Justice Department’s early moves on voting and elections signal a shift from its traditional role

Justice Department’s early moves on voting and elections signal a shift from its traditional role

ATLANTA (AP) — In North Carolina, it was a lawsuit over the state’s voter registration records. In Arizona and Wisconsin, it was a letter to state election officials warning of potential administrative violations. And in Colorado, it was a demand for election records going back to 2020.

Those actions in recent weeks by the U.S. Department of Justice’s voting section may seem focused on the technical machinery of how elections are run but signal deeper changes when combined with the departures of career attorneys and decisions to drop various voting rights cases.

They represent a shift away from the division’s traditional role of protecting access to the ballot box. Instead, the actions address concerns that have been raised by a host of conservative activists following years of false claims surrounding elections in the U.S. Some voting rights and election experts also note that by targeting certain states — presidential battlegrounds or those controlled by Democrats — the moves could be foreshadowing an expanded role for the department in future elections.

David Becker, a former department attorney who worked on voting rights cases and now leads the Center for Election Innovation & Research, said the Justice Department’s moves represent a departure from focusing on major violations of federal law.

“This would be like the police department prioritizing jaywalking over murder investigations,” he said.

A Justice Department spokesperson responded with “no comment” to an emailed request for more information about the actions, including whether similar ones had been taken in any other states.

Actions come amid major changes at the DOJ

Conservatives for years have called for an overhaul at the Justice Department in both personnel and priorities. President Donald Trump also has criticized how elections are run, falsely blaming his 2020 loss on widespread fraud. Earlier this year, he signed an executive order seeking a sweeping overhaul of election operations — an authority the Constitution grants to the states and Congress.

After his win last November, Trump installed key allies at the Justice Department, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has made similar claims about the 2020 election. Multiple reviews in the presidential battleground states affirmed Democrat Joe Biden’s win in 2020, Trump and his allies lost dozens of lawsuits, and even Trump’s attorney general at the time said there was no evidence of widespread fraud.

Justin Levitt, a former deputy assistant attorney general in the department’s civil rights division, said most of the DOJ’s actions appeared reasonable and focused on issues that had already been raised by conservative activists in those states. They also are the type that would be expected from a conservative administration, he said, with the exception of the Colorado request. He called that “well out of bounds.”

“This administration has prioritized grievance, even perceived grievance when there is no basis in fact,” said Levitt, who also served as a senior policy adviser in the Biden administration. “And it’s dismaying, but not surprising, that the civil rights division would do the same.”

Department wants records related to the 2020 election

The department’s request to Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat, asked for all records relating to last year’s presidential election. Federal law requires those to be kept for 22 months.

In the request, the department stated it had received a complaint alleging that Griswold’s office was not in compliance with federal law relating to voter registration. The request also directs Griswold to preserve any records of the 2020 election that might still be in the state’s possession.

Griswold, in an interview, called the request a “fishing expedition” and said her office responded by providing state voting files.

“I’m not even sure they know what they are looking for,” Griswold said. “They can request all the data they want, and it’s not going to prove anything.”

North Carolina elections have been a particular target for Republicans

In North Carolina, where Republican lawmakers recently wrested control of the state election board from the Democratic governor, Justice Department lawyers filed a lawsuit accusing state election officials of failing to ensure that all voter records include identifying information, such as a driver’s license.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who oversees the civil rights division, said in a statement announcing the lawsuit that accurate voter rolls are critical to ensuring elections are conducted “fairly, accurately, and without fraud.”

The previous board had acknowledged the issue and updated the state’s voter registration form. The new board leadership has vowed to address it.

Skeptical of the motives

In Wisconsin, which Trump won in 2016 and 2024 but lost in 2020, department lawyers recently sent a letter to the state election commission accusing it of not providing a complaint process for those raising concerns.

This comes as Republican state lawmakers are pushing legislation to expand the ability to appeal decisions made by the six-member commission, which is equally divided between Republicans and Democrats. Republican lawmakers have long complained about commission decisions they perceive as benefiting Democrats.

The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, a law firm that frequently defends Republicans on election issues, supports both efforts, said Lucas Vebber, the firm’s deputy counsel.

“It’s ensuring that Wisconsinites are entitled to have their complaints heard and adjudicated,” he said. “As something as important as our elections, it’s vital to ensure that process is transparent and available to everyone.”

Rep. Lee Snodgrass, a Democrat on the Wisconsin Legislature’s elections committee, said state law needs some tightening around how election complaints are handled, but she’s dubious about the motives of the Trump administration and conservative activists in the state.

They are looking for ways “to cast doubt on election integrity, so if they don’t get the results they want they can cry foul,” Snodgrass said.

Concerns about future actions

In Arizona, DOJ lawyers said the state was not clearly telling voter registration applicants to provide a driver’s license if they have one and asked the state to conduct a review to identify any noncitizens.

Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, responded by saying Arizona requires those registering to vote in state and local elections to provide proof of citizenship and conducts checks using the state’s motor vehicle records.

In Oregon, Justice Department lawyers weighed in on an ongoing lawsuit filed by the conservative group Judicial Watch. It alleges the state has failed to comply with federal laws on maintaining voter lists and making these records available for public inspection.

John Powers, a former Justice Department attorney who now serves as legal director for the Advancement Project, said he was concerned about the moves coupled with the Justice Department’s staff departures and its withdrawal from voting rights cases.

Powers said he hoped, with midterm elections next year, that the department would not pursue minor technical issues in a way that could undermine public confidence in elections.

“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned about what the future might hold,” he said.

___

Bauer reported from Madison, Wisconsin.

Crêpes Suzette

Crêpes Suzette

Crêpes Suzette

Photo by Getty Images

Crêpes Suzette Recipe from Immaculate Bites

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serving size: 6 servings

Ingredients

Crêpes

  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar 
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup cold water
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus more for skillet

Orange-Butter Sauce

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (4 ounces), softened
  • 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided 
  • 1/2 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
  • 1/3 cup fresh orange juice (from about 2 medium oranges)
  • 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau)
  • 1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) Cognac

Directions

  1. Make the crêpes: Whisk together eggs, flour, milk, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth; batter will be thick. Whisk in water, oil, and melted butter until well combined.
  2. Heat a 10-inch crêpe pan or nonstick skillet over medium-high and brush with butter. Add 3 tablespoons batter and quickly tilt skillet to evenly distribute batter. Cook until the edges of the crêpe curl up and start to brown, about 45 seconds.
  3. Flip the crêpe using a long spatula; cook until a few brown spots appear on the bottom, 10 to 15 seconds. Transfer the crêpe to a baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining batter to make about nine more crêpes, wiping skillet clean and lightly buttering skillet a few times as necessary between crêpes.
  4. Make the orange-butter sauce: Process butter, 1/3 cup sugar, and orange zest in a food processor. With processor running, gradually add orange juice until incorporated.
  5. Spoon butter mixture into a 12-inch flameproof skillet; cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is syrupy, about 3 minutes.
  6. Reduce heat to low. Working with 1 crêpe at a time, dip both sides of crêpe in sauce using 2 forks or silicone spatulas; fold into fourths with prettiest side facing outward. Lift and let excess sauce drip off; transfer folded crêpe to a baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining crêpes, scraping down sides of skillet as needed. 
  7. Transfer folded crêpes back to skillet, overlapping slightly as needed to fit all 10 crêpes in skillet; scrape any excess sauce on baking sheet back into skillet. Sprinkle crêpes with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
  8. Increase heat to medium. Add Grand Marnier and cognac; carefully ignite sauce using a long-handled lighter. Carefully spoon flaming sauce over crêpes using a long-handled, heatproof spoon until flames subside, about 30 seconds. Transfer crêpes to a platter; spoon any extra sauce over top. Serve immediately.
KIX Cafe, Brought to You by Skechers

KIX Cafe, Brought to You by Skechers

Listen in the noon hour for the KIX Cafe, a different musical theme each workday, brought to you by Skechers, with a new store now open in Renaissance Center in Durham at 6911 Fayetteville Road!

Military parade rolls through DC as ‘No Kings’ protesters across US decry Trump

Military parade rolls through DC as ‘No Kings’ protesters across US decry Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — The grand military parade that President Donald Trump had been wanting for years barreled down Constitution Avenue on Saturday with tanks, troops and a 21-gun salute, playing out against a counterpoint of protests around the country by those who decried the U.S. leader as a dictator and would-be king.

The Republican president, on his 79th birthday, sat on a special viewing stand south of the White House to watch the display of American military might, which began early and moved swiftly as light rain fell and clouds shrouded the Washington Monument. The procession, with more than 6,000 soldiers and 128 Army tanks, was one Trump tried to make happen in his first term after seeing such an event in Paris in 2017, but the plans never came together until the parade was added to an event recognizing the Army’s 250th anniversary.

“Every other country celebrates their victories. It’s about time America did too,” Trump declared in brief remarks at the parade’s end.

The president praised the strength of the military’s fighting forces and said U.S. soldiers “fight, fight fight and they win, win win” — putting a new twist on a line that Trump regularly delivered during his 2024 campaign rallies after he survived an assassination attempt.

Early in the evening’s pageantry, the Army’s Golden Knights parachute team descended from overcast skies toward the reviewing stand. The team had been scheduled to appear at the end of the parade, but jumped earlier than planned in the drizzly skies above the National Mall.

At times, Trump stood and saluted as troops marched past the reviewing stand. But attendance appeared to fall far short of early predictions that as many as 200,000 people would attend the festival and parade. There were large gaps between viewers near the Washington Monument on a day when steamy weather and the threat of thunderstorms could have dampened turnout.

Hours before the parade started, demonstrators turned out in streets and parks around the nation to sound off against the Republican president. They criticized Trump for using the military to respond to people protesting his deportation efforts and for the muscular military show in the U.S. capital.

Displays of military might

The daylong display of America’s Army came as Trump has shown his willingness to use the nation’s military might in ways other U.S. presidents have typically avoided. In the last week, he has activated the California National Guard over the governor’s objections and dispatched the U.S. Marines to provide security during Los Angeles protests related to immigration raids, prompting a state lawsuit to stop the deployments.

As armored vehicles rolled down the street in front of the president, on the other side of the country, the Marines who Trump deployed to Los Angeles appeared at a demonstration for the first time, standing guard outside a federal building. Dozens of Marines stood shoulder to shoulder in full combat gear beside the National Guard, Homeland Security officers and other law enforcement. Hundreds of protesters facing them jeered in English and Spanish, telling the troops to go home.

A previously calm demonstration in downtown Los Angeles turned chaotic when police on horseback charged at the crowd, striking some with rods and batons as they cleared the street in front of the federal building and fired tear gas and crowd control projectiles.

In Washington, hundreds protesting Trump carried signs with messages that included “Where’s the due process?” and “No to Trump’s fascist military parade” as they marched toward the White House.

A larger-than-life puppet of Trump was wheeled through the crowd, a caricature of the president wearing a crown and sitting on a golden toilet.

Other protesters waved pride flags and hoisted signs, some with pointed messages such as “I prefer crushed ICE,” referring to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Other messages included “The invasion was HERE Jan. 6th, NOT in L.A.” and “Flip me off if you’re a FASCIST.”

“No Kings” rallies unfolded in hundreds of cities, designed to counter what organizers said were Trump’s plans to feed his ego on his 79th birthday and Flag Day. Organizers said they picked the name to support democracy and speak out against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration.

Veterans, supporters and protesters

Meanwhile, on the National Mall, a display of armored vehicles, helicopters and military-grade equipment was set up to commemorate the Army’s birthday. Vendors outside the Army festival sold gear marking the military milestone. Others hawked Trump-themed merchandise.

Larry Stallard, a retired American Airlines pilot, said he traveled to Washington from Kansas City for the weekend “to see the military and see Trump.”

Stallard, who voted for Trump, said it was “hard to believe” people were upset about the cost of the event when “they blow that in 10 seconds on things that we don’t even need.”

Doug Haynes, a Navy veteran who voted for Trump, attended the daylong festival to celebrate the Army’s 250th birthday, but said the parade “was a little over the top.”

Pointing at a nearby tank, Haynes said that having them roll down the street is a “very bold statement to the world, perhaps.”

The parade was added just two months ago to the long-planned celebration of the Army’s birthday and has drawn criticism for its price tag of up to $45 million and the possibility that the lumbering tanks could tear up city streets. The Army has taken a variety of steps to protect the streets, including laying metal plates along the route.

About 6 in 10 Americans said Saturday’s parade was “not a good use” of government money. The vast majority of people, 78%, said they neither approve nor disapprove of the parade overall, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Kathy Straus traveled from Richmond, Virginia, to attend the parade, carrying a sign criticizing its cost and arguing the money could have been used to feed veterans.

“I thought that it would be more effective to come here than go to a protest with people that think similar to me,” said Straus.

The parade wound down Constitution Avenue, lined with security fencing and barriers. A flyover of military aircraft included World War II-era planes, including a B-25 Mitchell bomber, and Army helicopters flew low over the crowd, below the top of the Washington Monument. Mounted soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division made an appearance — horses once played a crucial role in warfare, but today they’re mostly used in ceremonial events like today’s parade.

Trump swore in 250 new recruits and returning soldiers into service, with soldiers repeating an oath after him.

“Welcome to the United States Army! And have a great life,” Trump said to them afterward.

Country music singer Warren Zeiders performed, as did “God Bless the U.S.A.” singer Lee Greenwood. The event was capped off by a fireworks show.

It appeared that plans to have U.S. Air Force fighter jets fly over were scrapped because of the weather.

____

Associated Press writers Eric Tucker, Michelle L. Price, Nathan Ellgren, Lea Skene, Olivia Diaz, Joey Cappelletti, Ashraf Khalil and Tara Copp in Washington and Jake Offenhartz in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Nationals’ bat-retrieving dog Bruce laps up pregame attention, makes MLB debut

Nationals’ bat-retrieving dog Bruce laps up pregame attention, makes MLB debut

WASHINGTON (AP) — The dog days of summer arrived Saturday at Nationals Park.

Bruce, a 21-month-old Golden Retriever, fetched a bat during a ceremony before the Washington Nationals’ game against the Miami Marlins as part of a Pups in the Park promotion. He retrieved bats the last two seasons with the Rochester Red Wings, Washington’s Triple-A affiliate.

Bruce, wearing a bandana with an “MLB debut” patch he received when he arrived at the stadium, was presented a commemorative bat. He then took a circuitous route from the dugout toward first base after Nationals reliever Zach Brzykcy dropped the bat in foul territory before the bat dog collected his quarry to the delight of a crowd wowed by his work and enthusiasm.

“Look at this dog and try not to smile,” said Josh Snyder, Bruce’s owner. “He’s great. He’s goofy. I think he’s the perfect candidate for Rochester, the Red Wings and now the Nationals.”

Snyder, who wore a No. 25 Nationals jersey with “Bruce” on the nameplate, said he drove through the night with Bruce and arrived in Washington around 3 a.m. Saturday. But it was anything but a rough morning and early afternoon for Bruce, who casually lapped up attention as he walked through the tunnel in the stadium.

Bruce spent about 50 minutes on the field before the ceremony, where he was hounded by well-wishers. He also did a couple practice bat retrievals with Snyder’s assistance before Nationals catcher Riley Adams stopped to pet him on his way out for pregame work.

He won’t work during the actual game, however, and will return to Triple-A duties afterward.

Bruce is Snyder’s second dog work to with the Red Wings, following the late Milo, and both participated in campaigns to raise money for Rochester’s Veterans Outreach Center and Honor Flight of Rochester.

This week — which included an announcement from the Nationals on Tuesday that Bruce had worked his tail off to earn a promotion — generated plenty of buzz even before Saturday’s debut.

“Social media, everything like that seems like it’s seriously blown up, and we love it,” Snyder said. “Really good publicity with our goal and our mission of bringing people together. It shows it’s just doing that.”

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake

Photo by Getty Images

Strawberry Shortcake Recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serving size: 12 servings

Ingredients

Strawberries + Whipped Cream

  • 6–7 cups quartered strawberries
  • 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons (75g) granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream

Biscuits

  • 2 and 3/4 cups (345g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for hands and work surface*
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 4 teaspoons aluminum free baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt (I recommend fine sea salt)
  • 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 1 cup (240ml) cold buttermilk*
  • 2 Tablespoons (30ml) heavy cream or buttermilk
  • coarse sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

  1. Start with the strawberries: Stir the strawberries and 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar together in a large bowl. Cover and set in the refrigerator until ready to use. This time allows the strawberries to release their delicious juices.
  2. Make the biscuits: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Mix the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl or in a large food processor. Whisk or pulse until combined. Add the cubed butter and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or by pulsing several times in the processor. Pulse until coarse crumbs form. If you used a food processor, pour the mixture into a large bowl.
  3. Pour buttermilk on top. Fold everything together with a large spoon or silicone spatula until it begins to come together. Do not overwork the dough. The dough will be shaggy and crumbly with some wet spots. Pour the dough and any dough crumbles onto a floured work surface and gently bring together with generously floured hands. Have extra flour nearby and use it often to flour your hands and work surface in this step. Using floured hands or a floured rolling pin, flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle as best you can. Fold one side into the center, then the other side. Turn the dough horizontally. Gently flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle again. Repeat the folding again. Turn the dough horizontally one more time. Gently flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle. Repeat the folding one last time. Flatten into the final 3/4 inch thick rectangle.
  4. Cut into 2.75 or 3-inch circles with a biscuit cutter. (Tip: Do not twist the biscuit cutter when pressing down into the dough.) Re-roll/flatten any scraps and cut more circles until you have around 10-12 biscuits.
  5. Arrange in a 10-inch cast iron skillet (see note) or close together on a parchment paper or silicone baking mat lined baking sheet. Make sure the biscuits are touching.
  6. Brush the tops with 2 Tablespoons heavy cream or buttermilk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown on top. Remove from the oven, then cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before assembling.
  7. Make the whipped cream: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until soft-medium peaks form, about 3 minutes.
  8. Slice the biscuits in half and layer with strawberries and whipped cream. Serve immediately.
Rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, briefly shows up to support Sean “Diddy” Combs at trial

Rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, briefly shows up to support Sean “Diddy” Combs at trial

By MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, briefly showed up to the New York sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs on Friday to support the hip-hop mogul, a longtime friend.

Ye, dressed in white, arrived at Manhattan federal court before noon while the trial was on a break and spent about 40 minutes in the building. He didn’t get into the main courtroom and instead observed testimony on a closed-circuit monitor in an overflow room.

Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, came to the New York sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs on Friday to support the hip-hop mogul, a longtime friend. (AP Video)

Asked if he was at the courthouse to support Combs, he responded “yes” and nodded. He then hustled to an elevator and did not appear to respond when a reporter asked if he might testify on Combs’ behalf when the defense begins presenting its case as early as next week.

Ye didn’t answer further questions as he left the courthouse, walking past reporters and TV cameras, and ducked into a waiting black Mercedes sedan.

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges alleging that he used his fame, fortune and violence to commit crimes over a 20-year period.

Ye’s appearance at the courthouse came a day after a woman identified in court only by the pseudonym “Jane” finished six days of testimony.

She testified that during a relationship with Combs that stretched from 2021 until his arrest last September at a Manhattan hotel, she felt coerced into having sex with male sex workers while Combs watched.

Defense attorneys have argued that Combs committed no crimes and that federal prosecutors were trying to police consensual sex that occurred between adults.

On Thursday, Jane testified that during a three-month break in her relationship with Combs, she flew to Las Vegas in January 2023 with a famous rapper who was close friends with Combs.

Prior to Jane’s testimony on the subject, lawyers and the judge conducted a lengthy hearing out of public view to discuss what could be divulged about the January trip.

Jane was asked if the rapper she accompanied along with the rapper’s girlfriend was “an individual at the top of the music industry as well … an icon in the music industry.”

“Yes,” Jane replied.

Once in Las Vegas, Jane testified, she went with a group including the rapper to dinner, a strip club and a hotel room party, where a sex worker had sex with a woman while a half-dozen others watched.

She said there was dancing and the rapper said, “hey beautiful,” and told her he’d always wanted to have sex with her in crude terms. Jane said she didn’t recall exactly when, but she flashed her breasts while dancing.

Air India’s sole crash survivor narrates his escape

Air India’s sole crash survivor narrates his escape

By RAJESH ROY Associated Press

NEW DELHI (AP) — The lone passenger who survived the Air India crash that killed 241 people onboard couldn’t believe he was alive when he opened his eyes, surrounded by flames, debris and charred bodies.

The British national of Indian origin, Viswashkumar Ramesh, was headed to London when the flight crashed minutes after taking off from India’s northwestern city of Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon.

It was one of India’s worst aviation disasters and the first crash for a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner since the widebody, twin-engine planes went into service in 2009, according to the Aviation Safety Network database.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the site and the lone survivor of the plane crash Vishwashkumar Ramesh inside a hospital. (AP Video)

Currently admitted in a local government hospital, Ramesh narrated his ordeal to India’s national broadcaster, saying the aircraft seemed stuck midair within a few seconds of the takeoff.

He said green and white lights came on, and right after that, the aircraft accelerated but seemed unable to gain height before it crashed.

Seated in 11A, Ramesh said his side of the plane fell onto the ground floor of a building, and there was space for him to escape after the door broke open. He unfastened his seat belt and forced himself out of the plane.

“When I opened my eyes, I realized I was alive,” he said.

Ramesh sustained burn injuries on his left hand and walked some distance in shock before he was assisted by the locals and taken to the hospital in an ambulance.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited the crash side on Friday, met the lone survivor.

“I told Modi what all I had witnessed. He also enquired about my health,” Ramesh said from his hospital bed.

Dr. Dhaval Gameti, who treated him, said he was disoriented with multiple injuries all over his body but seems to be out of danger.

Ramesh, who had his boarding pass with him in the hospital, said he saw several passengers and crew members losing their lives and parts of the plane strewn around the crash site.

Ramesh was traveling with his brother and called relatives in Leicester after the crash, his cousin, Ajay Valgi, told the BBC. He has a wife and “little boy” at home.

“He only said that he’s fine, nothing else,” Valgi said, adding that the family is “happy that he’s OK, but we’re still upset about the other brother.”

Ramesh’s brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh ,told Sky News that his brother called his father moments after the crash to say he had survived.

“He video called my dad as he crashed and said, ‘Oh the plane’s crashed. I don’t know where my brother is. I don’t see any other passengers. I don’t know how I’m alive, how I exited the plane’,” he told Sky.

Israel attacks Iran’s nuclear sites and its top military leaders. Iran retaliates with drones

Israel attacks Iran’s nuclear sites and its top military leaders. Iran retaliates with drones

By JON GAMBRELL, JOSEF FEDERMAN and JULIA FRANKEL Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel attacked Iran early Friday with a barrage of airstrikes that took out top military officers and hit nuclear and missile sites, calling it just the beginning and raising the potential for an all-out war between the two bitter Middle East adversaries. It appeared to be the most significant attack Iran has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq.

Iran quickly retaliated, sending a swarm of drones at Israel as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned of “severe punishment.” Iran had been censured by the U.N.’s atomic watchdog a day earlier for not complying with obligations meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.

For years, Israel had threatened such a strike and successive American administrations had sought to prevent it, fearing it would ignite a wider conflict across the Middle East and possibly be ineffective at destroying Iran’s dispersed and hardened nuclear program.

Columns of smoke rose Friday over Iran’s main nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz after Israeli strikes on the country. Footage aired by Iran’s state media showed what looked like an immediate aftermath of several explosions on the horizon at the nuclear facility, a fireball and plumes of smoke billowing into the sky.

Countries in the region condemned Israel’s attack, while leaders around the globe called for immediate deescalation from both sides.

Israel’s military said about 200 aircraft were involved in the initial attack on about 100 targets. Two security officials said the country’s Mossad spy agency was also able to position explosive drones inside Iran ahead of time and then activate them to target missile launchers at an Iranian base near Tehran.

They said Israel had also smuggled precision weapons into central Iran as well as strike systems on vehicles, which were activated as the attack began to hit Iranian air defenses.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the highly secretive missions and it was not possible to independently confirm their claims. There was no official comment.

The Israeli attack hit several sites, including Iran’s main nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz, where black smoke could be seen rising into the air. Later in the morning, Israel said it had also destroyed dozens of radar installations and surface-to-air missile launchers in western Iran.

Israel military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Israel has “significantly damaged” Natanz and that the operation was “still in the beginning.”

Among those killed were three of Iran’s top military leaders, one who oversaw the entire armed forces, Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, one who led the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami, and another who ran the Guard’s ballistic missile program, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh.

Iran confirmed all three deaths, which were a significant blow to Tehran’s governing theocracy and will complicate efforts to retaliate against Israel.

Khamenei said other top military officials and scientists were also killed.

In its first response, Iran fired more than 100 drones at Israel. Israel said the drones were being intercepted outside its airspace, and it was not immediately clear whether any got through.

U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iran to reach a deal with Washington on its nuclear program, warning on his Truth Social platform that Israel’s attacks “will only get worse.”

Without saying whether he was privy to specific Israeli plans, Trump said “there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end.”

“Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire,” he wrote. “No more death, no more destruction, JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.”

Officials in Washington had cautioned Israel against an attack during continued negotiations over Iran’s nuclear enrichment program. They stressed the U.S. had not been involved and warned against any retaliation targeting U.S. interests or personnel.

Israel told the Trump administration that large-scale attacks were coming, U.S. officials said on condition of anonymity to describe private diplomatic discussions. On Wednesday the U.S. pulled some American diplomats from Iraq’s capital and offered voluntary evacuations for the families of U.S. troops in the wider Middle East.

Israel calls attacks preemptive strikes on Iran’s nuclear program

Israeli leaders cast the attack as necessary to head off an imminent threat that Iran would build nuclear bombs, though it remains unclear how close the country is to achieving that or whether Iran had actually been planning a strike. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only.

“This is a clear and present danger to Israel’s very survival,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed as he vowed to pursue the attack for as long as necessary to “remove this threat.”

Over the past year, Israel has been targeting Iran’s air defenses, hitting a radar system for a Russian-made air defense battery in April 2024 and surface-to-air missile sites and missile manufacturing facilities in October.

Nervous Israelis rushed to supermarkets in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and elsewhere to buy bottled water and other supplies, and circulated messages on WhatsApp groups advising each other to prepare their shelters for potential long-term use.

Iran claims Israel targeted residential areas

Khamenei said in a statement that Israel “opened its wicked and blood-stained hand to a crime in our beloved country, revealing its malicious nature more than ever by striking residential centers.”

For Netanyahu, the operation distracts attention from Israel’s ongoing and increasingly devastating war in Gaza, which is now over 20 months old.

There is a broad consensus in the Israeli public that Iran is a major threat, and Israel’s opposition leader, Yair Lapid, a staunch critic of Netanyahu, offered his “full support” for the mission against Iran. But if Iranian reprisals cause heavy Israeli casualties or major disruptions to daily life, public opinion could shift quickly.

The Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah issued a statement that offered condolences and condemned the attack, but did not threaten to join Iran in its retaliation. Hezbollah’s latest war with Israel — which killed much of the group’s senior leadership — ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in November.

Netanyahu expressed hope the attacks would trigger the downfall of Iran’s theocracy, saying his message to the Iranian people was that the fight was not with them, but with the “brutal dictatorship that has oppressed you for 46 years.”

“I believe that the day of your liberation is near,” he said.

In addition to targeting nuclear and military sites, Israel aimed its attacks at officials leading Iran’s nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that an Israeli strike hit Iran’s uranium enrichment facility at Natanz and said it was closely monitoring radiation levels.

The strike on Iran pushed the Israeli military to its limits, requiring the use of aging air-to-air refuelers to get its fighter jets close enough to attack. It wasn’t immediately clear if Israeli jets entered Iranian airspace or just fired so-called “standoff missiles” over another country. People in Iraq heard fighter jets overhead at the time of the attack.

Tension had been growing for weeks ahead of attacks

The potential for an attack had been apparent for weeks as angst built over Iran’s nuclear program.

Once the attacks were underway, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem issued an alert telling American government workers and their families to shelter in place until further notice.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel took “unilateral action against Iran” and that Israel advised the U.S. that it believed the strikes were necessary for its self-defense.

“We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” Rubio said in a statement released by the White House.

Trump is scheduled to attend a meeting of his National Security Council on Friday in the White House Situation Room.

Israel has long been determined to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, a concern laid bare on Thursday when the Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency for the first time in 20 years censured Iran over its refusal to work with its inspectors. Iran immediately announced it would establish a third enrichment site and install more advanced centrifuges.

Even so, there are multiple assessments on how many nuclear weapons Iran could conceivably build, should it choose to do so. Iran would need months to assemble, test and field any weapon, which it so far has said it has no desire to do. U.S. intelligence agencies also assess Iran does not have a weapons program at this time.

In a sign of the far-reaching implications of the emerging conflict, Israel’s main airport was closed and benchmark Brent crude spiked on news of the attack, rising nearly 8% before retreating slightly.

___

Federman and Frankel reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi, Amir Vahdat and Mehdi Fattahi in Tehran, Iran; Melanie Lidman and Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel; Eric Tucker in Washington; Bassem Mroue and Abby Sewell in Beirut; and David Rising in Bangkok contributed to this report.

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