RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an armed robbery and have a teen in custody.

Just before 2:30p.m. Wednesday, police arrested 17-year-old Delron Tyree, Jr. of Topeka, in the 6000 block of SW 10th Street in Topeka, according to a media release from the RCPD.

Tyree was taken into custody on a Riley County District Court warrant for aggravated robbery armed with a dangerous weapon and criminal use of weapons.

Following his arrest, Tyree was transported to the North Central Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Facility. Tyree was confined at the time of this report.

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an armed robbery and have a teen in custody.Just before 2:30p.m. Wednesday, police arrested 17-year-old Delron Tyree, Jr. of Topeka, in the 6000 block of SW 10th Street in Topeka, according to a media release from the RCPD.Tyree was taken into custody on a Riley County District Court warrant for aggravated robbery armed with a dangerous weapon and criminal use of weapons.Following his arrest, Tyree was transported to the North Central Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Facility. Tyree was confined at the time of this report.

Police arrest 17-year-old for Kansas armed robbery

DENVER (AP) — A boy who was allegedly taken by his mother, who didn’t have custody, seven years ago from Atlanta was found last month in Colorado after she was arrested in an unrelated incident in suburban Denver, authorities said Wednesday.

Rabia Khalid, 40, was arrested Feb. 23 after sheriff's deputies were asked to investigate a suspected burglary taking place at a vacant home that was for sale, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said. The deputies found two children in a vehicle outside and a man and a woman coming out of the home who initially told them they were working for a realtor, it said in a press release.

Deputies, working with dispatchers, eventually determined that the woman was Khalid, who had an active warrant related to the 2017 disappearance of her son, Abdul Aziz Khan, who is now 14. The case was featured on Netflix's “Unsolved Mysteries,” according to the U.S. Marshals Service, which had been helping look for the boy. Khan was the older of the two children found in the vehicle, it said.

Khalid along with the man were arrested on charges including second-degree kidnapping, forgery, and identity theft.

Khalid's lawyer, Kyle Sawyer, said he was still reviewing all the information related to the case but said he would be adamantly defending Khalid.

The boy and the younger child, whose identity hasn't been released, were taken into protective custody and decisions about where they will be placed will be made by the court, the sheriff's office said.

The sheriff's office said the boy's family is asking for privacy at this time, but they expressed their gratitude in a statement.

“We’re overwhelmed with joy that Aziz has finally been found. We want to thank everyone for their support over the last seven years," they said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741266830025.png" alt="Khalid photo Douglas County Colorado Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Khalid photo Douglas County Colorado Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — A boy who was allegedly taken by his mother, who didn’t have custody, seven years ago from Atlanta was found last month in Colorado after she was arrested in an unrelated incident in suburban Denver, authorities said Wednesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741266807592.png" alt="National Center for Missing and Exploited Children" />
 <figcaption>National Center for Missing and Exploited Children</figcaption>
 </figure>Rabia Khalid, 40, was arrested Feb. 23 after sheriff's deputies were asked to investigate a suspected burglary taking place at a vacant home that was for sale, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said. The deputies found two children in a vehicle outside and a man and a woman coming out of the home who initially told them they were working for a realtor, it said in a press release.Deputies, working with dispatchers, eventually determined that the woman was Khalid, who had an active warrant related to the 2017 disappearance of her son, Abdul Aziz Khan, who is now 14. The case was featured on Netflix's “Unsolved Mysteries,” according to the U.S. Marshals Service, which had been helping look for the boy. Khan was the older of the two children found in the vehicle, it said.Khalid along with the man were arrested on charges including second-degree kidnapping, forgery, and identity theft.Khalid's lawyer, Kyle Sawyer, said he was still reviewing all the information related to the case but said he would be adamantly defending Khalid.The boy and the younger child, whose identity hasn't been released, were taken into protective custody and decisions about where they will be placed will be made by the court, the sheriff's office said.The sheriff's office said the boy's family is asking for privacy at this time, but they expressed their gratitude in a statement.“We’re overwhelmed with joy that Aziz has finally been found. We want to thank everyone for their support over the last seven years," they said.

Boy missing 7 years found after appearing on Netflix’s ‘Unsolved Mysteries’

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;LAURAN NEERGAARD&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/michael-casey">MICHAEL CASEY</a>

A federal judge on Wednesday blocked the Trump administration from drastically cutting medical research funding that many scientists say will endanger patients and cost jobs.

The new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/years-research-groundwork-covid-19-shots-f204192f07cfcc3503dc9c7687ae6269">National Institutes of Health</a>&nbsp;policy would strip research groups of hundreds of millions of dollars to cover so-called indirect expenses of studying Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease and a host of other illnesses — anything from clinical trials of new treatments to basic lab research that is the foundation for discoveries.

Separate lawsuits filed by a group of 22 states plus organizations representing universities, hospitals and research institutions nationwide sued to stop the cuts, saying they would cause “irreparable harm.”

U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley in Boston had temporarily blocked the cuts last month. Wednesday, she filed a preliminary injunction that puts the cuts on hold for longer, while the suits proceed.

The NIH, the main funder of biomedical research, awarded about $35 billion in grants to research groups last year. The total is divided into “direct” costs – covering researchers’ salaries and laboratory supplies – and “indirect” costs, the administrative and facility costs needed to support that work.

The Trump administration had dismissed those expenses as “overhead,” but universities and hospitals argue they’re far more critical. They can include such things as electricity to operate sophisticated machinery, hazardous waste disposal, staff who ensure researchers follow safety rules and janitorial workers.

Under prior policy, the government negotiated those rates with institutions. As an example, an institution with a 50% indirect cost rate would get another $50,000 to cover indirect expenses for a $100,000 project. The NIH’s new policy would cap indirect costs at a flat rate of 15% instead, calculated to save the agency $4 billion a year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630165275617.jpeg" alt="Photo K-State" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;LAURAN NEERGAARD&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/michael-casey">MICHAEL CASEY</a>A federal judge on Wednesday blocked the Trump administration from drastically cutting medical research funding that many scientists say will endanger patients and cost jobs.The new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/years-research-groundwork-covid-19-shots-f204192f07cfcc3503dc9c7687ae6269">National Institutes of Health</a>&nbsp;policy would strip research groups of hundreds of millions of dollars to cover so-called indirect expenses of studying Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease and a host of other illnesses — anything from clinical trials of new treatments to basic lab research that is the foundation for discoveries.Separate lawsuits filed by a group of 22 states plus organizations representing universities, hospitals and research institutions nationwide sued to stop the cuts, saying they would cause “irreparable harm.”U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley in Boston had temporarily blocked the cuts last month. Wednesday, she filed a preliminary injunction that puts the cuts on hold for longer, while the suits proceed.The NIH, the main funder of biomedical research, awarded about $35 billion in grants to research groups last year. The total is divided into “direct” costs – covering researchers’ salaries and laboratory supplies – and “indirect” costs, the administrative and facility costs needed to support that work.The Trump administration had dismissed those expenses as “overhead,” but universities and hospitals argue they’re far more critical. They can include such things as electricity to operate sophisticated machinery, hazardous waste disposal, staff who ensure researchers follow safety rules and janitorial workers.Under prior policy, the government negotiated those rates with institutions. As an example, an institution with a 50% indirect cost rate would get another $50,000 to cover indirect expenses for a $100,000 project. The NIH’s new policy would cap indirect costs at a flat rate of 15% instead, calculated to save the agency $4 billion a year.

Federal judge blocks drastic funding cuts to medical research

KANSAS CITY —A pedestrian injured in an accident just before 2:30p.m. February 23 has died.

The pedestrian was standing/walking in the middle travel lane of eastbound Interstate 70 at Sterling, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

A red Honda Civic struck the pedestrian, knocking the pedestrian to the ground. The driver of the Honda who was uninjured in the collision, stopped and cooperated with the investigation. The pedestrian was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.&nbsp;

The Jackson County Medical Examiner's office notified police on Wednesday the victim died just after 9:30p.m. Tuesday, according to DiMartino.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the pedestrian or additional details.

KANSAS CITY —A pedestrian injured in an accident just before 2:30p.m. February 23 has died.The pedestrian was standing/walking in the middle travel lane of eastbound Interstate 70 at Sterling, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.A red Honda Civic struck the pedestrian, knocking the pedestrian to the ground. The driver of the Honda who was uninjured in the collision, stopped and cooperated with the investigation. The pedestrian was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.&nbsp;The Jackson County Medical Examiner's office notified police on Wednesday the victim died just after 9:30p.m. Tuesday, according to DiMartino.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the pedestrian or additional details.

Police: Pedestrian dies days after struck by a car on I-70

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22HEATHER%20HOLLINGSWORTH%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH &nbsp;Associated Press</a>

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Two men were charged Wednesday in the deaths of three Kansas City Chiefs fans whose bodies were found in a backyard two days after they got together to watch the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-playoffs-analysis-23676cf40d7f56b4b80a2247e9372e26">final game</a>&nbsp;of the regular season in 2024.

Jordan Willis and Ivory Carson are each charged with three counts of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of delivery of a controlled substance in a case that gained widespread attention on social media. Their bond is set at $100,000 cash only.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-fan-deaths-mystery-police-toxicology-335f4d726c3c1b5d139de6a5fa77ead5">Speculation</a>&nbsp;about what happened started after 38-year-old Ricky Johnson, 36-year-old Clayton McGeeney and 37-year-old David Harrington were found dead in Willis’ Kansas City, Missouri, yard on Jan. 9, 2024, after McGeeney’s fiancée went looking for him.

A doctor with a forensic lab later determined that the combined toxicity of fentanyl and cocaine killed them, according to the probable cause statement.

Witnesses said the friends were using cocaine when they got together first at Harrington’s home and then Willis’ on Jan. 7, 2024, to watch the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-chargers-score-a2a7d7cc00886055cda31d1d9c3f3808">Chiefs play the Los Angeles Chargers.</a>&nbsp;The witnesses said Willis had a history of offering cocaine to his friends when they were low on money and that he bought it from Carson, according to the probable cause statement.

But Willis’ lawyer, John Picerno, said there is no evidence that Willis bought the drugs that his friends ingested before their deaths, noting they had been partying all day. And he said Willis didn’t know that they were still in his backyard — or that they needed medical attention — until police showed up.

“It has been a very, very long year for Jordan," Picerno said. “He's lost his job. He's lost his home. He's lost his friends. The public are pointing at him as someone who essentially killed them. And nothing could be further from the truth.”

Willis told police that he believed that McGeeney, Harrington and Johnson possibly got a hold of some fentanyl at some point on the Sunday the game was played and that he thought they all left his home around 4 a.m. the next morning.

Weather records indicate the low temperature that night was around 33 degrees (1 degree Celsius).

Investigators interviewed Carson, who admitted to selling cocaine to Johnson, Willis, Harrington and McGeeney before Jan. 1, 2024, the probable cause statement says. No attorney is listed for Carson in online court records.

In the weeks and months since the three deaths, the case went viral on TikTok and other social platforms for its true-crime overtones. And family members of the three men have taken their frustrations to Kansas City-area media, questioning when there would be charges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741214636116.png" alt="Carson Platte Co." />
 <figcaption>Carson Platte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22HEATHER%20HOLLINGSWORTH%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH &nbsp;Associated Press</a>KANSAS CITY (AP) —Two men were charged Wednesday in the deaths of three Kansas City Chiefs fans whose bodies were found in a backyard two days after they got together to watch the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-playoffs-analysis-23676cf40d7f56b4b80a2247e9372e26">final game</a>&nbsp;of the regular season in 2024.Jordan Willis and Ivory Carson are each charged with three counts of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of delivery of a controlled substance in a case that gained widespread attention on social media. Their bond is set at $100,000 cash only.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741225370818.png" alt="Willis-photo Platte Co." />
 <figcaption>Willis-photo Platte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-fan-deaths-mystery-police-toxicology-335f4d726c3c1b5d139de6a5fa77ead5">Speculation</a>&nbsp;about what happened started after 38-year-old Ricky Johnson, 36-year-old Clayton McGeeney and 37-year-old David Harrington were found dead in Willis’ Kansas City, Missouri, yard on Jan. 9, 2024, after McGeeney’s fiancée went looking for him.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705095774621.png" alt="Police near the home under investigation -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police near the home under investigation -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>A doctor with a forensic lab later determined that the combined toxicity of fentanyl and cocaine killed them, according to the probable cause statement.Witnesses said the friends were using cocaine when they got together first at Harrington’s home and then Willis’ on Jan. 7, 2024, to watch the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-chargers-score-a2a7d7cc00886055cda31d1d9c3f3808">Chiefs play the Los Angeles Chargers.</a>&nbsp;The witnesses said Willis had a history of offering cocaine to his friends when they were low on money and that he bought it from Carson, according to the probable cause statement.But Willis’ lawyer, John Picerno, said there is no evidence that Willis bought the drugs that his friends ingested before their deaths, noting they had been partying all day. And he said Willis didn’t know that they were still in his backyard — or that they needed medical attention — until police showed up.“It has been a very, very long year for Jordan," Picerno said. “He's lost his job. He's lost his home. He's lost his friends. The public are pointing at him as someone who essentially killed them. And nothing could be further from the truth.”Willis told police that he believed that McGeeney, Harrington and Johnson possibly got a hold of some fentanyl at some point on the Sunday the game was played and that he thought they all left his home around 4 a.m. the next morning.Weather records indicate the low temperature that night was around 33 degrees (1 degree Celsius).Investigators interviewed Carson, who admitted to selling cocaine to Johnson, Willis, Harrington and McGeeney before Jan. 1, 2024, the probable cause statement says. No attorney is listed for Carson in online court records.In the weeks and months since the three deaths, the case went viral on TikTok and other social platforms for its true-crime overtones. And family members of the three men have taken their frustrations to Kansas City-area media, questioning when there would be charges.

2 charged in deaths of 3 Chiefs fans whose bodies were found in friend's backyard

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement investigating a fatal gun fight have two suspects in custody in connection with the crime and continue asking the public for help to locate a third.

The Wichita Police Department is asking for information on the whereabouts of 20-year-old Jerry Johnson.&nbsp; The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office charged Johnson in reference to his involvement to a homicide that occurred on February 11.

Just before 6p.m. Feb. 11, police responded to reports of a shooting in the 1200 block of S. Bleckley in Wichita, according to Police Department spokesperson Brad Wright.

Officers arrived at the scene and found 23-year-old Manuel Roach with a gunshot wound. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Preliminary investigation indicates that a disturbance occurred involving Roach and three unidentified males dressed in all black. Following the incident, the suspects departed the scene in a white SUV before law enforcement arrival. The exact circumstances that led up to the shooting are still under investigation, according to Wright. Police do believe this was a targeted incident between individuals known to each other.

An 18-year-old identified as Sergio Clement arrived at a local hospital with a single gunshot wound to his lower extremity. Through the investigation, it was discovered that Clement and 21-year-old Alan Griffin, Jr. were involved in the fatal shooting of Roach. As a result, both were arrested and booked into Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp;

Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact investigators at 316-268-4407, Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111, or See Something Say Something at 316-519-2282.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement investigating a fatal gun fight have two suspects in custody in connection with the crime and continue asking the public for help to locate a third.The Wichita Police Department is asking for information on the whereabouts of 20-year-old Jerry Johnson.&nbsp; The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office charged Johnson in reference to his involvement to a homicide that occurred on February 11.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739989718610.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 6p.m. Feb. 11, police responded to reports of a shooting in the 1200 block of S. Bleckley in Wichita, according to Police Department spokesperson Brad Wright.Officers arrived at the scene and found 23-year-old Manuel Roach with a gunshot wound. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.Preliminary investigation indicates that a disturbance occurred involving Roach and three unidentified males dressed in all black. Following the incident, the suspects departed the scene in a white SUV before law enforcement arrival. The exact circumstances that led up to the shooting are still under investigation, according to Wright. Police do believe this was a targeted incident between individuals known to each other.An 18-year-old identified as Sergio Clement arrived at a local hospital with a single gunshot wound to his lower extremity. Through the investigation, it was discovered that Clement and 21-year-old Alan Griffin, Jr. were involved in the fatal shooting of Roach. As a result, both were arrested and booked into Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp;Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact investigators at 316-268-4407, Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111, or See Something Say Something at 316-519-2282.

Search continues for suspect in deadly Kansas gun fight

CAIRO (AP) — The Hamas militant group on Thursday brushed off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-israel-trump-ceasefire-bdc21f862b073dd478e0960ebfbf71e3">President Donald Trump's latest threat</a>&nbsp;and reiterated that it will only free the remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for a lasting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">ceasefire in the Gaza Strip</a>.

Hamas accused Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-ceasefire-hostages-witkoff-plan-46a639d66772915ba1ed0b43cd2728d8">trying to back out of the ceasefire agreement</a>&nbsp;they reached in January. The agreement calls for negotiations over a second phase in which the hostages would be released in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua said the “best path to free the remaining Israeli hostages” is through negotiations on that phase, which were supposed to begin in early February. Only limited preparatory talks have been held so far.

On Wednesday, Trump issued what he said was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-israel-trump-ceasefire-bdc21f862b073dd478e0960ebfbf71e3">“last warning” to Hamas</a>&nbsp;after meeting with eight former hostages. The White House meanwhile confirmed it had held unprecedented direct talks with the militant group, which Israel and Western countries view as a terrorist organization.

“Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted!”

Both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-gaza-strip-jerusalem-west-bank-israel-f64031f2462fc7267731962b65c9d2cb">Israel and Hamas have a longstanding practice</a>&nbsp;of holding onto the remains of their adversaries in order to trade them in hostage-prisoner deals.

Hamas is believed to still have 24 living hostages taken in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war, including Israeli-American Edan Alexander. It is also holding the bodies of 34 others who were either killed in the initial attack or in captivity, as well as the remains of a soldier killed in the 2014 war.

Hamas released 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight more in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in the first, 42-day phase of the ceasefire, which ended on Saturday.

Israel supports what it says is a new U.S. plan for the second phase in which Hamas would release half the remaining hostages immediately and the rest when a permanent ceasefire is negotiated. Hamas has rejected the proposal and says it is sticking with the agreement signed in January.

Israel has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-aid-cutoff-netanyahu-hunger-war-940ceea2c2b754d197a4f07c0cad86de">cut off the delivery of food, fuel, medicine and other supplies</a>&nbsp;to Gaza's roughly 2 million Palestinians in an attempt to pressure Hamas into accepting the new arrangement. It has threatened “additional consequences” if Hamas does not resume the release of hostages.

It's unclear if the U.S.-Hamas talks made any progress. The Trump administration has pledged full support for Israel's main war goals of returning all the hostages and eradicating Hamas, which may be incompatible.

Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and took a total of 251 people hostage. Most have been released in ceasefire agreements or other arrangements. Israeli forces have rescued eight living hostages and recovered the bodies of dozens more.

Israel's military offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were militants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence.

The offensive destroyed vast areas in Gaza and displaced most of its population. Hundreds of thousands of people are living in tents, schools-turned-shelters or war-damaged buildings, and the population relies on international aid.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued what he called a “last warning” to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-hostages-images-chaos-6371eb106d6cebe7919f70ba208007ca">Hamas to release all remaining hostages held in Gaza</a>, directing a sharply worded message after the White House confirmed that he had recently dispatched an envoy for unprecedented direct talks with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">militant group</a>.

In a statement on his Truth Social platform soon after meeting at the White House with eight former hostages, Trump added that he was “sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job.”

“Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you,” Trump said. “Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted!”

The pointed language from Trump came after the White House said Wednesday that U.S. officials have engaged in “ongoing talks and discussions” with Hamas officials, stepping away from a long-held U.S. policy of not&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-gaza-israel-hamas-war-latest-03-05-2025-a681a03e2950a89e70eb006f0c27fc3b">directly engaging with the militant group</a>.

Confirmation of the talks in the Qatari capital of Doha came as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-02-27-2025-cfcdd8786afe4bc73ae79b3e0e4ccb3b">Israel-Hamas ceasefire remains in the balance</a>. It’s the first known direct engagement between the United States and Hamas since the State Department designated the group a foreign terrorist organization in 1997.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to provide detail on the substance of talks, but said President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has authorized his envoys to “talk to anyone.” Egyptian and Qatari intermediaries have served as mediators with Hamas for the U.S. and Israel since the group launched its Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the war.

“Look, dialogue and talking to people around the world to do what’s in the best interest of the American people is something that the president ... believes is a good-faith effort to do what’s right for the American people,” she said.

Leavitt added that Israel has been consulted about the direct engagement with Hamas officials, and noted that there are “American lives at stake.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office offered a terse acknowledgement of the U.S.-Hamas talks. “Israel has expressed to the United States its position regarding direct talks with Hamas,” the prime minister’s office said.

Israeli officials say about 24 living hostages — including Edan Alexander, an American citizen — as well as the bodies of at least 35 others are believed to still be held in Gaza.

Adam Boehler, Trump’s nominee to be special envoy for hostage affairs, led the direct talks with Hamas. Boehler, founder and CEO of Rubicon Founders, a healthcare investment firm, was a lead negotiator on the Abraham Accords team during Trump’s first term that strove to win broader recognition of Israel in the Arab world.

The talks, which took place last month, focused mainly on the release of American hostages, and a potential end of the war without Hamas in power in Gaza, according to a Hamas official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The official added that no progress was made but “the step itself is promising” and more talks are expected. Egyptian and Qatari mediators helped arrange the talks.

The direct engagement comes as continuation of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire remains uncertain. Trump has signaled that he has no intentions of pushing Netanyahu away from a return to combat if Hamas doesn’t agree to terms of a new ceasefire proposal, which the Israelis have billed as being drafted by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.

The new plan would require Hamas to release half its remaining hostages — the militant group’s main bargaining chip — in exchange for a ceasefire extension and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Israel made no mention of releasing more Palestinian prisoners, a key component of the first phase.

Trump on Wednesday welcomed eight former hostages — Iair Horn, Omer Shem Tov, Eli Sharabi, Keith Siegel, Aviva Siegel, Naama Levy, Doron Steinbrecher and Noa Argamani — to the White House.

“The President listened intently to their heartbreaking stories,” Leavitt said. "The hostages thanked President Trump for his steadfast efforts to bring all of the hostages home.”

Keith Siegel, an Israeli-American&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hostages-gaza-hamas-ceasefire-af820b4bd1d62de94e2022b521db268c">released last month as part of the ceasefire</a>, said they came to the White House to express their appreciation to Trump and Witkoff, the Mideast envoy.

“We urged them to continue their enormous efforts. They have done so much. We trust them and we know they will get the job done to get all the rest of the 59 remaining hostages held in Gaza back to their families,” he said in a statement.

The talks between U.S. and Hamas officials were first reported earlier Wednesday by the news site Axios.

Leavitt, the White House press secretary, is one of three administration officials who face a lawsuit from The Associated Press on First- and Fifth-Amendment grounds. The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741214101993.png" alt="White House photo" />
 <figcaption>White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>CAIRO (AP) — The Hamas militant group on Thursday brushed off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-israel-trump-ceasefire-bdc21f862b073dd478e0960ebfbf71e3">President Donald Trump's latest threat</a>&nbsp;and reiterated that it will only free the remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for a lasting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">ceasefire in the Gaza Strip</a>.Hamas accused Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-ceasefire-hostages-witkoff-plan-46a639d66772915ba1ed0b43cd2728d8">trying to back out of the ceasefire agreement</a>&nbsp;they reached in January. The agreement calls for negotiations over a second phase in which the hostages would be released in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua said the “best path to free the remaining Israeli hostages” is through negotiations on that phase, which were supposed to begin in early February. Only limited preparatory talks have been held so far.On Wednesday, Trump issued what he said was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-israel-trump-ceasefire-bdc21f862b073dd478e0960ebfbf71e3">“last warning” to Hamas</a>&nbsp;after meeting with eight former hostages. The White House meanwhile confirmed it had held unprecedented direct talks with the militant group, which Israel and Western countries view as a terrorist organization.“Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted!”Both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-gaza-strip-jerusalem-west-bank-israel-f64031f2462fc7267731962b65c9d2cb">Israel and Hamas have a longstanding practice</a>&nbsp;of holding onto the remains of their adversaries in order to trade them in hostage-prisoner deals.Hamas is believed to still have 24 living hostages taken in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war, including Israeli-American Edan Alexander. It is also holding the bodies of 34 others who were either killed in the initial attack or in captivity, as well as the remains of a soldier killed in the 2014 war.Hamas released 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight more in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in the first, 42-day phase of the ceasefire, which ended on Saturday.Israel supports what it says is a new U.S. plan for the second phase in which Hamas would release half the remaining hostages immediately and the rest when a permanent ceasefire is negotiated. Hamas has rejected the proposal and says it is sticking with the agreement signed in January.Israel has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-aid-cutoff-netanyahu-hunger-war-940ceea2c2b754d197a4f07c0cad86de">cut off the delivery of food, fuel, medicine and other supplies</a>&nbsp;to Gaza's roughly 2 million Palestinians in an attempt to pressure Hamas into accepting the new arrangement. It has threatened “additional consequences” if Hamas does not resume the release of hostages.It's unclear if the U.S.-Hamas talks made any progress. The Trump administration has pledged full support for Israel's main war goals of returning all the hostages and eradicating Hamas, which may be incompatible.Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and took a total of 251 people hostage. Most have been released in ceasefire agreements or other arrangements. Israeli forces have rescued eight living hostages and recovered the bodies of dozens more.Israel's military offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were militants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence.The offensive destroyed vast areas in Gaza and displaced most of its population. Hundreds of thousands of people are living in tents, schools-turned-shelters or war-damaged buildings, and the population relies on international aid.-------------WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued what he called a “last warning” to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-hostages-images-chaos-6371eb106d6cebe7919f70ba208007ca">Hamas to release all remaining hostages held in Gaza</a>, directing a sharply worded message after the White House confirmed that he had recently dispatched an envoy for unprecedented direct talks with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">militant group</a>.In a statement on his Truth Social platform soon after meeting at the White House with eight former hostages, Trump added that he was “sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job.”“Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you,” Trump said. “Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted!”The pointed language from Trump came after the White House said Wednesday that U.S. officials have engaged in “ongoing talks and discussions” with Hamas officials, stepping away from a long-held U.S. policy of not&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-gaza-israel-hamas-war-latest-03-05-2025-a681a03e2950a89e70eb006f0c27fc3b">directly engaging with the militant group</a>.Confirmation of the talks in the Qatari capital of Doha came as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-02-27-2025-cfcdd8786afe4bc73ae79b3e0e4ccb3b">Israel-Hamas ceasefire remains in the balance</a>. It’s the first known direct engagement between the United States and Hamas since the State Department designated the group a foreign terrorist organization in 1997.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to provide detail on the substance of talks, but said President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has authorized his envoys to “talk to anyone.” Egyptian and Qatari intermediaries have served as mediators with Hamas for the U.S. and Israel since the group launched its Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the war.“Look, dialogue and talking to people around the world to do what’s in the best interest of the American people is something that the president ... believes is a good-faith effort to do what’s right for the American people,” she said.Leavitt added that Israel has been consulted about the direct engagement with Hamas officials, and noted that there are “American lives at stake.”Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office offered a terse acknowledgement of the U.S.-Hamas talks. “Israel has expressed to the United States its position regarding direct talks with Hamas,” the prime minister’s office said.Israeli officials say about 24 living hostages — including Edan Alexander, an American citizen — as well as the bodies of at least 35 others are believed to still be held in Gaza.Adam Boehler, Trump’s nominee to be special envoy for hostage affairs, led the direct talks with Hamas. Boehler, founder and CEO of Rubicon Founders, a healthcare investment firm, was a lead negotiator on the Abraham Accords team during Trump’s first term that strove to win broader recognition of Israel in the Arab world.The talks, which took place last month, focused mainly on the release of American hostages, and a potential end of the war without Hamas in power in Gaza, according to a Hamas official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.The official added that no progress was made but “the step itself is promising” and more talks are expected. Egyptian and Qatari mediators helped arrange the talks.The direct engagement comes as continuation of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire remains uncertain. Trump has signaled that he has no intentions of pushing Netanyahu away from a return to combat if Hamas doesn’t agree to terms of a new ceasefire proposal, which the Israelis have billed as being drafted by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.The new plan would require Hamas to release half its remaining hostages — the militant group’s main bargaining chip — in exchange for a ceasefire extension and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Israel made no mention of releasing more Palestinian prisoners, a key component of the first phase.Trump on Wednesday welcomed eight former hostages — Iair Horn, Omer Shem Tov, Eli Sharabi, Keith Siegel, Aviva Siegel, Naama Levy, Doron Steinbrecher and Noa Argamani — to the White House.“The President listened intently to their heartbreaking stories,” Leavitt said. "The hostages thanked President Trump for his steadfast efforts to bring all of the hostages home.”Keith Siegel, an Israeli-American&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hostages-gaza-hamas-ceasefire-af820b4bd1d62de94e2022b521db268c">released last month as part of the ceasefire</a>, said they came to the White House to express their appreciation to Trump and Witkoff, the Mideast envoy.“We urged them to continue their enormous efforts. They have done so much. We trust them and we know they will get the job done to get all the rest of the 59 remaining hostages held in Gaza back to their families,” he said in a statement.The talks between U.S. and Hamas officials were first reported earlier Wednesday by the news site Axios.Leavitt, the White House press secretary, is one of three administration officials who face a lawsuit from The Associated Press on First- and Fifth-Amendment grounds. The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

Trump issues 'last warning' to Hamas: Release all remaining hostages in Gaza

JOHNSON COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just before 11a.m. Wednesday in Johnson County.

The two vehicle crash that occurred on northbound Kansas 7 near West 47th Street, according to a statement from Shawnee Police.

Two individuals in one vehicle were pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the second vehicle remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. They were not seriously injured.The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Shawnee Police Department’s Traffic Safety Unit.&nbsp; Police did release names of the victims or additional details.

JOHNSON COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just before 11a.m. Wednesday in Johnson County.The two vehicle crash that occurred on northbound Kansas 7 near West 47th Street, according to a statement from Shawnee Police.Two individuals in one vehicle were pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the second vehicle remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. They were not seriously injured.The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Shawnee Police Department’s Traffic Safety Unit.&nbsp; Police did release names of the victims or additional details.

Two dead after 2-vehicle Kansas crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — They start the day often as low-profile&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-promises-patel-kennedy-bessent-rollins-b86a6dd08ab08f4b54e1a4d18fce11be">Cabinet secretaries</a>. They end it that way, too, God willing.

But, when the rest of the government is gathered together for a big event, like President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;'s joint congressional address Tuesday night, a designated survivor is kept away to ensure someone in the line of presidential succession stays alive.

Picking a failsafe in case of a cataclysmic event that wipes out everyone else dates back to the Cold War. It's been dramatized in novels and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/8696f0dd99ec4e008e75a26ffc1d8b9b">an ABC series starring Kiefer Sutherland</a>&nbsp;that aired from 2016 to 2019.

Being the actual designated survivor brings extra adrenaline jolts and humbling thoughts about being unwittingly catapulted into the presidency and unthinkable tragedy — though the minute-to-minute details usually don't feature the high drama of fictional portrayals, those who have filled the role say.

“It focuses your mind. It also enhances your prayer that it doesn’t happen to you,” James Nicholson, who was President George W. Bush's veterans affairs secretary and designated survivor during the 2006 State of the Union, said of possibly becoming president after a cataclysmic event.

For Trump's address, Doug Collins — who is the current administration's veterans affairs secretary — was chosen as designated survivor. Historian and journalist Garrett M. Graff said the concept of designated survivor has long captivated people because it combines the public's inherent fascination with danger and the romance of an “everyman” being thrust into the presidency.

“The idea of, you’re just a random Cabinet official, and then something terrible happens and, all of a sudden, you’re president of the United States," said Graff, author of “Raven Rock: The Story of the U.S. Government’s Secret Plan to Save Itself — While the Rest of Us Die.”

Until the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, designated survivors had more control over where they went outside Washington. President Bill Clinton's energy secretary, the late Bill Richardson, was picked in 2000 and simply moved up a planned weekend trip with his wife to Oxford, Maryland, a waterfront town about 80 miles away, so he'd be there during the State of the Union.

When Dan Glickman, Clinton’s agriculture secretary, was tapped during the 1997 State of the Union, his hometown of Wichita, Kansas, was too far away, so he chose New York, where his daughter lived.

“I thought it was kind of exciting. But I wasn’t hyped up from a dangerous perspective,” Glickman said. “I don’t even think anybody told me to be careful.”

Alberto Gonzales, Bush's attorney general, was the designated survivor during the 2007 State of the Union. He said White House chief of staff Josh Bolten called a few days before and gave a couple of options for where he could hunker down.

Gonzales chose to be in flight, and he arrived at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland to find “members of every major department and agency” there to ride with him. They carried thick binders stuffed with memos and protocol instructions, just in case.

He said there were a series of briefings that may have stretched right into Bush's speech, which he watched from the air.

“It was during that time that it sort of suddenly hit me, if something happened in the Capitol and everyone's killed, that I'd be president,” Gonzales said. "It's sort of sobering. And you wonder, would I be up to governing a wounded nation?”

In “Raven Rock,” Graff details how the designated survivor concept was formalized by the Carter and Reagan administrations amid fears that Soviet subs just off the Atlantic Coast could fire nuclear missiles and wipe out Washington with barely 10 minutes’ warning.

Beginning in April 1980, the White House Military Office tasked the Federal Emergency Management Agency with ensuring succession. An aide was directed to recommend to the president who should skip events when all possible successors were together outside the White House.

Officials still prepare for a massive attack or disaster. The military helicopter that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-cebb142d24859ba0c4e0e4fd6c33773f">collided with a regional jet</a>&nbsp;outside Reagan National Airport in January was on a continuity of government mission — training to keep the federal government functioning in case of catastrophe.

The first time that a Cabinet member being kept away from a presidential speech to Congress was publicly divulged was President Ronald Reagan’s Education Secretary Terrel Bell in 1981. But Bell wasn’t identified until afterward.

Today, TV images from the House chamber allow political junkies to spot the missing Cabinet member within minutes.

Nicholson said Bush’s then-chief of staff, Andy Card, had asked him a few weeks before the State of the Union to take on the role. He was a natural fit given that his agency played an important role in continuity of government exercises due to its numerous hospitals and clinics nationwide.

Nicholson flew by helicopter to a destination only divulged once he was in the air, and later sat in a command center, where he underwent briefings before watching Bush’s speech.

He was served a “wonderful” dinner, prepared onsite by personnel from the White House mess, though he can't recall if it was T-bone steak or prime rib or something similar. “It made you think that, at least, if this awful thing happened, you’d be well fed," he said.

“The enormity of that job. You think about, remote as it is, this is something you might have to do,” he said of becoming president. Nicholson's wife was attending the State of the Union, meaning that if something happened, she could be among the victims, which only added to the pressure.

When it was over, Nicholson wasn't asked to fill in his predecessor in the role, Gonzales, or future designated survivors.

“We don’t have a club,” he laughed. "We should.”

Glickman recalls boarding an Air Force G-3 from Andrews along with Secret Service agents, a military official and a series of advisers not on his usual staff. A three-car motorcade later carried him from LaGuardia Airport to his daughter's apartment near Union Square in Manhattan.

She wanted to invite others to watch the speech with them, but Glickman nixed that. “This was not a party," he said.

It wasn't all serious, though. Glickman said he was told he didn't need to dress up, so he didn't wear a suit. Instructions not to study up spared him from reading briefing books or memorizing security protocols.

After the speech, the Secret Service asked if Glickman wanted a ride to the airport. He declined, saying he planned to have dinner with his daughter. It was sleeting when the motorcade left without him, making taxis scarce and the sudden return to real life especially abrupt.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733831790352.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran and&nbsp; Collins during a meeting in January- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran and&nbsp; Collins during a meeting in January- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — They start the day often as low-profile&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-promises-patel-kennedy-bessent-rollins-b86a6dd08ab08f4b54e1a4d18fce11be">Cabinet secretaries</a>. They end it that way, too, God willing.But, when the rest of the government is gathered together for a big event, like President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;'s joint congressional address Tuesday night, a designated survivor is kept away to ensure someone in the line of presidential succession stays alive.Picking a failsafe in case of a cataclysmic event that wipes out everyone else dates back to the Cold War. It's been dramatized in novels and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/8696f0dd99ec4e008e75a26ffc1d8b9b">an ABC series starring Kiefer Sutherland</a>&nbsp;that aired from 2016 to 2019.Being the actual designated survivor brings extra adrenaline jolts and humbling thoughts about being unwittingly catapulted into the presidency and unthinkable tragedy — though the minute-to-minute details usually don't feature the high drama of fictional portrayals, those who have filled the role say.“It focuses your mind. It also enhances your prayer that it doesn’t happen to you,” James Nicholson, who was President George W. Bush's veterans affairs secretary and designated survivor during the 2006 State of the Union, said of possibly becoming president after a cataclysmic event.For Trump's address, Doug Collins — who is the current administration's veterans affairs secretary — was chosen as designated survivor. Historian and journalist Garrett M. Graff said the concept of designated survivor has long captivated people because it combines the public's inherent fascination with danger and the romance of an “everyman” being thrust into the presidency.“The idea of, you’re just a random Cabinet official, and then something terrible happens and, all of a sudden, you’re president of the United States," said Graff, author of “Raven Rock: The Story of the U.S. Government’s Secret Plan to Save Itself — While the Rest of Us Die.”Until the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, designated survivors had more control over where they went outside Washington. President Bill Clinton's energy secretary, the late Bill Richardson, was picked in 2000 and simply moved up a planned weekend trip with his wife to Oxford, Maryland, a waterfront town about 80 miles away, so he'd be there during the State of the Union.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623095759554.jpeg" alt="File photo Aspen Institute Dan Glickman&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>File photo Aspen Institute Dan Glickman&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>When Dan Glickman, Clinton’s agriculture secretary, was tapped during the 1997 State of the Union, his hometown of Wichita, Kansas, was too far away, so he chose New York, where his daughter lived.“I thought it was kind of exciting. But I wasn’t hyped up from a dangerous perspective,” Glickman said. “I don’t even think anybody told me to be careful.”Alberto Gonzales, Bush's attorney general, was the designated survivor during the 2007 State of the Union. He said White House chief of staff Josh Bolten called a few days before and gave a couple of options for where he could hunker down.Gonzales chose to be in flight, and he arrived at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland to find “members of every major department and agency” there to ride with him. They carried thick binders stuffed with memos and protocol instructions, just in case.He said there were a series of briefings that may have stretched right into Bush's speech, which he watched from the air.“It was during that time that it sort of suddenly hit me, if something happened in the Capitol and everyone's killed, that I'd be president,” Gonzales said. "It's sort of sobering. And you wonder, would I be up to governing a wounded nation?”In “Raven Rock,” Graff details how the designated survivor concept was formalized by the Carter and Reagan administrations amid fears that Soviet subs just off the Atlantic Coast could fire nuclear missiles and wipe out Washington with barely 10 minutes’ warning.Beginning in April 1980, the White House Military Office tasked the Federal Emergency Management Agency with ensuring succession. An aide was directed to recommend to the president who should skip events when all possible successors were together outside the White House.Officials still prepare for a massive attack or disaster. The military helicopter that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-cebb142d24859ba0c4e0e4fd6c33773f">collided with a regional jet</a>&nbsp;outside Reagan National Airport in January was on a continuity of government mission — training to keep the federal government functioning in case of catastrophe.The first time that a Cabinet member being kept away from a presidential speech to Congress was publicly divulged was President Ronald Reagan’s Education Secretary Terrel Bell in 1981. But Bell wasn’t identified until afterward.Today, TV images from the House chamber allow political junkies to spot the missing Cabinet member within minutes.Nicholson said Bush’s then-chief of staff, Andy Card, had asked him a few weeks before the State of the Union to take on the role. He was a natural fit given that his agency played an important role in continuity of government exercises due to its numerous hospitals and clinics nationwide.Nicholson flew by helicopter to a destination only divulged once he was in the air, and later sat in a command center, where he underwent briefings before watching Bush’s speech.He was served a “wonderful” dinner, prepared onsite by personnel from the White House mess, though he can't recall if it was T-bone steak or prime rib or something similar. “It made you think that, at least, if this awful thing happened, you’d be well fed," he said.“The enormity of that job. You think about, remote as it is, this is something you might have to do,” he said of becoming president. Nicholson's wife was attending the State of the Union, meaning that if something happened, she could be among the victims, which only added to the pressure.When it was over, Nicholson wasn't asked to fill in his predecessor in the role, Gonzales, or future designated survivors.“We don’t have a club,” he laughed. "We should.”Glickman recalls boarding an Air Force G-3 from Andrews along with Secret Service agents, a military official and a series of advisers not on his usual staff. A three-car motorcade later carried him from LaGuardia Airport to his daughter's apartment near Union Square in Manhattan.She wanted to invite others to watch the speech with them, but Glickman nixed that. “This was not a party," he said.It wasn't all serious, though. Glickman said he was told he didn't need to dress up, so he didn't wear a suit. Instructions not to study up spared him from reading briefing books or memorizing security protocols.After the speech, the Secret Service asked if Glickman wanted a ride to the airport. He declined, saying he planned to have dinner with his daughter. It was sleeting when the motorcade left without him, making taxis scarce and the sudden return to real life especially abrupt.

Designated survivor during Presidential Address to Congress included Kansan

WASHINGTON (AP) — The chief of staff to House Speaker Mike Johnson was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of driving under the influence after crashing into a police vehicle following President Donald Trump’s address to Congress.

Hayden Haynes was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence and later released.

In a statement, U.S. Capitol Police said Haynes had “backed into a parked vehicle” shortly before midnight. Officers responded to the scene and the driver was arrested, the statement said.

Speaking to reporters, Johnson said he’s known Haynes for more than a decade and said he’s “trusted and respected, and he has my full faith and confidence to lead.”

In a statement, Johnson’s spokesperson said the speaker was “aware of the encounter that occurred last night involving his Chief of Staff and the Capitol Police” and that Haynes has an “esteemed reputation among Members and staff alike.”

Haynes is a longtime, trusted aide to Johnson — a Louisiana Republican — and has served as the speaker’s chief of staff since Johnson took on the role in 2023.

Haynes didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment and it was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.

NBC News first reported details of the arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735930475874.png" alt="File photo House Speaker Mike Johnson" />
 <figcaption>File photo House Speaker Mike Johnson</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The chief of staff to House Speaker Mike Johnson was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of driving under the influence after crashing into a police vehicle following President Donald Trump’s address to Congress.Hayden Haynes was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence and later released.In a statement, U.S. Capitol Police said Haynes had “backed into a parked vehicle” shortly before midnight. Officers responded to the scene and the driver was arrested, the statement said.Speaking to reporters, Johnson said he’s known Haynes for more than a decade and said he’s “trusted and respected, and he has my full faith and confidence to lead.”In a statement, Johnson’s spokesperson said the speaker was “aware of the encounter that occurred last night involving his Chief of Staff and the Capitol Police” and that Haynes has an “esteemed reputation among Members and staff alike.”Haynes is a longtime, trusted aide to Johnson — a Louisiana Republican — and has served as the speaker’s chief of staff since Johnson took on the role in 2023.Haynes didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment and it was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.NBC News first reported details of the arrest.

House Speaker Johnson’s top aide is arrested for alleged DUI

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for an alleged violent crime.

Just after 5p.m. March 1, police responded to a Topeka hospital after a victim arrived non-life-threatening wounds from an alleged knife attack that occurred in the 600 block of S.W. Taylor Street, according to a media release.

After an investigation, police arrested 29-year-old Nicole Elizabeth Henneke of Topeka and booked her into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on a requested charge of aggravated battery; domestic battery; and criminal restraint. She met the requirement of a $100,000 bond and was released from jail Monday night, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741032148850.png" alt="Henneke photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Henneke photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for an alleged violent crime.Just after 5p.m. March 1, police responded to a Topeka hospital after a victim arrived non-life-threatening wounds from an alleged knife attack that occurred in the 600 block of S.W. Taylor Street, according to a media release.After an investigation, police arrested 29-year-old Nicole Elizabeth Henneke of Topeka and booked her into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on a requested charge of aggravated battery; domestic battery; and criminal restraint. She met the requirement of a $100,000 bond and was released from jail Monday night, according to online jail records.

Kansas woman accused of violent knife attack

KANSAS CITY —Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced additional charges against a Kansas City man in connection with his infant son’s fatal fentanyl and methamphetamine poisoning that took place on the 2700 block of Quincy Avenue in Kansas City on January 28.&nbsp;

Terry Canady was originally charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child in the 1st Degree, Abuse or Neglect of a Child, and two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance.&nbsp;

On Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2521/Canady-Indictment">a grand jury indicted</a>&nbsp;the defendant with Trafficking Drugs in the 2nd Degree, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm—Dangerous Felon/Prior Conviction, and Delivery of a Controlled Substance.

During the defendant’s arrest for the original charges, officers found a gun, fentanyl, and meth in his possession. The defendant was previously convicted of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in 2019.

"We're seeing too many children's lives cut short due to negligence and substance misuse in our community.&nbsp;<a href="https://dss.mo.gov/re/pdf/fentanyl-report-may-2024.pdf">In our state in 2022</a>, 43 children lost their lives due to fentanyl and of those, 20 were under the age of five. The overall number of fentanyl-related child fatalities also nearly doubled,"&nbsp;said Prosecutor Johnson.&nbsp;"While our office will prosecute each of these cases to the fullest extent of the law, we also recognize and understand the complexities of addiction. My office is committed to balancing accountability and rehabilitation to address the root of the issue to ensure everyone in Jackson County has a chance at a successful life."

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2501/CanadyTerry-PC_Redacted">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to a residence regarding an infant. The infant was later pronounced deceased. When officers searched the residence, they located a clear plastic torn baggie containing an unknown white substance inside, which later tested positive for meth. Camera footage also captured the defendant throwing away items into trash bins, later determined to be drug equipment with residue that tested positive for fentanyl.&nbsp;

Witnesses told police the defendant uses and sells meth and fentanyl.&nbsp;

The Jackson County Medical Examiner’s report revealed the victim tested positive for fentanyl and meth. &nbsp;

The defendant is being held on no bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739282680424.png" alt="Canady-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Canady-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced additional charges against a Kansas City man in connection with his infant son’s fatal fentanyl and methamphetamine poisoning that took place on the 2700 block of Quincy Avenue in Kansas City on January 28.&nbsp;Terry Canady was originally charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child in the 1st Degree, Abuse or Neglect of a Child, and two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance.&nbsp;On Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2521/Canady-Indictment">a grand jury indicted</a>&nbsp;the defendant with Trafficking Drugs in the 2nd Degree, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm—Dangerous Felon/Prior Conviction, and Delivery of a Controlled Substance.During the defendant’s arrest for the original charges, officers found a gun, fentanyl, and meth in his possession. The defendant was previously convicted of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in 2019."We're seeing too many children's lives cut short due to negligence and substance misuse in our community.&nbsp;<a href="https://dss.mo.gov/re/pdf/fentanyl-report-may-2024.pdf">In our state in 2022</a>, 43 children lost their lives due to fentanyl and of those, 20 were under the age of five. The overall number of fentanyl-related child fatalities also nearly doubled,"&nbsp;said Prosecutor Johnson.&nbsp;"While our office will prosecute each of these cases to the fullest extent of the law, we also recognize and understand the complexities of addiction. My office is committed to balancing accountability and rehabilitation to address the root of the issue to ensure everyone in Jackson County has a chance at a successful life."<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2501/CanadyTerry-PC_Redacted">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to a residence regarding an infant. The infant was later pronounced deceased. When officers searched the residence, they located a clear plastic torn baggie containing an unknown white substance inside, which later tested positive for meth. Camera footage also captured the defendant throwing away items into trash bins, later determined to be drug equipment with residue that tested positive for fentanyl.&nbsp;Witnesses told police the defendant uses and sells meth and fentanyl.&nbsp;The Jackson County Medical Examiner’s report revealed the victim tested positive for fentanyl and meth. &nbsp;The defendant is being held on no bond.&nbsp;

New charges against alleged KC drug dealer for infant's fentanyl death

NEW YORK (AP) — The nation’s top public health agency says about 180 employees who were laid off two weeks ago can come back to work.

Emails went out Tuesday to some Centers for Disease Control and Prevention probationary employees who got termination notices last month, according to current and former CDC employees.

A message seen by the AP was sent with the subject line, “Read this e-mail immediately.” It said that “after further review and consideration,” a Feb. 15 termination notice has been rescinded and the employee was cleared to return to work on Wednesday. “You should return to duty under your previous work schedule,” it said. “We apologize for any disruption that this may have caused.”

About 180 people received reinstatement emails, according to two federal health officials who were briefed on the tally but were not authorized to discuss it and spoke on condition of anonymity.

It’s not clear how many of the reinstated employees returned to work Wednesday. And it’s also unclear whether the employees would be spared from widespread job cuts that are expected soon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b">across government agencies</a>.

The CDC is the latest federal agency trying to coax back workers soon after they were dismissed as part of President Donald Trump’s and billionaire Elon Musk’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-federal-workers-firings-email-9785e7f74eb2a8b8fde5e01ff0c7717f">cost-cutting purge</a>. Similar reversals have been made among employees responsible for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fda-layoffs-trump-doge-rehired-medical-devices-85d4743e4ce88dbe3b99c813bad4b702">medical device oversight</a>, food safety,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usda-firings-doge-bird-flu-trump-fdd6495cbe44c96d471ae8c6cf4dd0a8">bird flu response</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nuclear-doge-firings-trump-federal-916e6819104f04f44c345b7dde4904d5">nuclear weapons</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-park-firings-elon-musk-d0cdc23fe5fac68e4dc8ef58f041ced4">national parks</a>.

The Atlanta-based CDC is charged with protecting Americans from outbreaks and other public health threats. Before the job cuts, the agency had about 13,000 employees.

Last month, Trump administration officials told the CDC that nearly 1,300 of the agency’s probationary employees would be let go. That tally quickly changed, as the number who actually got termination notices turned out to be 700 to 750.

With 180 more people now being told they can return, the actual number of CDC employees terminated so far would seem to stand somewhere around 550. But federal health officials haven’t confirmed any specifics.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last month pledged “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymLSRAQFp58" target="_blank">radical transparency</a>&nbsp;” at the department, but HHS officials have not provided detail about CDC staff changes and did not respond to emailed requests on Tuesday and Wednesday. An agency spokesman, Andrew Nixon, previously told the AP only that CDC had more full-time employees after the job cuts than it did before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those who received reinstatement emails included outbreak responders in two fellowship programs — a two-year training that prepares recent graduates to enter the public health workforce through field experience and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-lab-layoffs-b9e13d62d0da00611f84b7762be0c7b9">laboratory program</a>&nbsp;that brings in doctorate-holding professionals.

U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock celebrated the reinstatements, but said it’s not enough.

“Today’s announcement is a welcome relief, but until all fired CDC employees are restored, our country’s public health and national security will continue to be at risk,” Warnock, a Georgia Democrat, said in a statement Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741215359511.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;MIKE STOBBE&nbsp;NEW YORK (AP) — The nation’s top public health agency says about 180 employees who were laid off two weeks ago can come back to work.Emails went out Tuesday to some Centers for Disease Control and Prevention probationary employees who got termination notices last month, according to current and former CDC employees.A message seen by the AP was sent with the subject line, “Read this e-mail immediately.” It said that “after further review and consideration,” a Feb. 15 termination notice has been rescinded and the employee was cleared to return to work on Wednesday. “You should return to duty under your previous work schedule,” it said. “We apologize for any disruption that this may have caused.”About 180 people received reinstatement emails, according to two federal health officials who were briefed on the tally but were not authorized to discuss it and spoke on condition of anonymity.It’s not clear how many of the reinstated employees returned to work Wednesday. And it’s also unclear whether the employees would be spared from widespread job cuts that are expected soon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b">across government agencies</a>.The CDC is the latest federal agency trying to coax back workers soon after they were dismissed as part of President Donald Trump’s and billionaire Elon Musk’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-federal-workers-firings-email-9785e7f74eb2a8b8fde5e01ff0c7717f">cost-cutting purge</a>. Similar reversals have been made among employees responsible for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fda-layoffs-trump-doge-rehired-medical-devices-85d4743e4ce88dbe3b99c813bad4b702">medical device oversight</a>, food safety,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usda-firings-doge-bird-flu-trump-fdd6495cbe44c96d471ae8c6cf4dd0a8">bird flu response</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nuclear-doge-firings-trump-federal-916e6819104f04f44c345b7dde4904d5">nuclear weapons</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-park-firings-elon-musk-d0cdc23fe5fac68e4dc8ef58f041ced4">national parks</a>.The Atlanta-based CDC is charged with protecting Americans from outbreaks and other public health threats. Before the job cuts, the agency had about 13,000 employees.Last month, Trump administration officials told the CDC that nearly 1,300 of the agency’s probationary employees would be let go. That tally quickly changed, as the number who actually got termination notices turned out to be 700 to 750.With 180 more people now being told they can return, the actual number of CDC employees terminated so far would seem to stand somewhere around 550. But federal health officials haven’t confirmed any specifics.Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last month pledged “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymLSRAQFp58" target="_blank">radical transparency</a>&nbsp;” at the department, but HHS officials have not provided detail about CDC staff changes and did not respond to emailed requests on Tuesday and Wednesday. An agency spokesman, Andrew Nixon, previously told the AP only that CDC had more full-time employees after the job cuts than it did before the COVID-19 pandemic.Those who received reinstatement emails included outbreak responders in two fellowship programs — a two-year training that prepares recent graduates to enter the public health workforce through field experience and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-lab-layoffs-b9e13d62d0da00611f84b7762be0c7b9">laboratory program</a>&nbsp;that brings in doctorate-holding professionals.U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock celebrated the reinstatements, but said it’s not enough.“Today’s announcement is a welcome relief, but until all fired CDC employees are restored, our country’s public health and national security will continue to be at risk,” Warnock, a Georgia Democrat, said in a statement Wednesday.

‘Read this e-mail immediately': CDC asks fired employees to come back to work

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A suspected participant in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-pentagon-abbey-gate-withdrawal-bombing-fb5725ccf8ba641f79dc7976e7b9db79">the suicide bombing at the Kabul airport</a>&nbsp;that killed 13 American service members and roughly 170 Afghan civilians during the chaotic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-afghanistan-al-qaida-ayman-zawahri-f00d745cb7cf00e3ada60017401f6784">withdrawal from Afghanistan</a>&nbsp;arrived in the U.S. on Wednesday to face criminal charges in connection with the attack.

Mohammad Sharifullah was taken into custody over the weekend and admitted during an FBI interrogation to being a member of the Islamic State group’s affiliate in Afghanistan and to his role in the August 2021 suicide bombing and other attacks, according to U.S. officials.

President Donald Trump announced the arrest during his Tuesday night&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-speech-congress-immigration-tariffs-guests-93f6107ede260854f90c65c4bde60de8">address to Congress</a>, telling the audience that he was “pleased to announce that we have just apprehended the top terrorist responsible for that atrocity. And he is right now on his way here to face the swift sword of American justice.”

Senior Pakistani intelligence officers on Wednesday confirmed the arrest and said Sharifullah, also known as Jafar, was captured in the country’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-baluchistan-violence-explainer-ec59317765a0aa49a5434097a5e9cb48">restive southwest Balochistan province</a>&nbsp;near the border with Afghanistan after multiple operations had failed to seize him.

Sharifullah is charged in federal court in Virginia with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, resulting in death. He wore a light-blue jail jumpsuit and listened through headphones as an interpreter translated the proceedings. His public defender declined to comment after his court appearance, which ended with him being held until at least a detention hearing set for Monday.

The Abbey Gate bombing, in the waning days of an airlift for those fleeing the Taliban takeover of the country amid the withdrawal by U.S. forces from the country, occurred in August 2021 when a suicide bomber attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul’s airport. Besides 13 U.S. service members, about 170 Afghans were also killed in the attack,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-withdrawal-abbey-gate-28dcaccf6f946bc171a2133ddbb123de">which triggered widespread congressional criticism</a>&nbsp;and undermined public confidence in the Biden administration’s handling of the conclusion of the war.

According to an FBI affidavit filed as part of the case, Sharifullah admitted under questioning to having joined the Afghanistan-based&nbsp;<a href="https://islamic%20state-khorasan/" target="_blank">Islamic State-Khorasan, also known as ISIS-K,</a>&nbsp;in 2016. He told investigators that he was in prison from 2019 until about two weeks before the bombing, at which point he was contacted by another ISIS-K member about helping in the attack, the affidavit said.

He was given a motorcycle, funds for a cell phone and a SIM card, as well as instructions for communicating via social media during the attack operation, prosecutors said. He admitted to participating in the Abbey Gate attack by scouting a route to the airport for the bomber and communicating to other members of the militant group that the path was clear.

Sharifullah said he was instructed to leave the area and later learned that the bombing was done by an ISIS-K operative he had met while jailed, the affidavit said.

The bomber was identified as Abdul Rahman al-Logari, an Islamic State group militant who had been in an Afghan prison but was released by the Taliban as the group took control of the country that summer.

During his FBI interrogation, Sharifullah also said he had shared firearms and weapons instructions before a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-concert-hall-shooting-toll-moscow-crocus-ce45e104781c108ff3b7f8a9d45fcef7">March 2024 attack at a Moscow concert hall</a>&nbsp;that was also carried out by ISIS-K and killed scores of people, authorities said.

Sharifullah was arrested in 2019 by the U.S.-backed Afghan government at the time but escaped from prison on Aug. 15, 2021, as the Taliban took Kabul.

The Pakistani officials said Sharifullah had planned the bombing from behind bars with other senior militant figures. They said he remained on the run in the border areas of Balochistan until his arrest through a joint intelligence-sharing operation between Pakistan and the U.S.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked Trump for “acknowledging and appreciating” the country’s role in counter-terrorism efforts in Afghanistan.

“We will continue to partner closely with the United States in securing regional peace and stability,” Sharif said on the social media platform X.

From Kabul, the Taliban chief spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid declined to comment beyond saying that the arrest “on Pakistani soil” of an Afghan national and member of the Islamic State group shows that IS group figures “have taken refuge and established havens” inside Pakistan.

“This issue has nothing to do with Afghanistan,” Mujahid said. The regional Islamic State affiliate is a rival group to the Afghan Taliban.

Trump, a Republican, had repeatedly condemned Biden’s role in the Afghanistan withdrawal on the campaign trail and blamed Biden, a Democrat, for the Abbey Gate attack. A review last year by U.S. Central Command concluded that the attack was not preventable despite assertions by some service members who believed they had a chance to take out the would-be bomber but did not get approval.

A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity Tuesday night to discuss a case that had yet to be unsealed, said Sharifullah’s arrest came after fresh U.S. intelligence community coordination, increased intelligence sharing and pressure on regional partners to bring those responsible for the attack to account since Trump’s swearing-in in January.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630691600635.png" alt="File photo U.S. Army soldiers with the 82nd Airborne Division escort evacuees to buses at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. -photo courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense" />
 <figcaption>File photo U.S. Army soldiers with the 82nd Airborne Division escort evacuees to buses at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. -photo courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A suspected participant in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-pentagon-abbey-gate-withdrawal-bombing-fb5725ccf8ba641f79dc7976e7b9db79">the suicide bombing at the Kabul airport</a>&nbsp;that killed 13 American service members and roughly 170 Afghan civilians during the chaotic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-afghanistan-al-qaida-ayman-zawahri-f00d745cb7cf00e3ada60017401f6784">withdrawal from Afghanistan</a>&nbsp;arrived in the U.S. on Wednesday to face criminal charges in connection with the attack.Mohammad Sharifullah was taken into custody over the weekend and admitted during an FBI interrogation to being a member of the Islamic State group’s affiliate in Afghanistan and to his role in the August 2021 suicide bombing and other attacks, according to U.S. officials.President Donald Trump announced the arrest during his Tuesday night&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-speech-congress-immigration-tariffs-guests-93f6107ede260854f90c65c4bde60de8">address to Congress</a>, telling the audience that he was “pleased to announce that we have just apprehended the top terrorist responsible for that atrocity. And he is right now on his way here to face the swift sword of American justice.”Senior Pakistani intelligence officers on Wednesday confirmed the arrest and said Sharifullah, also known as Jafar, was captured in the country’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-baluchistan-violence-explainer-ec59317765a0aa49a5434097a5e9cb48">restive southwest Balochistan province</a>&nbsp;near the border with Afghanistan after multiple operations had failed to seize him.Sharifullah is charged in federal court in Virginia with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, resulting in death. He wore a light-blue jail jumpsuit and listened through headphones as an interpreter translated the proceedings. His public defender declined to comment after his court appearance, which ended with him being held until at least a detention hearing set for Monday.The Abbey Gate bombing, in the waning days of an airlift for those fleeing the Taliban takeover of the country amid the withdrawal by U.S. forces from the country, occurred in August 2021 when a suicide bomber attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul’s airport. Besides 13 U.S. service members, about 170 Afghans were also killed in the attack,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-withdrawal-abbey-gate-28dcaccf6f946bc171a2133ddbb123de">which triggered widespread congressional criticism</a>&nbsp;and undermined public confidence in the Biden administration’s handling of the conclusion of the war.According to an FBI affidavit filed as part of the case, Sharifullah admitted under questioning to having joined the Afghanistan-based&nbsp;<a href="https://islamic%20state-khorasan/" target="_blank">Islamic State-Khorasan, also known as ISIS-K,</a>&nbsp;in 2016. He told investigators that he was in prison from 2019 until about two weeks before the bombing, at which point he was contacted by another ISIS-K member about helping in the attack, the affidavit said.He was given a motorcycle, funds for a cell phone and a SIM card, as well as instructions for communicating via social media during the attack operation, prosecutors said. He admitted to participating in the Abbey Gate attack by scouting a route to the airport for the bomber and communicating to other members of the militant group that the path was clear.Sharifullah said he was instructed to leave the area and later learned that the bombing was done by an ISIS-K operative he had met while jailed, the affidavit said.The bomber was identified as Abdul Rahman al-Logari, an Islamic State group militant who had been in an Afghan prison but was released by the Taliban as the group took control of the country that summer.During his FBI interrogation, Sharifullah also said he had shared firearms and weapons instructions before a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-concert-hall-shooting-toll-moscow-crocus-ce45e104781c108ff3b7f8a9d45fcef7">March 2024 attack at a Moscow concert hall</a>&nbsp;that was also carried out by ISIS-K and killed scores of people, authorities said.Sharifullah was arrested in 2019 by the U.S.-backed Afghan government at the time but escaped from prison on Aug. 15, 2021, as the Taliban took Kabul.The Pakistani officials said Sharifullah had planned the bombing from behind bars with other senior militant figures. They said he remained on the run in the border areas of Balochistan until his arrest through a joint intelligence-sharing operation between Pakistan and the U.S.Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked Trump for “acknowledging and appreciating” the country’s role in counter-terrorism efforts in Afghanistan.“We will continue to partner closely with the United States in securing regional peace and stability,” Sharif said on the social media platform X.From Kabul, the Taliban chief spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid declined to comment beyond saying that the arrest “on Pakistani soil” of an Afghan national and member of the Islamic State group shows that IS group figures “have taken refuge and established havens” inside Pakistan.“This issue has nothing to do with Afghanistan,” Mujahid said. The regional Islamic State affiliate is a rival group to the Afghan Taliban.Trump, a Republican, had repeatedly condemned Biden’s role in the Afghanistan withdrawal on the campaign trail and blamed Biden, a Democrat, for the Abbey Gate attack. A review last year by U.S. Central Command concluded that the attack was not preventable despite assertions by some service members who believed they had a chance to take out the would-be bomber but did not get approval.A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity Tuesday night to discuss a case that had yet to be unsealed, said Sharifullah’s arrest came after fresh U.S. intelligence community coordination, increased intelligence sharing and pressure on regional partners to bring those responsible for the attack to account since Trump’s swearing-in in January.<h2>____</h2>

Suspect in deadly Kabul airport bombing extradited to U.S., appears in court

By STAN CHOE and DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writers

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks climbed Wednesday after President Donald Trump pulled back on some of his tariffs temporarily. The move revived hope on Wall Street that Trump may avoid a worst-case trade war that grinds down economies and sends inflation higher.

The S&amp;P 500 rose 1.1% to bounce back from a sell-off that had erased all of its "Trump bump " since Election Day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 485 points, or 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1.5%.

The market turned sharply higher after Trump said he's granting a one-month exemption for U.S. automakers on his stiff new tariffs for Mexican and Canadian imports. Trump made the move after talking with Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, which owns Chrysler.

All of the Big Three automakers could have been hurt by such tariffs because of how much production happens across the countries. Trump's announcement sent relief through Wall Street, and Ford's and General Motors' stock both jumped more than 5% to help lead a widespread rally across the market.

The worry has been that such tariffs would not only hurt profits for companies but also jack up prices for cars and other bills for U.S. households already struggling with still-high inflation. The hope is that Trump is using the threat of tariffs as a tool for negotiation and that he may ultimately institute less painful moves for the economy and global trade if he can win what he wants.

Of course, Trump did not roll back all of the tariffs he announced on the United States' largest trading partners, including on China. His latest move may also simply add more uncertainty to a market that's already reeling from it. It was just on Monday that Trump had said there was "no room" left for negotiations that could lower the tariffs on Mexico and Canada, which took effect Tuesday and caused the U.S. stock market to tumble.

"The economic impact and consumer impact is still ahead of us," said Sameer Samana, head of global equities and real assets at Wells Fargo Investment Institute. "It comes back to what no one really knows, and that is how long these tariffs stay in place."

Even if tariffs ultimately end up being less harsh than feared, just the threat of them has already had a negative effect on U.S. households and businesses.

Confidence among U.S. consumers has soured due to expectations of higher inflation because of tariffs. Businesses, meanwhile, are struggling to keep up with all the changes coming from Washington, and U.S. manufacturers said their growth is approaching stall-speed amid worries about tariffs.

A couple reports on Wednesday gave a mixed read on the U.S. economy. One suggested U.S. employers pulled back sharply on their hiring last month. The report from ADP could be a warning signal ahead of the more comprehensive jobs report that's coming Friday from the U.S. Labor Department.

By STAN CHOE and DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business WritersNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks climbed Wednesday after President Donald Trump pulled back on some of his tariffs temporarily. The move revived hope on Wall Street that Trump may avoid a worst-case trade war that grinds down economies and sends inflation higher.The S&amp;P 500 rose 1.1% to bounce back from a sell-off that had erased all of its "Trump bump " since Election Day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 485 points, or 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1.5%.The market turned sharply higher after Trump said he's granting a one-month exemption for U.S. automakers on his stiff new tariffs for Mexican and Canadian imports. Trump made the move after talking with Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, which owns Chrysler.All of the Big Three automakers could have been hurt by such tariffs because of how much production happens across the countries. Trump's announcement sent relief through Wall Street, and Ford's and General Motors' stock both jumped more than 5% to help lead a widespread rally across the market.The worry has been that such tariffs would not only hurt profits for companies but also jack up prices for cars and other bills for U.S. households already struggling with still-high inflation. The hope is that Trump is using the threat of tariffs as a tool for negotiation and that he may ultimately institute less painful moves for the economy and global trade if he can win what he wants.Of course, Trump did not roll back all of the tariffs he announced on the United States' largest trading partners, including on China. His latest move may also simply add more uncertainty to a market that's already reeling from it. It was just on Monday that Trump had said there was "no room" left for negotiations that could lower the tariffs on Mexico and Canada, which took effect Tuesday and caused the U.S. stock market to tumble."The economic impact and consumer impact is still ahead of us," said Sameer Samana, head of global equities and real assets at Wells Fargo Investment Institute. "It comes back to what no one really knows, and that is how long these tariffs stay in place."Even if tariffs ultimately end up being less harsh than feared, just the threat of them has already had a negative effect on U.S. households and businesses.Confidence among U.S. consumers has soured due to expectations of higher inflation because of tariffs. Businesses, meanwhile, are struggling to keep up with all the changes coming from Washington, and U.S. manufacturers said their growth is approaching stall-speed amid worries about tariffs.A couple reports on Wednesday gave a mixed read on the U.S. economy. One suggested U.S. employers pulled back sharply on their hiring last month. The report from ADP could be a warning signal ahead of the more comprehensive jobs report that's coming Friday from the U.S. Labor Department.A separate report said growth for U.S. finance, real estate and other businesses in the services sector is better than economists expected. But businesses also said in the survey they're confronting "chaos" and uncertainty because of tariffs, according to the Institute for Supply Management.Altogether, a recent stream of weaker-than-expected reports on the U.S. economy has raised the possibility of a worst-case scenario known as "stagflation." It's something that doesn't happen often, where the economy is stagnating and inflation is high, and policy makers at the Federal Reserve don't have a good tool to fix it.The U.S. economy closed last year running at a solid pace. If it were to weaken sharply, the Fed could cut its main interest rate in hopes of making borrowing easier and goosing the economy. But rate cuts put upward pressure on inflation. If prices for eggs and other everyday items were rising because of tariffs, that could box in the Fed.For his part, Trump said in an address before Congress Tuesday night that he's going ahead with tariffs, with more on track to go into effect on April 2."Tariffs are about making America rich again and making America great again," he said. "And it's happening and it will happen rather quickly. There will be a little disturbance, but we're OK with that."On Wall Street, Brown-Forman jumped 10.1% after the company behind Jack Daniel's whiskey reported stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Perhaps more importantly, CEO Lawson Whiting also said his company isn't changing its forecasts for upcoming sales, even as "we anticipate continued uncertainty and headwinds in the external environment."Whiting said the decision by Canadian provinces to take U.S. whiskeys off their store shelves is "worse than a tariff because it's literally taking your sales away," adding that the action is "a very disproportionate response to a 25% tariff." But he also said Canada accounted for only 1% of Brown-Forman's total sales.On the losing end of Wall Street was Campbells. The food company fell 2.9% after cutting some of its financial forecasts, citing discouraging trends for its snack products.All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 64.48 points to 5,842.63. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 485.60 to 43,006.59, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 267.57 to 18,552.73.In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.28% following the report on U.S. services businesses from 4.18% just before. That helped it recover some of its sharp slide since January, when it was approaching 4.80%, after worries about the economy's growth weighed on yieldsIn stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Asian and Europe. Indexes climbed 2.8% in Hong Kong, 1.2% in South Korea, and 1.6% in France.German stocks rallied 3.4% as the prospective partners in the country's next government said they want to loosen rules that would allow for more debt.Stocks outside the United States have been doing better than the S&amp;P 500, even with Trump's America-First policies.——-AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.