FBI investigating ‘suspicious’ cyber activities on critical surveillance network

The FBI has identified a suspected cybersecurity incident on a sensitive network used to manage wiretaps and intelligence surveillance warrants, and officials are working to determine the seriousness of the incident, according to an FBI statement and a source familiar with the investigation.

"The FBI identified and addressed suspicious activities on FBI networks, and we have leveraged all technical capabilities to respond," the bureau said in a statement to CNN on Thursday, declining to elaborate.

A source familiar with the investigation told CNN the cybersecurity incident is related to a digital system the bureau uses to manage wiretapping and foreign intelligence surveillance warrants as part of investigations.

The recently discovered cybersecurity incident has prompted senior officials at the FBI and Justice Department focused on civil liberties and national security to respond, the source said.

Like other major federal agencies and corporations, the FBI is a regular target of hackers seeking sensitive information held by the bureau. But breaches to the bureau's systems are rarely disclosed.

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It's not clear whether the latest "suspicious activity" uncovered by the FBI is connected to the serious Salt Typhoon breach attributed to Chinese intelligence that affected a variety of US government networks. Suspected Chinese hackers are believed to have infiltrated private sector communications providers and targeted national security networks,CNN reportedin 2024.

The recent possible breach comes amid what some current and former officials say has been a diminishing of the FBI's cybersecurity response capabilities, with FBI Director Kash Patel pushing out some of the senior officials overseeing the information technology operations and experts overseeing the FBI's handling of the Salt Typhoon response.

The increased turnover in FBI ranks, and wider upheaval at the FBI in the past year, has added to challenges the US faces in thwarting foreign cyberattacks, the current and former officials say.

CNNreportedon a separate breach in 2023 that targeted affected a computer system in the New York FBI field office used in investigations of images of child sexual exploitation, including a system used to store images from the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein, according to people briefed on the matter.

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March 05, 2026

FBI investigating ‘suspicious’ cyber activities on critical surveillance network

The FBI has identified a suspected cybersecurity incident on a sensitive network used to manage wiretaps and intelligence...

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Louisiana rattled by strongest earthquake in decades

An unusualearthquakeearly Thursday, March 5 in northwestern Louisiana awoke people from their sleep, shook furniture, rattled pipes and raised eyebrows due to its strength.

The U.S. Geological Survey previously reported that the magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck about 5:30 a.m. March 5 with its epicenter just north of Coushatta, about 50 miles from Shreveport. Later, the earthquake was upgraded to a magnitude 4.9.

The 4.9 earthquake is thestrongest in the region in decades, USGS data shows.

Republican state Sen. Thomas Pressly of Shreveport, Louisiana said he was awakened by the earthquake.

"A 4.4 earthquake isn't insignificant," Pressly said. He joked that his wife slept through the event because she is a California native.

The USGS asked anyone near northwestern Louisianato report if they felt the earthquake, and by mid-morning, reports had come in reporting shaking across state lines in eastern Texas and southwestern Arkansas.

No structural damage has yet been reported from the quake.

The Moon orbits through the Earth's shadow resulting in a lunar eclipse turning the moon red on March 3, 2026 in Auckland, New Zealand. A total lunar eclipse was viewable over large swaths of the Americas this week, creating a phenomenon often called a "blood moon." In the pre-dawn hours of March 3, a full moon was covered by Earth's shadow, creating the eclipse. This phenomenon also marks March's full moon, known as a worm moon, giving skygazers and early risers an extra treat.

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See the spectacular beauty of the red moon with lunar eclipse photos

The Moon orbits through the Earth's shadow resulting ina lunar eclipseturning the moon red on March 3, 2026 in Auckland, New Zealand. Atotal lunar eclipsewas viewable over large swaths of the Americas this week, creating a phenomenonoften called a "blood moon."In the pre-dawn hours of March 3, a full moon was covered by Earth's shadow, creating the eclipse. This phenomenon also marks March's full moon, known as aworm moon,giving skygazers and early risers an extra treat.

How powerful is a magnitude 4.9 earthquake?

Magnitude measures the strength of an earthquake. Here are the effects of different magnitudes of earthquake, according toMichigan Technological University:

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• Below 2.5: Generally not felt

• 2.5 to 5.4: Minor or no damage

• 5.5 to 6.0: Slight damage to buildings

• 6.1 to 6.9: Serious damage

• 7.0 to 7.9: Major earthquake. Serious damage.

• 8.0 or greater: Massive damage, can destroy communities

What's causing Shreveport earthquakes?:Centenary professor explains the phenomenon of minor earthquakes in Northwest Louisiana

How rare is an 4.9 earthquake in Louisiana?

Earthquakes east of the Rocky Mountains are much more rare than they are in the West, but they do happen, the USGS says. When they strike, those earthquakes are often felt more widely than quakes of similar magnitudes in the West, even across an area up to 10 times larger.

That's true especially in the East, where rocks are much older, in some cases by millions of years. Older rocks have been exposed to more extreme temperatures and pressure, and faults have had more time to heal, making them harder and denser, so seismic waves travel across them more efficiently. In the West, faults are newer and absorb more of the seismic wave energy is absorbed and doesn't spread as far.

Earthquakes aren't unheard of in Louisiana, but the magnitude of this one sets it apart. Since early December, there have been eight earthquakes in northwestern Louisiana, ranging from magnitude 2.6 to 3.1, AccuWeatherreported. The quake on March 5 was the strongest on land in at least two decades; a 5.3 quake was recorded in 2006 and another 4.9 in 1978 in the Gulf, according to AccuWeather.

This story has been updated to add new information.

Contributing: Beth Weise, USA TODAY

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times:Louisiana earthquake shakes people awake, rattles pipes, furniture

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March 05, 2026

Louisiana rattled by strongest earthquake in decades

An unusualearthquakeearly Thursday, March 5 in northwestern Louisiana awoke people from their sleep, shook furniture, rat...

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Iran is 'confident' it could counter a U.S. ground invasion, foreign minister says

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday that his country is ready for a ground invasion by American troops as thewar launched by the United States and Israelhas quickly spread across the region. He also refused any negotiations with the U.S. and said that Iran had not asked for a ceasefire.

Araghchi spoke with "NBC Nightly News" anchor Tom Llamas in a video interview from Tehran as U.S. and Israeli airstrikes continue to hit the country.

Watch "NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas" tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT. and read updates on this story at NBCNews.com.

His comments came after the U.S. and Israeli militaries began a sweeping attack on Iran on Saturday, which decimated its military defenses and killed its top authority,Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Asked if he was afraid of a possible U.S. ground invasion, Araghchi struck a defiant tone.

"No, we are waiting for them," he said and added, "Because we are confident that we can confront them, and that would be a big disaster for them."

Araghchi also said that Iran has not asked for a ceasefire, despite U.S. and Israeli strikes across the country.

"We didn't ask for a ceasefire even last time. In previous time, it was Israel who asked for a ceasefire. They asked for an unconditional ceasefire after 12 days that we resisted against their aggression," he said, referring to the12-day war last Junewhen the Israeli and U.S. militaries targeted Iran's nuclear facilities.

Llamas asked about anattack on an elementary schoolin Minab that has killed dozens of schoolchildren, which the U.S. military said is being investigated, and questioned whether it could have been an errant Iranian military munition.

Araghchi said that 171 children were killed in the attack and that the American and Israeli militaries were responsible.

"This is what our military said. So it is either U.S. or Israel. What is the, what is the difference?"

Last Thursday, Araghchi was in a very different place, negotiating a possible deal with President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner in Geneva.

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The attack while the negotiations were ongoing has soured Iran on any future talks, Araghchi said, adding that he has had no communication with Witkoff or Kushner since last week.

"The fact is that we don't have any positive experience of negotiating with the United States. You know, especially with this administration. We negotiated twice last year and this year, and then in the middle of negotiations,they attacked us," Araghchi said.

He added, "So we see no reason why we should engage once again with those who have, who are not honest in negotiation, and they don't and do not enter into negotiation in good faith."

Araghchi had a grim outlook on the outcome of the current conflict.

"There is no winner in this war," he said. "Our win is to be able to resist against, you know, the illegal, you know, goals, and this is what we have done so far."

The killing of Khamenei has left a power vacuum in Iran, with rumors swirling that Mojtaba Khamenei, the former supreme leader's second son, could be chosen as his successor.

This could spark criticism within Iran because the passing of authority from father to son defined the monarchy that was overthrown in the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which brought about the creation of the Islamic Republic.

Araghchi said that there was a constitutional process in place to determine succession.

"There are many rumors around, but you know, we have to wait for the Assembly of Experts to choose a new supreme leader," Araghchi said, noting the process could take longer because of the ongoing conflict.

The Assembly of Experts is an 88-seat Iranian governmental body tasked with choosing the supreme leader.

Araghchi added, "There are, as I said, there are many rumors, but nobody knows exactly who might be elected at the end of the day."

Araghchi dismissed anAxios reportthat Trump has said he needs to be involved in the selection of the next supreme leader.

"That is absolutely the business of Iranian people, and nobody can interfere," he said.

byNeo

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March 05, 2026

Iran is 'confident' it could counter a U.S. ground invasion, foreign minister says

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday that his country is ready for a ground invasion by American troops ...

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Doubles and triples are dwindling in MLB. Blame better outfielders and sluggers

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — All those missing doubles and triples, well, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts thinks he knows where at least some of them went.

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Over the fence.

"I think that guys chase exit velocity and launch angle so that doesn't lend itself to balls in the gap or down the lines," Roberts said. "So I think that's the whole crux for me."

While singles and home runs were up in the majors last year, the number of doubles and triples continued to decline. There were 7,745 doubles, down from 7,771 in 2024 and 8,254 a decade ago in 2016, according to Sportradar. Triples dropped to 628, compared to 697 in 2024 and 873 in 2016.

In an effort to create more action on the basepaths, Major League Baseball made the bases bigger when it changed some ofits rulesbefore the 2023 season. There was an increase in doubles, triples and steals that same year before doubles and triples resumed their downward trend.

It likely means less of a particularly exciting moment in a baseball game, when a crowd collectively leans forward and cheers in anticipation as a player runs toward second or third with a throw on the way.

"I guess you could say yeah, it loses something, but I think there's also a gain in some other things," Chicago White Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi said. "People like home runs and more stolen-base opportunities."

The decline in doubles and triples can be traced to a variety of factors, beginning with defensive positioning.

While the 2023 rules package included limitations on infield shifts, there are no such restrictions on outfielders. And they are often playing deeper to guard against extra-base hits, helped by cards they keep in their back pockets that detail a hitter's tendencies.

"When I was playing, it was kind of, you want to play shallow to take away the singles," said Roberts, a former major league outfielder, "but nowadays you're playing for damage, and so outfields play considerably deeper than they used to."

Nolan Arenado remembers it like it was yesterday. The eight-time All-Star was playing for St. Louis on May 23, 2022, when he recorded the highest exit velocity of his career,a 111.4 mph lineron a 1-1 pitch from Toronto right-hander José Berríos in the bottom of the second inning. The ball went over the head of shortstop Bo Bichette before it was cut off by center fielder Bradley Zimmer.

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"Yeah. Single," said Arenado, whowas tradedto Arizona in January. "And you know a few years back that probably would have been just an automatic double. ... So that was the first time I really noticed it. The defense alignment, it changes everything. You know you really got to hit a ball in the gap or you got to hit it down the line to get doubles."

Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young also pointed to the evolution of defensive alignment.

"Every team has their own model and I think does a really good job of positioning," said Young, a former major league pitcher.

Ballpark dimensions also have played a role. The New York Mets have made multiple changes to Citi Field since it opened in 2009, bringing in the fences to make the ballpark more hitter friendly. The Detroit Tigers altered the outfield atComerica Parkbefore the 2023 season, lowering the walls and moving in some areas. The Kansas City Royals made some adjustments toKauffman Stadiumthis year.

Citi Field and Yankee Stadium, which also hosted its first game in 2009, are two of the majors' least friendly ballparks when it comes to doubles and triples, according to Statcast's park factors leaderboard. Globe Life Field, which opened in 2020, also ranks in the bottom 10 in each category over the previous three years combined.

"Pitching is pretty good. I think maybe some of the outfields, they're bringing fences in," Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said. "You don't hear anybody moving the fences back. So there's a few ballparks, like Detroit, right-center. Kansas City was a big one. Now they moved them in. You're not going to see a ton in our ballpark, just the way we're configured. Right field's not very big."

It's 325 feet down the line in right in Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park. The short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium is 314 feet from home plate. Tampa Bay'sTropicana Field, which reopens this season, is 315 feet on the left-field line and 322 to right.

Major league outfielders also are more athletic than before, cutting down on the balls that used to roll all the way to the wall — leading to extra bases.

"Now, if you are a negative defensively, you have to hit at such a ridiculously high level in order to be even a starting player," Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner said. "So there just aren't many players out there that are negatives defensively at this point."

AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

byNeo

in

March 05, 2026

Doubles and triples are dwindling in MLB. Blame better outfielders and sluggers

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — All those missing doubles and triples, well, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts thinks he kn...

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Judge rules against Shilo Sanders, son of Colorado coach Deion Sanders, in bankruptcy lawsuit

A judge in a bankruptcy lawsuit filed against former Colorado football player Shilo Sandersdenied Sanders' request to dismiss a complaintalleging he violated bankruptcy law, according to USA Today.

The complaint is related to an incident in 2015, in which Sanders reportedly assaulted a security guard at Sanders' high school. That security guard, John Darjean, claimed he was left with permanent injuries from the assault, including "neurological injuries and damage to his cervical spine," per USA Today.

Darjean sued both Sanders — who was 15 years old at the time — and his parents, former NFL star Deion Sanders and wife Pilar, following the incident. Deion and Pilar were eventually dropped from the lawsuit before it went to trial in 2022.

Shilo, however, did not show up to the trial, resulting in the court entering adefault judgment against him for nearly $12 million. Shilofiled for bankruptcythe following year as a way to get out of that debt.

As a result, a trustee — David Wadsworth — was assigned to Sanders to manage his assets. Wadsworth, however, filed a complaint against Sanders last October alleging Sanders "violated bankruptcy law bymaking unauthorized transfersof approximately $250,000," per USA Today. Sanders filed to have thatsuit dismissedin November.

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But the suit filed by Wadsworth will be allowed to continue following Judge Michael Romero's ruling Wednesday, per USA Today.

In his complaint, Wadsworth alleged that the $250,000 in earnings that Sanders transferred should have been put into the bankruptcy estate, and not given to Sanders. Romero ruled that Wadsworth's argument was sound enough to allow the case to continue.

In bankruptcy cases, earnings filed before declaring bankruptcy are generally put into the bankruptcy estate. Earnings made after filing for bankruptcy typically belong to the person who filed for bankruptcy.

Wadsworth argued that some of the money Sanders made from NIL or from his businesses deserve to go into the bankruptcy estate. Romero said Wadsworth "supported his claims with sufficient factual allegations," which is why the complaint was allowed to proceed.

All of that, however, could be completely upended in August. On Tuesday, Romero set an Aug. 31 trial date to determine whether Sanders inflicted "willful and malicious" injuries to Darjean in 2015. If it is determined that Sanders did intend to hurt Darjean, his debt and bankruptcy filing will remain valid. If not, Sanders would be able to discharge the debt andget out of the bankruptcy process, per USA Today. That August ruling would presumably affect Wadsworth's complaint against Sanders.

Following his time at Colorado, Sanders went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft. He hooked on with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent, but did not make the final 53-man roster.

byNeo

in

March 05, 2026

Judge rules against Shilo Sanders, son of Colorado coach Deion Sanders, in bankruptcy lawsuit

A judge in a bankruptcy lawsuit filed against former Colorado football player Shilo Sandersdenied Sanders' request to...

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