News Wrap: U.S. forces shoot down Iranian drone near aircraft carrier in Arabian Sea

Geoff Bennett:

Turning to the day's other headlines now: The U.S. military says it's shot down an Iranian drone in the Arabian Sea that was approaching a U.S. aircraft carrier with what officials described as an unclear intent.

Just hours earlier, Iranian forces are said to have harassed a U.S.-flagged merchant vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. The two developments come as Iran's president called for fair and equitable negotiations with the U.S. in talks scheduled for later this week. That marks a shift in tone following weeks of heightened tensions between the two nations over Tehran's bloody crackdown of protests that left thousands dead.

Russia renewed its attacks on Ukrainian energy targets overnight just a day ahead of planned peace talks aimed at ending the nearly four-year war. The bombardment included hundreds of drones, as well as missiles, and knocked out heating in parts of the capital, Kyiv, which is suffering one of its coldest winters in years.

It comes as Russia and Ukraine differed on a timeline for a pause on hitting each other's energy infrastructure. That temporary halt was requested by President Trump last week.

Speaking alongside NATO Chief Mark Rutte in Kyiv today, President Zelenskyy said the pause was supposed to expire this coming Friday.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President (through interpreter):

We will contact the American side regarding this matter. I expect that our partners will not remain silent about what is happening. It is critical for everyone to continue to support the defense of our country.

Geoff Bennett:

But in the Oval Office this afternoon, President Trump insisted that the pause was only due to last until this past Sunday, and that President Vladimir Putin of Russia had indeed -- quote -- "kept his word."

More Palestinians gathered on both sides of the Rafah Crossing today, hoping to pass through on day two of its long-awaited reopening. Ambulances were seen departing Gaza, evacuating patients in dire need of medical care to hospitals in Egypt. And Palestinians who previously fled Gaza returned home today via the crossing.

It's not clear how many people made the journey in either direction. It comes after only a dozen Palestinians were allowed back into Gaza last night. Some recounted their experience, which they say included an interrogation by Israeli troops.

Rotana Al-Regeb, Palestinian Returnee (through interpreter):

The army took us and blindfolded us, me, my mother, and another Woman. They tied our hands and began questioning us about things we didn't know and had no connection to. We had nothing to do with anything they were asking us about.

Geoff Bennett:

The reopening of the crossing is a vital step toward the second phase of the Israel-Hamas cease-fire.

President Trump says he now wants $1 billion in damages from Harvard University to settle a long-running dispute over alleged antisemitism on campus. That's double the amount the Trump administration had been seeking. And it comes after The New York Times reported that Mr. Trump was backing away from a demand for a cash payment from Harvard.

In a series of social media posts, the president fired back, calling that reporting completely wrong. Harvard has been fighting the administration in court over its efforts to freeze billions of dollars in federal funding and to hinder the school's ability to enroll foreign students.

Disney named the head of its theme parks, Josh D'Amaro, as its new CEO. The 54-year-old replaces longtime Disney head Bob Iger and becomes just the ninth boss in the company's more-than-100-year history. Josh D'Amaro takes over at a time when Disney is riding high with box office hits like "Zootopia 2" and the latest "Avatar" film, but is also seeing fewer international visitors at its U.S. theme parks.

Disney shares ended slightly lower following the news.

Elsewhere on Wall Street today, stocks fell amid weakness in tech shares. The Dow Jones industrial average slipped more than 160 points. The Nasdaq dropped more than 330 points, or nearly 1.5 percent. The S&P 500 also closed in negative territory.