UR MAG

The Justice Department on Friday moved to dismiss charges against a veteran whoset an American flag on fireacross the street fromthe White Housefollowing an executive order seeking to crack down on flag burning.

U.S. Park Police arrested Jan "Jay" Carey in August after he set the flag ablaze in Lafayette Square on the same day President Donald Trump signed the order. He pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanors — igniting a fire in an undesignated area and lighting a fire causing damage to property or park resources — brought by the office of Jeanine Pirro, U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia.

Carey was not charged with flag burning.

Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, a lawyer for Carey, called Friday's filing by the Justice Department "long overdue."

"This is a very significant victory for not only the First Amendment rights of Mr. Carey but the rights of all Americans to stand up and speak out on issues that they care about without being targeted for punishment by the Justice Department," Verheyden-Hilliard told NBC News in a phone call.

Pirro did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The decision to drop the case follows a ruling by a federal judge in January that would have led to further inquiries into whether the prosecution of Carey was driven by Trump's executive order, which directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to "vigorously prosecute" people who burn the American flag while engaged in other offenses.

In 1989, the Supreme ruled in a 5-4 decision that the Constitution protects flag burning.

Chief Judge James Boasberg, in his January ruling, said that while the misdemeanor charges apply to Carey's flag burning, "he is entitled to proceed with a further inquiry into whether he is being prosecuted to punish him for his allegedly illegal actions or for his constitutionally protected speech."

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On the day he was arrested, Carey said in asocial media videoposted by The Bulwark that included the flag burning that he was protesting Trump's policies.

"This was a direct protest about an illegal order that President Trump tried to put in place. I did not do this just for myself, but for everyone who believes in the Constitution and the protections for all that it provides," Carey said in astatement releasedby his legal counsel after his arraignment.

Carey's lawyer told NBC News that the DOJ's filing comes ahead of a Monday deadline in the case.

"The timing is surely not accidental, that they are moving to dismiss the charges immediately in advance of their obligation to provide information into their internal decision-making to prosecute Mr. Carey, as well as directives related to an executive order that we believe is not constitutionally sound," said Verheyden-Hilliard, a co-founder of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, a Washington-based civil rights law firm.

Trump's executive order does not make burning the American flag a crime or assess a penalty for it, but instead argues that flag burning is "likely to incite imminent lawless action." It also gives the attorney general the opportunity to "pursue litigation to clarify the scope of the First Amendment exceptions in this area."

The dropped case marks another setback for Pirro, a Trump ally, during her tenure as U.S. attorney.

In November, a juryacquitted the so-called D.C. sandwich guywho was charged with hurling a sub at a federal agent. The acquittal came after a federal grand jury refused to indict him on the felony charge sought by Pirro's office.

Last month, a federal grand juryunanimously rejected an effort by prosecutorsto indict Democratic lawmakers over a video posted to social media urging members of the military not to comply with illegal orders.

And on Friday, subpoenas from Pirro's office targeting Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell were blocked by Boasberg, who said prosecutors "produced essentially zero evidence" to suspect Powell of a crime.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan's president on Saturday warned neighboring Afghanistan's Taliban government that it had "crossed a red line" by launching drone attacks on civilian areas in Pakistan and said the administration in Kabul has brought "grave consequences upon itself."

Afghanistan Pakistan

The statement by Asif Ali Zardari was the latest in what has become the deadliest fighting yet between the two neighbors. The cross-border clashes, which erupted late last month, have shown no signs of abating despiteefforts by China and Turkeyto broker a ceasefire.

Pakistan said its forces intercepted the drones launched on Friday but that falling debris injured two children in the city of Quetta and two people elsewhere in the country.

On Friday, the Afghan Taliban government accused Pakistan of conducting airstrikes in Kabul, the country's capital, and other areas in eastern Afghanistan, saying at least six civilians were killed and 15 other were injured.

Hours later, Kabul claimed its air force responded by targeting military installations near Islamabad, Pakistan's capital, and in northwestern Pakistan.

Pakistan denied targeting civilians, saying its operations are focused on Pakistani Taliban militants and their support networks. Islamabad has referred to the conflict as an"open war"— adding to concerns among the international community about regional stability as theU.S.-Israeli war with Iranhas engulfed the Middle East and beyond.

Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that Pakistani aircraft also struck fuel depots belonging to the private airline Kam Air near the airport in the southern city of Kandahar, which he said supplies civilian and U.N. flights.

Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban government of harboring Pakistani militant groups — mainly the Pakistani Taliban — that cross the porous volatile border between the two countries to stage attacks against Pakistani forces and also of allying with its archrival, India. Kabul denies harboring militant groups.

On Friday, a roadside bomb targeting Pakistani police killed seven officers in the northwestern district of Lakki Mawat.

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Zardari slammed the government in Kabul.

"While the Afghan terrorist regime seeks negotiations with our friendly countries, it crossed a red line by attempting to target our civilians," he said.

Afghanistan's Defense Ministry said Saturday on X that its defense forces along the border in the eastern provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar captured a Pakistani post and killed 14 Pakistani soldiers. In Islamabad, Pakistan's Information Ministry said the claim was baseless.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's spokesman, Mosharraf Zaidi, said the "Afghan Taliban are spending more time weaving fantasies" than they are getting rid of "terrorist organizations enjoying Afghan Taliban regime hospitality."

He said on X that such propaganda would not force Pakistan to end its counterterrorism operations. "Only the end of terrorism from Afghan soil to Pakistan will," he said.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday urged for a peaceful resolution of the Afghanistan-Pakistan dispute, warning the use of force worsens tensions and threatens regional stability. His remarks were reported Saturday by China's official Xinhua News Agency, which said Wang had spoken with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Wang said China's special envoy is shuttling between the two countries in an effort to promote restraint and encourage a ceasefire. Muttaqi said Afghanistan seeks regional peace and does not want a military conflict, adding that dialogue remains the only solution and urging China to play a greater role.

AQatari-mediated ceasefire in October briefly reduced tensions, but subsequent talks in Turkey failed to produce a lasting agreement.

Qahar reported from Kabul, Afghanistan. Associated Press writer Kanis Leung in Hong Kong contributed to this report.

KYIV, Ukraine — A combined missile and drone attack on the Kyiv region killed at least four people and wounded at least 15 overnight into Saturday, according to the head of the regional administration for the Ukrainian capital.

Three of the wounded were in critical condition, of whom two were undergoing surgery, Mykola Kalashnyk reported on Saturday. The attack hit four districts, damaging residential buildings, educational institutions, enterprises and critical infrastructure, Kalashnyk added in a social media post.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyysaid the main target for the overnight strikes was "the energy infrastructure of the Kyiv region." He said Russia launched around 430 drones of various types during the night, as well as 68 missiles.

Russia's Defense Ministryon Saturday said the nighttime strikes targeted energy and industrial facilities serving Ukraine's armed forces, as well as military airfields.

The strikes came days after the U.S. postponedpeace talks between Russia and Ukrainescheduled for this week, citing the war in the Middle East.

As U.S. and Israeli missiles and bombs rain on Iran, Russia has responded with words of indignation but no action to support its ally. Moscow's failure to help another ally, after the 2024 ouster of formerSyrian ruler Bashar al-Assadand January's U.S. arrest of Venezuelan leaderNicolas Maduro, highlighted the limits of its influence — but the Kremlin expects to reap benefits from the Iran war.

Russia is already profiting from a surge in global energy prices, and could hope that the Mideast war will detract attention from Ukraine and deplete Western arsenals.

Zelenskyy on Saturday called on Kyiv's Western partners to pay "one hundred percent attention" to the need to boost the production of air defense missiles.

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"Russia will try to exploit the war in the Middle East to cause even greater destruction here in Europe, in Ukraine," he said in a post on social media.

"We must be fully aware of the real level of the threat and prepare accordingly, namely: in Europe, we need to develop the production of air defense missiles — especially those capable of countering ballistic threats — as well as all other systems necessary to truly protect lives," he said.

Kyiv is also awaiting White House approval for a major drone production agreement proposed by Ukraine last year, Zelenskyy said Thursday, as countries scramble to modernize their air defenses afterthe Iran war exposed shortcomings.

Also on Thursday, Zelenskyy criticized the 30-day U.S. waiver on Russian oil sanctions amid the war in the Middle East, saying it is "not the right decision" and won't help bring a stop to Russia's more than 4-year-old invasion of Ukraine.

"This easing alone by the United States could provide Russia with about $10 billion for the war," Zelenskyy said. "This certainly does not help peace."

Overnight into Saturday, Ukrainian drones hit an oil refinery and port in Russia's southern Krasnodar region, local Russian officials reported.

Krasnodar authorities said three people were hurt in a strike on Port Kavkaz, a port opposite Crimea used to ship liquefied natural gas and grains. A service vessel and pier infrastructure were damaged, they said in a social media post. One person was hospitalized, they added in a separate post later.

Falling drone debris also sparked a fire at the region's Afipsky oil refinery, authorities said in a separate Telegram post. They said no one was hurt, but did not immediately comment on damage.

Earlier this week, Russian and Ukrainian officials both claimed front-line progress, with Ukraine saying it pushed Moscow's forces back across places on the front line and the Kremlin insisting Russia's invasion of its neighbor is making progress.

The U.S. men's national team might not have the services of defender James Sands in the World Cup after a left ankle injury ended his Bundesliga season last weekend.

Sands, 25, was scheduled to have surgery on his ankle Friday in Munich, Germany, according to his club, FC St. Pauli.

The club offered no timeframe for Sands' return to the pitch.

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A Rye, N.Y., native, Sands was injured last Sunday on a foul against Eintracht Frankfurt, but it took days for scans to reveal the extent of the injury.

Since 2021, Sands has 14 appearances for the USMNT, with the most recent coming in October as a starter in a friendly win against Australia.

The USMNT opens play June 12 against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.

--Field Level Media

An overheated circuit board at a Washington, D.C., area radar facility grounded four airports Friday while the source of the chemical odor was investigated, officials said.

Ground stops were issued for the four area airports around 6:30 p.m., and were lifted by around 8 p.m., according to authorities.

Flights were halted at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport; Washington Dulles International Airport; Baltimore-Washington International Airport; and Richmond International Airport.

The odor, a "strong chemical smell," was affecting air traffic controllers at the Potomac TRACON, which stands for Terminal Radar Approach Control, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

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"There is no danger to air traffic controllers," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffysaid on Xafter the ground stops were lifted. "The source of the strong odor was traced to a circuit board that overheated, and it was replaced," he said.

Airports warned there could be residual delays Friday evening even though the ground stops had been lifted.

"Airlines are once again resuming regular operations and preparing departures. Expect residual delays this evening," Baltimore-Washington International Airportannounced on Xat 8 p.m.

The Potomac TRACON building that experienced the trouble is in Northern Virginia, it said.