Iran's parliament speaker warns US military and Israel will be 'legitimate targets' if America strikes over protests.

Iran's parliament meets to discuss the ongoing protests shaking the nation, with lawmakers chanting: 'Death to America!'

Activists say the death toll in nationwide protests challenging Iran's theocracy has reached at least 116 people killed. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency gave the new figure, saying arrests had reached more than 2,600 people as well. The agency has been accurate in multiple rounds of unrest previously. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has signaled a coming clampdown, despite U.S. warnings from President Donald Trump that America could intervene to protect peaceful demonstrators. Tehran escalated its threats Saturday, with the Iran’s attorney general, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, warning that anyone taking part in protests will be considered an “enemy of God,” a death-penalty charge.

Death toll in violence surrounding nationwide protests challenging Iran's theocracy reaches at least 116, activists say.

President Donald Trump says he wants a one-year, 10% cap on credit card interest rates. It's an idea that revives a campaign pledge and could save Americans tens of billions of dollars. But it's drawing immediate opposition from an industry that's been in his corner. Trump wasn't clear in a social media post Friday night whether a cap might take effect through executive action or legislation. One Republican senator said he had spoken with the president and would work on a bill with Trump's “full support.” Trump said he hoped it would be in place Jan. 20, one year after he took office. Average interest rates now range from 19.65% to 21.5%.

Iran attorney general warns anyone taking part in protests will be considered an 'enemy of God,' a death-penalty charge.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened Greenland and says Washington must take control of the strategically located island. The White House says military options are being considered. But Denmark's prime minister warns that would spell the end of NATO. Greenlanders oppose becoming part of the U.S. The United States already has a military base there under a 1951 defense agreement. Trump says control is needed for security against Russian and Chinese threats. But Greenlanders say they want independence and not U.S. annexation.

Protests in Iran have continued despite threats from the government to crack down. Online videos show demonstrators protesting Friday night, even after authorities shut down the internet and cut phone lines. The protests, which began over economic issues, have become a significant challenge to the government. Activists say at least 65 people have been killed. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei criticized U.S. President Donald Trump, who has pledged support for peaceful protesters. Iran’s judiciary chief has vowed harsh punishment for demonstrators. European leaders have condemned the violence and urged Iran to allow free expression.

President Donald Trump is calling on oil executives to rush to invest in Venezuela as the White House looks to quickly secure $100 billion in private funding to revive the country's ability to fully tap into its expansive reserves of petroleum. Since the U.S. military raid to capture former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, Trump has quickly pivoted to portraying the move as a newfound economic opportunity for the U.S. Trump, as he opened the meeting Friday with oil industry executives, sought to assure them that they need not be skeptical of quickly investing in and, in some cases, returning to the South American country.

Facebook parent Meta has reached nuclear power deals with three companies as it continues to look for electricity sources for its artificial intelligence data centers. Meta struck agreements with TerraPower, Oklo and Vistra for nuclear power for its Prometheus AI data center that is being built in New Albany, Ohio. Meta announced Prometheus, which will be a 1-gigawatt cluster spanning across multiple data center buildings, in July. It’s anticipated to come online this year. Financial terms of the deals with TerraPower, Oklo and Vistra were not disclosed.

U.S. stocks rose to more records following a mixed report on the U.S. job market. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% Friday and topped its prior all-time high set earlier in the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.5% and set its own record, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.8%. Treasury yields were mixed following the jobs update, which may delay another cut to interest rates by the Federal Reserve but does not slam the door on it. The U.S. Labor Department said employers hired fewer workers than economists expected, but the unemployment rate was better than expected.

Lyft and Uber drivers protested Waymo’s self-driving taxis in San Francisco. They urged state regulators to increase oversight of autonomous vehicles after incidents where the cars killed pets and blocked traffic. Around two dozen drivers and supporters gathered Friday outside the California Public Utilities Commission offices. They called for safer streets and greater accountability. Joseph Augusto, a driver for both Uber and Lyft, expressed concerns about unfair treatment compared to autonomous vehicle companies. The California Gig Workers Union wants the vehicles removed until safety issues are addressed. Waymo says it strives to be the world’s most trusted driver. The utilities commission says it has no comment.

CES 2026 showcased futuristic tech, from paper-thin screens to AI-driven gadgets. Meanwhile, robots were everywhere on the show floor, assisting and entertaining. Highlights of the annual tech trade show in Las Vegas included Lego introducing Smart Play, a blend of connected bricks with Star Wars themes. Clicks Technology also revived the digital phone keyboard with a magnetic QWERTY mode, while LG unveiled a TV as thin as paper. Roborock presented a vacuum that climbs stairs and Razer demoed AI-powered headphones similar to smart glasses. Strutt introduced a self-driving mobility chair and Uber revealed a premium robotaxi.

Sluggish hiring last month closed out a year of weak employment gains that have frustrated job seekers even as layoffs and unemployment have also been low. Employers added 50,000 jobs in December, nearly unchanged from a downwardly revised figure of 56,000 in November, the Labor Department said Friday. The unemployment rate slipped to 4.4%, its first decline since June, from 4.5% in November, a figure also revised lower. The data suggests that businesses are reluctant to add workers even as economic growth has picked up.

Luigi Mangione’s federal death penalty trial in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson could begin before the end of the year.  U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett said Friday that she expects Mangione’s trial to begin in December or possibly January 2027 if the death penalty is still on the table. If not, she said, Mangione could stand trial in October. Either way, Garnett said, she expects jury selection to begin around Sept. 8. The judge said she would rule at a later date on the defense’s requests to prevent prosecutors from seeking the death penalty, throw out some charges and exclude certain evidence.

Trump to meet with Colombia president next month; calls on Petro to make quick progress on stemming cocaine flow into US.

A federal judge has dismissed Salt-N-Pepa's lawsuit to reclaim ownership of their master recordings from Universal Music Group. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Denise Cote sided with the recording giant, stating the group never owned the copyrights to their sound recordings. UMG argued the recordings were “works made for hire,” preventing rights reclamation. Salt-N-Pepa claimed their agreements indicated otherwise. The duo, Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton, became Salt-N-Pepa in 1985. They signed with Next Plateau Records, now under Universal’s Republic label. The judge found no evidence they granted the label copyright that can be reclaimed.

BEIJING (AP) — A week in which longtime tensions between neighbors China and Japan ratcheted up economically and politically drew to a close with no sign of improvements Friday as the Chinese ambassador in Tokyo rebuffed his host nation and the Japanese reported delayed shipments to supplier…

President Donald Trump says American intervention in Venezuela will bring billions of dollars of investment in the country's infrastructure, a revival of its once-thriving oil industry and a new age of prosperity for the Latin American country. But those pledges of future prowess can be hard to digest for Venezuelans living through today's crumbling economy. The International Monetary Fund estimates Venezuela’s inflation rate is a staggering 682%, the highest of any country for which it has data. That has sent the cost of food beyond what many can afford. People typically work multiple jobs just to survive, and still cupboards and refrigerators are nearly bare. An estimated eight in 10 people live in poverty.

LONDON (AP) — Luke Littler has signed what has been described as the biggest sponsorship deal in darts history, worth a reported 20 million pounds (nearly $27 million).

Death toll in Iran protests jumps to at least 62 people killed, activists say.

US employers add a modest 50,000 jobs to cap a year of weak hiring, though unemployment falls to 4.4%.

Iran judiciary chief vows that punishment for protesters 'will be decisive, maximum and without any legal leniency.'

Iran leader: Protesters 'ruining their own streets to make the president of another country happy,' referring to Trump.

Iranian state television airs speech by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addressing the nationwide protests.

Iran state TV breaks silence on protests, reports casualties and claims 'terrorist agents' of US and Israel set fires.

Iran’s government has cut off the country from the internet and international telephone calls. The move Thursday night comes after nighttime demonstration called by the exiled crown prince drew a mass of protesters to shout from their windows and storm the streets. The protest represented the first test of whether the Iranian public could be swayed by Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, whose fatally ill father fled Iran just before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his warning that America would intervene if Iran killed protesters. Activists say least 42 people have been killed so far.

The U.S. Transportation Department says North Carolina could lose nearly $50 million in federal funding if the state doesn’t revoke commercial driver’s licenses from immigrants who aren't qualify to hold them. North Carolina is the ninth state to be targeted since Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy launched the nationwide review last year to make sure only qualified drivers hold licenses to drive semitrailer trucks or buses. The issue started to generate headlines after a truck driver who was not authorized to be in the U.S. made an illegal U-turn and caused a crash in Florida that killed three people in August. An audit of 50 commercial driver’s licenses that North Carolina had issued to immigrants found that there were problems with more than half of them.

Modest moves for Wall Street overall masked some big swings underneath the surface, including for makers of weapons and other military equipment. The S&P 500 barely budged on Thursday and remained near its all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.4%. Stocks of defense contractors rallied after President Donald Trump said he wants to increase the U.S. government's spending on defense sharply. Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and L3Harris Technologies helped lead the way and offset losses for Nvidia and other tech stocks. Treasury yields ticked higher following mixed data on the U.S. economy.

Trump says he wants government to buy $200 billion in mortgage bonds in a push to bring down mortgage rates.

Artificial intelligence took center stage at this year's CES gadget show, but not always for the right reasons. On Thursday, the “Worst in Show” awards highlighted products seen as invasive, fragile or wasteful. Samsung's “Bespoke AI Family Hub” fridge was criticized for its complexity and poor voice recognition. Amazon's Ring doorbell faced backlash for privacy concerns with its new features. An AI companion called Ami was labeled unsettling for its eye-tracking capabilities. A musical lollipop and an AI-powered treadmill also received criticism for environmental waste and security issues. The awards aim to encourage better design and privacy practices in tech.

Modest moves for Wall Street overall masked big gains underneath the surface, including for makers of weapons and other military equipment. The S&P 500 closed barely changed Thursday, coming off its first loss in four days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.4%. Stocks of defense contractors rallied after President Donald Trump said he wants to increase the U.S. government’s spending on defense sharply. Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and L3Harris Technologies helped lead the way and offset losses for Nvidia and other tech stocks.

MADRID (AP) — Once the ball starts rolling in the Spanish league, the game is on for some 50 analysts who start looking for signs of online piracy.

GENEVA (AP) — TikTok was picked by FIFA as the first “preferred platform” for video content on social media at a men’s World Cup, the soccer body said Thursday.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — When a gunman began firing inside an academic building on the Brown University campus, students didn't wait for official alerts warning of trouble. They got information almost instantly, in bits and bursts — through phones vibrating in pockets, messages from strangers…

Internet access and telephone lines in Iran cut out after demonstrators join protest called by exiled crown prince.

NEW YORK (AP) — The crisp crinkle of fallen leaves beneath your feet. The swish and trickle of water moving through a stream. A breath of crisp, fresh air.

BEIJING (AP) — They’re at it again.

Toilet paper, a product that is used for a few seconds before being disposed of forever, is typically made with trees, energy-intensive manufacturing processes and chemicals that can pollute the environment.

The Apple Card, known for its intuitive features and other perks for consumers, will now be issued by JPMorgan but Apple says nothing will change for users.

More artificial intelligence is being implanted into Gmail as Google tries to turn the world’s most used email service into a personal assistant that can improve writing, summarize far-flung information buried in inboxes and deliver daily to-do lists. The new AI features announced Thursday could herald a pivotal moment for Gmail, a service that transformed email when it was introduced nearly 22 years ago. Gmail’s new AI options will only be available in English within the U.S. for starters, but Google is promising to introduce them in other countries and other languages as the year unfolds.