UK reverses course on Iran strikes as suspected drone hits British base in Cyprus

American stealth bombers are expected to land at U.K. military bases within days to join the U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran, according to reports.

Citing unnamed senior Western officials, The Telegraph reported Wednesday that air bases at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire are being readied for the arrival of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers — the $2 billion strategic bomber is also known as the world’s most expensive aircraft.

The bombers are understood to be landing at the U.K. bases “in a matter of days” as Washington intensifies operations in the region, the outlet reported.

As previously reported by Fox News Digital, the U.S. military used stealth B-2 bombers to strike Iranian ballistic missile facilities Feb. 28 as part of the launch of Operation Epic Fury.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that B-2 stealth bombers, which were equipped with 2,000-pound bombs, struck Iranian “hardened” ballistic missile sites.

The U.S. was cleared to use British bases for limited strikes on Iran’s missile capabilities on Feb. 29 after Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed off on the plan, and while U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey stated Britain had “stepped up alongside the Americans.”

Starmer said the authorization was granted to protect U.K. and U.S. allies as the conflict escalated. He had previously said he would not allow American forces to use U.K. bases for offensive operations in the region.

Tensions have since been heightened in the U.K. by security incidents in Cyprus. RAF Akrotiri, a key British military base on the island, was struck by a suspected drone on March 2, causing minor damage.

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The unmanned aircraft was reported to resemble an Iranian-made Shahed drone, similar to models used by Russia in Ukraine and by Tehran’s regional proxies.

The Ministry of Defense said force-protection measures were at the “highest level” and that the base had taken steps to defend personnel. About 4,000 service members and their families are based at RAF Akrotiri.

The U.S. State Department raised its travel advisory for Cyprus to Level 3, urging Americans to reconsider travel because of the threat of armed conflict and limited consular assistance in parts of the country.

Non-emergency embassy staff and family members were authorized to leave. Officials said the advisory change reflected adjustments in embassy operations rather than a direct change in underlying risk.

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Trump had called Britain “uncooperative” and slammed Starmer as “not Winston Churchill” after Starmer initially rebuffed a U.S. request to use U.K. bases to attack Iran, according to The Associated Press.

Trump has also condemned Britain’s agreement to hand over the Chagos Islands, home to the Diego Garcia base, to Mauritius.

Condoleezza Rice calls on Trump admin to ‘neuter’ rogue nation in Operation Epic Fury

Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice described the Trump administration’s Operation Epic Fury as an attempt to “neuter” Iran’s military power inside and beyond its borders, including its apparent ties to Hezbollah.

Joining “Special Report” Wednesday, Rice praised U.S.-Israeli joint strikes against Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, while emphasizing the operation does not mark the beginning of a new war.

“Iran has been at war with us for at least 47 years,” she explained. “If you ask people about Iraq, what was the source of many of our casualties in Iraq, you’ll get estimates as high as 75 or 80% of them were due to Iranian-made roadside bombs.”

Rice, who served as national security advisor and secretary of state under former President George W. Bush during 9/11 and the Iraq War, said Iran has expanded military capability through its reach to international terrorist groups.

“They also have developed the military capability to reach outside the boundaries of Iran, including Hezbollah and Hamas, which they both arm and equip,” Rice said.

Six American service members have been killed, and 20 Iranian ships have been struck or sunk during Operation Epic Fury, which has utilized more than 50,000 troops, 200 fighters and two aircraft carriers, according to CENTCOM.

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The Trump administration’s coordinated strikes with Israel follow failed diplomatic efforts to negotiate Iran’s nuclear program, which Iran refused to abandon.

“To say that this regime was not a threat … it’s ahistorical,” Rice said. “They have been a threat for a long time.”

One goal of Operation Epic Fury, she said, is to strip Iran of its military capabilities and ability to coordinate with proxy groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.

“If you can render Iran essentially incapable of military action against us and against our allies, that’s worthy,” Rice told Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier. “And I think what they’re trying to do is to neuter Iran as a military power in the region.”

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The former Bush cabinet member said Iran now faces a “complicated” future and urged the Trump administration to capitalize on what she described as a moment of vulnerability.

“They are essentially, at this moment, defenseless,” Rice asserted. “They won’t always be defenseless, and so the decision is to really, at this point, take care of it and render them incapable of those activities.”

Actress asks ‘where are the college campuses’ protesting Iranian regime

British-Iranian actress Nazanin Boniadi called out progressive activists for their lack of outrage over the regime’s human rights violations before President Donald Trump conducted military strikes against the nation.

The “Rings of Power” actress appeared on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” Wednesday to discuss the ongoing war against Iran and concerns over the vacuum of leadership in the nation after the U.S. eliminated its leaders.

She agreed with concerns that an ISIS-level threat could take over the country but noted that several human rights activists and organizations did not acknowledge civilian deaths until after the U.S. targeted Iran.

“For people who care about international law as I do, I’m getting plenty of messages from colleagues in entertainment and saying, ‘I’m so sorry in this moment, what’s happening to your people.’ Thank you, but where were you a few weeks ago, when tens of thousands of Iranians were being killed by their own regime?” Boniadi said. “This is a regime that has been violating international law for decades.”

Tapper remarked that he also hadn’t “really heard a ton” from international progressive activists regarding Iran’s human rights violations, even after the nation launched hundreds of missile and drone strikes against other Muslim-majority countries in retaliation.

“I mean, if any other country did that, I think there’d be a huge hue and cry and huge marches in the streets. Iran does it, and there really isn’t that result in the progressive community. What do you make of that?” Tapper asked.

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“Look, in 1979, progressives world over, including in Iran, were all too willing to sacrifice women‘s rights, LGBTQ+ rights and every other basic human rights at the altar of anti-imperialism. Are we going to do the same in this moment? Are we really caring more about whose hands are on the trigger, or are we going to care about human lives, civilian lives?” Boniadi answered.

“This is a regime that has violated human rights,” she continued. “International law has wreaked havoc on the region, domestic oppression, transnational repression, hostage diplomacy, destabilizing the region. And now, it’s killing fellow Muslims in neighboring countries. Where is your outrage? Where are the college campuses?”

Boniadi, whose family fled Tehran for England following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has been a longtime supporter of Iranian protesters and has previously used her career to highlight atrocities conducted by the Iranian regime.

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During the Academy Women’s Luncheon in 2022, she appealed to several Oscar-winning Hollywood figures to show support for female protesters in Iran following the death of a 22-year-old after she was arrested for wearing her hijab too loosely.

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“We owe it to our counterparts in Iran to stand with them as they fight for their most basic human rights,” Boniadi said.

Keith Olbermann calls legendary coach Lou Holtz ‘scumbag’ on day of his death

Former ESPN broadcaster Keith Olbermann once again incited backlash on social media Wednesday after he called late legendary college football coach Lou Holtz a “legendary scumbag” in an X post on the day Holtz was announced dead. 

“Legendary scumbag, yes,” Olbermann wrote in response to a clip of Holtz criticizing former President Joe Biden in 2020 for supporting abortion rights. 

Olbermann received scathing criticism in response to his post on X.

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“You’re a scumbag that needs mental help,” one X user wrote to Olbermann. 

One user echoed that sentiment, writing to Olbermann, “You’re the real scumbag here. Lou Holtz had more class, integrity, and genuine decency in his pinky finger than you’ll ever show in your lifetime.”

Another user wrote, “You’re a grumpy, lonely, Godless man. All the things Lou Holtz was not.”

Olbermann has made it a pattern of sharing politically charged far-left statements that are often combative and ridiculed on social media, typically resulting in immense backlash.

After the U.S. men’s hockey team’s gold medal win, Olbermann heavily criticized the team for accepting an invitation from President Trump to the State of the Union address. Olbermann wrote on X that any members of the men’s team who attended the event were “declaring their indelible stupidity and misogyny,” while praising the women’s team for declining the invitation.

In January, Olbermann attacked former University of Kentucky women’s swimmer Kaitlynn Wheeler for celebrating a women’s rights rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court during oral arguments for two cases focused on the legality of biological male trans athletes in women’s sports.

“It’s still about you trying to find an excuse for a lifetime wasted trying to succeed in sports without talent,” Olbermann wrote in response to Wheeler’s post. 

In 2025, Olbermann faced significant backlash after posting (and later deleting) a message on X aimed at CNN contributor Scott Jennings, that said, “You’re next motherf—–,” shortly after the assassination of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk. 

Holtz was a stern supporter of President Donald Trump, even saying in February 2024 that Trump needed to “coach America back to greatness!”

Near the end of Trump’s first term, shortly after former President Joe Biden defeated him in the 2020 election, Trump awarded Holtz with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award of the United States. 

After Holtz’s death was announced Wednesday, several top GOP figures paid tribute to the coach on social media. 

Those GOP lawmakers included senators Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.; Todd Young, R-Ind.; Tom Cotton, R-Ark.; and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; representatives Greg Murphy, R-N.C.; David Rouzer, R-N.C.; Erin Houchin, R-Ind.; and Steve Womack, R-Ark.; and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis; Indiana Gov. Mike Braun; U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon; and Rudy Giuliani.

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At the time of publication, prominent Democrat leaders have appeared silent on Holtz’s passing, including prominent Democrats with a football background. 

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who worked as an assistant high school football coach; Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., who was a recruiting target for Holtz in 1986 as a college prospect; Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, who played in the NFL; and Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Ill., who played football for the University of Illinois, have not posted acknowledging Holtz’s death. 

Cuba plunges into darkness as Trump sanctions choke off oil supplies

A large-scale blackout struck western Cuba on Wednesday, leaving millions without power in the latest outage to hit the island as it grapples with dwindling oil supplies due to sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump.

The U.S. Embassy in Cuba said that at approximately 12:41 p.m., there was a “disconnection of the national electrical grid resulting in a complete power outage” stretching from Camagüey to Pinar del Río, including the greater Havana metropolitan area.

“Cuba’s national electrical grid is increasingly unstable and prolonged scheduled and unscheduled power outages are a daily occurrence across the country to include Havana,” the embassy said. 

“Outages affect water supply, lighting, refrigeration, and communications. Take precautions by conserving fuel, water, food, and mobile phone charge, and be prepared for significant disruption.”

The incident was reportedly caused by an unexpected shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, located roughly 62 miles east of Havana.

Local reports indicate the island may need at least three days to restore operations, according to the Associated Press.

Vicente de la O Levy, the minister of Energy and Mines of Cuba, added that “We are working on the restoration of the SEN amid a complex energy situation.” 

At least one power plant, Felton 1, remains online, he said.

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Reuters reported that, because Cuba is accustomed to frequent power outages caused by state-imposed energy rationing, some traffic lights and businesses remained operational thanks to solar panels or backup generators. Many residents have also installed solar panels on their homes and vehicles to maintain electricity amid soaring fuel prices, the outlet said.

Cuba has endured a string of widespread blackouts in recent years due to long-standing issues with its aging power infrastructure and chronic fuel shortages.

However, the situation worsened in January after a U.S. military operation captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and halted Venezuelan oil exports, effectively choking off Cuba’s key source of fuel.

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Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated in January that, despite the U.S. severing Havana’s energy lifeline, his administration would not negotiate with Washington to establish a new agreement.

Supreme Court hands President Trump deportation win in unanimous asylum ruling

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson authored the Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling Wednesday ordering federal appeals courts to defer to immigration judges when reviewing asylum decisions, bolstering the executive branch’s authority in immigration cases and handing the Trump administration a win as it pushes an aggressive deportation agenda.

Jackson, a Biden appointee and one of three liberal justices on the high court, wrote that immigration laws require federal courts to use a “substantial-evidence standard” when reviewing immigration judges’ decisions about whether an asylum seeker could face “persecution” if deported. 

Jackson emphasized the high bar courts must meet before overturning an immigration judge’s findings, potentially making it more difficult for migrants to challenge their deportations as the Trump administration cracks down on illegal immigration.

“The agency’s determination… is generally ‘conclusive unless any reasonable adjudicator would be compelled to conclude to the contrary,’” Jackson wrote.

Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, migrants can claim asylum when crossing the border without documentation. But immigration judges, who are employees of the Department of Justice, eventually vet those claims and determine whether to grant migrants asylum, which would allow them to stay in the country, or order their deportation.

The migrant can appeal the decision to the Board of Immigration Appeals, which is also housed within the executive branch, and can then appeal that decision to the federal circuit courts and the Supreme Court.

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The decision in this case, Urias-Orellana v. Bondi, affirmed that the judicial branch must largely defer to the executive branch’s findings about whether the migrant would suffer persecution if deported, rather than start from scratch and conduct its own review.

“Another WIN for common sense!” the conservative think tank America First Policy Institute wrote on X. “The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that immigration agencies not individual judges determine asylum claims based on alleged persecution. A clear reminder: America’s laws should be enforced as written.”

The case centered on asylum claims made by Douglas Humberto Urias-Orellana and his wife and child, all of whom were Salvadoran nationals who entered the country illegally in 2021 and then applied for asylum.

After an immigration judge denied their application and ordered their removal, the Board of Immigration Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit upheld the immigration judge’s decision.

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Urias-Orellana had argued that a “sicario,” or hitman, had targeted him since 2016, after shooting two of his half-brothers and vowing to kill family members. The immigration judge found him credible but said the threats and incidents he described did not establish a valid fear of future persecution.

The Supreme Court was tasked with reviewing whether the 1st Circuit examined the immigration judge’s decision thoroughly enough. The high court concluded that the 1st Circuit rightly leaned heavily on the immigration judge’s determination.

United is first major US airline to threaten passenger removal over headphone policy

United Airlines has updated its passenger policy to address a common in-flight complaint about travelers who play audio or video without headphones.

The airline revised its contract of carriage Feb. 27 to clarify that passengers are now required to use headphones when listening to content onboard, United confirmed in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“We’ve always encouraged customers to use headphones when listening to audio content, and our Wi-Fi rules already remind customers to use headphones,” the airline said. 

“With the expansion of Starlink, it seemed like a good time to make that even clearer by adding it to the contract of carriage.”

The change appears under the airline’s “refusal of transport” section, which outlines circumstances under which United may deny boarding or remove a passenger from a flight.

Under the updated language, passengers who fail to use headphones while playing audio or video could face removal from the aircraft.

The policy also states that travelers who cause “loss, damage or expense of any kind” may be responsible for reimbursing the airline.

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Florida-based etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore said of United’s new headphone policy, “It’s about time.”

She told Fox 32 Chicago, “I think we need to pack our manners whenever we go on an airplane, whenever we travel. And the violators of this, ironically, are parents — parents who don’t put earbuds in their children’s ears or headsets” on them.

“We need to pack our manners whenever we go on an airplane.”

The update from United has sparked strong reactions online.

“I fly a lot on United and have never experienced this, but I would lose my mind if someone started playing it out loud,” one user wrote on Reddit.

“I’d say it happens on about one-third of my trips,” another replied.

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Others noted that while the airline technically always had authority to address disruptive behavior, putting headphone use into the contract of carriage gives crews the ability to truly enforce it.

“Now [let’s] have the same rule for airline lounges,” a user wrote.

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Passengers who do not have their own headphones can request a complimentary basic wired pair onboard, according to United’s in-flight entertainment information.

United is the first major U.S. airline to formally include headphone use in its legally binding passenger agreement, though other carriers encourage similar etiquette onboard.

Added Whitmore, “[This] has always been a big issue. It started with cellphones many, many years ago.”

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She said she thinks what will happen from this point on is “flight attendants will give a warning before they ban passengers” due to a lack of using headphones while playing audio or video. 

And “anyone who has a problem with that,” she added, could “be booted out by the FAA immediately.” 

Origin of deadly cancer affecting young adults revealed in alarming report

As colorectal cancer (CRC) is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50, a new report reveals some surprising shifts in the incidence of the disease.

Although rates of CRC have been declining among seniors, those 65 and under are facing a rise in diagnoses, according to a report titled Colorectal Cancer Statistics, 2026, from the American Cancer Society.

Adults 65 and younger comprise nearly half (45%) of all new colorectal cancer cases — a significant increase from 27% in 1995, states the report, which was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

The disease is rising fastest among adults 20 to 49 years old, at a rate of 3% per year.

Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. Although that age group is eligible to receive routine screenings, just 37% do so.

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The report also revealed that rectal cancer is on the rise, now accounting for about one-third (32%) of all CRC cases — an increase from 27% in the mid-2000s.

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“After decades of progress, the risk of dying from colorectal cancer is climbing in younger generations of men and women, confirming a real uptick in disease because of something we’re doing or some other exposure,” said Rebecca Siegel, senior scientific director, surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report, in a press release.

“We need to redouble research efforts to understand the cause, but also circumvent deaths through earlier detection by educating clinicians and the general public about symptoms and increasing screening in people 45-54 years.”

It is projected that 158,850 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed this year, and that the disease will cause 55,230 deaths, per the report.

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More than half of CRC cases can be linked to high-risk behaviors, the researchers said. Those include lack of nutrition, high alcohol consumption, smoking, lack of exercise and obesity.

“These findings further underscore that colorectal cancer is worsening among younger generations and highlight the immediate need for eligible adults to begin screening at the recommended age of 45,” said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society.

“The report also shines a light on the crucial importance of continued funding for research to help discover new therapies to treat the disease and advance patient care.”

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When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%, the report stated.

Women’s hoops fight leaves ref unconscious and 8 players booted from game

Tensions boiled over in a second-round Sun Belt Conference women’s basketball tournament game between South Alabama and Coastal Carolina.

A fight erupted with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter, and a referee was inadvertently knocked to the floor. The official remained on the court in visible discomfort for several moments as medical personnel provided aid.

The game’s other referee assessed a double technical foul, leading to eight ejections, most of them from South Alabama’s roster.

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South Alabama’s Amyah Sutton, Daniela Gonzalez, Saneea Bevley, Terren Coffil, Princess Okafor Nweze and Jeriyah Baines were reportedly among the Jaguars ejected, while Coastal Carolina’s Tracey Hueston was also tossed.

The altercation began after Coastal Carolina’s Hueston and South Alabama’s Cordasia Harris exchanged words in the paint. The situation escalated when Hueston appeared to throw a punch toward Harris, prompting coaches and players from both teams to rush onto the court.

“Well, first of all, our program, we never want to be put in that situation. And we never want to act out like that. So, we don’t condone that, what happened today. It’s a very unfortunate situation for two talented basketball teams that have played in Pensacola in the tournament,” South Alabama coach Yolisha Jackson told reporters after the game.

“With young people, sometimes emotions run high, and as they go through their growth process and their maturity, sometimes things happen. But we always try to look at it as a lesson learned and make sure the next time that if we are put in a similar situation that we just respond a little differently. And, so, that’s what we’ll talk about at the hotel tonight.”

Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Pederson described the situation as “unfortunate,” adding, “I know Tracey Hueston regrets that. She’s an incredible model citizen off the floor, and she knows she can’t act that way. That was extremely frustrating for everybody, certainly something we don’t approve of in this program. It’s nothing you want to see. You hate to see that in your last game.”

Fox News Digital contacted the Sun Belt Conference for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

South Alabama won Wednesday’s game, 80-70, advancing to the third round for a matchup with Texas State.

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Ejected players could face a one-game suspension, but their status for Thursday remains uncertain.