US Jet Shoots Down Iranian Drone Near Carrier in Arabian Sea

US forces shoot down an Iranian drone near an aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea. Now on to other headlines of the day: The US military says

It has shot down an Iranian drone in the Arabian Sea that was approaching a US aircraft carrier with what officials described as an unclear intent.

Hours earlier, Iranian forces were said to be harassing US troops in the Strait of Hormuz. Both developments come as

Iran’s president has called for fair and equal talks with the US in talks this weekend. The bloody crackdown on the Tehran protests that left thousands dead

is a change in tone after weeks of heightened tensions between the two countries. The bombing involved hundreds of drones as well as missiles,

and cut heating in parts of the capital, Kiev, which is enduring one of its coldest winters in years. This temporary pause was requested by President Trump last week.

Speaking today in Kyiv with NATO chief Mark Rutte, President Zelenskyy said the pause was due to end next Friday. VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (via spokesperson):

We will be in touch with the American side on this issue. I hope that our partners will not remain silent about what is happening. Continuing to support the defense of our country

is important for everyone. GEOFF BENNETT: But this afternoon in the Oval Office, President Trump insisted that the pause was only going to last until this Sunday, and that Russian President Vladimir Putin had indeed --

quote -- "kept his word. Reopening Ambulances were seen leaving Gaza, taking patients in dire need of medical care to Egyptian hospitals. And Palestinians who had earlier fled Gaza

Returned home through the crossing today. It is not clear how many people traveled in either direction. This comes after only a dozen Palestinians were allowed back into Gaza last night.

Some described their experiences, which they say included interrogation by Israeli soldiers. ROTANA AL-REGEB, Palestinian returnee (through interpreter): The army grabbed us

and blindfolded us, me, my mother, and another woman. They tied our hands and started questioning us about things.

That we didn’t know and we had nothing to do with. We had nothing to do with what they were asking us about.

Geoff F. Bennett: Reopening the crossing is a major step toward the second phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. President Trump says he now wants $1 billion in damages from Harvard University to resolve a long-running dispute over alleged anti-Semitism on campus.

That’s double the amount the Trump administration was seeking. And it comes after a New York Times report.

that Mr. Trump was backing away from demanding a cash payment from Harvard. In a series of social media posts, the president fired back, calling the reporting completely false.

Harvard is fighting the administration in court over its efforts to freeze billions of dollars in federal funding and block the school’s ability to admit foreign students.

Disney has named its theme parks chief, Josh D’Amaro, as its new CEO. The 54-year-old Disney longtime The chief replaces Bob Iger and becomes only the ninth boss in the company’s more than 100-year history.

Josh D’Amaro takes over at a time when Disney is enjoying box office hits like “Zootopia 2” and the latest “Avatar” film.

Trump warns Britain on China ties as Starmer hails reset.

But its U.S. theme parks are also seeing fewer international visitors. Disney shares fell slightly after the news. Elsewhere on Wall Street, weaker tech stocks were down today.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 160 points. The Nasdaq fell 330 points, or about 1.5 percent. The S&P 500 also closed in negative territory. More to come on “The News Hour”:

A former Homeland Security secretary weighs in on the agency’s immigration crackdown. The Colombian president visits the White House after months of high tensions between the two countries. And a new book explores an agricultural revolution that could change how we eat meat. Sorry, you can’t donate in this country. Can.

Chinese and Russian troops in Iran? Iranian drone over US ship

Chinese and Russian troops in Iran? An Iranian drone on a US ship. There have been rumors of Chinese and Russian troops in Iran, but what is being confirmed

is ongoing military cooperation at sea - with Chinese, Russian, and Iranian navies holding joint Security Belt 2025 naval exercises near Iran's Chabahar port and the Gulf of Oman, strengthening military ties in the region

and strengthening cooperation. The exercises do not reflect a permanent deployment of troops inside Iran, but rather a deeper strategic partnership. Meanwhile, tensions with the US remain.

Iran continues to develop and deploy drone capabilities that US military analysts see as a growing threat to naval assets in the Middle East.

Diplomatic and military moves from all sides are raising global concerns about a wider conflict and shifting alliances.