Kansas City — Eastern Airlines, a domestic and international cargo airline, announced this week that it has selected Kansas City as the location of its new headquarters, investing more than $4.7 million and creating 165 new jobs, according to a media release from the airline.

The company’s strategic move marks a significant milestone in its commitment to growth, innovation, and expanding its presence in the Midwest.

“We applaud Eastern Airlines’ decision to relocate to Kansas City and look forward to its growth in the area,” said Governor Mike Parson. “Our state’s advantages, including a strategic central location, low costs, and skilled workforce, continue to result in investments from leading companies. Eastern Airlines’ new headquarters is a complement to Kansas City’s new airport terminal and another example of our state’s ability to attract businesses that are creating new opportunities for Missourians.”

Eastern Airlines has had a presence in Kansas City since 2021, when it purchased Alta Aero Technic, a maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility, and formed Foxtrot Aero, a passenger-to-freighter design company. The company’s move of its headquarters will now consolidate all its operations to Kansas City.

“Eastern Air Holdings has had a great experience operating two other businesses at MCI, Alta Aero Technic and Foxtrot,” said Stephen Buscher, Eastern Airlines Chief Financial Officer. “Kansas City and its airport have a great legacy in our industry. We did look at a number of cities to rebase our headquarters, but the enthusiasm of Missouri and the city combined with the generous assistance of the Missouri Works program made our decision easy. The new terminal and our experience proved that it is a metropolitan area investing in its future, and we are proud to be a part of the new airport community.”

New jobs added as part of Eastern Airline’s relocation include a variety of positions, such as maintenance professionals, pilots, and flight operations personnel, and will pay an average salary well above the county average.

“We’re proud to support Eastern Airlines as it establishes its headquarters in Kansas City,” said Michelle Hataway, Acting Director of the Department of Economic Development. “This company’s relocation is a testament to our state’s economic strengths and the collaborative efforts of our incredible partners who are helping Missourians prosper.”

Eastern Airlines will benefit from the Missouri Works program, a tool that helps companies expand and retain workers by providing access to capital through withholdings or tax credits for job creation. The company is also receiving assistance from Missouri One Start, a division of the Department of Economic Development. Missouri One Start assists eligible businesses with their recruitment and training needs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700527555581.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy Kansas City International Airport" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Kansas City International Airport</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas City — Eastern Airlines, a domestic and international cargo airline, announced this week that it has selected Kansas City as the location of its new headquarters, investing more than $4.7 million and creating 165 new jobs, according to a media release from the airline.The company’s strategic move marks a significant milestone in its commitment to growth, innovation, and expanding its presence in the Midwest.“We applaud Eastern Airlines’ decision to relocate to Kansas City and look forward to its growth in the area,” said Governor Mike Parson. “Our state’s advantages, including a strategic central location, low costs, and skilled workforce, continue to result in investments from leading companies. Eastern Airlines’ new headquarters is a complement to Kansas City’s new airport terminal and another example of our state’s ability to attract businesses that are creating new opportunities for Missourians.”Eastern Airlines has had a presence in Kansas City since 2021, when it purchased Alta Aero Technic, a maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility, and formed Foxtrot Aero, a passenger-to-freighter design company. The company’s move of its headquarters will now consolidate all its operations to Kansas City.“Eastern Air Holdings has had a great experience operating two other businesses at MCI, Alta Aero Technic and Foxtrot,” said Stephen Buscher, Eastern Airlines Chief Financial Officer. “Kansas City and its airport have a great legacy in our industry. We did look at a number of cities to rebase our headquarters, but the enthusiasm of Missouri and the city combined with the generous assistance of the Missouri Works program made our decision easy. The new terminal and our experience proved that it is a metropolitan area investing in its future, and we are proud to be a part of the new airport community.”New jobs added as part of Eastern Airline’s relocation include a variety of positions, such as maintenance professionals, pilots, and flight operations personnel, and will pay an average salary well above the county average.“We’re proud to support Eastern Airlines as it establishes its headquarters in Kansas City,” said Michelle Hataway, Acting Director of the Department of Economic Development. “This company’s relocation is a testament to our state’s economic strengths and the collaborative efforts of our incredible partners who are helping Missourians prosper.”Eastern Airlines will benefit from the Missouri Works program, a tool that helps companies expand and retain workers by providing access to capital through withholdings or tax credits for job creation. The company is also receiving assistance from Missouri One Start, a division of the Department of Economic Development. Missouri One Start assists eligible businesses with their recruitment and training needs.

Eastern Airlines selects Kansas City for new headquarters creating 165 new jobs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hundreds of mourners attended a funeral mass Saturday for a Kansas City-area DJ who was killed when she was shot during a celebration of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-chiefs-dynasty-kansas-city-d16a308684d97a6be2d269c8d56404be">Chiefs' Super Bowl victory.</a>

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-parade-shooting-dj-victim-d96b8631a92af6682b77577c2c4e98c8">Lisa Lopez-Galvan</a>&nbsp;was one of about two dozen people who were shot when gunfire erupted Feb. 14 outside the city’s Union Station. She was remembered during the 90-minute service as a loving wife and mother whose smile could light up a room and who saw each day as a chance for excitement and laughter.

With her casket near the front of the Redemptorist Catholic Church in Kansas City, Missouri. mourners — some wearing Chiefs jerseys — also heard a mariachi band play and sing.

Along with her husband and young adult son, the 43-year-old had joined an estimated crowd of 1 million people for the parade and rally. As the festivities ended, a dispute over what authorities described as the belief that people in one group were staring at people in another group led to gunfire.

Lopez-Galvan, a music lover who played at weddings, quinceañeras and an American Legion bar and grill, was caught in the middle of it. Everyone else survived.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-celebration-shooting-charges-7cb29dc9956d325103df9bf766a0c407">Two men are charged</a>&nbsp;in her death, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-shooting-kansas-city-278e2d3e2cfece1cbe958511e54127ad">two juveniles</a>&nbsp;face gun charges. Her family responded to the charges this week with a statement expressing thanks to police and prosecutors.

“Though it does not bring back our beloved Lisa, it is comforting,” the statement began.

Players and celebrities alike have reached out to her family.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Pop superstar Taylor Swift</a>, who is frequently in the stands during Chiefs games because she is dating tight end Travis Kelce,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-donation-chiefs-parade-shooting-299c357fb5d52c106b9c05b51b536f3c">donated $100,000 to Lopez-Galvan's family</a>.

And because she was wearing a Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker jersey at the celebration, he responded to requests on social media seeking help in obtaining a similar jersey — possibly so the mother of two could be laid to rest in it.

“While the family is mourning their loss and grappling with their numerous injuries, I will continue to pray for their healing and the repose of Lisa’s soul,” Butker said in a statement.

Rosa Izurieta and Martha Ramirez worked with Lopez-Galvan for about a year at a local staffing firm but had known her since childhood. They remembered her as an extrovert and a staunch Catholic who was devoted to her family, passionate about connecting job seekers with employment and ready to help anyone.

And, they said, working part time playing music allowed her to share her passion as one of the area’s few Latina DJs.

“This senseless act has taken a beautiful person from her family and this KC Community,” the radio station KKFI-FM, where she was the co-host of a program called “Taste of Tejano,” said in a statement.

Izurieta and Ramirez said Lopez-Galvan’s Kansas City roots run deep. Her father founded the city’s first mariachi group, Mariachi Mexico, in the 1980s, they said, and the family is well known and active in the Latino community. Her brother, Beto Lopez, is CEO of the Guadalupe Centers, which provides community services and runs charter schools for the Latino community.

Lopez-Galvan and her two children went to Bishop Miege, a Catholic high school in a suburb on the Kansas side, and she worked for years as a clerk in a police department there.

“This is another example of a real loving, real human whose life was taken tragically with a senseless act,” Beto Lopez said in an interview last week on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City area DJ who was killed during a celebration of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-chiefs-dynasty-kansas-city-d16a308684d97a6be2d269c8d56404be">Chiefs' Super Bowl victory</a>&nbsp;was set to be remembered Saturday during funeral services attended by friends and family.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-parade-shooting-dj-victim-d96b8631a92af6682b77577c2c4e98c8">Lisa Lopez-Galvan</a>&nbsp;was one of around two dozen people who were shot when gunfire erupted Feb. 14 outside the city’s Union Station.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708696422850.png" alt="<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-parade-shooting-dj-victim-d96b8631a92af6682b77577c2c4e98c8">Lisa Lopez-Galvan</a>&nbsp;courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption><a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-parade-shooting-dj-victim-d96b8631a92af6682b77577c2c4e98c8">Lisa Lopez-Galvan</a>&nbsp;courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hundreds of mourners attended a funeral mass Saturday for a Kansas City-area DJ who was killed when she was shot during a celebration of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-chiefs-dynasty-kansas-city-d16a308684d97a6be2d269c8d56404be">Chiefs' Super Bowl victory.</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-parade-shooting-dj-victim-d96b8631a92af6682b77577c2c4e98c8">Lisa Lopez-Galvan</a>&nbsp;was one of about two dozen people who were shot when gunfire erupted Feb. 14 outside the city’s Union Station. She was remembered during the 90-minute service as a loving wife and mother whose smile could light up a room and who saw each day as a chance for excitement and laughter.With her casket near the front of the Redemptorist Catholic Church in Kansas City, Missouri. mourners — some wearing Chiefs jerseys — also heard a mariachi band play and sing.Along with her husband and young adult son, the 43-year-old had joined an estimated crowd of 1 million people for the parade and rally. As the festivities ended, a dispute over what authorities described as the belief that people in one group were staring at people in another group led to gunfire.Lopez-Galvan, a music lover who played at weddings, quinceañeras and an American Legion bar and grill, was caught in the middle of it. Everyone else survived.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-celebration-shooting-charges-7cb29dc9956d325103df9bf766a0c407">Two men are charged</a>&nbsp;in her death, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-shooting-kansas-city-278e2d3e2cfece1cbe958511e54127ad">two juveniles</a>&nbsp;face gun charges. Her family responded to the charges this week with a statement expressing thanks to police and prosecutors.“Though it does not bring back our beloved Lisa, it is comforting,” the statement began.Players and celebrities alike have reached out to her family.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Pop superstar Taylor Swift</a>, who is frequently in the stands during Chiefs games because she is dating tight end Travis Kelce,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-donation-chiefs-parade-shooting-299c357fb5d52c106b9c05b51b536f3c">donated $100,000 to Lopez-Galvan's family</a>.And because she was wearing a Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker jersey at the celebration, he responded to requests on social media seeking help in obtaining a similar jersey — possibly so the mother of two could be laid to rest in it.“While the family is mourning their loss and grappling with their numerous injuries, I will continue to pray for their healing and the repose of Lisa’s soul,” Butker said in a statement.Rosa Izurieta and Martha Ramirez worked with Lopez-Galvan for about a year at a local staffing firm but had known her since childhood. They remembered her as an extrovert and a staunch Catholic who was devoted to her family, passionate about connecting job seekers with employment and ready to help anyone.And, they said, working part time playing music allowed her to share her passion as one of the area’s few Latina DJs.“This senseless act has taken a beautiful person from her family and this KC Community,” the radio station KKFI-FM, where she was the co-host of a program called “Taste of Tejano,” said in a statement.Izurieta and Ramirez said Lopez-Galvan’s Kansas City roots run deep. Her father founded the city’s first mariachi group, Mariachi Mexico, in the 1980s, they said, and the family is well known and active in the Latino community. Her brother, Beto Lopez, is CEO of the Guadalupe Centers, which provides community services and runs charter schools for the Latino community.Lopez-Galvan and her two children went to Bishop Miege, a Catholic high school in a suburb on the Kansas side, and she worked for years as a clerk in a police department there.“This is another example of a real loving, real human whose life was taken tragically with a senseless act,” Beto Lopez said in an interview last week on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”-----------------------KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City area DJ who was killed during a celebration of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-chiefs-dynasty-kansas-city-d16a308684d97a6be2d269c8d56404be">Chiefs' Super Bowl victory</a>&nbsp;was set to be remembered Saturday during funeral services attended by friends and family.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-parade-shooting-dj-victim-d96b8631a92af6682b77577c2c4e98c8">Lisa Lopez-Galvan</a>&nbsp;was one of around two dozen people who were shot when gunfire erupted Feb. 14 outside the city’s Union Station.Along with her husband and young adult son, the 43-year-old had joined an estimated crowd of 1 million people for the parade and rally. As the festivities ended, a dispute over what authorities described as the belief that people in one group were staring at people in another group led to gunfire.Lopez-Galvan, a music lover who played at weddings, quinceañeras and an American Legion bar and grill, was caught in the middle of it. Everyone else survived.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-celebration-shooting-charges-7cb29dc9956d325103df9bf766a0c407">Two men are charged</a>&nbsp;in her death, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-shooting-kansas-city-278e2d3e2cfece1cbe958511e54127ad">two juveniles</a>&nbsp;face gun charges. Her family responded to the charges this week with a statement expressing thanks to police and prosecutors.“Though it does not bring back our beloved Lisa, it is comforting,” the statement began.Players and celebrities alike have reached out to her family.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Pop superstar Taylor Swift</a>, who is frequently in the stands during Chiefs games because she is dating tight end Travis Kelce,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-donation-chiefs-parade-shooting-299c357fb5d52c106b9c05b51b536f3c">donated $100,000 to Lopez-Galvan's family</a>.And because she was wearing a Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker jersey at the celebration, he responded to requests on social media seeking help in obtaining a similar jersey — possibly so the mother of two could be laid to rest in it.“While the family is mourning their loss and grappling with their numerous injuries, I will continue to pray for their healing and the repose of Lisa’s soul,” Butker said in a statement.Rosa Izurieta and Martha Ramirez worked with Lopez-Galvan for about a year at a local staffing firm but had known her since childhood. They remembered her as an extrovert and a staunch Catholic who was devoted to her family, passionate about connecting job seekers with employment and ready to help anyone.And, they said, working part time playing music allowed her to share her passion as one of the area’s few Latina DJs.“This senseless act has taken a beautiful person from her family and this KC Community,” the radio station KKFI-FM, where she was the co-host of a program called “Taste of Tejano,” said in a statement.Izurieta and Ramirez said Lopez-Galvan’s Kansas City roots run deep. Her father founded the city’s first mariachi group, Mariachi Mexico, in the 1980s, they said, and the family is well known and active in the Latino community. Her brother, Beto Lopez, is CEO of the Guadalupe Centers, which provides community services and runs charter schools for the Latino community.Lopez-Galvan and her two children went to Bishop Miege, a Catholic high school in a suburb on the Kansas side, and she worked for years as a clerk in a police department there.“This is another example of a real loving, real human whose life was taken tragically with a senseless act,” Beto Lopez said in an interview last week on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

Hundreds attend funeral for woman killed during Chiefs Super Bowl rally

JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations after a traffic stop.

Just 1a.m. Feb. 21, a&nbsp; Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a passenger vehicle near U.S. Highway 75 and 118th&nbsp;Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

During the traffic stop the deputy discovered illegal drug contraband.&nbsp; Thomas Carl Schmitt, 54, of Topeka was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Schmitt has three or more convictions for driving under influence of alcohol or drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708606842016.png" alt="Schmitt-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Schmitt-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations after a traffic stop.Just 1a.m. Feb. 21, a&nbsp; Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a passenger vehicle near U.S. Highway 75 and 118th&nbsp;Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.During the traffic stop the deputy discovered illegal drug contraband.&nbsp; Thomas Carl Schmitt, 54, of Topeka was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.Schmitt has three or more convictions for driving under influence of alcohol or drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kan. man with numerous DUI convictions caught with meth

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senators Jerry Moran&nbsp; and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) joined their colleagues in calling on President Biden to delete his TikTok account, according to a media release from the Senator's office.

TikTok, owned by Chinese Company ByteDance, has been highlighted as a national security threat to the United States by members of Congress, the U.S. Department of Defense, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the White House.

“Over the past several years, officials from both sides of the aisle have cautioned Americans against downloading TikTok and worked to eliminate national security risks posed by the app,”&nbsp;the senators wrote.&nbsp;“We urge you to delete your account and publicly acknowledge the national security threat posed by TikTok.”

In 2020, Sen. Moran&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/8/sens-moran-thune-call-on-ftc-to-investigate-tiktok-s-consumer-data-collection-processing-practices" target="_blank">called</a>&nbsp;on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate TikTok’s consumer data collection and processing practices. Sen. Moran later&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2023/2/sens-moran-blumenthal-call-for-restrictions-of-tiktok-s-operations-amid-concerns-over-national-security-and-consumer-privacy" target="_blank">raised concerns</a>&nbsp;over the risks TikTok poses to U.S. national security and consumer privacy and called for structural restrictions on TikTok’s American operations. Last year, Sen. Moran joined his colleagues in introducing the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=706DA3C9-4A4A-45A4-95C3-C3AB51B8C576" target="_blank">RESTRICT Act,</a>&nbsp;comprehensive legislation that would address the ongoing threat posed by technology from foreign adversaries.

Joining the letter were Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Representatives Aaron Bean (R-Fla.) Jack Bergman (R-Mich.), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.), Barry Moore (R-Ala.), Troy Nehls (R-Texas), Bill Posey (R-Fla.), John Rutherford (R-Fla.), Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) and Michael Waltz (R-Fla.).

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rubio.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/02.16.24-Rubio-et-al-letter-to-President-Biden-re-TikTok-account.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;to read the full text of the letter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708714541315.png" alt="Image from the Biden TikTok account" />
 <figcaption>Image from the Biden TikTok account</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senators Jerry Moran&nbsp; and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) joined their colleagues in calling on President Biden to delete his TikTok account, according to a media release from the Senator's office.TikTok, owned by Chinese Company ByteDance, has been highlighted as a national security threat to the United States by members of Congress, the U.S. Department of Defense, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the White House.“Over the past several years, officials from both sides of the aisle have cautioned Americans against downloading TikTok and worked to eliminate national security risks posed by the app,”&nbsp;the senators wrote.&nbsp;“We urge you to delete your account and publicly acknowledge the national security threat posed by TikTok.”In 2020, Sen. Moran&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/8/sens-moran-thune-call-on-ftc-to-investigate-tiktok-s-consumer-data-collection-processing-practices" target="_blank">called</a>&nbsp;on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate TikTok’s consumer data collection and processing practices. Sen. Moran later&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2023/2/sens-moran-blumenthal-call-for-restrictions-of-tiktok-s-operations-amid-concerns-over-national-security-and-consumer-privacy" target="_blank">raised concerns</a>&nbsp;over the risks TikTok poses to U.S. national security and consumer privacy and called for structural restrictions on TikTok’s American operations. Last year, Sen. Moran joined his colleagues in introducing the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=706DA3C9-4A4A-45A4-95C3-C3AB51B8C576" target="_blank">RESTRICT Act,</a>&nbsp;comprehensive legislation that would address the ongoing threat posed by technology from foreign adversaries.Joining the letter were Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Representatives Aaron Bean (R-Fla.) Jack Bergman (R-Mich.), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.), Barry Moore (R-Ala.), Troy Nehls (R-Texas), Bill Posey (R-Fla.), John Rutherford (R-Fla.), Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) and Michael Waltz (R-Fla.).Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rubio.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/02.16.24-Rubio-et-al-letter-to-President-Biden-re-TikTok-account.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;to read the full text of the letter.

Moran calls for President Biden to delete TikTok account

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) —The Alabama Supreme Court earlier this&nbsp; month<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-supreme-court-from-embryos-161390f0758b04a7638e2ddea20df7ca" target="_blank">&nbsp;ruled</a>&nbsp;that frozen embryos can be considered children under state law, raising concerns about how the decision could affect in vitro fertilization, commonly known as IVF.

<a href="https://publicportal-api.alappeals.gov/courts/68f021c4-6a44-4735-9a76-5360b2e8af13/cms/case/343d203a-b13d-463a-8176-c46e3ae4f695/docketentrydocuments/e3d95592-3cbe-4384-afa6-063d4595aa1d">Click here to read</a> the ruling

The decision issued in wrongful death cases brought by couples who had frozen embryos destroyed in an accident could potentially leave clinics vulnerable to lawsuits and restrict access to treatment.

The most immediate impact of the ruling was to leave&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-frozen-embryos-ruling-ivf-pause-3ea72dd4494cad3f65c57e751e4c5c3b">in vitro fertilization clinics in Alabama</a>&nbsp;potentially vulnerable to more lawsuits and reluctant to administer treatment

On Wednesday, the University of Alabama Birmingham hospital&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-frozen-embryos-pause-4cf5d3139e1a6cbc62bc5ad9946cc1b8" target="_blank">paused IVF treatments</a>&nbsp;while it considers the ruling’s significance.

On Thursday, Alabama Fertility Services said in a statement that it has “made the impossibly difficult decision to hold new IVF treatments due to the legal risk to our clinic and our embryologists.” The Center for Reproductive Medicine at Mobile Infirmary also decided to pause IVF treatment because of the ruling.

Here’s what to know about this increasingly common fertility treatment.

In vitro fertilization offers a possible solution when a woman has trouble getting pregnant. It involves retrieving her eggs and combining them in a lab dish with a man’s sperm to create a fertilized embryo, which is then transferred into the woman’s uterus in an attempt to create a pregnancy.

IVF is done in cycles and may take more than one to create a successful pregnancy, according to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The procedure can use a couple’s eggs and sperm or those from a donor.

The treatment often uses hormones to trigger ovulation so multiple eggs are produced and a needle is used to remove them from the ovaries, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said.

Eggs can be fertilized by adding the sperm to the eggs in a lab, or a single sperm can be injected into each egg.

“We culture that fertilized egg over a period of time — usually five to six days —- to create developmental stages called the blastocyst. And those are either transferred or stored for future use,” said Dr. Jason Griffith, a reproductive endocrinologist in Houston.

A blastocyst is the early stage of an embryo, which is defined as the state of development that starts at fertilization and lasts up to eight weeks.

Griffith said that on Day 3 after fertilization, an embryo is anywhere from six to 10 cells. By Day 6, it’s between 100 and 300 cells.

“So you’re talking about something that’s still microscopic,” he said, adding that a person contains more than a trillion cells.

The freezing process involves replacing the water in embryo cells with a protectant fluid and flash freezing with liquid nitrogen, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Frozen embryos can be used for future pregnancies, and the vast majority survive the thawing process.

Frozen embryos are stored in tanks containing liquid nitrogen at hospital labs or reproductive medicine centers. Griffith said they can also be kept in storage facilities that health care facilities contract with, especially when they are stored for many years. Frozen embryos can be safely preserved for a decade or more.

Griffith said conditions are monitored in these facilities and there are physical security mechanisms to safeguard the tanks and backup generators in case of power outages.

Dr. John Storment, a reproductive endocrinologist in Lafayette, Louisiana, said his state has a unique law that prohibits doctors from discarding any viable embryos that are still dividing — meaning they must be preserved and stored. So he and other doctors ship embryos out of state to a secure storage facility once a patient has finished using them for a particular IVF cycle.

“Whenever they’re ready for embryos again, they can just ship them back here,” he said. “But we don’t keep them stored here.”

In other states, he said, patients can choose to use them, discard them or donate them to other couples or for research.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0" target="_blank">overturn Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;in 2022 sparked speculation about how the ruling could lead to problems with fertility care, said Greer Donley, an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

“This is one of the first places that is proving that,” she said.

Donley expects that IVF will remain available in Alabama but embryos will not be stored there. And moving them to other states for storage will increase the cost, logistical challenges and risk associated with the procedures.

“This opens up the possibility of using the child welfare laws more holistically for criminalizing doing anything that could harm the embryo,” Donley said.

Donley said that push could continue: “The future the anti-abortion movement wants to see is one in which fetuses have federal constitutional protections from the moment of conception.”

Since 2022, four states have amended their constitutions to protect access to abortion, and several others are considering ballot measures for this year. In many, the language goes beyond allowing abortion to give people rights to reproductive freedom more broadly, which could ensure access to IVF.

Doctors outside of Alabama are worried about possible national implications of the recent court decision.

It could “substantially restrict access to a very vital fertility treatment that has helped countless folks today expand their families,” Griffith said. “When you look at the percentage of pregnancies in the United States that result from in vitro fertilization, it’s around 2%.”

It could also increase the cost of IVF for many families — although it’s unclear by how much — because of things like additional storage fees and liability costs, he said. One cycle of IVF, including all embryos transferred, now costs about $15,000 to $25,000, Griffith said.

Another possible ramification is that there will be fewer IVF providers, he said.

“We’ve got to safeguard access to this very valuable treatment,” Griffith said.

Storment agreed that the Alabama decision could have a ripple effect across the entire country.

“It’s one of the bigger things to happen in reproductive law in the last decade,” he said.

Some pro-life activists rejoiced at the ruling.

It’s “a tremendous victory for life,” said the powerful Christian legal firm Alliance Defending Freedom. “A beautiful defense of life," said Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council.

The Liberty Counsel filed a notice with the Florida Supreme Court, saying the Alabama decision — including Parker's concurrence — should be factored into a pending decision about a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would protect abortion rights.

“Unborn life must be protected at every stage,” Mat Staver, Liberty Counsel's chairman, said in a statement.

Still, Christian perspectives on IVF are mixed, and in some cases, undecided.

While the Catholic Church condemns such reproductive technology as immoral, many Protestant churches and denominations do not have a firm stance against the practice.

<a href="https://www.iwv.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/executive-summary-KAConsulting-poll-contraception.pdf">Kellyanne Conway,</a>&nbsp;the political consultant who worked for former President Donald Trump, lobbied GOP lawmakers in December to advocate for contraception and fertility treatments. She cited her firm’s finding that even anti-abortion evangelicals overwhelmingly support access to IVF.

On Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ivf-abortion-alabama-republicans-8215336740a5963b57bbd970b47bb3a7">Trump shared</a>&nbsp;his strong support for IVF in a post on his Truth Social network and called on Alabama lawmakers to protect access to the procedure.

Because religious groups have different opinions about when life begins, “it’s quite problematic to see a judge essentially embedding a Christian view into state law,” said Greer Donley, an associate professor of law at the University of Pittsburgh who specializes in bioethics and health.

She said that other judges might increasingly apply religious thinking to their decisions.

“It’s particularly notable that (Parker) is not trying to hide that, but even if judges were careful in their language, the result is essentially the same,” Donley said.

Laser, of Americans United, said that even the Alabama court's majority decision — which does not explicitly reference religion — is problematic; it states that all participants in the case “agree that an unborn child is a genetically unique human being whose life begins at fertilization and ends at death.”

“That is not taking into account everyone this policy is going to be imposed upon, including religious minorities, the nonreligious, Christians who have a different belief system,” Laser said. “It undermines true religious freedom.”

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) —The Alabama Supreme Court earlier this&nbsp; month<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-supreme-court-from-embryos-161390f0758b04a7638e2ddea20df7ca" target="_blank">&nbsp;ruled</a>&nbsp;that frozen embryos can be considered children under state law, raising concerns about how the decision could affect in vitro fertilization, commonly known as IVF.<a href="https://publicportal-api.alappeals.gov/courts/68f021c4-6a44-4735-9a76-5360b2e8af13/cms/case/343d203a-b13d-463a-8176-c46e3ae4f695/docketentrydocuments/e3d95592-3cbe-4384-afa6-063d4595aa1d">Click here to read</a> the rulingThe decision issued in wrongful death cases brought by couples who had frozen embryos destroyed in an accident could potentially leave clinics vulnerable to lawsuits and restrict access to treatment.The most immediate impact of the ruling was to leave&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-frozen-embryos-ruling-ivf-pause-3ea72dd4494cad3f65c57e751e4c5c3b">in vitro fertilization clinics in Alabama</a>&nbsp;potentially vulnerable to more lawsuits and reluctant to administer treatmentOn Wednesday, the University of Alabama Birmingham hospital&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-frozen-embryos-pause-4cf5d3139e1a6cbc62bc5ad9946cc1b8" target="_blank">paused IVF treatments</a>&nbsp;while it considers the ruling’s significance.On Thursday, Alabama Fertility Services said in a statement that it has “made the impossibly difficult decision to hold new IVF treatments due to the legal risk to our clinic and our embryologists.” The Center for Reproductive Medicine at Mobile Infirmary also decided to pause IVF treatment because of the ruling.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708622911694.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Here’s what to know about this increasingly common fertility treatment.<h2>WHAT IS IVF?</h2>In vitro fertilization offers a possible solution when a woman has trouble getting pregnant. It involves retrieving her eggs and combining them in a lab dish with a man’s sperm to create a fertilized embryo, which is then transferred into the woman’s uterus in an attempt to create a pregnancy.IVF is done in cycles and may take more than one to create a successful pregnancy, according to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The procedure can use a couple’s eggs and sperm or those from a donor.<h2>HOW ARE EMBRYOS MADE?</h2>The treatment often uses hormones to trigger ovulation so multiple eggs are produced and a needle is used to remove them from the ovaries, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said.Eggs can be fertilized by adding the sperm to the eggs in a lab, or a single sperm can be injected into each egg.“We culture that fertilized egg over a period of time — usually five to six days —- to create developmental stages called the blastocyst. And those are either transferred or stored for future use,” said Dr. Jason Griffith, a reproductive endocrinologist in Houston.A blastocyst is the early stage of an embryo, which is defined as the state of development that starts at fertilization and lasts up to eight weeks.Griffith said that on Day 3 after fertilization, an embryo is anywhere from six to 10 cells. By Day 6, it’s between 100 and 300 cells.“So you’re talking about something that’s still microscopic,” he said, adding that a person contains more than a trillion cells.<h2>HOW ARE EMBRYOS FROZEN AND STORED?</h2>The freezing process involves replacing the water in embryo cells with a protectant fluid and flash freezing with liquid nitrogen, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Frozen embryos can be used for future pregnancies, and the vast majority survive the thawing process.Frozen embryos are stored in tanks containing liquid nitrogen at hospital labs or reproductive medicine centers. Griffith said they can also be kept in storage facilities that health care facilities contract with, especially when they are stored for many years. Frozen embryos can be safely preserved for a decade or more.Griffith said conditions are monitored in these facilities and there are physical security mechanisms to safeguard the tanks and backup generators in case of power outages.Dr. John Storment, a reproductive endocrinologist in Lafayette, Louisiana, said his state has a unique law that prohibits doctors from discarding any viable embryos that are still dividing — meaning they must be preserved and stored. So he and other doctors ship embryos out of state to a secure storage facility once a patient has finished using them for a particular IVF cycle.“Whenever they’re ready for embryos again, they can just ship them back here,” he said. “But we don’t keep them stored here.”In other states, he said, patients can choose to use them, discard them or donate them to other couples or for research.<h2>HOW COULD THE ALABAMA RULING AFFECT IVF?</h2>The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0" target="_blank">overturn Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;in 2022 sparked speculation about how the ruling could lead to problems with fertility care, said Greer Donley, an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.“This is one of the first places that is proving that,” she said.Donley expects that IVF will remain available in Alabama but embryos will not be stored there. And moving them to other states for storage will increase the cost, logistical challenges and risk associated with the procedures.“This opens up the possibility of using the child welfare laws more holistically for criminalizing doing anything that could harm the embryo,” Donley said.Donley said that push could continue: “The future the anti-abortion movement wants to see is one in which fetuses have federal constitutional protections from the moment of conception.”Since 2022, four states have amended their constitutions to protect access to abortion, and several others are considering ballot measures for this year. In many, the language goes beyond allowing abortion to give people rights to reproductive freedom more broadly, which could ensure access to IVF.<h2>WHAT ARE DOCTORS’ CONCERNS?</h2>Doctors outside of Alabama are worried about possible national implications of the recent court decision.It could “substantially restrict access to a very vital fertility treatment that has helped countless folks today expand their families,” Griffith said. “When you look at the percentage of pregnancies in the United States that result from in vitro fertilization, it’s around 2%.”It could also increase the cost of IVF for many families — although it’s unclear by how much — because of things like additional storage fees and liability costs, he said. One cycle of IVF, including all embryos transferred, now costs about $15,000 to $25,000, Griffith said.Another possible ramification is that there will be fewer IVF providers, he said.“We’ve got to safeguard access to this very valuable treatment,” Griffith said.Storment agreed that the Alabama decision could have a ripple effect across the entire country.“It’s one of the bigger things to happen in reproductive law in the last decade,” he said.‘VICTORY FOR LIFE’Some pro-life activists rejoiced at the ruling.It’s “a tremendous victory for life,” said the powerful Christian legal firm Alliance Defending Freedom. “A beautiful defense of life," said Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council.The Liberty Counsel filed a notice with the Florida Supreme Court, saying the Alabama decision — including Parker's concurrence — should be factored into a pending decision about a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would protect abortion rights.“Unborn life must be protected at every stage,” Mat Staver, Liberty Counsel's chairman, said in a statement.Still, Christian perspectives on IVF are mixed, and in some cases, undecided.While the Catholic Church condemns such reproductive technology as immoral, many Protestant churches and denominations do not have a firm stance against the practice.<a href="https://www.iwv.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/executive-summary-KAConsulting-poll-contraception.pdf">Kellyanne Conway,</a>&nbsp;the political consultant who worked for former President Donald Trump, lobbied GOP lawmakers in December to advocate for contraception and fertility treatments. She cited her firm’s finding that even anti-abortion evangelicals overwhelmingly support access to IVF.On Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ivf-abortion-alabama-republicans-8215336740a5963b57bbd970b47bb3a7">Trump shared</a>&nbsp;his strong support for IVF in a post on his Truth Social network and called on Alabama lawmakers to protect access to the procedure.A SETBACK FOR THE SECULAR STATE?Because religious groups have different opinions about when life begins, “it’s quite problematic to see a judge essentially embedding a Christian view into state law,” said Greer Donley, an associate professor of law at the University of Pittsburgh who specializes in bioethics and health.She said that other judges might increasingly apply religious thinking to their decisions.“It’s particularly notable that (Parker) is not trying to hide that, but even if judges were careful in their language, the result is essentially the same,” Donley said.Laser, of Americans United, said that even the Alabama court's majority decision — which does not explicitly reference religion — is problematic; it states that all participants in the case “agree that an unborn child is a genetically unique human being whose life begins at fertilization and ends at death.”“That is not taking into account everyone this policy is going to be imposed upon, including religious minorities, the nonreligious, Christians who have a different belief system,” Laser said. “It undermines true religious freedom.”<h2>___</h2>

Read the controversial ruling: Judge decides embryos are people

THOMAS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities continue investigating a suspect identified as 41-year-old Jonatas&nbsp;Pereira, according to online jail records, in connection with a standoff on Tuesday in northwest Kansas.

Pereira is being held in the Thomas County Jail on requested charges of Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault,&nbsp;Aggravated Criminal Threat, Criminal Restraint, Aggravated Burglary and Felony Criminal use of a weapon, according to online records.

Just before 10a.m. Tuesday, the 911 center in Thomas County received information of an ongoing incident of a possible armed intruder, according to a media release from the Sheriff's Department.

The situation was changed to a hostage barricaded suspect.           Law enforcement Officers from the Colby Police Department, Thomas County Sheriff Office, Kansas Highway Patrol, and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation arrived on scene. 

A perimeter was established. A car with Texas plates was in the alley behind the home. While trying to establish contact with someone inside one of the hostages was able to climb out a bedroom window. 

It was determined there were 3 female adult hostages still inside with 2 children.            The hostage taker was a Pereira who had driven from Texas to locate the individuals in the house. 

         Around 10:38 am Pereira eventually walked out of the house with the hostages and was taken into custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708784811768.png" alt="Pereira-Photo Thomas Co." />
 <figcaption>Pereira-Photo Thomas Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>THOMAS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities continue investigating a suspect identified as 41-year-old Jonatas&nbsp;Pereira, according to online jail records, in connection with a standoff on Tuesday in northwest Kansas.Pereira is being held in the Thomas County Jail on requested charges of Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault,&nbsp;Aggravated Criminal Threat, Criminal Restraint, Aggravated Burglary and Felony Criminal use of a weapon, according to online records.Just before 10a.m. Tuesday, the 911 center in Thomas County received information of an ongoing incident of a possible armed intruder, according to a media release from the Sheriff's Department.The situation was changed to a hostage barricaded suspect. Law enforcement Officers from the Colby Police Department, Thomas County Sheriff Office, Kansas Highway Patrol, and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation arrived on scene. A perimeter was established. A car with Texas plates was in the alley behind the home. While trying to establish contact with someone inside one of the hostages was able to climb out a bedroom window. It was determined there were 3 female adult hostages still inside with 2 children. The hostage taker was a Pereira who had driven from Texas to locate the individuals in the house. Around 10:38 am Pereira eventually walked out of the house with the hostages and was taken into custody.

Man faces multiple charges after hostages taken in NW Kansas

KANSAS CITY—One person died in an accident just after 1a.m. Friday in Kansas City.

According to Kansas City Police, an officer attempted to stop a reported stolen Ford F150 near Linwood and Van Brunt.&nbsp;&nbsp;The driver failed to stop.&nbsp;Due to safety concerns, officers ended the pursuit.

The driver of the pickup continued to speed north on Van Brunt Boulevard, failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway, traveled off the right side of the road and overturned..

The driver, who was unrestrained at the time and the only occupant of the pickup, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Police have not released the name of the driver.&nbsp; This is the 18th fatality crash victim in Kansas City, Mo. in 2024, according to police.. The accident remains under investigation.

KANSAS CITY—One person died in an accident just after 1a.m. Friday in Kansas City.According to Kansas City Police, an officer attempted to stop a reported stolen Ford F150 near Linwood and Van Brunt.&nbsp;&nbsp;The driver failed to stop.&nbsp;Due to safety concerns, officers ended the pursuit.The driver of the pickup continued to speed north on Van Brunt Boulevard, failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway, traveled off the right side of the road and overturned..The driver, who was unrestrained at the time and the only occupant of the pickup, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Police have not released the name of the driver.&nbsp; This is the 18th fatality crash victim in Kansas City, Mo. in 2024, according to police.. The accident remains under investigation.

Driver dies after crash while fleeing from KCPD chase

CAIRO (AP) — An attack by Yemeni Houthi rebels on a Belize-flagged ship earlier this month caused an 18-mile oil slick, the U.S. military said Saturday. It also warned of the danger of a spill from the vessel's cargo of fertilizer.

The Rubymar, a British-registered, Lebanese-operated cargo vessel,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-attack-israel-hamas-war-gaza-67cf1acc17f4e17d04075a99688e4da8">was attacked on Feb. 18</a>&nbsp;while sailing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, U.S. Central Command said.

The missile attack forced the crew to abandon the vessel, which had been on its way to Bulgaria after leaving Khorfakkan in the United Arab Emirates. It was transporting more than 41,000 tons of fertilizer, CENTCOM said in a statement.

The vessel suffered significant damage, which led to the slick, said the CENTCOM statement, warning that the ship's cargo “could spill into the Red Sea and worsen this environmental disaster.”

“The Houthis continue to demonstrate disregard for the regional impact of their indiscriminate attacks, threatening the fishing industry, coastal communities, and imports of food supplies,” it said.

The Associated Press, relying on satellite images from Planet Labs PBC of the stricken vessel, reported Tuesday that the vessel was leaking oil in the Red Sea.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government on Saturday called for other countries and maritime-protection organizations to quickly address the oil slick and avert “a significant environmental disaster.

In a statement, the government, which sits in the southern city of Aden, said the vessel is heading toward the Hanish Islands, a Yemeni archipelago in the southern Red Sea.

Separately, CENTCOM said it launched attacks on Houthi-held areas in Yemen on Friday, destroying seven mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to launch toward the Red Sea.

It described the strikes as “self-defense,” saying that the missiles “presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the U.S. Navy ships in the region.”

CENTCOM didn’t give further details. Houthi-run media, however, reported strikes by the U.S. and the U.K. on the district of Durayhimi in the Red Sea province of Hodeida.

The U.S. military has in recent weeks launched waves of strikes on Houthi-held areas inside Yemen in response to the Houthis’ attacks on shipping routes in the Red Sea.

Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters. They claim to be acting over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war targeting Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>, however they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for trade among Asia, the Mideast and Europe. The targeted vessels have included at least&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-ship-missile-houthi-rebels-attack-bab-elmandeb-strait-999b911c916f9266c07a6d29cc020e9e">one with cargo for Iran</a>, the Houthis' main benefactor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708739032720.png" alt="Photo by Planet Labs PBC from U.S. Central Command&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Planet Labs PBC from U.S. Central Command&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>CAIRO (AP) — An attack by Yemeni Houthi rebels on a Belize-flagged ship earlier this month caused an 18-mile oil slick, the U.S. military said Saturday. It also warned of the danger of a spill from the vessel's cargo of fertilizer.The Rubymar, a British-registered, Lebanese-operated cargo vessel,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-attack-israel-hamas-war-gaza-67cf1acc17f4e17d04075a99688e4da8">was attacked on Feb. 18</a>&nbsp;while sailing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, U.S. Central Command said.The missile attack forced the crew to abandon the vessel, which had been on its way to Bulgaria after leaving Khorfakkan in the United Arab Emirates. It was transporting more than 41,000 tons of fertilizer, CENTCOM said in a statement.The vessel suffered significant damage, which led to the slick, said the CENTCOM statement, warning that the ship's cargo “could spill into the Red Sea and worsen this environmental disaster.”“The Houthis continue to demonstrate disregard for the regional impact of their indiscriminate attacks, threatening the fishing industry, coastal communities, and imports of food supplies,” it said.The Associated Press, relying on satellite images from Planet Labs PBC of the stricken vessel, reported Tuesday that the vessel was leaking oil in the Red Sea.Yemen’s internationally recognized government on Saturday called for other countries and maritime-protection organizations to quickly address the oil slick and avert “a significant environmental disaster.In a statement, the government, which sits in the southern city of Aden, said the vessel is heading toward the Hanish Islands, a Yemeni archipelago in the southern Red Sea.Separately, CENTCOM said it launched attacks on Houthi-held areas in Yemen on Friday, destroying seven mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to launch toward the Red Sea.It described the strikes as “self-defense,” saying that the missiles “presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the U.S. Navy ships in the region.”CENTCOM didn’t give further details. Houthi-run media, however, reported strikes by the U.S. and the U.K. on the district of Durayhimi in the Red Sea province of Hodeida.The U.S. military has in recent weeks launched waves of strikes on Houthi-held areas inside Yemen in response to the Houthis’ attacks on shipping routes in the Red Sea.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters. They claim to be acting over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war targeting Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>, however they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for trade among Asia, the Mideast and Europe. The targeted vessels have included at least&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-ship-missile-houthi-rebels-attack-bab-elmandeb-strait-999b911c916f9266c07a6d29cc020e9e">one with cargo for Iran</a>, the Houthis' main benefactor.

U.S. monitoring commercial ship damaged in Red Sea attack

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a wild incident at a Kansas City area school.

Just before 11a.m. Friday, staff from the Missouri City public K-8 school called 911 about a man wearing only underwear trying to break into the school, according to the Clay County Sheriff's office.

The suspect was able to break out glass and enter through the initial entry door.The suspect was not, however, able to make it through the second set of doors and remained in the vestibule, never entering the school.

 Staff placed the school on lockdown. An administrator was injured by broken glass as she tried to prevent the man from getting into the school.

When he could not get through the second set of doors, the suspect left and walked down the street, where one witness reported he may have tried to break into houses. 

Deputies arrived, and when they tried to stop him, the suspect fought deputies, punching one of them. Deputies deployed a Taser, which had no effect. They were eventually able to get the suspect into custody.The suspect appeared to be under the influence of narcotics and was unarmed.&nbsp; The sheriff's office released no additional details Friday afternoon.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a wild incident at a Kansas City area school.Just before 11a.m. Friday, staff from the Missouri City public K-8 school called 911 about a man wearing only underwear trying to break into the school, according to the Clay County Sheriff's office.The suspect was able to break out glass and enter through the initial entry door.The suspect was not, however, able to make it through the second set of doors and remained in the vestibule, never entering the school. Staff placed the school on lockdown. An administrator was injured by broken glass as she tried to prevent the man from getting into the school.When he could not get through the second set of doors, the suspect left and walked down the street, where one witness reported he may have tried to break into houses. Deputies arrived, and when they tried to stop him, the suspect fought deputies, punching one of them. Deputies deployed a Taser, which had no effect. They were eventually able to get the suspect into custody.The suspect appeared to be under the influence of narcotics and was unarmed.&nbsp; The sheriff's office released no additional details Friday afternoon.

Man wearing only underwear tried to break into KC-area school

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A small and nonthreatening balloon spotted flying high over the mountainous Western United States was intercepted by fighter jets over Utah on Friday, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

NORAD fighter pilots sent Friday morning to investigate the balloon determined it was not maneuverable and did not present a threat to national security, spokesperson John Cornelio said.

There has been heightened interest in reports of balloons flying over the U.S. after the military identified – and eventually shot down — a Chinese spy balloon that crossed much of the country last year. But officials say the balloon intercepted Friday was not sent by a foreign adversary and poses no threat to aviation or U.S. security. NORAD has not revealed where the balloon came from or why it was seen flying over Utah and Colorado.

U.S. officials last year shot down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-montana-north-carolina-302134762e8aeae53314ebd9fdb327e4">the large, white Chinese spy balloon</a>&nbsp;off the coast of South Carolina after a weeklong traverse over the country that the Pentagon said was part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chinese-balloon-military-involvement-e45c759cb00294e83989fa35970935bc">large surveillance program China has been conducting</a>&nbsp;for “several years."&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-a75ba8d9fa157e5b87318483141b19ca">China responded</a>&nbsp;that it reserved the right to “take further actions” and criticized the U.S. for “an obvious overreaction and a serious violation of international practice.”

NORAD is continuing to work in close coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration to track and monitor the balloon detected at an altitude of about 44,000 feet (13,400 meters), Cornelio said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675547938768.png" alt="Image of the spy balloon that flew over Kansas in February 2023 and was shot down over the Atlantic Ocean-photo by meteorologist Robert Whitehurst courtesy WMBF TV" />
 <figcaption>Image of the spy balloon that flew over Kansas in February 2023 and was shot down over the Atlantic Ocean-photo by meteorologist Robert Whitehurst courtesy WMBF TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A small and nonthreatening balloon spotted flying high over the mountainous Western United States was intercepted by fighter jets over Utah on Friday, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command.NORAD fighter pilots sent Friday morning to investigate the balloon determined it was not maneuverable and did not present a threat to national security, spokesperson John Cornelio said.There has been heightened interest in reports of balloons flying over the U.S. after the military identified – and eventually shot down — a Chinese spy balloon that crossed much of the country last year. But officials say the balloon intercepted Friday was not sent by a foreign adversary and poses no threat to aviation or U.S. security. NORAD has not revealed where the balloon came from or why it was seen flying over Utah and Colorado.U.S. officials last year shot down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-montana-north-carolina-302134762e8aeae53314ebd9fdb327e4">the large, white Chinese spy balloon</a>&nbsp;off the coast of South Carolina after a weeklong traverse over the country that the Pentagon said was part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chinese-balloon-military-involvement-e45c759cb00294e83989fa35970935bc">large surveillance program China has been conducting</a>&nbsp;for “several years."&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-a75ba8d9fa157e5b87318483141b19ca">China responded</a>&nbsp;that it reserved the right to “take further actions” and criticized the U.S. for “an obvious overreaction and a serious violation of international practice.”NORAD is continuing to work in close coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration to track and monitor the balloon detected at an altitude of about 44,000 feet (13,400 meters), Cornelio said.

Fighter jets intercept another balloon over western U.S.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 233 School District officials are investigating after a student brought a loaded handgun to school.

Just after 11 a.m. Friday, school administrators notified an Olathe Kansas Police Department School Resource Officer about a 16-year-old student who may have had a gun in his backpack, according to Police Sergeant John Moncayo.

The School Resource Officer contacted the student in the cafeteria and was able to take control of the student and separate him from his backpack.

The officer found a loaded handgun in the student’s backpack. No one involved in or near the incident was injured and at no time did the student threaten anyone with the gun. The student was subsequently taken into custody, according to Moncayo.

Th remains under investigation by the Olathe Police Department.&nbsp;

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 233 School District officials are investigating after a student brought a loaded handgun to school.Just after 11 a.m. Friday, school administrators notified an Olathe Kansas Police Department School Resource Officer about a 16-year-old student who may have had a gun in his backpack, according to Police Sergeant John Moncayo.The School Resource Officer contacted the student in the cafeteria and was able to take control of the student and separate him from his backpack.The officer found a loaded handgun in the student’s backpack. No one involved in or near the incident was injured and at no time did the student threaten anyone with the gun. The student was subsequently taken into custody, according to Moncayo.Th remains under investigation by the Olathe Police Department.&nbsp;

Student brought loaded handgun to Kansas high school

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A private U.S. lunar lander tipped over at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moon-landing-private-company-intuitive-machines-9c896bfca61582773d381f4045fd35d7">touchdown</a>&nbsp;and ended up on its side near the moon’s south pole, hampering communications, company officials said Friday.

Intuitive Machines initially believed its six-footed lander, Odysseus, was upright after Thursday's touchdown. But CEO Steve Altemus said Friday the craft “caught a foot in the surface," falling onto its side and, quite possibly, leaning against a rock. He said it was coming in too fast and may have snapped a leg.

“So far, we have quite a bit of operational capability even though we’re tipped over," he told reporters.

But some antennas were pointed toward the surface, limiting flight controllers' ability to get data down, Altemus said. The antennas were stationed high on the 14-foot (4.3-meter) lander to facilitate communications at the hilly, cratered and shadowed south polar region.

Odysseus — the first U.S. lander in more than 50 years — is thought to be within a few miles (kilometers) of its intended landing site near the Malapert A crater, less than 200 miles (300 kilometers) from the south pole. NASA, the main customer, wanted to get as close as possible to the pole to scout out the area before astronauts show up later this decade.

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will attempt to pinpoint the lander's location, as it flies overhead this weekend.

With Thursday’s touchdown, Intuitive Machines became the first private business to pull off a moon landing, a feat previously achieved by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moon-landing-apollo-209f6097f35331b0cb4a97b982e0274f">only five countries</a>. Japan was the latest country to score a landing, but its lander also ended up on its side last month.

Odysseus' mission was sponsored in large part by NASA, whose experiments were on board. NASA paid $118 million for the delivery under a program meant to jump-start the lunar economy.

One of the NASA experiments was pressed into service when the lander's navigation system did not kick in. Intuitive Machines caught the problem in advance when it tried to use its lasers to improve the lander's orbit. Otherwise, flight controllers would not have discovered the failure until it was too late, just five minutes before touchdown.

“Serendipity is absolutely the right word,” mission director Tim Crain said.

It turns out that a switch was not flipped before flight, preventing the system's activation in space.

Launched last week from Florida, Odysseus took an extra lap around the moon Thursday to allow time for the last-minute switch to NASA's laser system, which saved the day, officials noted.

Another experiment, a cube with four cameras, was supposed to pop off 30 seconds before touchdown to capture pictures of Odysseus’ landing. But Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s EagleCam was deliberately powered off during the final descent because of the navigation switch and stayed attached to the lander.

Embry-Riddle's Troy Henderson said his team will try to release EagleCam in the coming days, so it can photograph the lander from roughly 26 feet (8 meters) away.

"Getting that final picture of the lander on the surface is still an incredibly important task for us,” Henderson told The Associated Press.

Intuitive Machines anticipates just another week of operations on the moon for the solar-powered lander — nine or 10 days at most — before lunar nightfall hits.

The company was the second business to aim for the moon under NASA's commercial lunar services program. Last month, Pittsburgh's Astrobotic Technology gave it a shot, but a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moon-landing-spacecraft-reenter-burned-e7abeeac01711633eaa807b050704084">fuel leak on the lander</a>&nbsp;cut the mission short and the craft ended up crashing back to Earth.

Until Thursday, the U.S. had not landed on the moon since Apollo 17's Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt closed out NASA's famed moon-landing program in December 1972. NASA's new effort to return astronauts to the moon is named Artemis after Apollo's mythological twin sister. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-moon-landings-artemis-delay-23e425d490c0c9e65ae774ec2e00f090">first Artemis crew landing</a>&nbsp;is planned for 2026 at the earliest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708728179361.png" alt="In this image from video provided by NASA, Steve Altemus, CEO and co-founder of Intuitive Machines, describes how it is believed the company's Odysseus spacecraft landed on the surface of the moon, during a news conference in Houston on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. (NASA via AP)" />
 <figcaption>In this image from video provided by NASA, Steve Altemus, CEO and co-founder of Intuitive Machines, describes how it is believed the company's Odysseus spacecraft landed on the surface of the moon, during a news conference in Houston on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. (NASA via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A private U.S. lunar lander tipped over at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moon-landing-private-company-intuitive-machines-9c896bfca61582773d381f4045fd35d7">touchdown</a>&nbsp;and ended up on its side near the moon’s south pole, hampering communications, company officials said Friday.Intuitive Machines initially believed its six-footed lander, Odysseus, was upright after Thursday's touchdown. But CEO Steve Altemus said Friday the craft “caught a foot in the surface," falling onto its side and, quite possibly, leaning against a rock. He said it was coming in too fast and may have snapped a leg.“So far, we have quite a bit of operational capability even though we’re tipped over," he told reporters.But some antennas were pointed toward the surface, limiting flight controllers' ability to get data down, Altemus said. The antennas were stationed high on the 14-foot (4.3-meter) lander to facilitate communications at the hilly, cratered and shadowed south polar region.Odysseus — the first U.S. lander in more than 50 years — is thought to be within a few miles (kilometers) of its intended landing site near the Malapert A crater, less than 200 miles (300 kilometers) from the south pole. NASA, the main customer, wanted to get as close as possible to the pole to scout out the area before astronauts show up later this decade.NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will attempt to pinpoint the lander's location, as it flies overhead this weekend.With Thursday’s touchdown, Intuitive Machines became the first private business to pull off a moon landing, a feat previously achieved by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moon-landing-apollo-209f6097f35331b0cb4a97b982e0274f">only five countries</a>. Japan was the latest country to score a landing, but its lander also ended up on its side last month.Odysseus' mission was sponsored in large part by NASA, whose experiments were on board. NASA paid $118 million for the delivery under a program meant to jump-start the lunar economy.One of the NASA experiments was pressed into service when the lander's navigation system did not kick in. Intuitive Machines caught the problem in advance when it tried to use its lasers to improve the lander's orbit. Otherwise, flight controllers would not have discovered the failure until it was too late, just five minutes before touchdown.“Serendipity is absolutely the right word,” mission director Tim Crain said.It turns out that a switch was not flipped before flight, preventing the system's activation in space.Launched last week from Florida, Odysseus took an extra lap around the moon Thursday to allow time for the last-minute switch to NASA's laser system, which saved the day, officials noted.Another experiment, a cube with four cameras, was supposed to pop off 30 seconds before touchdown to capture pictures of Odysseus’ landing. But Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s EagleCam was deliberately powered off during the final descent because of the navigation switch and stayed attached to the lander.Embry-Riddle's Troy Henderson said his team will try to release EagleCam in the coming days, so it can photograph the lander from roughly 26 feet (8 meters) away."Getting that final picture of the lander on the surface is still an incredibly important task for us,” Henderson told The Associated Press.Intuitive Machines anticipates just another week of operations on the moon for the solar-powered lander — nine or 10 days at most — before lunar nightfall hits.The company was the second business to aim for the moon under NASA's commercial lunar services program. Last month, Pittsburgh's Astrobotic Technology gave it a shot, but a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moon-landing-spacecraft-reenter-burned-e7abeeac01711633eaa807b050704084">fuel leak on the lander</a>&nbsp;cut the mission short and the craft ended up crashing back to Earth.Until Thursday, the U.S. had not landed on the moon since Apollo 17's Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt closed out NASA's famed moon-landing program in December 1972. NASA's new effort to return astronauts to the moon is named Artemis after Apollo's mythological twin sister. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-moon-landings-artemis-delay-23e425d490c0c9e65ae774ec2e00f090">first Artemis crew landing</a>&nbsp;is planned for 2026 at the earliest.___

Company: US spacecraft on the moon is on its side

ST. LOUIS – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), along with the Independence Police Department, secured three arrest warrants for murder based on an investigation into the October 2023 shooting death of Jason York in Independence, Kansas, according to a media release from the KBI.

Between 6:30 and 9 a.m. Thursday, the U.S. Marshals Service and the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office arrested the three men in North St. Louis, Missouri.

Kevin A. Quinn, 37;&nbsp; Aquan A. Quinn, 20, and&nbsp; Kevin W. Martin, 23, all of St. Louis, were arrested on requested charges of first-degree murder and aggravated robbery.

The suspects were booked into the St. Louis County Jail.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Montgomery County Attorney’s Office is expected to prosecute the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708640601662.png" alt="Martin-photo St. Louis Co." />
 <figcaption>Martin-photo St. Louis Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. LOUIS – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), along with the Independence Police Department, secured three arrest warrants for murder based on an investigation into the October 2023 shooting death of Jason York in Independence, Kansas, according to a media release from the KBI.Between 6:30 and 9 a.m. Thursday, the U.S. Marshals Service and the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office arrested the three men in North St. Louis, Missouri.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708640489736.png" alt="Kevin Quinn-photo St. Louis Co." />
 <figcaption>Kevin Quinn-photo St. Louis Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Kevin A. Quinn, 37;&nbsp; Aquan A. Quinn, 20, and&nbsp; Kevin W. Martin, 23, all of St. Louis, were arrested on requested charges of first-degree murder and aggravated robbery.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708640546815.png" alt="Aquan Quinn-photo St. Louis Co." />
 <figcaption>Aquan Quinn-photo St. Louis Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspects were booked into the St. Louis County Jail.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Montgomery County Attorney’s Office is expected to prosecute the case.

U.S. Marshals capture 3 for Kansas robbery, murder

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting in Manhattan.

Just after 3:30p.m. Thursday, officers filed a report for unlawful discharge of a firearm and possession of stolen property report in the 100 block of Bluemont Avenue in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

A 20-year-old man was reported as both the victim and offender. He accidentally shot himself.&nbsp; EMS transported him Via Christi for treatment of his injuries.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest and released no additional details early Friday.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting in Manhattan.Just after 3:30p.m. Thursday, officers filed a report for unlawful discharge of a firearm and possession of stolen property report in the 100 block of Bluemont Avenue in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.A 20-year-old man was reported as both the victim and offender. He accidentally shot himself.&nbsp; EMS transported him Via Christi for treatment of his injuries.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest and released no additional details early Friday.

Police: Kan. man with stolen property accidentally shot himself

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting.

Just after 4:30p.m. Thursday, police&nbsp; responded to a shooting at a residence in the 700 Block of N. Frandsen Road, according to a media release.&nbsp;&nbsp;

At the home, officers encountered an adult individual in the doorway of the residence.  Witnesses report hearing officers give the individual verbal commands and shortly after, officers firing their weapons, striking the individual. 

 Officers removed the individual from the area of the doorway and began to provide medical treatment to him.  They located a "fanny pack" strapped around the individual’s waist which contained multiple rounds of handgun ammunition. 

 The individual was determined to be deceased by medical personnel at the scene.An investigation began, activating the Police Involved Investigation Team, which is comprised of Detectives from several Eastern Jackson County Law Enforcement Agencies. 

 During the course of the investigation, a handgun was located near the doorway where the individual was encountered by the officers. It is unknown at this time the exact circumstances surrounding the shooting, however investigators will work to review witness statements and any video that may be available to give a complete picture of the encounter.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the suspect who died.

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting.Just after 4:30p.m. Thursday, police&nbsp; responded to a shooting at a residence in the 700 Block of N. Frandsen Road, according to a media release.&nbsp;&nbsp;At the home, officers encountered an adult individual in the doorway of the residence. Witnesses report hearing officers give the individual verbal commands and shortly after, officers firing their weapons, striking the individual. Officers removed the individual from the area of the doorway and began to provide medical treatment to him. They located a "fanny pack" strapped around the individual’s waist which contained multiple rounds of handgun ammunition. The individual was determined to be deceased by medical personnel at the scene.An investigation began, activating the Police Involved Investigation Team, which is comprised of Detectives from several Eastern Jackson County Law Enforcement Agencies. During the course of the investigation, a handgun was located near the doorway where the individual was encountered by the officers. It is unknown at this time the exact circumstances surrounding the shooting, however investigators will work to review witness statements and any video that may be available to give a complete picture of the encounter.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the suspect who died.

Police investigating fatal KC-area officer involved shooting

WASHINGTON —U.S. Senator Josh Hawley&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14484.8907941.7835626.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=http%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fsites%2fdefault%2ffiles%2f2024-02%2fHawley-Letter-to-Kanter-re-Capital-One-Discover-Merger.pdf&amp;redir_log=537906950005781" target="_blank">sent a letter</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;Department of Justice (DOJ) Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division Jonathan Kanter, urging him to&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14484.8907941.7835626.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.axios.com%2f2024%2f02%2f21%2fsenate-republican-biden-block-credit-card-company-merger-hawley&amp;redir_log=303018207592664" target="_blank">block the merger</a>&nbsp;between Capital One and&nbsp;Discover Financial Services, according to a media release from his office.

On Tuesday, Capital One Financial said it will buy Discover Financial Services for $35 billion, in a deal that would bring together two of the nation's credit card companies as well as potentially shake up the payments industry, which is largely dominated by Visa and Mastercard

"This is destructive corporate consolidation at its starkest. If consummated, this merger will create a new juggernaut in the credit card market, with unprecedented powers to extort American consumers. That cannot be allowed to happen,"&nbsp;wrote Senator Hawley.

On Thursday, Senator Hawley&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14484.8907941.7835626.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fx.com%2fHawleyMO%2fstatus%2f1760327925688103140%3fs%3d20&amp;redir_log=655175228123316" target="_blank">condemned</a>&nbsp;the Capital One-Discover merger and&nbsp;also&nbsp;renewed his push&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14484.8907941.7835626.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.realclearpolitics.com%2farticles%2f2023%2f09%2f11%2fsen_josh_hawley_proposes_18_credit_card_interest_rate_cap__149739.html&amp;redir_log=585672325765853" target="_blank">cap credit card interest rates</a>&nbsp;at 18 percent to provide relief for&nbsp;working Americans.

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14484.8907941.7835626.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=http%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fsites%2fdefault%2ffiles%2f2024-02%2fHawley-Letter-to-Kanter-re-Capital-One-Discover-Merger.pdf&amp;redir_log=537906950005781" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;to read the full letter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708426424767.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —U.S. Senator Josh Hawley&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14484.8907941.7835626.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=http%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fsites%2fdefault%2ffiles%2f2024-02%2fHawley-Letter-to-Kanter-re-Capital-One-Discover-Merger.pdf&amp;redir_log=537906950005781" target="_blank">sent a letter</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;Department of Justice (DOJ) Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division Jonathan Kanter, urging him to&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14484.8907941.7835626.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.axios.com%2f2024%2f02%2f21%2fsenate-republican-biden-block-credit-card-company-merger-hawley&amp;redir_log=303018207592664" target="_blank">block the merger</a>&nbsp;between Capital One and&nbsp;Discover Financial Services, according to a media release from his office.On Tuesday, Capital One Financial said it will buy Discover Financial Services for $35 billion, in a deal that would bring together two of the nation's credit card companies as well as potentially shake up the payments industry, which is largely dominated by Visa and Mastercard"This is destructive corporate consolidation at its starkest. If consummated, this merger will create a new juggernaut in the credit card market, with unprecedented powers to extort American consumers. That cannot be allowed to happen,"&nbsp;wrote Senator Hawley.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708693800430.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>On Thursday, Senator Hawley&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14484.8907941.7835626.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fx.com%2fHawleyMO%2fstatus%2f1760327925688103140%3fs%3d20&amp;redir_log=655175228123316" target="_blank">condemned</a>&nbsp;the Capital One-Discover merger and&nbsp;also&nbsp;renewed his push&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14484.8907941.7835626.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.realclearpolitics.com%2farticles%2f2023%2f09%2f11%2fsen_josh_hawley_proposes_18_credit_card_interest_rate_cap__149739.html&amp;redir_log=585672325765853" target="_blank">cap credit card interest rates</a>&nbsp;at 18 percent to provide relief for&nbsp;working Americans.Click&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14484.8907941.7835626.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=http%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fsites%2fdefault%2ffiles%2f2024-02%2fHawley-Letter-to-Kanter-re-Capital-One-Discover-Merger.pdf&amp;redir_log=537906950005781" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;to read the full letter.

Missouri Senator demands Biden block Capitol One, Discover card merger

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating the homicide of a 1-year-old identified as Taidyn Anderson of Wichita have made three arrests.

Just after 7p.m.On February 19, police responded to a shooting in the 2500 block of South Oliver, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses. Through the investigation, officers learned that two adult females were struck by gunfire and 1-year-old Taidyn Anderson was also struck by gunfire and died of his injuries.

Investigators with the WPD homicide section have been diligently working this case since the shooting occurred. That work has included follow-up on leads, utilizing technology and executing search warrants. Through the investigation, three suspects were identified.

On Thursday, the Wichita Police Department arrested three suspects inclucding a 17-year-old boy and according to <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=232072">Sedgwick County booking records</a> 25-year-old Kveion <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=232072">Darnell Richard</a> and 21-year-old Jonathan <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=746317">Tillery-Matthias </a>all of Wichita on a requested charge of Felony Murder for their involvement in this case.&nbsp;

The<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=746317"> Tillery-Matthias</a> is currently on pre-trial supervision for Criminal Discharge of a Firearm into an Occupied Vehicle stemming from a Wichita Police investigation.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=232072"> Richard </a>was on Parole for Criminal Discharge of a Firearm, Aggravated Burglary, Aggravated Assault x2, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon.

Police believe that this was a targeted event which led to the death of a small child.

The facts of this case will be presented to Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708650238448.png" alt="Tillery-Matthias-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Tillery-Matthias-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating the homicide of a 1-year-old identified as Taidyn Anderson of Wichita have made three arrests.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708454643255.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 7p.m.On February 19, police responded to a shooting in the 2500 block of South Oliver, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses. Through the investigation, officers learned that two adult females were struck by gunfire and 1-year-old Taidyn Anderson was also struck by gunfire and died of his injuries.Investigators with the WPD homicide section have been diligently working this case since the shooting occurred. That work has included follow-up on leads, utilizing technology and executing search warrants. Through the investigation, three suspects were identified.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708650349815.png" alt="Richard-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Richard-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On Thursday, the Wichita Police Department arrested three suspects inclucding a 17-year-old boy and according to <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=232072">Sedgwick County booking records</a> 25-year-old Kveion <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=232072">Darnell Richard</a> and 21-year-old Jonathan <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=746317">Tillery-Matthias </a>all of Wichita on a requested charge of Felony Murder for their involvement in this case.&nbsp;The<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=746317"> Tillery-Matthias</a> is currently on pre-trial supervision for Criminal Discharge of a Firearm into an Occupied Vehicle stemming from a Wichita Police investigation.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=232072"> Richard </a>was on Parole for Criminal Discharge of a Firearm, Aggravated Burglary, Aggravated Assault x2, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon.Police believe that this was a targeted event which led to the death of a small child.The facts of this case will be presented to Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett

2 adults, teen jailed for shooting that killed Kan. toddler

KANSAS CITY (AP) —AT&amp;T said the hourslong outage to its U.S. cellphone network Thursday appeared to be the result of a technical error, not a malicious attack.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708656334580.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —AT&amp;T said the hourslong outage to its U.S. cellphone network Thursday appeared to be the result of a technical error, not a malicious attack.The outage&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/att-outage-cell-service-phone-1cd6f595356b385cc9a4495d1f06b983">knocked out cellphone service</a>&nbsp;for thousands of its users across the U.S. starting early Thursday before it was restored.AT&amp;T blamed the incident on an error in coding, without elaborating.“Based on our initial review, we believe that today’s outage was caused by the application and execution of an incorrect process used as we were expanding our network, not a cyber attack,” the Dallas-based company said.Outage tracker Downdetector noted that outages, which began at about 3:30 a.m. ET, peaked at around 73,000 reported incidents. AT&amp;T had more than 58,000 outages around noon ET, in locations including Houston, Atlanta and Chicago. The carrier is the country's largest, with more than 240 million subscribers.By 9 p.m. ET, the reports on AT&amp;T's network were fewer than 1,000.Cricket Wireless, which is owned by AT&amp;T, had more than 9,000 outages at one point but the reports had also tailed off later in the afternoon. Users of other carriers, including Verizon and T-Mobile, also reported issues but those companies said their networks were operating normally and the problems were likely stemming from customers trying to connect to AT&amp;T users.During the outage, some iPhone users saw SOS messages displayed in the status bar on their cellphones. The message indicates that the device is having trouble connecting to their cellular provider’s network, but it can make emergency calls through other carrier networks, according to Apple Support.The Federal Communications Commission contacted AT&amp;T about the outage and the Department of Homeland Security and FBI were also looking into it, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.The FBI acknowledged it had been in touch with AT&amp;T. “Should we learn of any malicious activity we will respond accordingly,” the agency said.The outage also raised concerns on Capitol Hill.“We are working to assess today’s disruption in order to gain a complete understanding of what went wrong and what can be done to prevent future incidents like this from occurring,” said a statement issued by Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a Washington Republican who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Ohio Republican Bob Latta, chair of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee.