SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Sedgwick County zoo shared a story on Tuesday of both joy and heartbreak with the birth of a maned wolf pup.

Layla, the zoo's female maned wolf, gave birth to a female pup, Amora.

"Tragically, despite expert care, Layla unexpectedly passed away, leaving Amora without a mother. Maned wolves are naturally solitary, but young pups need companionship to develop properly." 

"Without a mother or sibling, it is challenging for her to learn the natural behaviors she will need to thrive as a maned wolf.To ensure she had the right companionship, we found a unique solution - we turned to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kshumanesociety?__cft__[0]=AZUfIgxV2tbFaPDj93_uPs2ndXWJuh7VYbK0j6UmnZTypWnXJUqL4b1Ct0tpC0uBhiyoE3ggwlO0PKOr_2iV25go4WXy3pn45FP5MKIGz6YYh50RNWYuX-BLbdBtv4V4aylol6NZB43gpRRNWjiNbh_fs07-IThHbuS4QTOsR14K78R2ncr92ajia39f4FKhWUE&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Kansas Humane Society</a> to adopt a puppy."

Slinky, a brindle mix, was taken in by the Kansas Humane Society on the very same day Amora was born, and adopted by the Zoo three weeks later."

"They have since been carefully introduced, and while Amora has quite the spicy personality, Slinky's playful nature is helping her grow into the wolf she is meant to be."

"Slinky has started the socialization process for Amora and has since been adopted by a member of our staff. As per the SSP (Species Survival Plan), Amora will eventually transition to living with other maned wolves, carrying on the legacy of her species. The zoo encouraged the public to "stay tuned for more updates on Amora as she continues to grow."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738707486702.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Sedgwick County zoo shared a story on Tuesday of both joy and heartbreak with the birth of a maned wolf pup.Layla, the zoo's female maned wolf, gave birth to a female pup, Amora.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738707442203.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"Tragically, despite expert care, Layla unexpectedly passed away, leaving Amora without a mother. Maned wolves are naturally solitary, but young pups need companionship to develop properly." "Without a mother or sibling, it is challenging for her to learn the natural behaviors she will need to thrive as a maned wolf.To ensure she had the right companionship, we found a unique solution - we turned to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kshumanesociety?__cft__[0]=AZUfIgxV2tbFaPDj93_uPs2ndXWJuh7VYbK0j6UmnZTypWnXJUqL4b1Ct0tpC0uBhiyoE3ggwlO0PKOr_2iV25go4WXy3pn45FP5MKIGz6YYh50RNWYuX-BLbdBtv4V4aylol6NZB43gpRRNWjiNbh_fs07-IThHbuS4QTOsR14K78R2ncr92ajia39f4FKhWUE&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Kansas Humane Society</a> to adopt a puppy."Slinky, a brindle mix, was taken in by the Kansas Humane Society on the very same day Amora was born, and adopted by the Zoo three weeks later.""They have since been carefully introduced, and while Amora has quite the spicy personality, Slinky's playful nature is helping her grow into the wolf she is meant to be.""Slinky has started the socialization process for Amora and has since been adopted by a member of our staff. As per the SSP (Species Survival Plan), Amora will eventually transition to living with other maned wolves, carrying on the legacy of her species. The zoo encouraged the public to "stay tuned for more updates on Amora as she continues to grow."

Orphaned wolf pup at Kansas zoo has a new companion 

On Tuesday night,&nbsp; members of the Kansas congressional delegation held a moment of silence on the House floor in honor of those who lost their lives in the Flight 5342 crash last week.

Kansas 4th District Congressman Ron Estes said, "We grieve with the families and friends they left behind and pray for those in our districts who are still in shock at the loss of their loved ones."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738723460196.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>On Tuesday night,&nbsp; members of the Kansas congressional delegation held a moment of silence on the House floor in honor of those who lost their lives in the Flight 5342 crash last week.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Tonight, my colleagues and I held a moment of silence on the House floor in honor of those who lost their lives in the Flight 5342 crash last week. We grieve with the families and friends they left behind and pray for those in our districts who are still in shock at the loss of… <a href="https://t.co/pZoQq5dxto">pic.twitter.com/pZoQq5dxto</a>&mdash; Rep. Ron Estes (@RepRonEstes) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepRonEstes/status/1886953683679588426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Kansas 4th District Congressman Ron Estes said, "We grieve with the families and friends they left behind and pray for those in our districts who are still in shock at the loss of their loved ones."

Moment of silence: Kan. lawmakers honor victims of midair collision 

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement&nbsp; investigating a deadly stabbing at a Kansas City home have identified the victim as 23-year-old Darrell McKelby, according KCPD&nbsp; Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

&nbsp;Just before 2a.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to the 500 block of Quincy in Kanas City on a reported knife attack, according to Gonzalez.

At the scene, first responders observed a residence with an open door and several people outside summoning officers to the home.

Officers entered the residence to locate any potential victims and observed&nbsp; McKelby suffering from apparent stab wounds. Emergency medical aid was immediately given to the victim by responding officers until EMS arrived and transported him to an area hospital where he&nbsp; was pronounced deceased.

Preliminary investigation indicates the incident may have started over a verbal argument that escalated to violence. A woman,&nbsp; McKelby's mother, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte' was identified as a suspect and taken into custody on scene for further questioning.

Detectives are not currently looking for any additional individuals responsible.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738679900796.png" alt="Police at the scene of the investigation-photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the investigation-photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement&nbsp; investigating a deadly stabbing at a Kansas City home have identified the victim as 23-year-old Darrell McKelby, according KCPD&nbsp; Officer Alayna Gonzalez.&nbsp;Just before 2a.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to the 500 block of Quincy in Kanas City on a reported knife attack, according to Gonzalez.At the scene, first responders observed a residence with an open door and several people outside summoning officers to the home.Officers entered the residence to locate any potential victims and observed&nbsp; McKelby suffering from apparent stab wounds. Emergency medical aid was immediately given to the victim by responding officers until EMS arrived and transported him to an area hospital where he&nbsp; was pronounced deceased.Preliminary investigation indicates the incident may have started over a verbal argument that escalated to violence. A woman,&nbsp; McKelby's mother, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte' was identified as a suspect and taken into custody on scene for further questioning.Detectives are not currently looking for any additional individuals responsible.&nbsp;

Homicide: Police ID KC man stabbed by his mother

SHAWNEE COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary to a recently abandoned residence in Shawnee Countu.

On February 1, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding a possible burglary in progress at a residence in southeast Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 This was the same residence as a recent incident where three individuals were located deceased. A pickup truck with a trailer full of items was seen leaving the residence.

 The driver quickly unhooked the trailer and left it on the roadway nearby.

Deputies responded and located the trailer with the stolen items. Deputies returned to residence and found it had been burglarized. Most items inside the residence had either been stolen or damaged, along with three missing vehicles.

Deputies located one stolen vehicle in the 1800 block of SE 72nd Terrace, one in the 1400 block of NW Logan Street and one in the 400 block of NE Lake Street.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to please contact the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division (785-251-2200 or DetectiveLeads@snco.us) immediately.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738063965850.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary to a recently abandoned residence in Shawnee Countu.On February 1, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding a possible burglary in progress at a residence in southeast Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. This was the same residence as a recent incident where three individuals were located deceased. A pickup truck with a trailer full of items was seen leaving the residence. The driver quickly unhooked the trailer and left it on the roadway nearby.Deputies responded and located the trailer with the stolen items. Deputies returned to residence and found it had been burglarized. Most items inside the residence had either been stolen or damaged, along with three missing vehicles.Deputies located one stolen vehicle in the 1800 block of SE 72nd Terrace, one in the 1400 block of NW Logan Street and one in the 400 block of NE Lake Street.Anyone with information on this incident is asked to please contact the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division (785-251-2200 or DetectiveLeads@snco.us) immediately.

Sheriff: Burglary at Kan. home where 3 were found dead 

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — President Donald Trump's proposal that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-washington-ceasefire-1c8deec4dd46177e08e07d669d595ed3">the United States “take over” the Gaza Strip</a>&nbsp;and permanently resettle its Palestinian residents was swiftly rejected and denounced on Wednesday by American allies and adversaries alike.

Trump's suggestion came at a White House news conference with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-ceasefire-hostages-02-02-2025-90db60e88f955a8bb57cb05e99d574d6">Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu</a>, who smiled several times as the president detailed a plan to build new settlements for Palestinians outside the Gaza Strip, and for the U.S. to take “ownership” in redeveloping the war-torn territory into “the Riviera of the Middle East.”

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,” Trump said. “We'll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site, and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs.”

The comments came amid a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-ceasefire-aid-war-e1657d315ccc5ba66d15f48100f7981b">fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas</a>, during which the militant group has been turning over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-hostages-images-chaos-6371eb106d6cebe7919f70ba208007ca">hostages in exchange for the release of prisoners</a>&nbsp;held by Israel.

Egypt, Jordan and other American allies in the Middle East have already rejected the idea of relocating more than 2 million Palestinians from Gaza elsewhere in the region. Following Trump's remarks, Egypt's Foreign Ministry issued a statement stressing the need for rebuilding “without moving the Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip.”

Saudi Arabia, an important American ally, weighed in quickly on Trump's expanded idea to take over the Gaza Strip in a sharply worded statement, noting that its long call for an independent Palestinian state was a “firm, steadfast and unwavering position.”

“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia also stresses what it had previously announced regarding its absolute rejection of infringement on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, whether through Israeli settlement policies, annexation of Palestinian lands or efforts to displace the Palestinian people from their land,” the statement said.

The prime ministers of Australia and Ireland, foreign ministries from China, New Zealand and Germany, and a Kremlin spokesman all reiterated support for a two-state solution.

“Australia's position is the same as it was this morning, as it was last year, as it was 10 years ago,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

Trump has already made waves — and upset longtime allies — suggesting the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-imperialism-canada-panama-greenland-b4b53445dee97398b498b79eab54d49b">purchase of Greenland, the annexation of Canada</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-offshore-drilling-gulf-of-america-fa66f8d072eb39c00a8128a8941ede75">possible takeover of the Panama Canal</a>. It was not immediately clear whether the idea of taking over the Gaza Strip was a well thought out plan, or an opening gambit in negotiations.

“The comments last night were, of course, very concerning," said Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin. “I always adopt the approach when it comes to the U.S. administration of: judge them based on what they do and not what they say."

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told state-run Anadolu Agency that Trump's proposal on "deportations from Gaza is not something that either the region or we would accept.”

“Even thinking about it, in my opinion, is wrong and absurd,” Fidan said.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for the United Nations to “protect the Palestinian people and their inalienable rights,” saying that what Trump wanted to do would be “a serious violation of international law.”

Hamas, which sparked the war with its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, said Trump's proposal was a “recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region."

“Instead of holding the Zionist occupation accountable for the crime of genocide and displacement, it is being rewarded, not punished,” the militant group said in a statement.

In its attack on Israel, Hamas killed some 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and took about 250 hostages.

Israel's ensuing air and ground war has has killed over 47,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to local health authorities who do not say how many of the dead were fighters. The war has left large&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-war-aftermath-destruction-4c148d498f3d67a5d6de2107b6a1c966">parts of several cities in ruins</a>&nbsp;and displaced around 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million people.

In the U.S., opposition politicians quickly rejected Trump's idea, with Democratic Sen. Chris Coons calling his comments "offensive and insane and dangerous and foolish.”

The idea “risks the rest of the world thinking that we are an unbalanced and unreliable partner because our president makes insane proposals,” Coons said, noting the irony of the proposal coming shortly after Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-layoffs-7e0a159d8a419c4c9388ab02e8259f23">had moved to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development</a>.

“Why on earth would we abandon decades of well-established humanitarian programs around the world, and now launch into one of the world’s greatest humanitarian challenges?” Coons said.

Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian American member of Congress from Michigan, accused Trump in a social media post of “openly calling for ethnic cleansing” with the idea of resettling Gaza's entire population.

Rising reported from Bangkok. Associated Press writers Zeke Miller in Washington; Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey; Simina Mistreanu in Taipei, Taiwan; Josef Federman in Jerusalem, Samy Magdy in Cairo and Charlotte McLay in Wellington, New Zealand, contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday suggested that displaced Palestinians in Gaza be permanently resettled outside the war-torn territory and proposed the U.S. take “ownership” in redeveloping the area into “the Riviera of the Middle East”

Trump’s brazen proposal appears certain to roil the next stage of talks meant to extend the tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and secure the release of the remaining hostages held in Gaza.

The provocative comments came as talks are ramping up this week with the promise of surging humanitarian aid and reconstruction supplies to help the people of Gaza recover after more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">15 months of devastating conflict</a>. Now Trump wants to push roughly 1.8 million people to leave the land they have called home and claim it for the U.S., perhaps with American troops.

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,” Trump said at an evening news conference with Netanyahu by his side. The president who made his name as New York real estate developer added: “We’ll make sure that it’s done world class. It’ll be wonderful for the people — Palestinians, Palestinians mostly, we’re talking about.”

Trump outlined his thinking as he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-palestinians-israel-trump-war-a5fd8e3eb4e50ed609c9f0aa100c51e6">held talks</a>&nbsp;with Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;at the White House, where the two leaders also discussed the fragile ceasefire and hostage deal in the Israeli-Hamas conflict and shared concerns about Iran.

Trump said the U.S. would redevelop the territory after Palestinians are resettled elsewhere and turn the territory into a place where the “world's people”— including Palestinians — would live. He offered no detail about what authority the U.S. would use to take the land and develop it.

Egypt, Jordan and other U.S. allies in the Mideast have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-egypt-jordan-palestinians-trump-51dc4d5225e6bc0a135b7bbafedb3d86">cautioned Trump</a>&nbsp;that relocating Palestinians from Gaza would threaten Mideast stability, risk expanding the conflict and undermine a decades-long push by the U.S. and allies for a two-state solution.

Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry issued a sharply worded reaction to Trump, noting their long call for an independent Palestinian state was a “firm, steadfast and unwavering position.” Saudi Arabia has been in negotiations with the U.S. over a deal to diplomatically recognize Israel in exchange for a security pact and other terms.

“The duty of the international community today is to work to alleviate the severe human suffering endured by the Palestinian people, who will remain committed to their land and will not budge from it," the Saudi statement said.

Still, Trump insists the Palestinians “have no alternative” but to leave the "big pile of rubble” that is Gaza. He spoke out as his top aides stressed that a three-to-five-year timeline for reconstruction of the war-torn territory, as laid out in a temporary truce agreement, is not viable.

Last week, both Egyptian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/egypts-president-rejects-trumps-proposal-to-relocate-gaza-residents-to-egypt-and-jordan-9d4db035f56b4b25b490a20db33e81f9">Abdel Fattah el-Sissi</a>&nbsp;and Jordanian King Abdullah II dismissed Trump's calls to resettle Gazans.

But Trump said he believes Egypt and Jordan — as well as other countries, which he did not name — will ultimately agree to take in Palestinians.

“You look over the decades, it’s all death in Gaza,” Trump said. "This has been happening for years. It’s all death. If we can get a beautiful area to resettle people, permanently, in nice homes where they can be happy and not be shot and not be killed and not be knifed to death like what’s happening in Gaza.”

Trump also said he isn’t ruling out deploying U.S. troops to support reconstruction of Gaza. He envisions “long-term” U.S. ownership of a redevelopment of the territory.

The president's proposal was greeted with alarm by Democrats and a measure of skepticism by his Republican allies.

“He’s completely lost it,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. “He wants a U.S. invasion of Gaza, which would cost thousands of American lives and set the Middle East on fire for 20 years? It’s sick.”

“We’ll see what our Arab friends say about that," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and a Trump ally. "And I think most South Carolinians are probably not excited about sending Americans to take over Gaza. I think that might be problematic, but I’ll keep an open mind.”

The White House's focus on the future of Gaza comes as the nascent truce between Israel and Hamas hangs in the balance.

Netanyahu is facing competing pressure from his right-wing coalition to end a temporary truce against Hamas militants in Gaza and from war-weary Israelis who want the remaining hostages home and for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">15-month conflict</a>&nbsp;to end.

Trump may be betting he can persuade Egypt and Jordan to come around to accept displaced Palestinians because of the significant aid that the U.S. provides Cairo and Amman. Hard-line right-wing members of Netanyahu’s government have embraced the call to move displaced Palestinians out of Gaza.

“To me, it is unfair to explain to Palestinians that they might be back in five years,” Trump’s Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, said. “That’s just preposterous.”

Trump also signaled that he may be reconsidering an independent Palestinian state as part of a broader two-state solution to the decades-long Israel-Palestinian conflict.

“Well, a lot of plans change with time,” he told reporters when asked if he was still committed to a plan like the one he laid out in 2020 that called for a Palestinian state. “A lot of death has occurred since I left and now came back."

Netanyahu's arrival in Washington for the first foreign leader visit of Trump's second term coincides with the prime minister's popular support&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-trump-ceasefire-gaza-f27c1dbbfba4bf268f5368aaceb47e29">sagging</a>.

The prime minister is in the middle of weekslong testimony in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-netanyahu-corruption-trial-gaza-478c957c7749986d5b8b2d039f670d54">ongoing corruption trial</a>&nbsp;that centers on allegations he exchanged favors with media moguls and wealthy associates. He has decried the accusations and said he is the victim of a “witch hunt.”

Being seen with Trump, who is popular in Israel, could help distract the public from the trial and boost Netanyahu’s standing.

“We have the right leader of Israel who’s done a great job," Trump said of Netanyahu.

Netanyahu praised Trump's leadership in getting the hostage and ceasefire deal. The prime minister also spoke glowingly of Trump thinking outside the box.

“You say things others refuse to say. And after the jaws drop, people scratch their heads and they say, 'You know he’s right.'"

Hamas in a statement decried Trump’s comments.

“We reject Trump’s statements in which he said that the residents of the Gaza Strip have no choice but to leave, and we consider them a recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region," the group said.

Netanyahu met with White House national security adviser Mike Waltz and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-middle-east-envoy-steve-witkoff-netanyahu-4dae21b4b6d029a5c7a8ab62d112c2d5">Witkoff</a>&nbsp;on Monday to begin the daunting work of brokering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-war-ceasefire-explainer-bf5dd840354d69432737314bb67e183f">the next phase of a ceasefire agreement</a>.

The Israeli leader said he would send a delegation to Qatar to continue indirect talks with Hamas that are being mediated by the Gulf Arab country, the first confirmation that those negotiations would continue. Netanyahu also said he would convene his security Cabinet to discuss Israel’s demands for the next phase of the ceasefire when he returns to Israel at the end of the week.

Witkoff, meanwhile, said he plans to meet with Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, in Florida on Thursday to discuss the next phase in the ceasefire. Qatar and Egypt have served as key intermediaries with Hamas throughout the conflict.

Netanyahu is under intense pressure from hard-right members of his governing coalition to abandon the ceasefire and resume fighting in Gaza to eliminate Hamas. Bezalel Smotrich, one of Netanyahu’s key partners, vows to topple the government if the war isn’t relaunched, a step that could lead to early elections.

Hamas, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-ceasefire-hostages-militants-rule-93da074c251d0fcaa395503749e2849e">has reasserted control over Gaza</a>&nbsp;since the ceasefire began last month, has said it will not release hostages in the second phase without an end to the war and Israeli forces’ full withdrawal. Netanyahu, meanwhile, maintains that Israel is committed to victory over Hamas and the return of all hostages captured in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war.

Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Melanie Lidman in Jerusalem, Jon Gambrell in Dubai, and Michelle L. Price, Stephen Groves and Lisa Mascaro contributed reporting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738708211203.png" alt="Photo by Margo Martin, Assistant to the President" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Margo Martin, Assistant to the President</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — President Donald Trump's proposal that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-washington-ceasefire-1c8deec4dd46177e08e07d669d595ed3">the United States “take over” the Gaza Strip</a>&nbsp;and permanently resettle its Palestinian residents was swiftly rejected and denounced on Wednesday by American allies and adversaries alike.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/KellyO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KellyO</a> on U.S. taking over Gaza strip: &quot;Are you talking about a permanent occupation there? Redevelopment?&quot; President Trump: &quot;I do see a long-term ownership position...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/AOvHSZZPFR">pic.twitter.com/AOvHSZZPFR</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1886937349080105014?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump's suggestion came at a White House news conference with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-ceasefire-hostages-02-02-2025-90db60e88f955a8bb57cb05e99d574d6">Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu</a>, who smiled several times as the president detailed a plan to build new settlements for Palestinians outside the Gaza Strip, and for the U.S. to take “ownership” in redeveloping the war-torn territory into “the Riviera of the Middle East.”“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,” Trump said. “We'll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site, and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Gaza MUST BE FREE from Hamas. As <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> shared today, the United States stands ready to lead and Make Gaza Beautiful Again. Our pursuit is one of lasting peace in the region for all people.&mdash; Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio/status/1886984908717085101?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The comments came amid a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-ceasefire-aid-war-e1657d315ccc5ba66d15f48100f7981b">fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas</a>, during which the militant group has been turning over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-hostages-images-chaos-6371eb106d6cebe7919f70ba208007ca">hostages in exchange for the release of prisoners</a>&nbsp;held by Israel.Egypt, Jordan and other American allies in the Middle East have already rejected the idea of relocating more than 2 million Palestinians from Gaza elsewhere in the region. Following Trump's remarks, Egypt's Foreign Ministry issued a statement stressing the need for rebuilding “without moving the Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip.”Saudi Arabia, an important American ally, weighed in quickly on Trump's expanded idea to take over the Gaza Strip in a sharply worded statement, noting that its long call for an independent Palestinian state was a “firm, steadfast and unwavering position.”“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia also stresses what it had previously announced regarding its absolute rejection of infringement on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, whether through Israeli settlement policies, annexation of Palestinian lands or efforts to displace the Palestinian people from their land,” the statement said.The prime ministers of Australia and Ireland, foreign ministries from China, New Zealand and Germany, and a Kremlin spokesman all reiterated support for a two-state solution.“Australia's position is the same as it was this morning, as it was last year, as it was 10 years ago,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.Trump has already made waves — and upset longtime allies — suggesting the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-imperialism-canada-panama-greenland-b4b53445dee97398b498b79eab54d49b">purchase of Greenland, the annexation of Canada</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-offshore-drilling-gulf-of-america-fa66f8d072eb39c00a8128a8941ede75">possible takeover of the Panama Canal</a>. It was not immediately clear whether the idea of taking over the Gaza Strip was a well thought out plan, or an opening gambit in negotiations.“The comments last night were, of course, very concerning," said Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin. “I always adopt the approach when it comes to the U.S. administration of: judge them based on what they do and not what they say."Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told state-run Anadolu Agency that Trump's proposal on "deportations from Gaza is not something that either the region or we would accept.”“Even thinking about it, in my opinion, is wrong and absurd,” Fidan said.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for the United Nations to “protect the Palestinian people and their inalienable rights,” saying that what Trump wanted to do would be “a serious violation of international law.”Hamas, which sparked the war with its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, said Trump's proposal was a “recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region."“Instead of holding the Zionist occupation accountable for the crime of genocide and displacement, it is being rewarded, not punished,” the militant group said in a statement.In its attack on Israel, Hamas killed some 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and took about 250 hostages.Israel's ensuing air and ground war has has killed over 47,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to local health authorities who do not say how many of the dead were fighters. The war has left large&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-war-aftermath-destruction-4c148d498f3d67a5d6de2107b6a1c966">parts of several cities in ruins</a>&nbsp;and displaced around 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million people.In the U.S., opposition politicians quickly rejected Trump's idea, with Democratic Sen. Chris Coons calling his comments "offensive and insane and dangerous and foolish.”The idea “risks the rest of the world thinking that we are an unbalanced and unreliable partner because our president makes insane proposals,” Coons said, noting the irony of the proposal coming shortly after Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-layoffs-7e0a159d8a419c4c9388ab02e8259f23">had moved to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development</a>.“Why on earth would we abandon decades of well-established humanitarian programs around the world, and now launch into one of the world’s greatest humanitarian challenges?” Coons said.Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian American member of Congress from Michigan, accused Trump in a social media post of “openly calling for ethnic cleansing” with the idea of resettling Gaza's entire population.___Rising reported from Bangkok. Associated Press writers Zeke Miller in Washington; Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey; Simina Mistreanu in Taipei, Taiwan; Josef Federman in Jerusalem, Samy Magdy in Cairo and Charlotte McLay in Wellington, New Zealand, contributed to this report.-----------------WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday suggested that displaced Palestinians in Gaza be permanently resettled outside the war-torn territory and proposed the U.S. take “ownership” in redeveloping the area into “the Riviera of the Middle East”Trump’s brazen proposal appears certain to roil the next stage of talks meant to extend the tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and secure the release of the remaining hostages held in Gaza.The provocative comments came as talks are ramping up this week with the promise of surging humanitarian aid and reconstruction supplies to help the people of Gaza recover after more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">15 months of devastating conflict</a>. Now Trump wants to push roughly 1.8 million people to leave the land they have called home and claim it for the U.S., perhaps with American troops.“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,” Trump said at an evening news conference with Netanyahu by his side. The president who made his name as New York real estate developer added: “We’ll make sure that it’s done world class. It’ll be wonderful for the people — Palestinians, Palestinians mostly, we’re talking about.”Trump outlined his thinking as he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-palestinians-israel-trump-war-a5fd8e3eb4e50ed609c9f0aa100c51e6">held talks</a>&nbsp;with Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;at the White House, where the two leaders also discussed the fragile ceasefire and hostage deal in the Israeli-Hamas conflict and shared concerns about Iran.Trump said the U.S. would redevelop the territory after Palestinians are resettled elsewhere and turn the territory into a place where the “world's people”— including Palestinians — would live. He offered no detail about what authority the U.S. would use to take the land and develop it.Egypt, Jordan and other U.S. allies in the Mideast have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mideast-egypt-jordan-palestinians-trump-51dc4d5225e6bc0a135b7bbafedb3d86">cautioned Trump</a>&nbsp;that relocating Palestinians from Gaza would threaten Mideast stability, risk expanding the conflict and undermine a decades-long push by the U.S. and allies for a two-state solution.Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry issued a sharply worded reaction to Trump, noting their long call for an independent Palestinian state was a “firm, steadfast and unwavering position.” Saudi Arabia has been in negotiations with the U.S. over a deal to diplomatically recognize Israel in exchange for a security pact and other terms.“The duty of the international community today is to work to alleviate the severe human suffering endured by the Palestinian people, who will remain committed to their land and will not budge from it," the Saudi statement said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin <a href="https://twitter.com/netanyahu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Netanyahu</a> to the White House. <a href="https://t.co/LbQ1J0Edgs">pic.twitter.com/LbQ1J0Edgs</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1886890555994407215?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Still, Trump insists the Palestinians “have no alternative” but to leave the "big pile of rubble” that is Gaza. He spoke out as his top aides stressed that a three-to-five-year timeline for reconstruction of the war-torn territory, as laid out in a temporary truce agreement, is not viable.Last week, both Egyptian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/egypts-president-rejects-trumps-proposal-to-relocate-gaza-residents-to-egypt-and-jordan-9d4db035f56b4b25b490a20db33e81f9">Abdel Fattah el-Sissi</a>&nbsp;and Jordanian King Abdullah II dismissed Trump's calls to resettle Gazans.But Trump said he believes Egypt and Jordan — as well as other countries, which he did not name — will ultimately agree to take in Palestinians.“You look over the decades, it’s all death in Gaza,” Trump said. "This has been happening for years. It’s all death. If we can get a beautiful area to resettle people, permanently, in nice homes where they can be happy and not be shot and not be killed and not be knifed to death like what’s happening in Gaza.”Trump also said he isn’t ruling out deploying U.S. troops to support reconstruction of Gaza. He envisions “long-term” U.S. ownership of a redevelopment of the territory.The president's proposal was greeted with alarm by Democrats and a measure of skepticism by his Republican allies.“He’s completely lost it,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. “He wants a U.S. invasion of Gaza, which would cost thousands of American lives and set the Middle East on fire for 20 years? It’s sick.”“We’ll see what our Arab friends say about that," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and a Trump ally. "And I think most South Carolinians are probably not excited about sending Americans to take over Gaza. I think that might be problematic, but I’ll keep an open mind.”The White House's focus on the future of Gaza comes as the nascent truce between Israel and Hamas hangs in the balance.Netanyahu is facing competing pressure from his right-wing coalition to end a temporary truce against Hamas militants in Gaza and from war-weary Israelis who want the remaining hostages home and for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">15-month conflict</a>&nbsp;to end.Trump may be betting he can persuade Egypt and Jordan to come around to accept displaced Palestinians because of the significant aid that the U.S. provides Cairo and Amman. Hard-line right-wing members of Netanyahu’s government have embraced the call to move displaced Palestinians out of Gaza.“To me, it is unfair to explain to Palestinians that they might be back in five years,” Trump’s Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, said. “That’s just preposterous.”Trump also signaled that he may be reconsidering an independent Palestinian state as part of a broader two-state solution to the decades-long Israel-Palestinian conflict.“Well, a lot of plans change with time,” he told reporters when asked if he was still committed to a plan like the one he laid out in 2020 that called for a Palestinian state. “A lot of death has occurred since I left and now came back."Netanyahu's arrival in Washington for the first foreign leader visit of Trump's second term coincides with the prime minister's popular support&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-trump-ceasefire-gaza-f27c1dbbfba4bf268f5368aaceb47e29">sagging</a>.The prime minister is in the middle of weekslong testimony in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-netanyahu-corruption-trial-gaza-478c957c7749986d5b8b2d039f670d54">ongoing corruption trial</a>&nbsp;that centers on allegations he exchanged favors with media moguls and wealthy associates. He has decried the accusations and said he is the victim of a “witch hunt.”Being seen with Trump, who is popular in Israel, could help distract the public from the trial and boost Netanyahu’s standing.“We have the right leader of Israel who’s done a great job," Trump said of Netanyahu.Netanyahu praised Trump's leadership in getting the hostage and ceasefire deal. The prime minister also spoke glowingly of Trump thinking outside the box.“You say things others refuse to say. And after the jaws drop, people scratch their heads and they say, 'You know he’s right.'"Hamas in a statement decried Trump’s comments.“We reject Trump’s statements in which he said that the residents of the Gaza Strip have no choice but to leave, and we consider them a recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region," the group said.Netanyahu met with White House national security adviser Mike Waltz and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-middle-east-envoy-steve-witkoff-netanyahu-4dae21b4b6d029a5c7a8ab62d112c2d5">Witkoff</a>&nbsp;on Monday to begin the daunting work of brokering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-war-ceasefire-explainer-bf5dd840354d69432737314bb67e183f">the next phase of a ceasefire agreement</a>.The Israeli leader said he would send a delegation to Qatar to continue indirect talks with Hamas that are being mediated by the Gulf Arab country, the first confirmation that those negotiations would continue. Netanyahu also said he would convene his security Cabinet to discuss Israel’s demands for the next phase of the ceasefire when he returns to Israel at the end of the week.Witkoff, meanwhile, said he plans to meet with Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, in Florida on Thursday to discuss the next phase in the ceasefire. Qatar and Egypt have served as key intermediaries with Hamas throughout the conflict.Netanyahu is under intense pressure from hard-right members of his governing coalition to abandon the ceasefire and resume fighting in Gaza to eliminate Hamas. Bezalel Smotrich, one of Netanyahu’s key partners, vows to topple the government if the war isn’t relaunched, a step that could lead to early elections.Hamas, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-ceasefire-hostages-militants-rule-93da074c251d0fcaa395503749e2849e">has reasserted control over Gaza</a>&nbsp;since the ceasefire began last month, has said it will not release hostages in the second phase without an end to the war and Israeli forces’ full withdrawal. Netanyahu, meanwhile, maintains that Israel is committed to victory over Hamas and the return of all hostages captured in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war.___Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Melanie Lidman in Jerusalem, Jon Gambrell in Dubai, and Michelle L. Price, Stephen Groves and Lisa Mascaro contributed reporting.___

🎥 Trump's suggestion the US 'take over' Gaza  rejected by allies and adversaries alike

COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal head-0n crash that occurred Tuesday in Cowley County.

At 9:53a.m. Tuesday Cowley County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a vehicle driving northbound in the southbound lane on U.S. 77 Highway near 71st Road, according to Sheriff Dave Faletti.

As deputies arrived in the area the vehicle, a red 2002 Dodge Dakota driven by Walter J. Thurman, age 91 of Arkansas City struck a red 2014 GMC Acadia driven by Alexis J. Smith, age 32 of Arkansas City, head-on. 

Thurman was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported Smith and her juvenile passenger to William Newton Hospital with severe injuries. 

Due to the nature of the accident, the coroner has requested an autopsy for Thurman. 

Assistance provided by Winfield Police Department, Winfield Fire/EMS

Kansas Highway Patrol, Cowley County Emergency Mangagement and Kansas Department of Transportation.

COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal head-0n crash that occurred Tuesday in Cowley County.At 9:53a.m. Tuesday Cowley County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a vehicle driving northbound in the southbound lane on U.S. 77 Highway near 71st Road, according to Sheriff Dave Faletti.As deputies arrived in the area the vehicle, a red 2002 Dodge Dakota driven by Walter J. Thurman, age 91 of Arkansas City struck a red 2014 GMC Acadia driven by Alexis J. Smith, age 32 of Arkansas City, head-on. Thurman was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported Smith and her juvenile passenger to William Newton Hospital with severe injuries. Due to the nature of the accident, the coroner has requested an autopsy for Thurman. Assistance provided by Winfield Police Department, Winfield Fire/EMSKansas Highway Patrol, Cowley County Emergency Mangagement and Kansas Department of Transportation.

Sheriff: Coroner asks for autopsy after fatal Kan. wrong-way crash

HONG KONG (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service is reversing course a day after placing a ban on all inbound mail and packages from China and Hong Kong.

The post office announced Tuesday that it would no longer accept parcels from the China and Hong Kong after the U.S. imposed an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-tariffs-trump-shein-temu-023aaee8f043605e62a614eaa5134f62">ended a customs exception</a>&nbsp;that allowed small value parcels to enter the U.S. without paying tax.

The Postal Service gave no reason for the reversal, but said it would work with Customs and Border Protection to implement a collection process for the new China tariffs to avoid delivery disruptions.

The Postal Service did not immediately return a request for comment by the Requests for The Associated Press.

The ban had the potential to create massive disruptions for online shopping platforms like Shein and Temu, popular with younger shoppers in the U.S. for cheap clothing and other products, usually shipped directly from China.

Cheap, direct postal service helps these companies keep costs low, as did the “de minimis” exemption that previously allowed shipments to go tax-free if their value is under $800.

The suspension by USPS would have likely have created delays in shipments and potentially higher prices for the companies that rely on rock-bottom pricing for huge sales.

One day after the U.S. Postal Service said in a notice that it would stop accepting inbound parcels from the China and Hong Kong Posts until further notice, it said Wednesday that would “continue accepting all international inbound mail and packages from China and Hong Kong.”

Letters and flats — mail that measures up to 15 inches (38 centimeters) long or 3/4 inches (1.9 centimeters) thick — were not included in the brief ban.

The USPS did not give a reason for the ban Tuesday, but the suspension came after Trump closed the “de minimis” customs exemption this week that allowed shoppers and importers to avoid duties on packages worth below $800.

The exemption was removed as part of an executive order to levy a 10% tariff on Chinese goods.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection previously stated that it processes an average of over four million “de minimis” imports each week.

HONG KONG (AP) — Americans are likely to pay more for products from popular Chinese e-commerce platforms like Shein and Temu as the U.S. Postal Service said it would stop accepting parcels from China and Hong Kong.

The move was announced Tuesday, coming after the U.S. imposed an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-tariffs-trump-shein-temu-023aaee8f043605e62a614eaa5134f62">ended a customs exception</a>&nbsp;that allowed small value parcels to enter the U.S. without paying tax. Canada and Mexico managed to negotiate a month-long reprieve from 25% tariffs threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump.

It will likely impact online shopping destinations like Shein and Temu, popular with younger shoppers in the U.S. for cheap clothing and other products, usually shipped directly from China.

The temporary suspension by USPS is likely to delay shipments and could mean higher prices in the long term.

The U.S. Postal Service said in a notice that it would temporarily stop accepting inbound parcels from the China and Hong Kong Posts until further notice.

Letters and flats — mail that measures up to 15 inches (38 centimeters) long or 3/4 inches (1.9 centimeters) thick — are not affected.

The USPS did not state a reason in a brief announcement, but the suspension came after Trump closed the “de minimis” customs exemption this week that allowed shoppers and importers to avoid duties on packages worth below $800.

What is the impact and who is most affected?

Consumers and companies alike will no longer be able to send parcels to the U.S. from Hong Kong or China.

This move is likely to impact Chinese e-commerce firms like Shein and Temu, although Shein is likely to be more affected, according to Jacob Cooke, CEO of e-commerce marketing agency WPIC Marketing + Technologies.

Both companies have significant market share in the U.S.

“Compared to Temu, Shein relies more heavily on USPS for direct-to-consumer shipping from China, and without this channel, it will have to rely more on private carriers,” said Cooke.

“That will increase logistics costs, which along with the recent scrapping of the de minimis exemption for most products from China, could erode its price advantage.”

Cooke said Temu operates on a semi-consignment model and often ships bulk orders to the U.S. before fulfilling orders domestically.

“Temu’s model of sourcing low-cost goods should also enable the platform to absorb higher logistics costs and remain price competitive,” he said.

Shein and Temu did not immediately comment.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said China would take “necessary measures” to protect its companies, and urged the U.S. to “stop politicizing economic and trade issues and using them as a tool, and to stop unreasonably suppressing Chinese companies.”

What are possible ways for companies to work around the issue?

It is unclear how long the USPS suspension will last, but the effort to crack down on the de minimis excemption seems like a longer-term shift in policy, Cooke said.

“Shein and Temu will simply need to rely more on private carriers as a workaround to the USPS suspension,” he said.

In the long term, Shein could accelerate its warehouse expansion in the U.S., while Temu can double down on its semi-consignment model. By shipping in bulk to the U.S. and fulfilling orders domestically, logistics cost can be reduced, Cooke said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596998721849.png" alt="FIle photo -Google image" />
 <figcaption>FIle photo -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>HONG KONG (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service is reversing course a day after placing a ban on all inbound mail and packages from China and Hong Kong.The post office announced Tuesday that it would no longer accept parcels from the China and Hong Kong after the U.S. imposed an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-tariffs-trump-shein-temu-023aaee8f043605e62a614eaa5134f62">ended a customs exception</a>&nbsp;that allowed small value parcels to enter the U.S. without paying tax.The Postal Service gave no reason for the reversal, but said it would work with Customs and Border Protection to implement a collection process for the new China tariffs to avoid delivery disruptions.The Postal Service did not immediately return a request for comment by the Requests for The Associated Press.The ban had the potential to create massive disruptions for online shopping platforms like Shein and Temu, popular with younger shoppers in the U.S. for cheap clothing and other products, usually shipped directly from China.Cheap, direct postal service helps these companies keep costs low, as did the “de minimis” exemption that previously allowed shipments to go tax-free if their value is under $800.The suspension by USPS would have likely have created delays in shipments and potentially higher prices for the companies that rely on rock-bottom pricing for huge sales.<h2>What exactly did the USPS announce?</h2>One day after the U.S. Postal Service said in a notice that it would stop accepting inbound parcels from the China and Hong Kong Posts until further notice, it said Wednesday that would “continue accepting all international inbound mail and packages from China and Hong Kong.”Letters and flats — mail that measures up to 15 inches (38 centimeters) long or 3/4 inches (1.9 centimeters) thick — were not included in the brief ban.<h2>Why did it happen?</h2>The USPS did not give a reason for the ban Tuesday, but the suspension came after Trump closed the “de minimis” customs exemption this week that allowed shoppers and importers to avoid duties on packages worth below $800.The exemption was removed as part of an executive order to levy a 10% tariff on Chinese goods.U.S. Customs and Border Protection previously stated that it processes an average of over four million “de minimis” imports each week.----------HONG KONG (AP) — Americans are likely to pay more for products from popular Chinese e-commerce platforms like Shein and Temu as the U.S. Postal Service said it would stop accepting parcels from China and Hong Kong.The move was announced Tuesday, coming after the U.S. imposed an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-tariffs-trump-shein-temu-023aaee8f043605e62a614eaa5134f62">ended a customs exception</a>&nbsp;that allowed small value parcels to enter the U.S. without paying tax. Canada and Mexico managed to negotiate a month-long reprieve from 25% tariffs threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738762217328.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>It will likely impact online shopping destinations like Shein and Temu, popular with younger shoppers in the U.S. for cheap clothing and other products, usually shipped directly from China.Cheap, direct postal service helps these companies keep costs low, as did the “de minimis” exemption that previously allowed shipments to go tax-free if their value is under $800.The temporary suspension by USPS is likely to delay shipments and could mean higher prices in the long term.<h2>What exactly did the USPS announce?</h2>The U.S. Postal Service said in a notice that it would temporarily stop accepting inbound parcels from the China and Hong Kong Posts until further notice.Letters and flats — mail that measures up to 15 inches (38 centimeters) long or 3/4 inches (1.9 centimeters) thick — are not affected.<h2>Why did it happen?</h2>The USPS did not state a reason in a brief announcement, but the suspension came after Trump closed the “de minimis” customs exemption this week that allowed shoppers and importers to avoid duties on packages worth below $800.The exemption was removed as part of an executive order to levy a 10% tariff on Chinese goods.U.S. Customs and Border Protection previously stated that it processes an average of over four million “de minimis” imports each week.<h2>What is the impact and who is most affected?</h2>Consumers and companies alike will no longer be able to send parcels to the U.S. from Hong Kong or China.This move is likely to impact Chinese e-commerce firms like Shein and Temu, although Shein is likely to be more affected, according to Jacob Cooke, CEO of e-commerce marketing agency WPIC Marketing + Technologies.Both companies have significant market share in the U.S.“Compared to Temu, Shein relies more heavily on USPS for direct-to-consumer shipping from China, and without this channel, it will have to rely more on private carriers,” said Cooke.“That will increase logistics costs, which along with the recent scrapping of the de minimis exemption for most products from China, could erode its price advantage.”Cooke said Temu operates on a semi-consignment model and often ships bulk orders to the U.S. before fulfilling orders domestically.“Temu’s model of sourcing low-cost goods should also enable the platform to absorb higher logistics costs and remain price competitive,” he said.Shein and Temu did not immediately comment.Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said China would take “necessary measures” to protect its companies, and urged the U.S. to “stop politicizing economic and trade issues and using them as a tool, and to stop unreasonably suppressing Chinese companies.”<h2>What are possible ways for companies to work around the issue?</h2>It is unclear how long the USPS suspension will last, but the effort to crack down on the de minimis excemption seems like a longer-term shift in policy, Cooke said.“Shein and Temu will simply need to rely more on private carriers as a workaround to the USPS suspension,” he said.In the long term, Shein could accelerate its warehouse expansion in the U.S., while Temu can double down on its semi-consignment model. By shipping in bulk to the U.S. and fulfilling orders domestically, logistics cost can be reduced, Cooke said.

US Postal Service flip-flops on China packages, lifting ban imposed Tuesday

SALINA. –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Tuesday afternoon in Salina.

At around 11:20 a.m., Salina police received a call from a woman who reported an armed domestic disturbance at her home, in the 900 block of Birch Drive in Salina, according to a media release from the KBI.&nbsp;

Preliminary information indicates that when officers arrived, they contacted a female subject outside the house and learned that a male subject, later identified as Manuel Johnson-Ponce, 29, of Salina, had barricaded inside the home with a three-year old child. He was making threats to the child and officers.

Around 12 p.m., SPD’s SWAT team also responded to the scene. KBI’s High Risk Warrant Team (HRWT) was requested to assist around 12:15 p.m.

During the standoff, Johnson-Ponce refused to comply with repeated commands to come out of the house. He would also not allow the toddler to leave. Around 1 p.m. an officer from SPD fired rounds striking Johnson-Ponce. Immediately following the shooting, law enforcement officers safely rescued the child from the home.

Officers rendered aid to Johnson-Ponce. EMS arrived and transported him to a local hospital. Johnson-Ponce was treated for non-life threatening injuries and is in stable condition.&nbsp;No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.

This independent investigation aims to discover all events leading up to the officer-involved shooting. In police use of force cases, the KBI releases details to the public as soon as possible. This information is preliminary in nature, and is based on evidence collected and early statements of the parties involved, witnesses, medical personnel and others. It does not represent final or thorough findings which take several weeks to complete.

When this investigation concludes, case findings will be presented to the Saline County Attorney. The investigation is ongoing.

SALINA—Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Salina that sent a man to the hospital.

Just before 11:30a.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a domestic disturbance in the 900 block of Birch Street in Salina, according to a media release. Upon arrival officers contacted a man who was armed and pointed a weapon at officers. A barricaded hostage situation began.

During the incident, the suspect was shot and transported to Salina Regional Health Center. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is now in charge of the investigation. Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738705427015.png" alt="Photo courtesy KAKE" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KAKE</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINA. –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Tuesday afternoon in Salina.At around 11:20 a.m., Salina police received a call from a woman who reported an armed domestic disturbance at her home, in the 900 block of Birch Drive in Salina, according to a media release from the KBI.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707400070476.jpeg" alt="Monroe Manuel Johnson-Ponce from an arrest in Feb. 2024- Saline Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Monroe Manuel Johnson-Ponce from an arrest in Feb. 2024- Saline Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Preliminary information indicates that when officers arrived, they contacted a female subject outside the house and learned that a male subject, later identified as Manuel Johnson-Ponce, 29, of Salina, had barricaded inside the home with a three-year old child. He was making threats to the child and officers.Around 12 p.m., SPD’s SWAT team also responded to the scene. KBI’s High Risk Warrant Team (HRWT) was requested to assist around 12:15 p.m.During the standoff, Johnson-Ponce refused to comply with repeated commands to come out of the house. He would also not allow the toddler to leave. Around 1 p.m. an officer from SPD fired rounds striking Johnson-Ponce. Immediately following the shooting, law enforcement officers safely rescued the child from the home.Officers rendered aid to Johnson-Ponce. EMS arrived and transported him to a local hospital. Johnson-Ponce was treated for non-life threatening injuries and is in stable condition.&nbsp;No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.This independent investigation aims to discover all events leading up to the officer-involved shooting. In police use of force cases, the KBI releases details to the public as soon as possible. This information is preliminary in nature, and is based on evidence collected and early statements of the parties involved, witnesses, medical personnel and others. It does not represent final or thorough findings which take several weeks to complete.When this investigation concludes, case findings will be presented to the Saline County Attorney. The investigation is ongoing.----------SALINA—Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Salina that sent a man to the hospital.Just before 11:30a.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a domestic disturbance in the 900 block of Birch Street in Salina, according to a media release. Upon arrival officers contacted a man who was armed and pointed a weapon at officers. A barricaded hostage situation began.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738705211756.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>During the incident, the suspect was shot and transported to Salina Regional Health Center. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is now in charge of the investigation. Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

KBI IDs man wounded in officer shooting in Salina

KANSAS CITY —A man is facing charges in connection with a fatal wrong-way crash on Interstate 70 that occurred January 28.

Javier Garcia-Arellano, 26, is charged with a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2494/Redacted-Complaint">class B felony of Driving While Intoxicated resulting in death</a>, according to the&nbsp;Jackson County prosecutor's office.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2495/Probable-Cause">According to court records</a>, officers were dispatched to westbound Interstate 70 west of Noland Road in Independence shortly after midnight on a crash with fatal injuries. The crash investigation revealed a Toyota Camry operated by Garcia-Arellano was traveling eastbound in the westbound lane of Interstate 70 and struck a westbound Kia Optima head-on.

 After the collision, the Toyota continued traveling east where it was struck by a Freightliner tractor trailer and then collided with another vehicle.

The driver of the Kia died in the crash and the other two drivers sustained injuries.

Garcia-Arellano told police he had been drinking alcoholic beverages that night into the early morning. According to court records he said he had as many as twelve to fourteen alcoholic beverages since 6p.m.

 Toxicology reports confirmed the defendant was driving under the influence of alcohol.&nbsp;&nbsp;Javier Garcia-Arellanos did not have a valid driver's license and one prior arrest for driving while intoxicated, according to a&nbsp; Kansas Highway Patrol arrest in May of 2023

He is in custody on a $150,000 bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738358683112.png" alt="GARCIA-ARELLANO is being held for immigration authorities, according to online jail records" />
 <figcaption>GARCIA-ARELLANO is being held for immigration authorities, according to online jail records</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A man is facing charges in connection with a fatal wrong-way crash on Interstate 70 that occurred January 28. Javier Garcia-Arellano, 26, is charged with a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2494/Redacted-Complaint">class B felony of Driving While Intoxicated resulting in death</a>, according to the&nbsp;Jackson County prosecutor's office.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2495/Probable-Cause">According to court records</a>, officers were dispatched to westbound Interstate 70 west of Noland Road in Independence shortly after midnight on a crash with fatal injuries. The crash investigation revealed a Toyota Camry operated by Garcia-Arellano was traveling eastbound in the westbound lane of Interstate 70 and struck a westbound Kia Optima head-on. After the collision, the Toyota continued traveling east where it was struck by a Freightliner tractor trailer and then collided with another vehicle.The driver of the Kia died in the crash and the other two drivers sustained injuries.Garcia-Arellano told police he had been drinking alcoholic beverages that night into the early morning. According to court records he said he had as many as twelve to fourteen alcoholic beverages since 6p.m. Toxicology reports confirmed the defendant was driving under the influence of alcohol.&nbsp;&nbsp;Javier Garcia-Arellanos did not have a valid driver's license and one prior arrest for driving while intoxicated, according to a&nbsp; Kansas Highway Patrol arrest in May of 2023He is in custody on a $150,000 bond.&nbsp;

Driver in fatal I-70 crash said he had 14 drinks

WASHINGTON — Two employees of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority have been charged after authorities say they leaked a video of the&nbsp;American Airlines Flight 5342 crash with an Army Black Hawk helicopter&nbsp;to CNN, according to a statement from the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority.

The employees made an "unauthorized copy" of the video and gave it to the media outlet.

Mohamed Lamine Mbengue, 21, was charged with computer trespass. He was booked into the Arlington County Adult Detention Center and later released on his own recognizance. &nbsp;&nbsp;

 Jonathan Savoy, 45,&nbsp; Upper Marlboro, was also charged with computer trespass. He was released on a summons by a magistrate.

No one survived the Wednesday night collision. Crews are still searching for remains.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738667971605.png" alt="Mbengue photo Arlington County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Mbengue photo Arlington County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — Two employees of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority have been charged after authorities say they leaked a video of the&nbsp;American Airlines Flight 5342 crash with an Army Black Hawk helicopter&nbsp;to CNN, according to a statement from the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority.The employees made an "unauthorized copy" of the video and gave it to the media outlet.Mohamed Lamine Mbengue, 21, was charged with computer trespass. He was booked into the Arlington County Adult Detention Center and later released on his own recognizance. &nbsp;&nbsp; Jonathan Savoy, 45,&nbsp; Upper Marlboro, was also charged with computer trespass. He was released on a summons by a magistrate.No one survived the Wednesday night collision. Crews are still searching for remains.

Airport workers arrested for leaking mid-air plane crash video to media

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate confirmed Pam Bondi as U.S. attorney general Tuesday evening, putting a longtime ally of Donald Trump at the helm of a Justice Department that has already been rattled by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-special-counsel-trump-046ce32dbad712e72e500c32ecc20f2f">firings of career employees seen as disloyal to the Republican president.</a>

The vote fell almost entirely along party lines, with only Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, joining with all Republicans to pass her confirmation 54-46.

Bondi,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pam-bondi-justice-department-trump-attorney-general-4b94c094cfcabf606e4883fe709ab55a">a former Florida attorney general</a>&nbsp;and corporate lobbyist, is expected to oversee a radical reshaping of the department that has been the target of Trump's ire over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">criminal cases it brought against him</a>. She enters with the FBI, which she will oversee,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-fbi-justice-department-8460829a0874f91a95bc4a9d22e36fce">in turmoil over the scrutiny of agents</a>&nbsp;involved in investigations related to the president, who has made clear his desire to seek revenge on his perceived adversaries.

Republicans have praised Bondi as a highly qualified leader they contend will bring much-needed change to a department they believe unfairly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-special-counsel-aileen-cannon-d7be86dad89227f12a6f5aac3433b202">pursued Trump through investigations</a>&nbsp;resulting in two indictments.

“Pam Bondi has promised to get the department back to its core mission: prosecuting crime and protecting Americans from threats to their safety and their freedoms,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.

But Bondi has faced intense scrutiny over her close relationship with the president, who during his term&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-4ff1ecb621884a728b25e62661257ef0">fired an FBI director</a>&nbsp;who refused to pledge loyalty to him and forced out an attorney general who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bf2d24bc798e42409d5ef66f484361da">recused himself</a>&nbsp;from the Justice Department’s investigation into potential ties between Russia and his 2016 presidential campaign.

While Bondi has sought to reassure Democrats that politics would play no part in her decision-making, she also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-bondi-garland-01edf039f8102271943da4fb85d56fa7">refused at her confirmation hearing last month to rule potential investigations into Trump’s adversaries</a>. And she has repeated Trump's claims that the prosecutions against him amounted to political persecution, saying the Justice Department “had been weaponized for years and years and years, and it’s got to stop.”

Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., praised Bondi as “accomplished and competent” but said his "grave concern is really about President Trump and what he is clearly demanding.”

“That clearly is a loyalty oath to him as opposed to a demand for straightforward, candid advice, including if the president is asking for something to be done like the prosecution of a political adversary,” Welch said.

Bondi’s confirmation vote came just hours after FBI agents sued the Justice Department over efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-firing-a7b19a5f414ce82c6f6b5f6656000d23">develop a list of employees</a>&nbsp;involved in the Jan. 6 prosecutions, which agents fear could be a precursor to mass firings.

Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove last week ordered the acting FBI director to provide the names, titles and offices of all FBI employees who worked on the Jan. 6 cases —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-riot-trump-pardons-jan-6-f6e23bcd84eaed672318c88f05286767">which Trump has described as a “grave national injustice.”</a>&nbsp;Bove, who defended Trump in his criminal cases before joining the administration, said Justice Department officials would carry out a “review process to determine whether any additional personnel actions are necessary.”

Justice Department officials have also recently forced out senior FBI executives, fired prosecutors on special counsel Jack Smith’s team who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-special-counsel-trump-046ce32dbad712e72e500c32ecc20f2f">investigated Trump</a>&nbsp;and terminated a group of prosecutors in the D.C. U.S. attorney's office who were hired to help with the massive Jan. 6 investigation.

Bondi repeatedly stressed at her confirmation hearing that she would not pursue anyone for political reasons, and vowed that the public, not the president, would be her client. But her answers at times echoed Trump's campaign rhetoric about a politicized justice system.

“They targeted Donald Trump,” Bondi told lawmakers. “They went after him — actually starting back in 2016, they targeted his campaign. They have launched countless investigations against him.” She added, “If I am attorney general, I will not politicize that office.”

Trump nominated Bondi for attorney general after it became clear that his initial pick, former Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2024/gaetz-pick-shows-value-trump-places-on-loyalty-and-retribution-as-he-returns-to-washington/">Matt Gaetz</a>, could not win enough support from Republican senators to be confirmed.

Bondi has been a fixture in Trump’s orbit for years, and a regular defender of the president-elect on news programs amid his legal woes. In a 2023 Fox News appearance, she suggested that “bad” Justice Department prosecutors would be investigated under the Trump administration.

“The investigators will be investigated," she said.

Smith has said politics played no part in his decisions and the evidence his team gathered was sufficient for Trump to have been convicted at trial on charges of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">scheming to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738022793205.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran met with Bondi in December" />
 <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran met with Bondi in December</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate confirmed Pam Bondi as U.S. attorney general Tuesday evening, putting a longtime ally of Donald Trump at the helm of a Justice Department that has already been rattled by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-special-counsel-trump-046ce32dbad712e72e500c32ecc20f2f">firings of career employees seen as disloyal to the Republican president.</a>The vote fell almost entirely along party lines, with only Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, joining with all Republicans to pass her confirmation 54-46.Bondi,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pam-bondi-justice-department-trump-attorney-general-4b94c094cfcabf606e4883fe709ab55a">a former Florida attorney general</a>&nbsp;and corporate lobbyist, is expected to oversee a radical reshaping of the department that has been the target of Trump's ire over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">criminal cases it brought against him</a>. She enters with the FBI, which she will oversee,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-fbi-justice-department-8460829a0874f91a95bc4a9d22e36fce">in turmoil over the scrutiny of agents</a>&nbsp;involved in investigations related to the president, who has made clear his desire to seek revenge on his perceived adversaries.Republicans have praised Bondi as a highly qualified leader they contend will bring much-needed change to a department they believe unfairly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-special-counsel-aileen-cannon-d7be86dad89227f12a6f5aac3433b202">pursued Trump through investigations</a>&nbsp;resulting in two indictments.“Pam Bondi has promised to get the department back to its core mission: prosecuting crime and protecting Americans from threats to their safety and their freedoms,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.But Bondi has faced intense scrutiny over her close relationship with the president, who during his term&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-4ff1ecb621884a728b25e62661257ef0">fired an FBI director</a>&nbsp;who refused to pledge loyalty to him and forced out an attorney general who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bf2d24bc798e42409d5ef66f484361da">recused himself</a>&nbsp;from the Justice Department’s investigation into potential ties between Russia and his 2016 presidential campaign.While Bondi has sought to reassure Democrats that politics would play no part in her decision-making, she also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-bondi-garland-01edf039f8102271943da4fb85d56fa7">refused at her confirmation hearing last month to rule potential investigations into Trump’s adversaries</a>. And she has repeated Trump's claims that the prosecutions against him amounted to political persecution, saying the Justice Department “had been weaponized for years and years and years, and it’s got to stop.”Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., praised Bondi as “accomplished and competent” but said his "grave concern is really about President Trump and what he is clearly demanding.”“That clearly is a loyalty oath to him as opposed to a demand for straightforward, candid advice, including if the president is asking for something to be done like the prosecution of a political adversary,” Welch said.Bondi’s confirmation vote came just hours after FBI agents sued the Justice Department over efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-firing-a7b19a5f414ce82c6f6b5f6656000d23">develop a list of employees</a>&nbsp;involved in the Jan. 6 prosecutions, which agents fear could be a precursor to mass firings.Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove last week ordered the acting FBI director to provide the names, titles and offices of all FBI employees who worked on the Jan. 6 cases —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-riot-trump-pardons-jan-6-f6e23bcd84eaed672318c88f05286767">which Trump has described as a “grave national injustice.”</a>&nbsp;Bove, who defended Trump in his criminal cases before joining the administration, said Justice Department officials would carry out a “review process to determine whether any additional personnel actions are necessary.”Justice Department officials have also recently forced out senior FBI executives, fired prosecutors on special counsel Jack Smith’s team who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-special-counsel-trump-046ce32dbad712e72e500c32ecc20f2f">investigated Trump</a>&nbsp;and terminated a group of prosecutors in the D.C. U.S. attorney's office who were hired to help with the massive Jan. 6 investigation.Bondi repeatedly stressed at her confirmation hearing that she would not pursue anyone for political reasons, and vowed that the public, not the president, would be her client. But her answers at times echoed Trump's campaign rhetoric about a politicized justice system.“They targeted Donald Trump,” Bondi told lawmakers. “They went after him — actually starting back in 2016, they targeted his campaign. They have launched countless investigations against him.” She added, “If I am attorney general, I will not politicize that office.”Trump nominated Bondi for attorney general after it became clear that his initial pick, former Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2024/gaetz-pick-shows-value-trump-places-on-loyalty-and-retribution-as-he-returns-to-washington/">Matt Gaetz</a>, could not win enough support from Republican senators to be confirmed.Bondi has been a fixture in Trump’s orbit for years, and a regular defender of the president-elect on news programs amid his legal woes. In a 2023 Fox News appearance, she suggested that “bad” Justice Department prosecutors would be investigated under the Trump administration.“The investigators will be investigated," she said.Smith has said politics played no part in his decisions and the evidence his team gathered was sufficient for Trump to have been convicted at trial on charges of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">scheming to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election</a>.

With Democrat support Senate confirms Pam Bondi as US attorney general

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Tuesday that he's given his advisers instructions to obliterate Iran if it assassinates him.

“If they did that they would be obliterated,” Trump said in an exchange with reporters while signing an executive order calling for the U.S. government to impose maximum pressure on Tehran. "I’ve left instructions if they do it, they get obliterated, there won’t be anything left.”

If Trump were assassinated, Vice President JD Vance would become president and would not necessarily be bound by any instructions left by his predecessor.

Federal authorities have been tracking Iranian threats against Trump and other administration officials for years.

Trump ordered the 2020&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-tehran-international-news-iraq-ali-khamenei-5597ff0f046a67805cc233d5933a53ed">killing of Qassem Soleimani</a>, who led the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force.

A threat on Trump’s life from Iran prompted additional security in the days before a July campaign rally in Pennsylvania where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vp-vance-rubio-7c7ba6b99b5f38d2d840ed95b2fdc3e5">Trump was shot in the ear</a>, according to U.S. officials. But officials at the time said they did not believe Iran was connected to that assassination attempt.

The Justice Department announced in November that an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-fbi-justice-department-iran-83cff84a7d65901a058ad6f41a564bdb">Iranian plot to kill Trump</a>&nbsp;before the presidential election had been thwarted.

The department alleged Iranian officials had instructed Farhad Shakeri, 51, in September to focus on surveilling and ultimately assassinating Trump. Shakeri is still at large in Iran.

Iranian officials, at the time, dismissed the allegation, with foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei calling the report a plot by Israel-linked circles to make Iran-U.S. relations more complicated.

Investigators were told of the plan to kill Trump by Shakeri, an accused Iranian government asset who spent time in American prisons for robbery and who authorities say maintained a network of criminal associates enlisted by Tehran for surveillance and murder-for-hire plots, according to the complaint.

Shakeri, an Afghan national living in Iran, told the FBI that a contact in Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard instructed him last September to set aside other work he was doing and assemble a plan within seven days to surveil and ultimately kill Trump, according to a criminal complaint unsealed in federal court in Manhattan.

Trump recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-revenge-retribution-bolton-enemies-milley-fauci-2c467fe2253cb6b65d9436b0b9a5c552">revoked government security protection</a>&nbsp;for former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his top aide, Brian Hook, as well as his former national security adviser John Bolton, who have all&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-politics-government-iraq-qassim-soleimani-3353602bd30e683afec45d8c78196886">faced threats from Iran</a>&nbsp;after they took hardline stances against the Islamic Republic during Trump’s first administration.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Tuesday that he's given his advisers instructions to obliterate Iran if it assassinates him.“If they did that they would be obliterated,” Trump said in an exchange with reporters while signing an executive order calling for the U.S. government to impose maximum pressure on Tehran. "I’ve left instructions if they do it, they get obliterated, there won’t be anything left.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Donald Trump signs executive order to impose maximum pressure on Iran: &quot;This is one that I&#39;m torn about…It&#39;s very tough on Iran…I&#39;m going to sign it, but hopefully we&#39;re not going to use it very much…we have to be strong and firm...Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ZlHOArioXs">pic.twitter.com/ZlHOArioXs</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1886880480928420252?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>If Trump were assassinated, Vice President JD Vance would become president and would not necessarily be bound by any instructions left by his predecessor.Federal authorities have been tracking Iranian threats against Trump and other administration officials for years.Trump ordered the 2020&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-tehran-international-news-iraq-ali-khamenei-5597ff0f046a67805cc233d5933a53ed">killing of Qassem Soleimani</a>, who led the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force.A threat on Trump’s life from Iran prompted additional security in the days before a July campaign rally in Pennsylvania where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vp-vance-rubio-7c7ba6b99b5f38d2d840ed95b2fdc3e5">Trump was shot in the ear</a>, according to U.S. officials. But officials at the time said they did not believe Iran was connected to that assassination attempt.The Justice Department announced in November that an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-fbi-justice-department-iran-83cff84a7d65901a058ad6f41a564bdb">Iranian plot to kill Trump</a>&nbsp;before the presidential election had been thwarted.The department alleged Iranian officials had instructed Farhad Shakeri, 51, in September to focus on surveilling and ultimately assassinating Trump. Shakeri is still at large in Iran.Iranian officials, at the time, dismissed the allegation, with foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei calling the report a plot by Israel-linked circles to make Iran-U.S. relations more complicated.Investigators were told of the plan to kill Trump by Shakeri, an accused Iranian government asset who spent time in American prisons for robbery and who authorities say maintained a network of criminal associates enlisted by Tehran for surveillance and murder-for-hire plots, according to the complaint.Shakeri, an Afghan national living in Iran, told the FBI that a contact in Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard instructed him last September to set aside other work he was doing and assemble a plan within seven days to surveil and ultimately kill Trump, according to a criminal complaint unsealed in federal court in Manhattan.Trump recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-revenge-retribution-bolton-enemies-milley-fauci-2c467fe2253cb6b65d9436b0b9a5c552">revoked government security protection</a>&nbsp;for former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his top aide, Brian Hook, as well as his former national security adviser John Bolton, who have all&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-politics-government-iraq-qassim-soleimani-3353602bd30e683afec45d8c78196886">faced threats from Iran</a>&nbsp;after they took hardline stances against the Islamic Republic during Trump’s first administration.

🎥Trump gives advisers instructions for Iran if it assassinates him

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — The remains of all 67 victims of last week's midair collision of an American Airlines flight and an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C., have been recovered, authorities said Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738701975774.png" alt="Photo NTSB" />
 <figcaption>Photo NTSB</figcaption>
 </figure>ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — The remains of all 67 victims of last week's midair collision of an American Airlines flight and an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C., have been recovered, authorities said Tuesday.The chief medical examiner is still trying to positively identify one set of remains, officials said in a news release.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738703092495.png" alt="The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, working with the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/USCGMidAtlantic?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Coast Guard Mid-Atlantic</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/USNavy?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Navy</a> Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), began wreckage removal operations on Monday, at the site of the Potomac River Aviation Incident near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Phoso U.S. Army Corps of Engineers" />
 <figcaption>The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, working with the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/USCGMidAtlantic?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Coast Guard Mid-Atlantic</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/USNavy?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Navy</a> Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), began wreckage removal operations on Monday, at the site of the Potomac River Aviation Incident near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Phoso U.S. Army Corps of Engineers</figcaption>
 </figure>The news came Tuesday as crews worked to try to recover the cockpit and other parts of the jetliner from the Potomac River. Officials said their work might depend upon the wind and tidal conditions in the river,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-aircraft-crash-9d79051a9e535bd855df5a4e5553b2e9">where the aircraft crashed</a>&nbsp;last Wednesday night after colliding as the plane was about to land at nearby Ronald Reagan National Airport. All 67 people on board the two aircraft were killed.By midday, crews were working to raise another large piece of the plane. The National Transportation Safety Board said it didn't plan to provide further updates from the scene.Authorities said early on in the effort that they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-plane-crash-helicopter-recovery-df8b3c93c3374ebc593f126bdcb24692">expected to recover</a>&nbsp;the remains of everyone who died. They are focusing first on the jet and hope to recover the Black Hawk helicopter later this week.Col. Francis B. Pera of the Army Corps of Engineers said salvage crews on Monday were able to pull one of the two jet engines from the river, along with large pieces of the plane’s exterior. They were also working to recover a wing of the plane, which had flown out of Wichita, Kansas.Sixty passengers and four crew were on the American Airlines flight, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-helicopter-jet-crash-figure-skaters-079cca60567e6929f4b84a8e9d6c330d">figure skaters returning</a>&nbsp;from the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita.The Black Hawk was on a training mission. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland; and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-crash-helicopter-airliner-army-pilot-50b3e82d8ec3713cc4ae1ac3a327104c">Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach</a>, of Durham, North Carolina, were aboard.Federal investigators are trying to piece together the events that led to the collision. Full investigations typically take a year or more, but investigators hope to have a preliminary report within 30 days.Wednesday’s crash was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-crashes-history-washington-ee55776ea0c5f9e322fc77ea1ea452d1">deadliest in the U.S.</a>&nbsp;since Nov. 12, 2001, when a jet slammed into a New York City neighborhood just after takeoff, killing all 260 people on board and five on the ground.