AP News in Brief at 9:04 p.m. EST

U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez's ruling addresses a case filed in December on behalf of six Minnesota activists. The six are among the thousands who have been observing the activities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol officers enforcing the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area since last month.

Federal agents and demonstrators have repeatedly clashed since the crackdown began. The confrontations escalated after an immigration agent fatally shot Renee Good in the head on Jan. 7 as she drove away from a scene in Minneapolis, an incident that was captured on video from several angles. Agents have arrested or briefly detained many people in the Twin Cities.

The activists in the case are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, which says government officers are violating the constitutional rights of Twin Cities residents.

After the ruling, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement saying her agency was taking “appropriate and constitutional measures to uphold the rule of law and protect our officers and the public from dangerous rioters.”

Blast of winter weather hits Midwest and East Coast and could bring snow to Florida

HOUSTON (AP) — A blast of winter weather brought snowfall and subfreezing wind chills across the Midwest and East Coast on Saturday as well as near-freezing temperatures in parts of the South, including normally balmy Florida.

In northeastern Ohio, sudden bursts of heavy snow and gusty winds created whiteout conditions, according to the National Weather Service. Snow squall conditions moved into the Cleveland metro area and were expected to continue east into Pennsylvania and parts of eastern New York.

“Expect visibilities of less than a quarter of a mile and rapid snow accumulation on roadways. Travel will be difficult and possibly dangerous in the heavy snow,” the National Weather Service warned.

Below-average temperatures in the Central and Eastern U.S. were predicted for the weekend and into early next week.

“The next few nights are forecast to be very cold for much of the Central and Eastern United States,” the Weather Prediction Center, part of the National Weather Service, said. “Sub-zero wind chills are forecast from the Plains to the Midwest and Northeast, with the coldest wind chills expected in the Upper Midwest on Sunday night.”

Trump's Twin Cities immigration crackdown has made chaos and tension the new normal

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Work starts around sunrise for many of the federal officers carrying out the immigration crackdown in and around the Twin Cities, with hundreds of people in tactical gear emerging from a bland office building near the main airport.

Within minutes, hulking SUVs, pickup trucks and minivans begin leaving, forming the unmarked convoys that have quickly become feared and common sights in the streets of Minneapolis, St. Paul and their suburbs.

Protesters also arrive early, braving the cold to stand across the street from the fenced-in federal compound, which houses an immigration court and government offices. “Go home!” they shout as convoys roar past. "ICE out!”

Things often turn uglier after nightfall, when the convoys return and the protesters sometimes grow angrier, shaking fences and occasionally smacking passing cars. Eventually, the federal officers march toward them, firing tear gas and flash grenades before hauling away at least a few people.

“We’re not going anywhere!” a woman shouted on a recent morning. “We’re here until you leave.”

Iran's leader calls Trump a 'criminal' for backing protests and blames demonstrators for deaths

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday branded U.S. President Donald Trump a “criminal” for supporting protesters in Iran, and blamed demonstrators for causing thousands of deaths.

In a speech broadcast by state television, Khamenei said the protests had left “several thousand” people dead — the first indication from an Iranian leader of the extent of the casualties from the wave of protests that began Dec. 28 and led to a bloody crackdown.

“In this revolt, the U.S. president made remarks in person, encouraged seditious people to go ahead and said: ‘We do support you, we do support you militarily,'" said Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters. He reiterated an accusation that the U.S. seeks domination over Iran’s economic and political resources.

“We do consider the U.S. president a criminal, because of casualties and damages, because of accusations against the Iranian nation,” he said. He described the protesters as “foot soldiers” of the United States and said they had destroyed mosques and educational centers. “Through hurting people, they killed several thousand of them,” he said.

In response, Trump called for an end to Khamenei’s nearly 40-year reign.

Family of Iranian protester searched for her body in a pile of corpses and buried her on a roadside

BEIRUT (AP) — Robina Aminian's family believes the college student was killed by a bullet fired by Iranian security forces straight into the back of her head.

But her death in the nationwide protests that challenged the Islamic Republic's theocracy was only the start of the family's agony. In the aftermath of the killing, Aminian's mother had to look through piles of bloodied corpses to find her daughter's body. Then the family raced to escape authorities who might demand payment to release the body and buried her hastily in an unmarked roadside pit.

Their odyssey reflects the trail of anguish left by Iran's deadly assault on protesters, which has led to desperate relatives searching overflowing morgues across the country. For families, the loss of loved ones is compounded by the difficulty they face in grieving and giving the dead a dignified sendoff.

More than a week after she was killed, Aminian's relatives say they still have not held a funeral for the young Kurdish woman who was studying fashion in Tehran, the capital.

“She wanted a bright future for herself,” her uncle, Nezar Minoei, said from Oslo. “But unfortunately, the future has been stolen from her.”

Board of Peace for Gaza is forming with ambitions for a wider mandate of other conflicts

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace,” which was initially seen as a mechanism focused on ending the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, is taking shape with ambitions to have a far broader mandate of other global crises, potentially rivaling the United Nations in what would be a major upheaval to the post-World War II international order.

In letters sent Friday to various world leaders inviting them to be “founding members” of the board, Trump says the body would “embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict.”

Invitation letters from Trump to Argentine President Javier Milei and Paraguay's leader Santiago Peña, that were posted Saturday to their official social media accounts note that Trump’s 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan, which includes the creation of the Board of Peace, was endorsed by the U.N. Security Council and indicates that the panel of world leaders may not confine their work to Gaza.

“Now it is time to turn all of these dreams into reality,” Trump wrote. “At the heart of the plan is the Board of Peace, the most impressive and consequential board ever assembled, which will be established as a new International Organization and Transitional Governing Administration.”

Other leaders whose governments have confirmed receiving invitation letters include Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. It was not immediately clear how many or which other leaders would receive invitations.

Israel objects to US announcement of leaders who will help oversee next steps in Gaza

NAHARIYA, Israel (AP) — Israel’s government is objecting to the White House announcement of leaders who will play a role in overseeing next steps in Gaza as the ceasefire moves into its challenging second phase.

The rare criticism from Israel of its close ally in Washington said the Gaza executive committee “was not coordinated with Israel and is contrary to its policy,” without details. Saturday's statement also said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the foreign ministry to contact Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The committee announced by the White House on Friday includes no Israeli official but has an Israeli businessman, billionaire Yakir Gabay. Other members announced so far include two of U.S. President Donald Trump’s closest confidants, a former British prime minister, a U.S. general and representatives of several Middle Eastern governments.

The White House has said the executive committee will carry out the vision of a Trump-led “Board of Peace,” whose members have not yet been named. The White House also announced the members of a new Palestinian committee to run Gaza’s day to day affairs, with oversight from the executive committee. The Palestinian committee met for the first time on Thursday in Cairo.

The executive committee’s members include Rubio, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga and Trump’s Deputy National Security Adviser Robert Gabriel.

Abigail Spanberger sworn in as Virginia's first woman governor

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Amid a cold drizzle, Democrat Abigail Spanberger was sworn into office Saturday at the state Capitol as Virginia’s first female governor after centuries of men holding the state’s top office.

The inauguration of Spanberger, who defeated Republican Winsome Earle-Sears to succeed Gov. Glenn Youngkin, marks a new chapter in Virginia as Democrats pull the levers of power in state government while Republican President Donald Trump sits in the White House in neighboring Washington.

“The history and the gravity of this moment are not lost on me," Spanberger said in her address. "I maintain an abiding sense of gratitude to those who work, generation after generation, to ensure women could be among those casting ballots, but who could only dream of a day like today.”

Spanberger ran on a vow to protect Virginia’s economy from the aggressive tactics of Trump’s administration. On the trail, she spoke of the White House’s gutting the civil service, the rising costs of goods and changes impacting the state’s already fragile health care system.

In a thinly veiled dig at the president, Spanberger said it was time for Virginians to fix what was broken.

US launches another retaliatory strike in Syria, killing leader tied to deadly Islamic State ambush

WASHINGTON (AP) — A third round of retaliatory strikes by the U.S. in Syria resulted in the death of an Al-Qaeda-affiliated leader, who officials say had a direct tie to the Islamic State member responsible for last month’s ambush that killed two U.S. soldiers and one American civilian interpreter in the country.

U.S. Central Command announced that the strike in northwest Syria on Friday killed Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, who they claim was “an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks and was directly connected" to the Dec. 13 attack that killed Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard and civilian interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat.

“The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, said in a statement. “There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters. We will find you.”

It was the latest strike as part of a broader U.S. operation ordered by President Donald Trump following the ambush of the Americans to target “ISIS thugs” trying to regroup after the ouster of autocratic leader Bashar Assad a year ago.

The Republican president has stressed that Syria was fighting alongside American troops, as the U.S. military is expanding its cooperation with security forces as part of a coalition fighting the militant group. He added at the time that Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa was “extremely angry and disturbed by this attack."

Broncos advance to AFC title game, beating Bills 33-30 after McMillian's INT in overtime

DENVER (AP) — Ja'Quan McMillian intercepted Josh Allen's deep throw in overtime, and Bo Nix led the Broncos into position for Wil Lutz's 24-yard field goal that sent Denver to the AFC championship game with a 33-30 win over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.

McMillian's pick was Denver's fifth takeaway of the game. He wrested the ball away from Brandin Cooks at the Broncos 20-yard line when a field goal would have won the game for Buffalo.

'The Broncos (15-3) will face either New England or Houston for the AFC title next Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High, where Denver has won 14 of its last 15 games.

The Bills (13-6) were flagged for pass interference twice on Denver's final drive.

Former Broncos kicker Matt Prater nailed a 50-yard field goal with 5 seconds left in regulation, knotting it up at 30-all. That came after Nix's 26-yard touchdown throw to Marvin Mims Jr. with 55 seconds left had given Denver a 30-27 lead.