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WASHINGTON (AP) — Pro-Iranian hackers are targeting sites in the Middle East and starting tostretch into the United Statesduring the war, raising the risk of American defense contractors, power stations and water plants being swept into a wave of digital chaos that could expand if Tehran's allies join the fray.

Iran US Cyber Threats

Hackers supporting Iran claimed responsibility for a significant cyberattack Wednesday against U.S. medical device company Stryker. Sincethe war began Feb. 28, they also have tried to penetrate cameras in Middle Eastern countries to improve Iran's missile targeting. They have targeted data centers in the region, as well as industrial facilities in Israel, a school in Saudi Arabia and an airport in Kuwait.

Iran hasinvested heavilyin its offensive cyber capabilities while cultivating ties to hacking groups. In recent years, groups working for Tehran have infiltrated the email system of President Donald Trump's campaign,targeted U.S. water plantsand tried to breach the networks used by the military and defense contractors.

The goal is to wear down the American war effort, drive up the costs of energy, strain cyber resources and cause as much pain as possible for American companies that depend on the defense industry.

"Something is going to happen because thegloves are off," said Kevin Mandia, founder of the cybersecurity companies Mandiant and Armadin.

Who is being targeted

Pro-Iranian, pro-Palestinian hackers claimed credit fordisrupting systems at Stryker, a Michigan-based medical technology company. A group known as Handala said the attack was in retaliation for suspected U.S.strikes that killed Iranian schoolchildren.

Like other ideologically motivated hackers, profit is not Handala's goal, according to Ismael Valenzuela, vice president of threat intelligence at the cybersecurity company Arctic Wolf.

"What distinguishes this group is its clear focus on data destruction rather than financial extortion," he said in an email.

Polish authorities are investigating a recent cyberattack — on a nuclear research facility — that may have ties to Iran, though they acknowledge that another group could be behind the attack and using the Iran war to mask its identity.

Going forward, U.S. defense contractors, government vendors and businesses that work with Israel are likely targets, as is critical infrastructure such ashospitals,ports, water plants,power stationsandrailways.

Pro-Iranian hackers openly discuss their plans in Telegram and other online message boards.

"Thedatacentersneed to be taken out," wrote one user, as uncovered by researchers at U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group. "They host the brains of USAs military communication and targeting systems."

Cyber operations also gather intelligence — for example, Iran's effort to hack into cameras in neighboring countries to aid its missile targeting. Infiltrating U.S. networks, meanwhile, would offer view into military planning or supply chains.

Going after easy targets

The strikes on Iran's military as well as internet outages may have limited Iran's cyberattacks in the short term. But experts say Iranian hackers and their allies will aim for quick victories by targeting the weakest links in American cybersecurity.

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Often, localwater plantsorhealth care facilitieslack the funds and know-how to install the latest software patches or take other security steps. That has made them afavorite target,both because of the relative ease of penetrating them and because of the panic these disruptions can cause.

This can includedenial-of-service attacks, in which hackers try to jam a network so legitimate users cannot use it, and website defacements, which can prevent a company from communicating with customers. Hack-and-leak operations, where hackers threaten to release sensitive stolen material, are another possibility.

The attacks are not that sophisticated, according to Shaun Williams, a former FBI and CIA officer who is now a senior director at the cybersecurity firm SentinelOne. But if a business or government agency has failed to keep up with its cybersecurity, it could pay a steep price, he said.

"Patch your systems. Ensure your firewalls and security solutions are up to date," Williams said. "Remove your stale accounts. All the cyber hygiene that you should be doing, it's more critical now than ever. Prepare for disruption."

When it comes to cyber, Iran is considered a chaos agent

Russia and China present the greatest cyber threats to the U.S., while North Korea is a growing concern. But what Iran has lacked in resources it hasmade up for in ingenuity, experts say.

In recent years, Tehran's digital warriors have impersonated American activists online to covertly encourageprotests against Israelon college campuses. They have set up fake news websites and social media accounts primed to spread false and exaggerated claims before big U.S. elections.

In 2024, Iranian hackersinfiltrated the email systemof the Trump campaign and latertried to disseminate filesthat the hackers said they stole. Hackers linked to Iran alsotried to hack into the WhatsApp accountsof both Trump and his then-Democratic opponent, President Joe Biden.

The activity prompted the Department of Homeland Security toissue a public warninglast year about Iranian cyber threats.

"Iran and especially the proxies don't care how big or smart you are. This is about making an impact, about creating chaos," said James Turgal, a cybersecurity expert who spent 22 years as an FBI agent and is now a vice president at Optiv, a Denver-based information security firm.

Next moves from Russia and China

Experts are watching closely to see if Russia, China or hacking groups allied with either country provide hacking assistance to Iran, mounting attacks intended to undermine American operations in Iran and make it harder for the U.S. to sustain its fight.

While China has so far taken a cautious approach, there is evidence that pro-Iranian hackers in Russia are already at work. Researchers at the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike detected a surge of activity from Russian hackers in support of Tehran since the war began.

One group known as Z-Pentest claimed responsibility for disrupting several U.S. networks, including some involved in closed-circuit video cameras.

The timing of the attack suggests the hackers were targeting U.S. interests because of the war in Iran, according to Adam Meyers, head of counter adversary operations at CrowdStrike.

"Western organizations should continue to remain on high-alert," Meyers said.

A gunman is dead and two people are critically injured following a shooting Thursday morning at Old Dominion University.

The shooter opened fire at approximately 10:49 a.m. in Constant Hall, the Norfolk, Virginia, university said in anemergency alert.

The two people who were injured have not been identified. They were taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in critical condition, a hospital spokesperson said.

The school sent out an urgent alert at 10:48 a.m. about an active threat in the building. At 11:30 a.m., the school described the incident as an "active shooter situation" and said the shooter had been "neutralized."

The university did not provide further details, and the gunman's identity has not been revealed.

The school said there is no longer a threat on campus, but asked people to avoid the area. Classes were canceled on the main campus for the remainder of the day.

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Norfolk Police and the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded to the scene.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger said she was closely monitoring the situation.

"I have spoken with university leadership. My Administration remains in close contact with local emergency responders as state support is being mobilized to assist ODU and Norfolk," she said in a post on X.

University President Brian O. Hemphill thanked law enforcement for their quick response and said campus safety remains a top priority.

"We are deeply committed to safeguarding all Monarchs and ensuring a secure learning, living, and working environment at all times. We take this responsibility very seriously and remain vigilant in our efforts to maintain a safe campus," he said in astatement."I extend my thoughts and prayers to those impacted by the incident, as well as the entire campus and the broader community."

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Nicole Kidman opened up about her biggest on-set faux pas during the March 11 episode of the Las Culturistas podcast

NEED TO KNOW

• The 58-year-old said fresh breath was "very important" to her when she was expected to kiss a costar

• Kidman went on to reveal one incident when her Big Little Lies costar Alexander Skarsgård had eaten a falafel sandwich just before a kissing scene, which she wasn't happy about

Nicole Kidmanis keeping it real about bad breath!

Appearing on the latest episode of theLas Culturistaspodcast, released Wednesday, March 11, Kidman, 58, opened up about how she struggled to kissBig Little LiescostarAlexander Skarsgård, 49, after he ate a falafel sandwich.

"I'm like, 'No, no, no, Alex,'" the star quipped.

"'I'm meant to be into you and kissing you — put away the falafel now because the bad breath does not turn me on,'" Kidman recalled.

The Perfect Couplestar went on to say that the taste and smell of a costar's mouth was "very important" to her.

She continued, "I'm sure [Skarsgård] did not eat a falafel ever again. I said, 'No more falafel. Not before you kiss, not before you make love.'"

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Continuing on the topic, Kidman said that bad breath was the ultimate dealbreaker for her.

"I don't think so honey, if you have bad breath," she said. "I cannot stand bad breath. This is a deal-breaker for me. You could be the most gorgeous, gorgeous guy, and you came at me with bad breath, I'm like, no.'"

She continued: "If I say, 'Breathe on me,' and I have to recoil, yikes, I'm out. You could not offer me enough money."

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Kidman added that she was "relieved" when she lost her sense of smell after COVID due to it being her most heightened sense.

"Finally, I was free," she said.

Elsewhere in the podcast, Kidman discussed the famous person she'd met that smelled "the best ever," disclosing that it was singerRihanna.

The Australian actress called the "Umbrella" singer's scent "Intoxicating."

"Like I will follow you around," she added.

Kidman's fun podcast appearance came after she broke her silenceabout her divorcefrom husbandKeith Urbanfor the first time.

"I am, because I'm always going to be moving toward what's good," she toldVarietyin an interview published on March 11, when asked if she was "doing all right" in the months following herseparation.

"What I'm grateful for is my family and keeping them as is and moving forward. That's that," she continued. "Everything else I don't discuss out of respect. I'm staying in a place of, 'We are a family,' and that's what we'll continue to be. My beautiful girls, my darlings, who are suddenly women."

Kidmanfiled for divorcefrom Urban in September 2025; the former couplefinalizedtheir divorce on Jan. 6. ThePractical Magicstar and country singer sharetwo daughters: Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 15.

Read the original article onPeople

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State elevated its chief academic officer to president Thursday, moving swiftly past theabrupt resignationof former President Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. following revelations about his "inappropriate relationship" with the female host of a podcast for military veterans.

Trustees voted unanimously to appoint Executive Vice President and Provost Ravi Bellamkonda as Carter's successor — bypassing the traditional nationwide search — and Ohio State's fourth president since 2020.

The trustees want what's best for the university, board chair John Zeiger said.

"The right leader is already at our university," he said during a special board meeting, "and his vast experience, his personal values and management skills, his strong record here at Ohio State and his ability to inspire excellence in all those around him give this board great confidence" that Bellamkonda is the right fit.

Days earlier, the board of trustees confronted Carter about a tip from outside the university. He disclosed that he had "made a mistake in allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership," according to his public statement, and submittedhis resignation. The retired Navy vice admiral was just two years intoa five-year contractunder which he made more than $1.1 million a year, plus bonuses and residency at Ohio State's president's mansion.

He did not elaborate on the nature of the relationship and his statement indicated he and his wife, Lynda, are still together.

Expressing surprise and disappointment, Zeigeraccepted his resignationSunday and the university said it was investigating Carter's "inappropriate relationship with someone seeking public resources to support her personal business."

JobsOhio, the state's privatized economic development office, said Carter's resignation was "possibly connected" to his relationship to Krisanthe Vlachos, host of what was supposed to be a four-episode veterans' podcast pilot, The Callout, for which it paid $15,000 an episode. Only one episode was delivered and the state is trying to claw back its $60,000, the office said.

"Ohio State is a trusted partner and Admiral Carter, sharing our passion for military and veterans, recommended The Callout Podcast as an opportunity to build and engage a military and veteran audience in Ohio," the office posted on X, "and connect them to the massive job opportunities coming to Ohio's super sectors like advanced aerospace/defense and energy."

VetEarnUSA LLC, an Ohio businessregistered by Vlachoson Dec. 20, is part of the investigation, said Ohio State spokesperson Ben Johnson. She listed the address of the operation as that of WOSU Public Media. WOSU has said Vlanchos had a contract with them to record her podcast inside their studios in Columbus. The business filing also listed a St. Louis ZIP code.

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Carter was a guest on the first podcast and JobsOhio said it supplied Vlachos a vendor pass to attend theConsumer Electronics Show - CES, to "meet people and identify angles for the remaining three podcasts."

The office further said it paid Vlachos $10,000 toward a theater production for veterans called "Last Out: Elegy of a Green Beret." It was part of the office's Hometown Heroes program, which brings free programming to military, veterans and their families.

Lastly, Vlachos had submitted a proposal to JobsOhio, the Ohio State president's office and others for a mobile job-search app for Ohio veterans.

"We conducted due diligence and decided not to move forward with any investment," the office said on X, asserting it followed all appropriate protocols in its partnerships with Carter's office and Vlachos, and that there were "no irregularities in our contracting or our vetting process."

After the board meeting, Bellamkonda told reporters that stakeholders are certain to have a spectrum of reactions to Carter's swift departure and potential misconduct, and he pledged to move forward and hold the university to a high standard.

The university brought Carteron board in 2023from the University of Nebraska system. He is also a former superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy and he attended the Navy Fighter Weapons School, known as Top Gun.

Bellamkonda, a bioengineer and neuroscientist, joined the university after holding leadership, research or teaching positions at Emory University, Duke, Georgia Tech and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He earned his Ph.D. in medical science and biomaterials at Brown.

He pledged to redouble the university's commitment to excellence.

"Looking ahead, knowing our collective strengths, I promise you this: Together we will take on hard things that are worth doing," he said. "Hard things that are worth doing in athletics, in healthcare, in education, in fact in all the things we do. We will lead and we will not be afraid to lead."

This story has been corrected to show the new president is Ravi Bellamkonda, not Ballamkonda.

Get ready. The world's most influential natural weather feature is coming in for a landing.

"The El Niño cometh," saidclimate scientist Zeke Hausfather on X recently.

An El Niño is forecast to develop later in 2026 along the equator in the eastern Pacific Ocean, and some signs show it will be a strong one, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center said on March 12.

The developing El Niño may impact the number of hurricanes we can expect in the 2026 hurricane season, which officially begins on June 1.

It may also bring strong heat waves, droughts and flooding around the world.

In addition, El Niño often leads to some of the hottest years on record, such as the record-breaking worldwide average temperature in 2024.

If El Niño develops as expected, it "would push up our estimate for 2026 global temperatures (though it's still unlikely to surpass 2024 as the warmest year), and make 2027 very likely to be the warmest year on record." Hausfather said on X.

What's the forecast?

The current La Niña climate pattern is fading to eventually be replaced by a strong El Niño pattern, according to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center.

The likelihood of an El Niño forming in the late summer is currently estimated by the CPC at 62%. It's expected to "persist through at least the end of 2026," the prediction center said in the March 12 report, which officially declared an "El Niño watch."

"Even though model forecasts are relatively less accurate this time of year, the increasing odds of El Niño are supported by the large amount of heat in the subsurface ocean and the expected weakening of the low-level trade winds," the report said.

"If El Niño forms, the potential strength remains very uncertain, with a 1-in-3 chance that it would be 'strong' during October-December 2026," the prediction center said in the report.

What is El Niño?

El Niño is a natural climate pattern in which surface sea water temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean are warmer than average.

Its name means the Little Boy, or Christ Child in Spanish. El Niño was originally recognized by fishermen off the coast of South America in the 1600s with the appearance of unusually warm water in the Pacific Ocean around Christmas.

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The entire natural climate cycle is officially known as El Niño – Southern Oscillation, called ENSO by scientists. The cycle swings between warmer and cooler seawater in a region along the equator in the tropical Pacific. La Niña is marked by cooler-than-average ocean water in the region.

Could it be a 'Super' El Niño? Or a 'Godzilla' El Niño?

Although they're not official terms, some excited scientists and headline writers have dubbed the potentially strong El Niño a"Super"or"Godzilla"El Niño.

Experts at the Climate Prediction Center do not use these terms. As noted above, government scientists say there's a one-in-three chance of the El Niño reaching strong levels.

One other expert, though, said a strong one could be on the way: "Whew,"said climate scientist Daniel Swain recently in an X postafter reviewing the latest model data. "All signs are increasingly pointing to a significant, if not strong to very strong, El Niño event."

Why do we care about El Niño?

The ENSO cycle is the primary factor government scientists consider when announcing their winter weather forecast because it mainly influences our weather in the colder months. El Niño doesn't have a strong summer climate impact for most of the country,NOAA said.

During an El Niño winter, the southern third of the United States typically experiences wetter-than-average conditions, while the northern third sees enhanced chances of below-normal precipitation, according to the Climate Prediction Center.

As for temperatures, "El Niño winters are typically warmer across the continental U.S., especially from the Pacific Northwest to the Great Lakes," Matthew Rosencrans, NOAA's lead hurricane seasonal forecaster, said in an e-mail to USA TODAY. "The warmth can extend farther down the West Coast and into the Southeast, but those signals are much less certain."

How does El Niño influence hurricanes?

El Niño can have a huge impact on the severity of the hurricane season in both the Atlantic and the Pacific.

"Typically, El Niño leads to more rising air over the tropical Pacific, which then leads to stronger upper-level wind shear and sinking air across the tropical Atlantic," said associate scientistAndy Hazelton of the University of Miamiin an email to USA TODAY. "This usually reduces the number of hurricanes in the Atlantic, especially in the Caribbean and Gulf."

However, he said we've seen El Niño years where the Atlantic was very warm, and that offset some of the El Niño effects − such as during 2023, he added.

Conversely, "El Niño years are typically associated with more activity in the eastern Pacific," said Rosencrans.

Doyle Rice is a national correspondent for USA TODAY, with a focus on weather and climate.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NOAA forecasters say strong El Niño may be brewing