investigations Unit was initially expected to conduct a joint investigation with the FBI. However, the agency said the U.S. Attorneys Office later reversed course, leaving the investigation solely in federal hands.

"The BCA Force Investigations Unit was designed to ensure consistency, accountability and public confidence, none of which can be achieved without full cooperation and jurisdictional clarity," the agency said in a statement.

The ICE officer shot and killed Good on Wednesday in a residential neighborhood in Minneapolis while she was inside her vehicle. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem later said that local authorities don't have jurisdiction over the investigation, fueling skepticism from state and local leaders.

"I think it's clear to everyone, as they saw this, that it feels now that Minnesota has been taken out of the investigation," said Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. "It feels very, very difficult that we will get a fair outcome."

ADDITIONAL REPORTING | Officer's cellphone video captures moments leading up to fatal ICE shooting

Noem and others in the Trump administration have repeatedly defended the ICE agent's actions and pushed the notion that Good was attempting to strike him with her car.

"This vehicle was used to hit this officer," Noem said on Thursday. "It was used as a weapon and the officer feels as though his life was in jeopardy."

Meanwhile, Democrats on the Committee on Homeland Security have requested that Noem testify about the investigation the FBI is conducting.

"Contrary to Secretary Noems press statements, there has been no evidence shared that would justify Ms. Goods killing," Ranking Member Andrew R. Garbarino wrote in a letter to the committee's chair. "The perpetrator must be held accountable, and Secretary Noem must answer for this shooting as well as other recent acts of violence by her officers and agents."

WATCH | Ex-ICE chief reveals what's missing in Minneapolis shooting investigation

A guard at a construction site near a 2026 Winter Olympic venue in the mountain resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo died during a frigid overnight shift, authorities confirmed on Saturday.

Italys Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini called for a full investigation into the circumstances of the 55-year-old workers death.

Italian media reported that the death occurred on Thursday while the worker was on duty at a construction site near Cortinas ice arena. Temperatures that night plunged to minus 10.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics are scheduled for Feb. 6-22.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Utah unveils name and logo for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Games

The construction site was not one overseen by Simico, the governmental company responsible for Olympic infrastructure, the company said in a statement expressing its condolences.

Cortina city officials said they were deeply saddened and troubled by the death.

Cortina will host curling, sliding and womens Alpine skiing.

Bob Weir, the guitarist and singer who as an essential member of the Grateful Dead helped found the sound of the San Francisco counterculture of the 1960s and kept it alive through decades of endless tours and marathon jams, has died. He was 78.

Weirs death was announced Saturday in a statement on his Instagram page.

It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Bobby Weir, a statement on his Instagram posted Saturday said. He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could. Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung issues.

The statement did not say where or when Weir died, but he lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for most of his life.

IN RELATED NEWS | Isiah Whitlock Jr., actor from 'The Wire,' 'Veep' and Spike Lee films, dies at 71

Weir joined the Grateful Dead originally the Warlocks in 1965 in San Francisco at just 17 years old. He would spend the next 30 years playing on endless tours with the Grateful Dead alongside fellow singer and guitarist Jerry Garcia, who died in 1995.

Weir wrote or co-wrote and sang lead vocals on Dead classics including Sugar Magnolia, One More Saturday Night and Mexicali Blues.

After Garcias death, he would be the Dead's most recognizable face. In the decades since, he kept playing with other projects that kept alive the band's music and legendary fan base, including Dead & Company.

For over sixty years, Bobby took to the road, the Instagram statement said. "A guitarist, vocalist, storyteller, and founding member of the Grateful Dead. Bobby will forever be a guiding force whose unique artistry reshaped American music.

Weirs death leaves drummer Bill Kreutzmann as the only surviving original member. Founding bassist Phil Lesh died in 2024. The band's other drummer, Mickey Hart, practically an original member since joining in 1967, is also alive at 82. The fifth founding member, Ron Pigpen McKernan, died in 1973.

Dead and Company played a series of concerts for the Grateful Deads 60th anniversary in July at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, drawing some 60,000 fans a day for three days.

Born in San Francisco and raised in nearby Atherton, Weir was the Dead's youngest member and looked like a fresh-faced high-schooler in its early years. He was generally less shaggy than the rest of the band, but he had a long beard like Garcias in later years.

The band would survive long past the hippie moment of its birth, with its ultra-devoted fans known as Deadheads often following them on the road in a virtually non-stop tour that persisted despite decades of music and culture shifting around them.

Longevity was never a major concern of ours, Weir said when the Dead got the Grammys MusiCares Person of the Year honor last year. Spreading joy through the music was all we ever really had in mind, and we got plenty of that done.

Ubiquitous bumper stickers and T-shirts showed the band's skull logo, the dancing, colored bears that served as their other symbol, and signature phrases like ain't no time to hate and not all who wander are lost.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Grateful Dead founding member, bassist Phil Lesh, dead at 84

The Dead won few actual Grammys during their career they were always a little too esoteric getting only a lifetime achievement award in 2007 and the best music film award in 2018.

Just as rare were hit pop singles. Touch of Grey, the 1987 song that brought a big surge in the aging band's popularity, was their only Billboard Top 10 hit.

But in 2024, they set a record for all artists with their 59th album in Billboard's Top 40. Forty-one of those came since 2012, thanks to the popularity of the series of archival albums compiled by David Lemieux.

Their music called acid rock at its inception would pull in blues, jazz, country, folk and psychedelia in long improvisational jams at their concerts.

I venture to say they are the great American band, TV personality and devoted Deadhead Andy Cohen said as host of the MusiCares event. What a wonder they are.

Irans parliament speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be legitimate targets if the U.S. strikes the Islamic Republic over the ongoing protests roiling the country, as threatened by President Donald Trump.

Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf made the threat after nationwide protests challenging Irans theocracy saw protesters flood the streets in the countrys capital and its second-largest city into Sunday morning, crossing the two-week mark. At least 116 people have died in violence surrounding the demonstrations, activists said.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. But the death toll in the protests has grown, while 2,600 people have been detained, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.

Those abroad fear the information blackout will embolden hard-liners within Iran's security services to launch a bloody crackdown, despite warnings from Trump he's willing to strike Iran to protect peaceful demonstrators.

RELATED STORY | Protests erupt in Iran's capital after exiled prince's call; internet cuts out soon after

Trump offered support for the protesters, saying on social media that Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!! The New York Times and Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous U.S. officials, said on Saturday night that Trump had been given military options for a strike on Iran, but hadnt made a final decision.

The State Department separately warned: Do not play games with President Trump. When he says hell do something, he means it.

Parliament rallies

Iranian state television broadcast the parliament session live. Qalibaf, a hard-liner who has run for the presidency in the past, gave a speech applauding police and Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, particularly its all-volunteer Basij, for having stood firm during the protests.

He went on to directly threaten Israel, the occupied territory as he referred to it, and the U.S. military, possibly with a preemptive strike.

In the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territory and all American military centers, bases and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets, Qalibaf said. We do not consider ourselves limited to reacting after the action and will act based on any objective signs of a threat.

Lawmakers rushed the dais in the Iranian parliament, shouting: Death to America!

It remains unclear just how serious Iran is about launching a strike, particularly after seeing its air defenses destroyed during the 12-day war in June with Israel. Any decision to go to war would rest with Iran's 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The U.S. military has said in the Mideast it is postured with forces that span the full range of combat capability to defend our forces, our partners and allies and U.S. interests. Iran targeted U.S. forces at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar back in June, while the U.S. Navy's Mideast-based 5th Fleet is stationed in the island kingdom of Bahrain.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Trump, Netanyahu meet on Gaza war, warn Iran over nuclear ambitions

Israel, meanwhile, is watching closely the situation between the U.S. and Iran, said an Israeli official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to not being authorized to speak to journalists. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio overnight on topics including Iran, the official added.

Protests in Tehran and Mashhad

Online videos sent out of Iran, likely using Starlink satellite transmitters, purportedly showed demonstrators gathering in northern Tehran's Punak neighborhood. There, it appeared authorities shut off streets, with protesters waving their lit mobile phones. Others banged metal while fireworks went off.

Other footage purportedly showed demonstrators peacefully marching down a street and others honking their car horns on the street.

The pattern of protests in the capital has largely taken the form of scattered, short-lived, and fluid gatherings, an approach shaped in response to the heavy presence of security forces and increased field pressure, the Human Rights Activists News Agency said. Reports were received of surveillance drones flying overhead and movements by security forces around protest locations, indicating ongoing monitoring and security control.

In Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city some 725 kilometers (450 miles) northeast of Tehran, footage purported to show protesters confronting security forces. Flaming debris and dumpsters could be seen in the street, blocking the road. Mashhad is home to the Imam Reza shrine, the holiest in Shiite Islam.

Protests also appeared to happen in Kerman, 800 kilometers (500 miles) southeast of Tehran.

Iranian state television on Sunday morning had their correspondents appear on the streets in several cities to show calm areas with a date stamp shown on screen. Tehran and Mashhad were not included. They also showed pro-government demonstrations in Qom and Qazvin.

Ali Larijani, a top security official, went on state TV to accuse some demonstrators of killing people or burning some people, which is very similar to what ISIS does, referring to the Islamic State group by an acronym.

State TV aired funerals of slain security force members while reporting another six had been killed in Kermanshah. In Fars province, violence killed 13 people, and seven security forces were killed in North Khorasan province, it added. It also showed a pickup truck full of bodies in body bags and later a morgue.

Even Iran's reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, who had been trying to ease anger before the demonstrations exploded in recent days, offered a hardening tone in an interview aired Sunday.

People have concerns, we should sit with them and if it is our duty, we should resolve their concerns, Pezeshkian said. But the higher duty is not to allow a group of rioters to come and destroy the entire society.

More demonstrations planned Sunday

Irans exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi asked in his latest message for demonstrators to take to the streets Sunday.

Pahlavis support of and from Israel has drawn criticism in the past, particularly after the 12-day war. Demonstrators have shouted in support of the shah in some protests, but it isnt clear whether thats support for Pahlavi himself or a desire to return to a time before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the countrys economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Irans theocracy.

A 39-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a couple who were found fatally shot inside their Columbus home in late December.

According to Franklin County court documents, Michael David McKee is facing two charges of murder for the deaths of Monique Tepe, 39, and Spencer Tepe, 37.

McKee is Monique Tepe's ex-husband, according to Franklin County records.

McKee's vehicle was identified through neighborhood surveillance cameras, per court documents. The vehicle was then located in Rockford, Illinois, where McKee is currently being held in jail, according to the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office.

Spencer and Monique Tepe were found dead Dec. 30 when police did a welfare check at their home. Spencer did not come into the dental clinic where he works, leading his coworkers to call 911 and request a welfare check.

Investigators said no weapons were found at the home, and there was no sign of forced entry. The couple's two small children were found inside the home, but both were unharmed, according to the incident report.

Rob Misleh, Spencer and Monique's brother-in-law, spoke about the moment he and his wife learned of the tragedy.

"It was her dad on the phone saying that Spencer is dead," Misleh said. "And there was no context yet, you know, ... I think we both just assumed car crash. And then finally, I said, 'Well, where's Monique? Where are the kids?' And he said, 'Well, Monique is dead too.'"

Watch our interview with Spencer and Monique's brother-in-law below:

Family remembers Ohio couple murdered inside Columbus home

"We don't know how to tell a 4-year-old that they're never going to see their mom and your daddy again, and it's, how do you and how do they? How does the 4-year-old understand?" Misleh said.

Misleh also told us he believes the murders were not random.

"It was not a random act where somebody broke in and (was), you know, trying to steal stuff, like, it seems a lot more intentional than that," he said.

When asked if he thought the murders were personal, Misleh said, "Yes."

McKee is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 12, according to the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office.

This article was written by Molly Schramm for the Scripps News Group in Cincinnati.

Reviving a campaign pledge, President Donald Trump wants a one-year, 10% cap on credit card interest rates, a move that could save Americans tens of billions of dollars but drew immediate opposition from an industry that has been in his corner.

Trump was not clear in his social media post Friday night whether a cap might take effect through executive action or legislation, though one Republican senator said he had spoken with the president and would work on a bill with his full support. Trump said he hoped it would be in place Jan. 20, one year after he took office.

Strong opposition is certain from Wall Street in addition to the credit card companies, which donated heavily to his 2024 campaign and have supported Trump's second-term agenda. Banks are making the argument that such a plan would most hurt poor people, at a time of economic concern, by curtailing or eliminating credit lines, driving them to high-cost alternatives like payday loans or pawnshops.

We will no longer let the American Public be ripped off by Credit Card Companies that are charging Interest Rates of 20 to 30%, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Researchers who studied Trumps campaign pledge after it was first announced found that Americans would save roughly $100 billion in interest a year if credit card rates were capped at 10%. The same researchers found that while the credit card industry would take a major hit, it would still be profitable, although credit card rewards and other perks might be scaled back.

About 195 million people in the United States had credit cards in 2024 and were assessed $160 billion in interest charges, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says. Americans are now carrying more credit card debt than ever, to the tune of about $1.23 trillion, according to figures from the New York Federal Reserve for the third quarter last year.

RELATED STORY | Could your holiday generosity wreck your credit score?

Further, Americans are paying, on average, between 19.65% and 21.5% in interest on credit cards according to the Federal Reserve and other industry tracking sources. That has come down in the past year as the central bank lowered benchmark rates, but is near the highs since federal regulators started tracking credit card rates in the mid-1990s. Thats significantly higher than a decade ago, when the average credit card interest rate was roughly 12%.

The Republican administration has proved particularly friendly until now to the credit card industry.

Capital One got little resistance from the White House when it finalized its purchase and merger with Discover Financial in early 2025, a deal that created the nations largest credit card company. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which is largely tasked with going after credit card companies for alleged wrongdoing, has been largely nonfunctional since Trump took office.

In a joint statement, the banking industry was opposed to Trump's proposal.

If enacted, this cap would only drive consumers toward less regulated, more costly alternatives," the American Bankers Association and allied groups said.

Bank lobbyists have long argued that lowering interest rates on their credit card products would require the banks to lend less to high-risk borrowers. When Congress enacted a cap on the fee that stores pay large banks when customers use a debit card, banks responded by removing all rewards and perks from those cards. Debit card rewards only recently have trickled back into consumers' hands. For example, United Airlines now has a debit card that gives miles with purchases.

RELATED STORY | Credit cards could get cheaper, but also more limited, under proposed swipe fee settlement

The U.S. already places interest rate caps on some financial products and for some demographics. The Military Lending Act makes it illegal to charge active-duty service members more than 36% for any financial product. The national regulator for credit unions has capped interest rates on credit union credit cards at 18%.

Credit card companies earn three streams of revenue from their products: fees charged to merchants, fees charged to customers and the interest charged on balances. The argument from some researchers and left-leaning policymakers is that the banks earn enough revenue from merchants to keep them profitable if interest rates were capped.

"A 10% credit card interest cap would save Americans $100 billion a year without causing massive account closures, as banks claim. Thats because the few large banks that dominate the credit card market are making absolutely massive profits on customers at all income levels," said Brian Shearer, director of competition and regulatory policy at the Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator, who wrote the research on the industry's impact of Trump's proposal last year.

There are some historic examples that interest rate caps do cut off the less creditworthy to financial products because banks are not able to price risk correctly. Arkansas has a strictly enforced interest rate cap of 17% and evidence points to the poor and less creditworthy being cut out of consumer credit markets in the state. Shearer's research showed that an interest rate cap of 10% would likely result in banks lending less to those with credit scores below 600.

The White House did not respond to questions about how the president seeks to cap the rate or whether he has spoken with credit card companies about the idea.

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., who said he talked with Trump on Friday night, said the effort is meant to lower costs for American families and to reign in greedy credit card companies who have been ripping off hardworking Americans for too long."

Legislation in both the House and the Senate would do what Trump is seeking.

Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., released a plan in February that would immediately cap interest rates at 10% for five years, hoping to use Trumps campaign promise to build momentum for their measure.

Hours before Trump's post, Sanders said that the president, rather than working to cap interest rates, had taken steps to deregulate big banks that allowed them to charge much higher credit card fees.

Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., have proposed similar legislation. Ocasio-Cortez is a frequent political target of Trump, while Luna is a close ally of the president.

With just days left before the January 15 deadline, millions of Americans are scrambling to choose the right health insurance plan amid significant uncertainty over Affordable Care Act subsidies.

ACA premium tax credits expired at the end of last year, causing substantial price hikes for policies and leaving consumers facing difficult decisions about their healthcare coverage.

"People should not just blindly re-enroll in the coverage they had last year, because they might find that that's not affordable at this point," said Katherine Hempstead, senior policy officer with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

RELATED STORY | Millions face higher healthcare costs as ACA subsidies end January 1

Navigating rising costs and plan options

With dozens of plans available, many consumers feel overwhelmed by their choices. However, Hempstead emphasized that all ACA-compliant plans provide the same essential coverage - what differs is how costs are structured across metal levels.

"Higher metal levels mean higher premiums and less cost-sharing. Lower metal levels mean that your premiums are lower, but your deductible is going to be higher," Hempstead said.

She recommended that consumers consider shifting from silver to bronze plans to secure more affordable premiums, despite the trade-off of higher out-of-pocket costs.

"That's an unfortunate trade-off, but I think a lot of people would feel like that's better than having no coverage at all," Hempstead said.

Beyond cost considerations, consumers should examine provider networks and medication formularies when selecting plans - factors that remain important regardless of premium changes.

Where to find help

For Americans seeking personalized guidance, Hempstead recommended starting with healthcare.gov, which directs users to appropriate state resources regardless of location.

"It's really important to make sure you're really there because unfortunately, if you just put in a search term, there's lots of scam websites that try to jump to the top," Hempstead said.

Many consumers also work with insurance brokers for additional guidance between different plans, though Hempstead advised ensuring brokers come with recommendations from trusted sources.

Deadline pressure and potential changes

Missing the January 15 deadline typically requires a qualifying life event for special enrollment, such as moving states, losing employment, or aging out of parental coverage.

However, the situation remains fluid. Some states are exploring extending deadlines to January 30, and potential congressional action on subsidies could trigger new enrollment periods.

RELATED STORY | Don't miss the deadline: Experts urge you to sign up for ACA healthcare to avoid risks

"People should keep watching the news, because this is a fluid situation, and it's possible that there may actually be a fix and that Congress may decide to extend these tax credits in some fashion," Hempstead said.

Congressional action remains uncertain

On Thursday, 17 House Republicans broke ranks with party leadership to support restoring expanded ACA tax credits, joining 213 Democrats in a symbolic vote. However, Senate negotiations for a bipartisan compromise remain stalled over Republican demands to exclude federal funding for reproductive care services.

One potential solution being discussed involves health savings accounts for ACA consumers to manage healthcare costs directly. While Hempstead acknowledged growing interest in giving consumers more agency in healthcare shopping, she questioned the immediate impact.

"Giving a very small number of consumers in the individual market a little bit of money isn't really going to give them any market power," Hempstead said.

Despite the uncertainty, Hempstead urged Americans not to delay their enrollment decisions.

"I wouldn't bank on any of these other things we talked about happening. So I think if you're wondering whether or not you should get coverage and you think you might want to have coverage in the individual market, this is your time to get it," Hempstead said.

Authorities say a person was in custody Saturday after six people were killed in a series of related shootings in eastern Mississippi.

Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott said in a Facebook post that multiple innocent lives" were lost "due to violence in the town of West Point, near the Alabama border. The sheriff told WTVA that six people were killed in three locations.

A suspect was in custody and there was no threat to the community, the sheriff wrote on Facebook.

I ask that you lift our victims and their families in your prayers Law Enforcement is busy investigating and will release an update as soon as possible, he wrote.

The sheriff's office did not provide further details early Saturday, but planned a morning news conference.

Protests against immigration enforcement are planned for cities and towns across the country on Saturday after one federal officer fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis and another shot and wounded two people in Portland, Oregon.

The demonstrations come as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security pushes forward in the Twin Cities with what it calls its biggest-ever immigration enforcement operation. President Donald Trump's administration has said both shootings were acts of self-defense against drivers who weaponized their vehicles to attack officers.

Indivisible, a social movement organization that formed to resist the Trump administration, said hundreds of protests were scheduled in Texas, Kansas, New Mexico, Ohio, Florida and other states. Many were dubbed ICE Out for Good using the acronym for the agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Indivisible and its local chapters organized protests in all 50 states last year.

RELATED STORY | Officer's cellphone video captures moments leading up to fatal ICE shooting

In Minneapolis, a coalition of migrant rights groups called for a demonstration at Powderhorn Park, a large green space about half a mile from where 37-year-old Renee Good was shot in a residential neighborhood on Wednesday. They said the rally and march would celebrate Goods life and call for an end to deadly terror on our streets.

Protests held in the neighborhood so far have been peaceful, in contrast to the violence that hit Minneapolis in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd in 2020. Near the airport, some confrontations erupted on Thursday and Friday between smaller groups of protesters and agents guarding the federal building used as a base for the Twin Cities crackdown.

Minneapolis police said at least 30 people were cited and released during Friday night protests in the city that drew hundreds of people. Police said protesters threw ice, snow and rocks at officers, police vehicles and other vehicles, but no serious injuries were reported.

The Trump administration has been surging thousands of federal officers to Minnesota under a sweeping new crackdown tied in part to allegations of fraud involving Somali residents. More than 2,000 officers were taking part.

RELATED STORY | 'Legacy of kindness and love': Wife remembers woman killed by ICE agent

Some officers moved in after abruptly pulling out of Louisiana, where they were part of another operation that started last month and was expected to last until February.

Protests are underway in cities across the country after federal agents shot three people over the past two days.

A situation in Milwaukee dating back to Oct. 29 raises questions about whether Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, can make arrests without a judicial warrant.

Heather Asiyanbi was volunteering at Milwaukee Urban Stables in October when ICE agents from the Enforcement and Removal Operations division pulled into the facility's parking lot.

"And I said, you can't be here. We do learning and therapy here. You can't be here. And he said, alright, alright, we're leaving," Asiyanbi said.

RELATED STORY | Officer's cellphone video captures moments leading up to fatal ICE shooting

The agents left without making any arrests or detaining anyone. Asiyanbi believes ICE departed because they were on private property without presenting a warrant.

However, immigration attorney Cain Oulahan says the situation isn't that straightforward.

"If ICE is coming into your business, certainly you're going to want to ask for a warrant if they want to go beyond the public lobby. But if you're in a parking lot, it's much more of a gray area," Oulahan said.

ICE can generally go anywhere the public can access, according to Oulahan.

The confusion arises when searches occur on private property, such as inside homes or businesses, where specific warrants are required when the owner doesnt provide consent to the search.

RELATED STORY | 'Legacy of kindness and love': Wife remembers woman killed by ICE agent

Watch here: What an immigration attorney has to say about where ICE is legally able to make arrests without a judicial warrant.

Immigration attorney explains where ICE can and cant make arrests without a judicial warrant

"A lot of folks don't know there are different types of warrants," Oulahan said.

ICE uses two distinct types of warrants for operations. Administrative warrants are issued by the Department of Homeland Security and are more commonly obtained to help ICE identify and arrest people they believe are subject to deportation.

"That does not allow them to enter a home without consent or private areas of a business," Oulahan said.

The second type is a judicial warrant signed by a federal judge, which carries more authority.

"If it is a judicial warrant, you are legally required to let them in," Oulahan said.

Despite the legal complexities, Asiyanbi has no regrets about her actions and would handle a similar situation the same way.

"Everyday. Everyday. I believe it is my duty as a citizen and a neighbor to do it again," Asiyanbi said. "I think there needs to be where can they go, where can't they go. There does need to be a better definition of that," Asiyanbi said.

This article was written by Ben Jordan for the Scripps News Group in Milwaukee.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

A federal judge ruled Friday that President Donald Trump's administration cannot block federal money for child care subsidies and other programs aimed at supporting low-income families with children from flowing to five Democratic-led states for now.

The states of California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York argued that a policy announced Tuesday to freeze billions of dollars in funds for three grant programs is having an immediate impact on them and creating operational chaos. In court filings and a hearing earlier Friday, the states contended that the government did not have a legal reason for withholding the money from them.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said it was pausing the funding because it had reason to believe the states were granting benefits to people in the country illegally, though it did not provide evidence or explain why it was targeting those states and not others.

RELATED STORY | 5 states sue Trump over freeze on aid for low-income families

U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, who was nominated to the bench by President Joe Biden, did not rule on the legality of the funding freeze but said the five states met a legal threshold to protect the status quo for at least 14 days while arguments are made in court.

Health department officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The affected programs are the Child Care and Development Fund, which subsidizes child care for 1.3 million children from low-income families; the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which provides cash assistance and job training; and the Social Services Block Grant, a smaller fund that provides money for a variety of programs.

The five states say they receive a total of more than $10 billion a year from the programs.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is leading the lawsuit, called the ruling a critical victory for families whose lives have been upended by this administrations cruelty.

RELATED STORY | Trump administration says it's freezing child care funds to Minnesota after series of fraud schemes

The government had requested reams of data from the five states, including the names and Social Security numbers of everyone who received benefits from some of the programs since 2022.

The states argue that the effort is unconstitutional and is intended to go after Trumps political adversaries rather than to stamp out fraud in government programs something the states say they already do.

Jessica Ranucci, a lawyer in James' office, said during the Friday hearing that at least four of the states had already had money delayed after requesting it. She said that if the states cant get child care funds, there will be immediate uncertainty for providers and families who rely on the programs.

A lawyer for the federal government, Kamika Shaw, said it was her understanding that the money had not stopped flowing to states.

The other 45 states face a new requirement to check attendance at child care centers and submit strong justification for the use of funds that aligns with the program's purpose.

At about the same time the judge stopped the freeze on the child care subsidies, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the administration would freeze about $130 million a year in funding from her agency to Minnesota.

Rollins said the states inability to stop fraud schemes led to the decision. Seventy-eight people have been charged since 2022 and 57 convicted after federal prosecutors said the Minnesota nonprofit group Feeding Our Future stole $250 million from a program meant to feed children in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's office did not immediately have a comment Friday evening. The states attorney general, Keith Ellison, said hed fight the new freeze of funds in court.

In a letter to Walz that Rollins shared on social media, she suggested the state could restore its access to the funding by providing justification for how it spent federal dollars over the past year. All the states future transactions involving money from the agency will require the same justification, she said.

Walz and Minnesota have become a main target of the administration in Trump's second term.

Last month the president called the states Somali population garbage in the wake of the Feeding Our Futures investigation and other fraud cases involving Somali defendants.

And this week the administration launched the largest immigration enforcement operation in history in Minneapolis, leading to a fatal shooting of a woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.

Authorities in Salt Lake City are searching for the gunman who shot and killed two people and injured six others at a funeral outside of a church on Wednesday night.

Of the six who are injured, three are in critical condition, police said.

The incident occurred in the parking lot of a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Police do not have a concrete description of a suspect or their vehicle, although they said they are following leads.

Despite a suspect not being in custody, police said there is no further danger to the public.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Police release footage of officers confronting Michigan LDS church shooter

Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said the shooting did not appear to be a random act.

"We don't believe this was a targeted attack against a religion or anything like that," said Redd. "We don't believe, at this point, that this was random."

In a statement released after the shooting, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said the church is cooperating with law enforcement, "and is grateful for the efforts of first responders."

"We extend prayers for all who have been impacted by this tragedy and express deep concern that any sacred space intended for worship should be subjected to violence of any kind."

A Minneapolis woman shot and killed by a federal agent during the Trump administrations latest immigration crackdown on a major U.S. city Wednesday was originally from Colorado, her family confirmed to Scripps News Group.

The woman, identified by the Minnesota Star Tribune earlier in the day as 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, was born in Colorado Springs, according to her uncle, Robert Ganger. He told Scripps News Group via phone late Wednesday afternoon news of her passing were especially difficult for the family since Good's older sister was celebrating her birthday today.

Good was shot in the head in front of a family member in a snowy residential neighborhood south of downtown Minneapolis, just a few blocks from some of the oldest immigrant markets and about a mile from where George Floyd was killed by police in 2020.

Her killing after 9:30 a.m. was recorded on video by witnesses, and the shooting quickly drew a crowd of hundreds of angry protesters. By evening, hundreds were there for a vigil to mourn the death and urge the public to resist immigration enforcers.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, while visiting Texas, described the incident as an act of domestic terrorism carried out against ICE officers by a woman who attempted to run them over and rammed them with her vehicle. An officer of ours acted quickly and defensively, shot, to protect himself and the people around him.

In a social media post, President Donald Trump made similar accusations against the woman and defended ICEs work.

Hours later, at an evening news conference in Minnesota, Noem didn't back down, claiming the woman was part of a mob of agitators. She said the veteran officer who fired his gun had been rammed and dragged by an anti-ICE motorist in June.

Any loss of life is a tragedy, and I think all of us can agree that in this situation, it was preventable, Noem said, adding that the FBI would investigate.

RELATED STORY: Kristi Noem joins DHS raid as Minnesota governor blasts war against Minnesota

But Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey blasted Noem's version of what happened as garbage and criticized the federal deployment of more than 2,000 officers to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul as part of the immigration crackdown.

Frey accused immigration agents of causing chaos," and said he had a message for ICE: Get the f*** out of Minneapolis.

WATCH: Mayor of Minneapolis to ICE: Get the f*** out of Minneapolis. Minneapolis mayor: This was not self-defense, that's B.S.

What they are doing is not to provide safety in America. What they are doing is causing chaos and distrust, Frey said, calling on the immigration agents to leave. Theyre ripping families apart. Theyre sowing chaos on our streets, and in this case, quite literally killing people.

It was a sentiment echoed by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who said he was "angry" and accused the Trump administration of instigating unrest.

"From here on, I have a very simple message: We do not need any further help from the federal government," he said. "To Donald Trump and Kristi Noem, you've done enough."

"Minnesota will not allow our community to be used as a prop in a national political fight," Walz added. "We will not take the bait."

A shooting caught on video

Videos taken by bystanders with different vantage points and posted to social media show an officer approaching an SUV stopped across the middle of the road, demanding the driver open the door and grabbing the handle. The Honda Pilot begins to pull forward and a different ICE officer standing in front of the vehicle pulls his weapon and immediately fires at least two shots into the vehicle at close range, jumping back as the vehicle moves toward him.

It was not clear from the videos if the vehicle made contact with the officer. The SUV then sped into two cars parked on a curb nearby before crashing to a stop. Witnesses screamed obscenities, expressing shock at what theyd seen. After the shooting, a bystander can be heard imploring with federal agents to let him through to check the woman's pulse, claiming to be a physician. One agent refuses, telling the man "I don't care" as another agent reassures him emergency medical technicians were on their way.

Watch three different angles from the fatal Minneapolis shooting by ICE in the video player below: Three different angles from Minneapolis shooting

She was driving away and they killed her, said resident Lynette Reini-Grandell, who was outdoors recording video on her phone.

The shooting marked a dramatic escalation of the latest in a series of immigration enforcement operations in major cities under the Trump administration. Goods death was at least the fifth linked to immigration crackdowns.

The latest immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities called for the deployment of roughly 2,000 federal agents and officers, with a focus on targeting Somali immigrants who are unlawfully living in the country.

The Associated Press and Scripps News Group contributed to this report.This story was

originally published by scar Contreras

with the Scripps News Group.

A crowd of peaceful demonstrators held an evening vigil Wednesday in Minneapolis, in the neighborhood where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a driver earlier in the day.

The vigil began at the intersection where the shooting took place. Demonstrators held candles and lights aloft, as well as signs emblazoned with the word "remember" and a graphic of a butterfly. Other signs called for the expulsion of ICE from the city.

The Rev. Ingrid Rasmussen, who is a pastor of the community's Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, said clergy attended the vigil to be in community with a neighborhood thats hurting and a city that feels under siege.

RELATED NEWS | ICE agent shoots and kills woman during Minneapolis immigration crackdown

After the shooting, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey accused immigration agents of causing chaos," telling them to get the f*** out of the city.

"What I can tell you is the narrative that this was just done in self-defense is a garbage narrative," Frey said. "That is not true. It has no truth."

The Minnesota Star Tribune reported that the victim has been identified by their mother as 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good. The Scripps News Group can also confirm that the car she was driving was registered to an address in Kansas City, Missouri, according to the state Department of Revenue.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem referred to the incident as "an act of domestic terrorism" and said the ICE agent acted in self defense.

RELATED STORY | Kristi Noem joins DHS raid as Minnesota governor blasts war against Minnesota

The death toll is climbing amid an emerging flu surge across the United States.

Massachusetts health officials say at least four children have died from flu complications in recent weeks. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health also reports at least 29 adult flu deaths so far this season.

The wave comes as flu activity rises nationwide. Forty-seven states and territories are reporting high case levels, and 19 states currently have the highest level of flu activity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

RELATED STORY | Flu activity is on the rise, with 47 states and territories reporting high case levels

Recent CDC data estimates there have been 120,000 flu-related hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths this season, including at least nine confirmed pediatric deaths.

Flu activity typically reaches its peak between December and February in colder months around the holidays.

Health officials urge everyone 6 months and older to get vaccinated immediately. The CDC says 130 million doses of the flu vaccine have been distributed this year, available as both a shot and a nasal spray.

"The vaccine helps prevent hospitalizations, which is important,"

said Dr. Jon Gonella, a physician assistant at MedStar Health Urgent Care.

"It may not prevent you from getting the flu. We know that. I see patients all the time who have been vaccinated but still get the flu, but they usually have a pretty uneventful course. Getting the flu vaccine can help prevent you from ending up in the hospital."

ADDITIONAL REPORTING | What is subclade K? The fast-spreading flu type drawing concern

Some health experts are concerned about recent steps by the Trump administration to reduce the number of vaccines it recommends for children, leaving decisions about vaccines like the flu shot to families and doctors.

In December, President Donald Trump directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to review how other countries handle vaccine recommendations and consider revising U.S. guidance to align with theirs.

"To see this kind of a dramatic change where the CDC is no longer recommending vaccination against diseases that cause so much harm in children to me, its absolutely shocking,"

said Dr. Richard Besser, a former acting director of the CDC.

OpenAI on Wednesday launched ChatGPT Health, a "dedicated space" to manage health data and conversations in ChatGPT.

OpenAI says the platform will securely manage medical records and connections to personal fitness applications to personalize its conversations and responses.

The app is meant to provide health advice, interpret test results and give other feedback on health topics like insurance plans and doctor's visits. OpenAI says the tool is meant to streamline management of your health care, but not replace the formal role of doctors or other clinicians.

ChatGPT Health "is designed to support, not replace, medical care. It is not intended for diagnosis or treatment. Instead, it helps you navigate everyday questions and understand patterns over timenot just moments of illnessso you can feel more informed and prepared for important medical conversations," OpenAI writes.

RELATED STORY | OpenAI launches new ChatGPT model as AI competition gets fiercer

ChatGPT's "Health memories" will exist separately from other conversations you hold with the chatbot and can be deleted at any time. OpenAI says that health data is protected by additional encryption and supported by other protections from b.well, an existing network that manages health data.

The tool will be available for a small subset of users at first, before it's rolled out to everyone on iOS and web platforms.