Kansas City's quest to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls is a week away.&nbsp; On Sunday Kansas City Police helped lead the team on their trip to the airport.

On social media, KCPD wrote,"Off to the Big Easy, they go!"

"Traffic Officers escorted the Chiefs to the airport this afternoon as the team heads south to play for another Lombardi Trophy"

The game will be aired on Fox. at 5:30 p.m. CST on Feb. 9.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738530528478.png" alt="Photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas City's quest to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls is a week away.&nbsp; On Sunday Kansas City Police helped lead the team on their trip to the airport.On social media, KCPD wrote,"Off to the Big Easy, they go!""Traffic Officers escorted the Chiefs to the airport this afternoon as the team heads south to play for another Lombardi Trophy"The game will be aired on Fox. at 5:30 p.m. CST on Feb. 9.

KCPD escorts Chiefs to the airport for trip to Super Bowl

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

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — With a trio of executive orders, President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has almost instantly thrown the world economy and his own goal of cutting inflation into turmoil.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-trade-china-mexico-canada-inflation-753a09d56cd318f2eb1d2efe3c43b7d4">His tariffs</a>&nbsp;against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-retaliation-trudeau-sheinbaum-70e067b092a3af72c2eb7ca37d532c91">Canada and Mexico</a>&nbsp;in order to stop illegal immigration and the illicit fentanyl trade led to retaliatory taxes by both countries on U.S. imports. He placed an additional 10% tariff on imports from China with the stated goal of stopping the production of fentanyl.

But on a deeper level, Trump suddenly hit the U.S. economy with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-imports-mexico-canada-china-3fd4cf45b2294c69a03391024dd8ca2e">tax increases</a>&nbsp;that, if sustained, could total more than $1 trillion in 10 years. He did so without congressional approval and by his own acknowledgement at the perilous chance of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-china-trade-surplus-3010e6368545e2976feb5ac6b41e528e">“some pain”</a>&nbsp;in the form of higher inflation, job losses and worse growth.

Here's an explanation of what Trump's executive orders say and how they work:

What is the International Emergency Economic Powers Act?

This is the 1977 law that helped enable Trump to declare an economic emergency in the executive orders and implement his tariffs. There are more than three dozen active emergencies, including measures taken to respond to the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, human rights violations in Venezuela, nuclear weapon development in North Korea and multiple actions taken by China and Russia.

The law enables a president to freeze and block transactions in response to “unusual and extraordinary” threats outside the United States.

What are the tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China?

The tariffs would start at the beginning of Tuesday.

There would be an additional 25% tariff on imports from Canada, with a lower 10% charge on the oil, natural gas, electricity and other energy products. Energy products were taxed at a lower level to prevent U.S. consumers and businesses from paying higher prices for gasoline and utilities. Mexican imports would face an additional 25% tax. China would face an additional 10% tariff.

While Trump has said that foreigners pay these taxes, the tariffs would be paid by the individuals and companies bringing in the goods — which means this would be a domestic tax increase.

Trump's orders say the tariffs are a consequence of illegal immigration and drug smuggling. Not everyone will agree with his reasoning, as U.S. government reports show that unauthorized border crossings from Mexico have fallen over the past year and seizures of fentanyl along the northern border are relatively low.

But Trump's order on Mexico says that drug traffickers and the country's government “have an intolerable alliance” that “endangers the national security of the United States, and we must eradicate the influence of these dangerous cartels.” His order on Canada says that Mexican cartels are operating in that country and claims despite the modest amount of fentanyl intercepted that it would be enough to kill “9.5 million Americans.” The order on China says that country's government provides a “safe haven” for criminal organizations to “launder the revenues from the production, shipment, and sale of illicit synthetic opioids.”

Those are the stated legal reasons, but Trump has expressed a deep admiration to tariffs in general, claiming that they would make the United States wealthier even though they are tax hikes that can be passed along to consumers and businesses in the form of higher prices.

Yes. The orders are very clear that the U.S. president can respond to retaliatory actions — which are already planned as Canada and Mexico have their own counter-tariffs ready for U.S. products. Should they take action, Trump “may increase or expand in scope the duties imposed under this order.” What's key here is that the tariffs wouldn't increase automatically. It would still be the U.S. president's choice.

What's this ‘de minimus’ language mean?

This is an important clause in the orders. When people import goods worth less than $800, like say a dress bought online from a European retailer, they don't pay customs and duties on their purchase. This is legally known as the “de minimus” treatment, which suggests that the cost of what's being imported is too low to merit a tariff. That exclusion would no longer apply to products imported from Canada, Mexico and China.

It would require a new law that Trump would have to sign, which seems unlikely based on his statements. Still, Congress will have some oversight responsibilities as the order requires the Homeland Security Department in consultation with other agencies to “submit recurring and final reports to the Congress on the national emergency.”

The administration has not set any benchmarks for the other countries to meet, though a senior official suggested that declines in fentanyl-related deaths would be an option. What the order suggests is that the choice would ultimately be at Trump's discretion.

It orders Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to consult with her counterparts at the State and Justice departments, as well as White House officials. This specifically refers to the post at Homeland Security, rather than Noem specifically. But she would be able to inform the U.S. president of whether “adequate steps” have been taken to address the emergencies. It would then be up to the president to determine whether to remove the tariffs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738116060404.png" alt="White House file photo" />
 <figcaption>White House file photo</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOSH%20BOAK%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOSH BOAK &nbsp;Associated Press</a>PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — With a trio of executive orders, President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has almost instantly thrown the world economy and his own goal of cutting inflation into turmoil.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-trade-china-mexico-canada-inflation-753a09d56cd318f2eb1d2efe3c43b7d4">His tariffs</a>&nbsp;against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-retaliation-trudeau-sheinbaum-70e067b092a3af72c2eb7ca37d532c91">Canada and Mexico</a>&nbsp;in order to stop illegal immigration and the illicit fentanyl trade led to retaliatory taxes by both countries on U.S. imports. He placed an additional 10% tariff on imports from China with the stated goal of stopping the production of fentanyl.But on a deeper level, Trump suddenly hit the U.S. economy with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-imports-mexico-canada-china-3fd4cf45b2294c69a03391024dd8ca2e">tax increases</a>&nbsp;that, if sustained, could total more than $1 trillion in 10 years. He did so without congressional approval and by his own acknowledgement at the perilous chance of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-china-trade-surplus-3010e6368545e2976feb5ac6b41e528e">“some pain”</a>&nbsp;in the form of higher inflation, job losses and worse growth.Here's an explanation of what Trump's executive orders say and how they work:<h2>What is the International Emergency Economic Powers Act?</h2>This is the 1977 law that helped enable Trump to declare an economic emergency in the executive orders and implement his tariffs. There are more than three dozen active emergencies, including measures taken to respond to the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, human rights violations in Venezuela, nuclear weapon development in North Korea and multiple actions taken by China and Russia.The law enables a president to freeze and block transactions in response to “unusual and extraordinary” threats outside the United States.<h2>What are the tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China?</h2>The tariffs would start at the beginning of Tuesday.There would be an additional 25% tariff on imports from Canada, with a lower 10% charge on the oil, natural gas, electricity and other energy products. Energy products were taxed at a lower level to prevent U.S. consumers and businesses from paying higher prices for gasoline and utilities. Mexican imports would face an additional 25% tax. China would face an additional 10% tariff.While Trump has said that foreigners pay these taxes, the tariffs would be paid by the individuals and companies bringing in the goods — which means this would be a domestic tax increase.<h2>Why were the tariffs imposed?</h2>Trump's orders say the tariffs are a consequence of illegal immigration and drug smuggling. Not everyone will agree with his reasoning, as U.S. government reports show that unauthorized border crossings from Mexico have fallen over the past year and seizures of fentanyl along the northern border are relatively low.But Trump's order on Mexico says that drug traffickers and the country's government “have an intolerable alliance” that “endangers the national security of the United States, and we must eradicate the influence of these dangerous cartels.” His order on Canada says that Mexican cartels are operating in that country and claims despite the modest amount of fentanyl intercepted that it would be enough to kill “9.5 million Americans.” The order on China says that country's government provides a “safe haven” for criminal organizations to “launder the revenues from the production, shipment, and sale of illicit synthetic opioids.”Those are the stated legal reasons, but Trump has expressed a deep admiration to tariffs in general, claiming that they would make the United States wealthier even though they are tax hikes that can be passed along to consumers and businesses in the form of higher prices.<h2>Could the tariffs be increased?</h2>Yes. The orders are very clear that the U.S. president can respond to retaliatory actions — which are already planned as Canada and Mexico have their own counter-tariffs ready for U.S. products. Should they take action, Trump “may increase or expand in scope the duties imposed under this order.” What's key here is that the tariffs wouldn't increase automatically. It would still be the U.S. president's choice.<h2>What's this ‘de minimus’ language mean?</h2>This is an important clause in the orders. When people import goods worth less than $800, like say a dress bought online from a European retailer, they don't pay customs and duties on their purchase. This is legally known as the “de minimus” treatment, which suggests that the cost of what's being imported is too low to merit a tariff. That exclusion would no longer apply to products imported from Canada, Mexico and China.<h2>Can Congress stop the tariffs?</h2>It would require a new law that Trump would have to sign, which seems unlikely based on his statements. Still, Congress will have some oversight responsibilities as the order requires the Homeland Security Department in consultation with other agencies to “submit recurring and final reports to the Congress on the national emergency.”<h2>How can the tariffs be lifted?</h2>The administration has not set any benchmarks for the other countries to meet, though a senior official suggested that declines in fentanyl-related deaths would be an option. What the order suggests is that the choice would ultimately be at Trump's discretion.It orders Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to consult with her counterparts at the State and Justice departments, as well as White House officials. This specifically refers to the post at Homeland Security, rather than Noem specifically. But she would be able to inform the U.S. president of whether “adequate steps” have been taken to address the emergencies. It would then be up to the president to determine whether to remove the tariffs.

What do Trump's executive orders say on tariffs and how would they work?

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after 11p.m. January 30, a sheriff's deputy with the Shawnee County conducted a traffic stop on a white 2006 Dodge Ram pickup truck in the 1300 block of NW Van Buren Street, according to Shawnee County Sheriff's Deputy Abigail Christian.

It was discovered that the driver had a revoked driver’s license and a warrant for his arrest. The driver ran from the deputy and was taken into custody following a brief foot pursuit.

Trever J. Fanshier, 33, of Hoyt, Kan., was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant and Interference with law enforcement. Fanshier also had a misdemeanor warrant for a probation violation through Shawnee County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738360669392.png" alt="Fanshier-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Fanshier-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just after 11p.m. January 30, a sheriff's deputy with the Shawnee County conducted a traffic stop on a white 2006 Dodge Ram pickup truck in the 1300 block of NW Van Buren Street, according to Shawnee County Sheriff's Deputy Abigail Christian.It was discovered that the driver had a revoked driver’s license and a warrant for his arrest. The driver ran from the deputy and was taken into custody following a brief foot pursuit.Trever J. Fanshier, 33, of Hoyt, Kan., was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant and Interference with law enforcement. Fanshier also had a misdemeanor warrant for a probation violation through Shawnee County.

Wanted Kansas drug suspect ran from traffic stop

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Legislation that would cement child support payments for pregnancy-related costs before birth turned into a debate at a hearing Wednesday over whether the bill would establish “fetal personhood” in Kansas law.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2062/" target="_blank">House Bill 2062</a>&nbsp;would guarantee mothers child support payments from the moment of conception. But House Democrats questioned at a judiciary committee hearing the real intent of the bill, and opponents speculated it was an attempt to establish fetal personhood, the idea that a fetus, embryo or fertilized egg has the same legal rights as a born person. Fetal personhood bills have taken many&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2024/07/31/conservatives-push-to-declare-fetuses-as-people-with-far-reaching-consequences/" target="_blank">forms</a>&nbsp;across the country with far-reaching consequences.

The bill would add the following definition to child support-related statutes under the Kansas family law code: “The term ‘unborn child’ means a living individual organism of the species homo sapiens, in utero, at any stage of gestation from fertilization to birth.”

It was written by Kansas Family Voice, an anti-abortion Christian advocacy group that also testified in favor of a gender-affirming care ban for trans youths this week. A nearly identical bill last year died in committee.

This year, eighty-three people submitted written testimony opposed to the bill, and three were in favor.&nbsp;

Pregnancy-related medical costs already can be considered in child support judgments in some cases. Brittany Jones, director of policy and engagement for Kansas Family Voice, told the committee the intent of the bill is to ensure pregnancy-related expenses are always considered.

“This is not a revolutionary bill,” Jones said. “This is not intended to change much of anything besides to make it uniform that courts consider it.”

Rep. Lindsay Vaughn, an Overland Park Democrat said she wasn’t sure of the point of the bill because much of its contents already exist in law.&nbsp;

“In my view, this is creating a new bill that just codifies fetal personhood and, you know, this idea of what an acceptable abortion is,” Vaughn said.&nbsp;

Taylor Morton, a lobbyist with the advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, criticized the bill’s lack of “meaningful structure” for miscarriages, stillbirths, abortions and births that result in adoption. The bill also lacked clarity in how paternity would be determined before birth and protocol for how payments would be distributed given pregnancy complications.

“On the surface, this bill appears to be a means of supporting pregnant people and families, but in reality, it is just an attempt to advance an anti-abortion agenda, and again, further codifying that fetal personhood language into Kansas law,” Morton said.&nbsp;

Such language could give way to laws that criminalize or restrict access to health care during pregnancy, Morton said.&nbsp;

Jeanne Gawdun, a lobbyist for the anti-abortion organization Kansans for Life and one of the bill’s proponents, pointed to Kansas Department of Health and Environment data that showed of the roughly 12,500 children born out of wedlock in Kansas, 8,600 people could apply for child support benefits under the proposed legislation. Assuming 10% of those who applied would qualify for pre-birth child support payments, child support services would take on an additional 867 cases per year.&nbsp;

“Many women facing unexpected pregnancies choose abortion because of financial insecurity or uncertain relationship status,” Gawdun said.&nbsp;

This bill could address the financial aspect, she said.

Research has shown bad timing, concern for existing children and interference with future opportunities are also among the top reasons cited for obtaining an abortion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738509237585.png" alt="Jeanne Gawdun, a lobbyist for anti-abortion group Kansans for Life, leans to speak with Brittany Jones with Kansas Family Voice on Jan. 29, 2025, during a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Jeanne Gawdun, a lobbyist for anti-abortion group Kansans for Life, leans to speak with Brittany Jones with Kansas Family Voice on Jan. 29, 2025, during a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Legislation that would cement child support payments for pregnancy-related costs before birth turned into a debate at a hearing Wednesday over whether the bill would establish “fetal personhood” in Kansas law.<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2062/" target="_blank">House Bill 2062</a>&nbsp;would guarantee mothers child support payments from the moment of conception. But House Democrats questioned at a judiciary committee hearing the real intent of the bill, and opponents speculated it was an attempt to establish fetal personhood, the idea that a fetus, embryo or fertilized egg has the same legal rights as a born person. Fetal personhood bills have taken many&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2024/07/31/conservatives-push-to-declare-fetuses-as-people-with-far-reaching-consequences/" target="_blank">forms</a>&nbsp;across the country with far-reaching consequences.The bill would add the following definition to child support-related statutes under the Kansas family law code: “The term ‘unborn child’ means a living individual organism of the species homo sapiens, in utero, at any stage of gestation from fertilization to birth.”It was written by Kansas Family Voice, an anti-abortion Christian advocacy group that also testified in favor of a gender-affirming care ban for trans youths this week. A nearly identical bill last year died in committee.This year, eighty-three people submitted written testimony opposed to the bill, and three were in favor.&nbsp;Pregnancy-related medical costs already can be considered in child support judgments in some cases. Brittany Jones, director of policy and engagement for Kansas Family Voice, told the committee the intent of the bill is to ensure pregnancy-related expenses are always considered.“This is not a revolutionary bill,” Jones said. “This is not intended to change much of anything besides to make it uniform that courts consider it.”Rep. Lindsay Vaughn, an Overland Park Democrat said she wasn’t sure of the point of the bill because much of its contents already exist in law.&nbsp;“In my view, this is creating a new bill that just codifies fetal personhood and, you know, this idea of what an acceptable abortion is,” Vaughn said.&nbsp;Taylor Morton, a lobbyist with the advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, criticized the bill’s lack of “meaningful structure” for miscarriages, stillbirths, abortions and births that result in adoption. The bill also lacked clarity in how paternity would be determined before birth and protocol for how payments would be distributed given pregnancy complications.“On the surface, this bill appears to be a means of supporting pregnant people and families, but in reality, it is just an attempt to advance an anti-abortion agenda, and again, further codifying that fetal personhood language into Kansas law,” Morton said.&nbsp;Such language could give way to laws that criminalize or restrict access to health care during pregnancy, Morton said.&nbsp;Jeanne Gawdun, a lobbyist for the anti-abortion organization Kansans for Life and one of the bill’s proponents, pointed to Kansas Department of Health and Environment data that showed of the roughly 12,500 children born out of wedlock in Kansas, 8,600 people could apply for child support benefits under the proposed legislation. Assuming 10% of those who applied would qualify for pre-birth child support payments, child support services would take on an additional 867 cases per year.&nbsp;“Many women facing unexpected pregnancies choose abortion because of financial insecurity or uncertain relationship status,” Gawdun said.&nbsp;This bill could address the financial aspect, she said.Research has shown bad timing, concern for existing children and interference with future opportunities are also among the top reasons cited for obtaining an abortion.

Kansas bill attempts to establish fetal personhood with child support from conception

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

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — When American Eagle Flight 5342 took off from Wichita, the Midwest city with a proud aviation history was glowing from a big moment.

It had just hosted the next generation of Olympic hopefuls at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, the kind of major sporting event that leaders of the largest city in Kansas had envisioned when they opened a 15,000-seat arena in 2010. For Wichita, which once built many of the nation’s aircraft, the skating showcase was another way of putting the community in America's heartland on a larger stage.

Then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-aircraft-crash-9d79051a9e535bd855df5a4e5553b2e9">came the horror</a>&nbsp;of learning the flight never made it.

“We were so proud to see these high-level athletes, their families, their friends, fans, coming to our community and sharing their skills and talents so that the whole world could see,” Mayor Lily Wu said. “To end it with this type of tragedy just truly breaks my heart.”

The midair collision Wednesday night between the plane and an Army helicopter in Washington, D.C., has left Wichita grieving. The worst U.S. air disaster in a generation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-325edc6c0c2439dd6c1e73a81e382c0e">killed 67 people</a>, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-helicopter-jet-crash-figure-skaters-391a4c7bd0e617a08d9532a8faab206b">young figure skaters</a>&nbsp;who had attended a national development camp in Wichita following the championships. No one survived.

The city of nearly 400,000 residents has deep connections to America's aviation history and is a regional hub for oil companies, engineers and drillers, riding&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wichita.gov/273/Energy">the industry's</a>&nbsp;boom-and-bust cycles.

It was unclear how many of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fatal-washington-flight-passengers-ca062f03b729c130058d4f74393dfa31">the victims</a>&nbsp;may have been Wichita residents. Authorities have not released a list of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-plane-collision-victims-ee829891574aa35a30d8262b7e07e638">the passengers,</a>&nbsp;who included hunting buddies, an attorney on a business trip and a college student returning from her grandfather's funeral.

Following the collision, city and religious leaders held a prayer vigil that turned out hundreds of people who prayed for victims' families and pledged to provide comfort.

“This unity cannot just stay in sadness. It has to elicit something greater, something brighter, something that can shine forth,” said Rabbi Shmulik Greenberg of Chabad, a Hasidic synagogue and community center in Wichita.

Wichita started as a trading post after the American Civil War, had a short life as a cattle drive town and boomed in the 1940s and 1950s, with military and civilian aircraft production.

Passengers moving through security at Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, named for the president who grew up in Abilene, first walk past a display describing Wichita as the “Air Capital of the World.”

The industry has a history of more than a century in the area, with storied founders such as Clyde Cessna and Walter and Olive Ann Beech, who gave their names to aircraft companies. During World War II, Boeing made more than 1,700 bombers in Wichita, said Logan Daugherty, curator of the Kansas Aviation Museum.

The industry employs tens of thousands of area residents, who work for major manufactures such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-acquisition-spirit-aerosystems-c6956d6f22355c95aa39a79eb384ff41">Spirit AeroSystems</a>, as well as a network of more than 350 suppliers, according to an economic development agency called the Greater Wichita Partnership.

The community has had its share of other strivers: The first&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2023-03-22/white-castle-hamburger-wichita-kansas-sliders-fast-food-history-mcdonalds">White Castle</a>&nbsp;restaurant opened here in 1921, beginning one of the first fast-food hamburger chains. Two Wichita State University students opened&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wichita.edu/museums/pizzahutmuseum/history.php">the first Pizza Hut</a>&nbsp;in 1958. Koch Industries — the energy, agriculture and manufacturing conglomerate with 121,000-plus employees — has its leafy headquarters grounds in the north part of the city.

The city recently celebrated the first anniversary of the start of the single daily commercial American Airlines flight from Wichita to Washington.

The manufacturer of the passenger airline that went down, Bombardier, has its U.S. headquarters in Wichita. Jim Howell, who serves on the local county commission, said the plane had been certified in the city.

“There’s a lot of connections to this plane. There’s a lot of connections to Bombardier as a company,” said Howell, who spent two decades working in flight testing, including a stint with Bombardier in the early 1990s. “We have a lot of employees who work for Bombardier who are still involved in testing and maintaining those types of planes here in Wichita.”

Wichita's population more than doubled between 1940 and 1960 and has since grown steadily and more diverse. The public school system — the largest in the state, educating roughly 11% of all Kansas students — says it has families from more than 100 nations, speaking more than 110 languages and dialects other than English.

It's also a politically diverse city. Although President Donald Trump has carried Sedgwick County, which includes Wichita, three times, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has won it twice.

The city has mourned other aviation tragedies, including in 1970, when a plane carrying players, coaches and fans of Wichita State University's football team crashed in Colorado, killing 31 of the 37 people on board.

Following the tragedy in Washington, the city’s nonprofit Wichita Community Foundation almost immediately set up a fund to collect donations for victims’ families, to cover burial expenses and provide mental health or other services. Shelly Prichard, the foundation’s president and CEO, said on the night of the crash they “started having people reach out to us about how they could help.”

Kristin Anneler, who attended the vigil in Wichita following the collision, said she was impressed that people of different faiths and views came together to mourn the victims.

“It’s just a tiny little bite — right? Of the cross section of humanity that we often forget about because we run in our own circles and we think our own thoughts,” she said.

___ Hollingsworth reported from Mission, Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738448053486.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20HANNA%20and%20HEATHER%20HOLLINGSWORTH%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN HANNA and HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH &nbsp;Associated Press</a>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — When American Eagle Flight 5342 took off from Wichita, the Midwest city with a proud aviation history was glowing from a big moment.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Mayor Wu and the City Council extend their deepest condolences to all those impacted by the devastating tragedy that occurred on Flight 5342. ￼This is a horrible loss that is felt by everyone in our community. The Wichita Community Foundation has set up a resource for those… <a href="https://t.co/1u2ukjoBHD">pic.twitter.com/1u2ukjoBHD</a>&mdash; City of Wichita (@CityofWichita) <a href="https://twitter.com/CityofWichita/status/1885129832008237113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It had just hosted the next generation of Olympic hopefuls at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, the kind of major sporting event that leaders of the largest city in Kansas had envisioned when they opened a 15,000-seat arena in 2010. For Wichita, which once built many of the nation’s aircraft, the skating showcase was another way of putting the community in America's heartland on a larger stage.Then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-aircraft-crash-9d79051a9e535bd855df5a4e5553b2e9">came the horror</a>&nbsp;of learning the flight never made it.“We were so proud to see these high-level athletes, their families, their friends, fans, coming to our community and sharing their skills and talents so that the whole world could see,” Mayor Lily Wu said. “To end it with this type of tragedy just truly breaks my heart.”The midair collision Wednesday night between the plane and an Army helicopter in Washington, D.C., has left Wichita grieving. The worst U.S. air disaster in a generation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-325edc6c0c2439dd6c1e73a81e382c0e">killed 67 people</a>, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-helicopter-jet-crash-figure-skaters-391a4c7bd0e617a08d9532a8faab206b">young figure skaters</a>&nbsp;who had attended a national development camp in Wichita following the championships. No one survived.The city of nearly 400,000 residents has deep connections to America's aviation history and is a regional hub for oil companies, engineers and drillers, riding&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wichita.gov/273/Energy">the industry's</a>&nbsp;boom-and-bust cycles.It was unclear how many of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fatal-washington-flight-passengers-ca062f03b729c130058d4f74393dfa31">the victims</a>&nbsp;may have been Wichita residents. Authorities have not released a list of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-plane-collision-victims-ee829891574aa35a30d8262b7e07e638">the passengers,</a>&nbsp;who included hunting buddies, an attorney on a business trip and a college student returning from her grandfather's funeral.Following the collision, city and religious leaders held a prayer vigil that turned out hundreds of people who prayed for victims' families and pledged to provide comfort.“This unity cannot just stay in sadness. It has to elicit something greater, something brighter, something that can shine forth,” said Rabbi Shmulik Greenberg of Chabad, a Hasidic synagogue and community center in Wichita.<h2>An aircraft hub in the Midwest</h2>Wichita started as a trading post after the American Civil War, had a short life as a cattle drive town and boomed in the 1940s and 1950s, with military and civilian aircraft production.Passengers moving through security at Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, named for the president who grew up in Abilene, first walk past a display describing Wichita as the “Air Capital of the World.”The industry has a history of more than a century in the area, with storied founders such as Clyde Cessna and Walter and Olive Ann Beech, who gave their names to aircraft companies. During World War II, Boeing made more than 1,700 bombers in Wichita, said Logan Daugherty, curator of the Kansas Aviation Museum.The industry employs tens of thousands of area residents, who work for major manufactures such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-acquisition-spirit-aerosystems-c6956d6f22355c95aa39a79eb384ff41">Spirit AeroSystems</a>, as well as a network of more than 350 suppliers, according to an economic development agency called the Greater Wichita Partnership.The community has had its share of other strivers: The first&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2023-03-22/white-castle-hamburger-wichita-kansas-sliders-fast-food-history-mcdonalds">White Castle</a>&nbsp;restaurant opened here in 1921, beginning one of the first fast-food hamburger chains. Two Wichita State University students opened&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wichita.edu/museums/pizzahutmuseum/history.php">the first Pizza Hut</a>&nbsp;in 1958. Koch Industries — the energy, agriculture and manufacturing conglomerate with 121,000-plus employees — has its leafy headquarters grounds in the north part of the city.The city recently celebrated the first anniversary of the start of the single daily commercial American Airlines flight from Wichita to Washington.The manufacturer of the passenger airline that went down, Bombardier, has its U.S. headquarters in Wichita. Jim Howell, who serves on the local county commission, said the plane had been certified in the city.“There’s a lot of connections to this plane. There’s a lot of connections to Bombardier as a company,” said Howell, who spent two decades working in flight testing, including a stint with Bombardier in the early 1990s. “We have a lot of employees who work for Bombardier who are still involved in testing and maintaining those types of planes here in Wichita.”<h2>A growing city</h2>Wichita's population more than doubled between 1940 and 1960 and has since grown steadily and more diverse. The public school system — the largest in the state, educating roughly 11% of all Kansas students — says it has families from more than 100 nations, speaking more than 110 languages and dialects other than English.It's also a politically diverse city. Although President Donald Trump has carried Sedgwick County, which includes Wichita, three times, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has won it twice.<h2>Rushing to help</h2>The city has mourned other aviation tragedies, including in 1970, when a plane carrying players, coaches and fans of Wichita State University's football team crashed in Colorado, killing 31 of the 37 people on board.Following the tragedy in Washington, the city’s nonprofit Wichita Community Foundation almost immediately set up a fund to collect donations for victims’ families, to cover burial expenses and provide mental health or other services. Shelly Prichard, the foundation’s president and CEO, said on the night of the crash they “started having people reach out to us about how they could help.”Kristin Anneler, who attended the vigil in Wichita following the collision, said she was impressed that people of different faiths and views came together to mourn the victims.“It’s just a tiny little bite — right? Of the cross section of humanity that we often forget about because we run in our own circles and we think our own thoughts,” she said.___ Hollingsworth reported from Mission, Kansas.

Deadly flight out of Wichita has one of America's most historic aviation cities reeling

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) — Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow Sunday and predicted six more weeks of wintry weather, his top-hatted handlers announced to a raucus, record-sized crowd at Gobbler’s Knob in Pennsylvania.

Phil was welcomed with chants of “Phil, Phil, Phil,” and pulled from a hatch on his tree stump shortly after sunrise before a member of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club read from a scroll in which he boasted: “Only I know — you can't trust A.I.”

The woodchuck’s weather forecast is an annual ritual that goes back more than a century in western Pennsylvania, with far&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/groundhog-day-punxsutawney-pennsylvania-phil-winter-b037d58615f7b5f0007a7153a888e263">older roots</a>&nbsp;in European folklore, but it took Bill Murray’s 1993 “Groundhog Day” movie to transform the event into what it is today, with tens of thousands of revelers at the scene and imitators scattered around the United States and beyond.

When Phil is deemed to have not seen his shadow, that is said to usher in an early spring. When he does see it, there will be six more weeks of winter.

The crowd was treated to a fireworks show, confetti and live music that ranged from the Ramones to “Pennsylvania Polka” as they awaited sunrise and Phil's emergence. Gov. Josh Shapiro, local and state elected officials and a pair of pageant winners were among the dignitaries at the scene.

Self-employed New York gingerbread artist Jon Lovitch has attended the event for 33 years.

“I like the cold, you know, and this is probably the best and biggest midwinter party in the entire world,” Lovitch said in Punxsutawney. “And it’s just a really good time.”

Phil has predicted a longer winter far more often than an early spring, and one&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/groundhog-day-forecasts-and-climate-history">effort to track his accuracy</a>&nbsp;concluded he was right less than half the time. What six more weeks of winter means is subjective.

Tom Dunkel, president of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, says there are two types of people who make the trek to Gobbler's Knob: the faithful seeking to validate their beliefs and the doubters who want to confirm their skepticism.

Phil communicated his forecast to Dunkel through “Groundhog-ese” with the help of a special cane that Dunkel has inherited as the club's leader. It's not as if he speaks in English words.

“He’ll like wink, he’ll purr, he’ll chatter, he’ll — you know — nod,” Dunkel said.

Attendance is free but it cost $5 to take a bus and avoid a 1 mile (1.6 kilometer) trek from the middle of town to the stage where the prediction was made, some 80 miles (123 kilometers) northeast of Pittsburgh. The need for so many buses is why the local schools, where the sports mascot is the Chucks, close when Groundhog Day falls on a weekday.

Keith Post, his wife and a friend have watched the “Groundhog Day” movie in each of the past five years and decided this was the time to make the trip from Ohio to witness the event.

“We booked rooms almost a year in advance and we’re here,” Post said. “We’re doing it.”

A new welcome center opened four years ago and the club is working on an elaborate second living space for Phil and family so they can split time between Gobbler's Knob and Phil's longtime home at the town library. The club also put up large video screens and more powerful speakers this year to help attendees in the back of the crowd follow the proceedings.

"It’s a holiday where you don’t really owe anyone anything,” said A.J. Dereume, who among the club's 15-member inner circle serves as Phil's handler and held him up to loud cheers on Sunday. “You’re grasping onto the belief, you know, in something that’s just fun to believe in.”

Jackie Handley agreed a year ago to visit Punxsutawney for the first time to help a friend check off an item on their bucket list. They were ready for the subfreezing temperatures.

“It’s once in a lifetime — we’re probably not going to come back. And we have tons of warm clothes," said Handley, who lives in Falls Church, Virginia.

After the forecast was made, club members and Phil posed for photos with people from the crowd.

Phil has a wife, Punxsutawney Phyllis, and two pups born this spring, Shadow and Sunny, although his family did not join him on stage for the big event. The groundhog family eats fruits and vegetables, get daily visits from Dereume and sees a veterinarian at least once a year.

The club's lore is that Phil is the same woodchuck who has been issuing weather forecasts for the past century, thanks to an “elixir of life” that keeps him immortal.

“There's only one Phil, and it's not something that can be handed down,” Dunkel said. “Just like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, there's only one.”

Groundhog Day&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/groundhog-day-history-punxsutawney-phil-0fc9e31dccbddeab5a6cb5608f23d47a">celebrations</a>, formal and informal, were being held in many Pennsylvania towns and elsewhere on Sunday. There have been Groundhog Day events in at least 28 U.S. states and Canadian provinces.

Vejpongsa reported from Punxsutawney. Scolforo reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738500732773.png" alt=" Punxsutawney Phil&nbsp; image via Associated Press video" />
 <figcaption> Punxsutawney Phil&nbsp; image via Associated Press video</figcaption>
 </figure>PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) — Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow Sunday and predicted six more weeks of wintry weather, his top-hatted handlers announced to a raucus, record-sized crowd at Gobbler’s Knob in Pennsylvania.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Io374gxgT6E?si=rksIdt-7sv6C8HAR&amp;start=456" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Phil was welcomed with chants of “Phil, Phil, Phil,” and pulled from a hatch on his tree stump shortly after sunrise before a member of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club read from a scroll in which he boasted: “Only I know — you can't trust A.I.”The woodchuck’s weather forecast is an annual ritual that goes back more than a century in western Pennsylvania, with far&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/groundhog-day-punxsutawney-pennsylvania-phil-winter-b037d58615f7b5f0007a7153a888e263">older roots</a>&nbsp;in European folklore, but it took Bill Murray’s 1993 “Groundhog Day” movie to transform the event into what it is today, with tens of thousands of revelers at the scene and imitators scattered around the United States and beyond.When Phil is deemed to have not seen his shadow, that is said to usher in an early spring. When he does see it, there will be six more weeks of winter.The crowd was treated to a fireworks show, confetti and live music that ranged from the Ramones to “Pennsylvania Polka” as they awaited sunrise and Phil's emergence. Gov. Josh Shapiro, local and state elected officials and a pair of pageant winners were among the dignitaries at the scene.Self-employed New York gingerbread artist Jon Lovitch has attended the event for 33 years.“I like the cold, you know, and this is probably the best and biggest midwinter party in the entire world,” Lovitch said in Punxsutawney. “And it’s just a really good time.”Phil has predicted a longer winter far more often than an early spring, and one&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/groundhog-day-forecasts-and-climate-history">effort to track his accuracy</a>&nbsp;concluded he was right less than half the time. What six more weeks of winter means is subjective.Tom Dunkel, president of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, says there are two types of people who make the trek to Gobbler's Knob: the faithful seeking to validate their beliefs and the doubters who want to confirm their skepticism.Phil communicated his forecast to Dunkel through “Groundhog-ese” with the help of a special cane that Dunkel has inherited as the club's leader. It's not as if he speaks in English words.“He’ll like wink, he’ll purr, he’ll chatter, he’ll — you know — nod,” Dunkel said.Attendance is free but it cost $5 to take a bus and avoid a 1 mile (1.6 kilometer) trek from the middle of town to the stage where the prediction was made, some 80 miles (123 kilometers) northeast of Pittsburgh. The need for so many buses is why the local schools, where the sports mascot is the Chucks, close when Groundhog Day falls on a weekday.Keith Post, his wife and a friend have watched the “Groundhog Day” movie in each of the past five years and decided this was the time to make the trip from Ohio to witness the event.“We booked rooms almost a year in advance and we’re here,” Post said. “We’re doing it.”A new welcome center opened four years ago and the club is working on an elaborate second living space for Phil and family so they can split time between Gobbler's Knob and Phil's longtime home at the town library. The club also put up large video screens and more powerful speakers this year to help attendees in the back of the crowd follow the proceedings."It’s a holiday where you don’t really owe anyone anything,” said A.J. Dereume, who among the club's 15-member inner circle serves as Phil's handler and held him up to loud cheers on Sunday. “You’re grasping onto the belief, you know, in something that’s just fun to believe in.”Jackie Handley agreed a year ago to visit Punxsutawney for the first time to help a friend check off an item on their bucket list. They were ready for the subfreezing temperatures.“It’s once in a lifetime — we’re probably not going to come back. And we have tons of warm clothes," said Handley, who lives in Falls Church, Virginia.After the forecast was made, club members and Phil posed for photos with people from the crowd.Phil has a wife, Punxsutawney Phyllis, and two pups born this spring, Shadow and Sunny, although his family did not join him on stage for the big event. The groundhog family eats fruits and vegetables, get daily visits from Dereume and sees a veterinarian at least once a year.The club's lore is that Phil is the same woodchuck who has been issuing weather forecasts for the past century, thanks to an “elixir of life” that keeps him immortal.“There's only one Phil, and it's not something that can be handed down,” Dunkel said. “Just like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, there's only one.”Groundhog Day&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/groundhog-day-history-punxsutawney-phil-0fc9e31dccbddeab5a6cb5608f23d47a">celebrations</a>, formal and informal, were being held in many Pennsylvania towns and elsewhere on Sunday. There have been Groundhog Day events in at least 28 U.S. states and Canadian provinces.___Vejpongsa reported from Punxsutawney. Scolforo reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

🎥Groundhog Day 2025: Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a triple-homicide in Kansas City.

Just before 1a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 4100 block of NW 65th Street, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

First responders were directed to a residence there. Inside that home officers located three adult female shooting victims unresponsive.

Officers summoned EMS to the scene who declared all three deceased at the scene.

Detectives and crime scene personnel are processing the scene for evidence and canvassing for witnesses to get a better idea of what led up to the shooting.

This case is being investigated as a homicide and there are no suspects in custody at this time. Police released no additional details early Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738502088711.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a triple-homicide in Kansas City.Just before 1a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 4100 block of NW 65th Street, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.First responders were directed to a residence there. Inside that home officers located three adult female shooting victims unresponsive.Officers summoned EMS to the scene who declared all three deceased at the scene.Detectives and crime scene personnel are processing the scene for evidence and canvassing for witnesses to get a better idea of what led up to the shooting.This case is being investigated as a homicide and there are no suspects in custody at this time. Police released no additional details early Sunday.

Homicide: 3 women found dead in Kansas City home

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military has conducted airstrikes against Islamic State operatives in Somalia, the first attacks in the African nation during President Donald Trump’s second term.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Saturday that the strikes by U.S. Africa Command were directed by Trump and coordinated with Somalia's government.

An initial assessment by the Pentagon indicated that “multiple” operatives were killed. The Pentagon said it assessed that no civilians were harmed in the strikes.

Trump, in a post on social media, said a senior IS planner and recruits were targeted in the operation.

“The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians. Our Military has targeted this ISIS Attack Planner for years, but Biden and his cronies wouldn’t act quickly enough to get the job done. I did!” Trump said. “The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that “WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!”

Trump did not identify the IS planner or say whether that person was killed in the strike. White House officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The office of Somalia's president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, said the operation “reinforces the strong security partnership” between the two countries in “combating extremist threats.” In a post on X, it said Somalia “remains resolute in working with its allies to eliminate international terrorism and ensure regional stability.”

The Pentagon's counterterrorism strategy in Africa has been strained as two key partners,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/niger-chad-us-troops-withdrawal-russia-aa852a79bac39aaa679af3663b56deaa">Chad and Niger</a>, ousted U.S. forces last year and took over key bases that the U.S. military had used to train and conduct missions against terrorist groups across&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sahel-islamic-state-alqaida-niger-mali-burkina-cb640f8f2a59db08c9ba3dce86ede5a9">the Sahel</a>, the vast arid expanse south of the Sahara Desert.

U.S. military officials have warned that IS cells have received increasing direction from the group’s leadership that relocated to northern Somalia. That has included how to kidnap Westerners for ransom, how to learn better military tactics, how to hide from drones and how to build their own small quadcopters.

The IS affiliate in Somalia emerged in 2015 as a breakaway faction from al-Shabab, al-Qaida’s East African link, and is most active in Puntland, particularly in the Galgala Mountains, where it has established hideouts and training camps and is led by Abdulkadir Mumin.

While its influence is relatively limited compared to Al-Shabaab, IS in Somalia has been involved in attacks in southern and central Somalia. The group funds its activities through extortion, smuggling, and illicit taxation, particularly in some coastal areas where it has attempted to control local businesses.

Despite facing counterterrorism pressure from Somali security forces, U.S. airstrikes and al-Shabab rivalries, it continues to operate in remote and urban areas, seeking to expand its influence through recruitment and propaganda.

The number of IS militants in the country are estimated to be in the hundreds, mostly scattered in the Cal Miskaat mountains in Puntland’s Bari region, according to the International Crisis Group.

Saturday’s operation followed military airstrikes on Jan. 30 in northwest Syria, killing a senior operative in Hurras al-Din, an al-Qaeda affiliate, U.S. Central Command said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738433734400.png" alt="Photo released Saturday from U.S. Africa Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo released Saturday from U.S. Africa Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military has conducted airstrikes against Islamic State operatives in Somalia, the first attacks in the African nation during President Donald Trump’s second term.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This morning I ordered precision Military air strikes on the Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia. These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies. The strikes destroyed the caves they live in,…&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1885740103223648412?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Saturday that the strikes by U.S. Africa Command were directed by Trump and coordinated with Somalia's government.An initial assessment by the Pentagon indicated that “multiple” operatives were killed. The Pentagon said it assessed that no civilians were harmed in the strikes.Trump, in a post on social media, said a senior IS planner and recruits were targeted in the operation.“The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians. Our Military has targeted this ISIS Attack Planner for years, but Biden and his cronies wouldn’t act quickly enough to get the job done. I did!” Trump said. “The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that “WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!”Trump did not identify the IS planner or say whether that person was killed in the strike. White House officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.The office of Somalia's president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, said the operation “reinforces the strong security partnership” between the two countries in “combating extremist threats.” In a post on X, it said Somalia “remains resolute in working with its allies to eliminate international terrorism and ensure regional stability.”The Pentagon's counterterrorism strategy in Africa has been strained as two key partners,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/niger-chad-us-troops-withdrawal-russia-aa852a79bac39aaa679af3663b56deaa">Chad and Niger</a>, ousted U.S. forces last year and took over key bases that the U.S. military had used to train and conduct missions against terrorist groups across&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sahel-islamic-state-alqaida-niger-mali-burkina-cb640f8f2a59db08c9ba3dce86ede5a9">the Sahel</a>, the vast arid expanse south of the Sahara Desert.U.S. military officials have warned that IS cells have received increasing direction from the group’s leadership that relocated to northern Somalia. That has included how to kidnap Westerners for ransom, how to learn better military tactics, how to hide from drones and how to build their own small quadcopters.The IS affiliate in Somalia emerged in 2015 as a breakaway faction from al-Shabab, al-Qaida’s East African link, and is most active in Puntland, particularly in the Galgala Mountains, where it has established hideouts and training camps and is led by Abdulkadir Mumin.While its influence is relatively limited compared to Al-Shabaab, IS in Somalia has been involved in attacks in southern and central Somalia. The group funds its activities through extortion, smuggling, and illicit taxation, particularly in some coastal areas where it has attempted to control local businesses.Despite facing counterterrorism pressure from Somali security forces, U.S. airstrikes and al-Shabab rivalries, it continues to operate in remote and urban areas, seeking to expand its influence through recruitment and propaganda.The number of IS militants in the country are estimated to be in the hundreds, mostly scattered in the Cal Miskaat mountains in Puntland’s Bari region, according to the International Crisis Group.Saturday’s operation followed military airstrikes on Jan. 30 in northwest Syria, killing a senior operative in Hurras al-Din, an al-Qaeda affiliate, U.S. Central Command said.—-Faruk reported from Mogadishu, Somalia.

US military conducts airstrikes against Islamic State operatives in Somalia

GEARY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a deadly shooting in Junction City and have made an arrest.

Just before 1p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a shooting the 900 block of Kramer Court in Junction City, according to a media release. 

First responders located a victim later identified as 22-year-old Carron D. Carter of Junction City, suffering from a gunshot wound.

He was transported to Stormont Vail Flint Hills, where he was later pronounced deceased. 

&nbsp;An autopsy is scheduled for later this week .Following an investigation, officers arrested Jonathan M. Lee, a 27-year-old male from Fort Riley, in connection with the incident. 

Lee was transported to the Geary County Detention Center, where he is being held without bond on requested charge of First-Degree Murder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738460887904.png" alt="Lee-photo Geary County" />
 <figcaption>Lee-photo Geary County</figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a deadly shooting in Junction City and have made an arrest.Just before 1p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a shooting the 900 block of Kramer Court in Junction City, according to a media release. First responders located a victim later identified as 22-year-old Carron D. Carter of Junction City, suffering from a gunshot wound.He was transported to Stormont Vail Flint Hills, where he was later pronounced deceased. &nbsp;An autopsy is scheduled for later this week .Following an investigation, officers arrested Jonathan M. Lee, a 27-year-old male from Fort Riley, in connection with the incident. Lee was transported to the Geary County Detention Center, where he is being held without bond on requested charge of First-Degree Murder..

Suspect accused of killing 22-year-old in Junction City

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan.—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegaions.

Just before midnight January 25, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2000 Toyota Corolla on U.S. Hwy 75, near 118th Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

&nbsp; During the traffic stop, a Police Service Dog (PSD) Duke was deployed to conduct a free-air sniff of the vehicle.&nbsp; Duke alerted and indicated to the odor of illegal narcotics in the vehicle.&nbsp; During a search of the vehicle, methamphetamine, THC, &amp; drug paraphernalia were located.

The driver, Kaley Rae Lindberg, 32, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia and violations of driver’s license restrictions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738165796421.png" alt="Lindberg photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Lindberg photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan.—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegaions.Just before midnight January 25, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2000 Toyota Corolla on U.S. Hwy 75, near 118th Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp; During the traffic stop, a Police Service Dog (PSD) Duke was deployed to conduct a free-air sniff of the vehicle.&nbsp; Duke alerted and indicated to the odor of illegal narcotics in the vehicle.&nbsp; During a search of the vehicle, methamphetamine, THC, &amp; drug paraphernalia were located.The driver, Kaley Rae Lindberg, 32, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia and violations of driver’s license restrictions.

Sheriff's K9 helped catch Kansas woman transporting drugs

Investigators are seeking clues into this week's deadly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-aircraft-crash-9d79051a9e535bd855df5a4e5553b2e9">midair collision</a>&nbsp;the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. almost a quarter century.&nbsp; The U.S. Department of Transportation and National Transportation Safety Board provided updates on Saturday afternoon.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-62adba7fb1f546b4cf1716e42b86482b">The collision</a>&nbsp;between an American Airlines passenger jet and an Army helicopter at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport near Washington, D.C, late Wednesday killed 67 people, including more than a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-helicopter-jet-crash-figure-skaters-391a4c7bd0e617a08d9532a8faab206b">dozen figure skaters</a>.

Investigators are seeking clues into this week's deadly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-aircraft-crash-9d79051a9e535bd855df5a4e5553b2e9">midair collision</a>&nbsp;the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. almost a quarter century.&nbsp; The U.S. Department of Transportation and National Transportation Safety Board provided updates on Saturday afternoon.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6WzoEb0m8x4?si=jr_VkfzkxoEajZEA&amp;start=30" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My update on the crashes near Reagan National Airport and in Philadelphia: <a href="https://t.co/WZgDtcuHJ4">pic.twitter.com/WZgDtcuHJ4</a>&mdash; Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDuffy/status/1885796425436389862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-62adba7fb1f546b4cf1716e42b86482b">The collision</a>&nbsp;between an American Airlines passenger jet and an Army helicopter at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport near Washington, D.C, late Wednesday killed 67 people, including more than a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-helicopter-jet-crash-figure-skaters-391a4c7bd0e617a08d9532a8faab206b">dozen figure skaters</a>.

🎥 NTSB and USDOT update investigation of deadly mid-air collision

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Saturday signed an order to impose stiff tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China — fulfilling one of his post-campaign commitments to voters that also carries the risk of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariff-canada-mexico-trade-trump-economy-b228a60ec878cc5596c021ff80962441">sparking higher inflation</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/america-canada-mexico-tariffs-trump-trade-4568dababcf524945333bb518232ec4b">disrupting businesses across North America</a>.

Trump’s order also includes a mechanism to escalate the rates if the countries retaliate against the U.S., as they are possibly prepared to do.

The decision throws the global economy and Trump's own political mandate to combat inflation into possible turmoil, though the Republican president posted on social media that it was necessary “to protect Americans.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-import-tariff-fce31b5c5c9f058ff09353c6846b1cf9">tariffs</a>&nbsp;risk an economic standoff with America's two largest trading partners in Mexico and Canada, upending a decades-old trade relationship with the possibility of harsh reprisals by those two nations. The tariffs also if sustained could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-federal-reserve-4619a1d5d70a90b6a870535906d36028">cause inflation to significantly worsen</a>, possibly eroding voters' trust that Trump could as promised lower the prices of groceries, gasoline, housing, autos and other goods.

Trump declared an economic emergency in order to place duties of 10% on all imports from China and 25% on imports from Mexico and Canada. But energy imported from Canada, including oil, natural gas and electricity, would be taxed at a 10% rate.

The tariffs would go into effect on Tuesday, setting a showdown in North America that could potentially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-federal-reserve-4619a1d5d70a90b6a870535906d36028">sabotage economic growth</a>. A new analysis by the Budget Lab at Yale laid out the possible damage to the U.S. economy, saying the average U.S. household would lose the equivalent of $1,170 in income from the taxes. Economic growth would slow and inflation would worsen — and the situation could be worse if Canada, Mexico and China retaliate.

For the moment, Mexico plans to stay cool-headed as it weighs its options.

Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum, appearing Saturday at an event promoting a government housing program outside Mexico City said, “I’m calm, I’ve been saying since yesterday, because I know that Mexico’s economy is very powerful, very strong.”

A senior administration official, insisting on anonymity to brief reporters, said the lower rate on energy reflected a desire to minimize any disruptive increases on the price of gasoline or utilities. That's a sign White House officials understand the gamble they're taking on inflation. Price spikes under former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;led to voter frustration that helped to return Trump to the White House last year.

The order signed by Trump contained no mechanism for granting exceptions, the official said, a possible blow to homebuilders who rely on Canadian lumber as well as farmers, automakers and other industries.

The Trump administration put the tariffs in place to force the three countries to stop the spread and manufacturing of fentanyl, in addition to pressuring Canada and Mexico to limit any illegal immigration into the United States.

The official did not provide specific benchmarks that could be met to lift the new tariffs, saying only that the best measure would be fewer Americans dying from fentanyl addition.

The order would also allow for tariffs on Canadian imports of less than $800. Imports below that sum are currently able to cross into the United States without customs and duties.

“It doesn’t make much economic sense,’’ said William Reinsch, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a former U.S. trade official. “Historically, most of our tariffs on raw materials have been low because we want to get cheaper materials so our manufacturers will be competitive ... Now, what’s he talking about? He’s talking about tariffs on raw materials. I don’t get the economics of it.’’

The Republican president is making a major political bet that his actions will not significantly worsen inflation, cause financial aftershocks that could destabilize the worldwide economy or provoke a voter backlash. AP VoteCast, an extensive survey of the electorate in last year's election, found that the U.S. was split on support for tariffs.

With the tariffs, Trump is honoring promises that are at the core of his economic and national security philosophy. But the announcement showed his seriousness around the issue as some Trump allies had played down the threat of higher import taxes as mere negotiating tactics.

The president is preparing more import taxes in a sign that tariffs will be an ongoing part of his second term. On Friday, he mentioned imported computer chips, steel, oil and natural gas, as well as against copper, pharmaceutical drugs and imports from the European Union — moves that could essentially pit the U.S. against much of the global economy.

It is unclear how the tariffs could affect the business investments that Trump said would happen because of his plans to cut corporate tax rates and remove regulations. Tariffs tend to raise prices for consumers and businesses by making it more expensive to bring in foreign goods.

Many voters turned to Trump in the November election on the belief that he could better handle the inflation that spiked under Biden. But inflation expectations are creeping upward in the University of Michigan's index of consumer sentiment as respondents expect prices to rise by 3.3%. That would be higher than the actual 2.9% annual inflation rate in December's consumer price index.

Trump has said that the government should raise more of its revenues from tariffs, as it did before the income tax became part of the Constitution in 1913. He claims, despite economic evidence to the contrary, that the U.S. was at its wealthiest in the 1890s under President William McKinley.

“We were the richest country in the world,” Trump said Friday. “We were a tariff country.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has told Canadians that they could be facing difficult times ahead, but that Ottawa was prepared to respond with retaliatory tariffs if needed and that the U.S. penalties would be self-sabotaging.

Trudeau said Canada is addressing Trump’s calls on border security by implementing a CDN$1.3 billion (US$900 million) border plan that includes helicopters, new canine teams and imaging tools.

Trump still has to get a budget, tax cuts and an increase to the government’s legal borrowing authority through Congress. The outcome of his tariff plans could strengthen his hand or weaken it.

Democrats were quick to say that any inflation going forward was the result of Trump, who is about to start his third week back as president.

“You’re worried about grocery prices. Don’s raising prices with his tariffs," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York posted on X. "You’re worried about tomato prices. Wait till Trump’s Mexico tariffs raise your tomato prices. … You’re worried about car prices. Wait till Trump’s Canada tariffs raise your car prices,” he wrote in a series of posts.

Associated Press writers Christopher Sherman in Mexico City and Paul Wiseman in Washington contributed to this report.

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Saturday signed an order to impose stiff tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China — fulfilling one of his post-campaign commitments to voters that also carries the risk of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariff-canada-mexico-trade-trump-economy-b228a60ec878cc5596c021ff80962441">sparking higher inflation</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/america-canada-mexico-tariffs-trump-trade-4568dababcf524945333bb518232ec4b">disrupting businesses across North America</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“We need to protect Americans, and it is my duty as President to ensure the safety of all. I made a promise on my Campaign to stop the flood of illegal aliens and drugs from pouring across our Borders, and Americans overwhelmingly voted in favor of it.” –President Trump <a href="https://t.co/rJ9opLBJzr">pic.twitter.com/rJ9opLBJzr</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1885833185012896054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump’s order also includes a mechanism to escalate the rates if the countries retaliate against the U.S., as they are possibly prepared to do.The decision throws the global economy and Trump's own political mandate to combat inflation into possible turmoil, though the Republican president posted on social media that it was necessary “to protect Americans.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-import-tariff-fce31b5c5c9f058ff09353c6846b1cf9">tariffs</a>&nbsp;risk an economic standoff with America's two largest trading partners in Mexico and Canada, upending a decades-old trade relationship with the possibility of harsh reprisals by those two nations. The tariffs also if sustained could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-federal-reserve-4619a1d5d70a90b6a870535906d36028">cause inflation to significantly worsen</a>, possibly eroding voters' trust that Trump could as promised lower the prices of groceries, gasoline, housing, autos and other goods.Trump declared an economic emergency in order to place duties of 10% on all imports from China and 25% on imports from Mexico and Canada. But energy imported from Canada, including oil, natural gas and electricity, would be taxed at a 10% rate.The tariffs would go into effect on Tuesday, setting a showdown in North America that could potentially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-federal-reserve-4619a1d5d70a90b6a870535906d36028">sabotage economic growth</a>. A new analysis by the Budget Lab at Yale laid out the possible damage to the U.S. economy, saying the average U.S. household would lose the equivalent of $1,170 in income from the taxes. Economic growth would slow and inflation would worsen — and the situation could be worse if Canada, Mexico and China retaliate.For the moment, Mexico plans to stay cool-headed as it weighs its options.Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum, appearing Saturday at an event promoting a government housing program outside Mexico City said, “I’m calm, I’ve been saying since yesterday, because I know that Mexico’s economy is very powerful, very strong.”A senior administration official, insisting on anonymity to brief reporters, said the lower rate on energy reflected a desire to minimize any disruptive increases on the price of gasoline or utilities. That's a sign White House officials understand the gamble they're taking on inflation. Price spikes under former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;led to voter frustration that helped to return Trump to the White House last year.The order signed by Trump contained no mechanism for granting exceptions, the official said, a possible blow to homebuilders who rely on Canadian lumber as well as farmers, automakers and other industries.The Trump administration put the tariffs in place to force the three countries to stop the spread and manufacturing of fentanyl, in addition to pressuring Canada and Mexico to limit any illegal immigration into the United States.The official did not provide specific benchmarks that could be met to lift the new tariffs, saying only that the best measure would be fewer Americans dying from fentanyl addition.The order would also allow for tariffs on Canadian imports of less than $800. Imports below that sum are currently able to cross into the United States without customs and duties.“It doesn’t make much economic sense,’’ said William Reinsch, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a former U.S. trade official. “Historically, most of our tariffs on raw materials have been low because we want to get cheaper materials so our manufacturers will be competitive ... Now, what’s he talking about? He’s talking about tariffs on raw materials. I don’t get the economics of it.’’The Republican president is making a major political bet that his actions will not significantly worsen inflation, cause financial aftershocks that could destabilize the worldwide economy or provoke a voter backlash. AP VoteCast, an extensive survey of the electorate in last year's election, found that the U.S. was split on support for tariffs.With the tariffs, Trump is honoring promises that are at the core of his economic and national security philosophy. But the announcement showed his seriousness around the issue as some Trump allies had played down the threat of higher import taxes as mere negotiating tactics.The president is preparing more import taxes in a sign that tariffs will be an ongoing part of his second term. On Friday, he mentioned imported computer chips, steel, oil and natural gas, as well as against copper, pharmaceutical drugs and imports from the European Union — moves that could essentially pit the U.S. against much of the global economy.It is unclear how the tariffs could affect the business investments that Trump said would happen because of his plans to cut corporate tax rates and remove regulations. Tariffs tend to raise prices for consumers and businesses by making it more expensive to bring in foreign goods.Many voters turned to Trump in the November election on the belief that he could better handle the inflation that spiked under Biden. But inflation expectations are creeping upward in the University of Michigan's index of consumer sentiment as respondents expect prices to rise by 3.3%. That would be higher than the actual 2.9% annual inflation rate in December's consumer price index.Trump has said that the government should raise more of its revenues from tariffs, as it did before the income tax became part of the Constitution in 1913. He claims, despite economic evidence to the contrary, that the U.S. was at its wealthiest in the 1890s under President William McKinley.“We were the richest country in the world,” Trump said Friday. “We were a tariff country.”Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has told Canadians that they could be facing difficult times ahead, but that Ottawa was prepared to respond with retaliatory tariffs if needed and that the U.S. penalties would be self-sabotaging.Trudeau said Canada is addressing Trump’s calls on border security by implementing a CDN$1.3 billion (US$900 million) border plan that includes helicopters, new canine teams and imaging tools.Trump still has to get a budget, tax cuts and an increase to the government’s legal borrowing authority through Congress. The outcome of his tariff plans could strengthen his hand or weaken it.Democrats were quick to say that any inflation going forward was the result of Trump, who is about to start his third week back as president.“You’re worried about grocery prices. Don’s raising prices with his tariffs," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York posted on X. "You’re worried about tomato prices. Wait till Trump’s Mexico tariffs raise your tomato prices. … You’re worried about car prices. Wait till Trump’s Canada tariffs raise your car prices,” he wrote in a series of posts.___Associated Press writers Christopher Sherman in Mexico City and Paul Wiseman in Washington contributed to this report.

Trump signs order imposing tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/lolita-c-baldor">LOLITA C. BALDOR</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-army">Army</a>&nbsp;on Saturday released the name of the third soldier who died Wednesday when an Army helicopter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-aircraft-crash-9d79051a9e535bd855df5a4e5553b2e9">collided</a>&nbsp;with an American Airlines jet near Reagan National Airport in D.C.

Cpt. Rebecca M. Lobach, of Durham, N.C., served as an Army aviation officer since July 2019. Her awards include an Army commendation medal and an achievement medal.

In a statement released by the Army, her family said she was a distinguished military graduate in ROTC at the University of North Carolina, and was in the top 20% of cadets nationwide. They said she had more than 450 hours of flight time, and earned “certification as a pilot-in-command after extensive testing by the most senior and experienced pilots in her battalion.”

The family also noted that she served as a certified sexual harassment/assault response and prevention victim advocate and hoped to become a physician when she got out of the Army.

“We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. She was a bright star in all our lives. She was kind, generous, brilliant, funny, ambitious and strong. No one dreamed bigger or worked harder to achieve her goals,” the statement said, adding, “we request that you please respect our privacy as we grieve this devastating loss.”

The names of the two other soldiers were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-62adba7fb1f546b4cf1716e42b86482b">released</a>&nbsp;on Friday, but Lobach’s name was withheld at the time at the request of her family. The others were: Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia, who was the crew chief, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland, who was a pilot.

There has been no specific explanation from the Army for the one-day delay in releasing her name. But while the investigation into the crash has only just begun, President Donald Trump has publicly blamed the helicopter for flying at too high an altitude. And he issued a lengthy critique about an FAA&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crash-reagan-washington-buttigieg-diversity-biden-ef1e07684bbc845e9e7981c1ae060af2">diversity hiring</a>&nbsp;initiative —particularly regarding air traffic controllers — saying they eroded flight safety.

No evidence has emerged that rules seeking to diversify the FAA played any role in the collision.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738452199191.png" alt="Cpt. Rebecca M. Lobach -photo Courtesy U.S. Army" />
 <figcaption>Cpt. Rebecca M. Lobach -photo Courtesy U.S. Army</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/lolita-c-baldor">LOLITA C. BALDOR</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-army">Army</a>&nbsp;on Saturday released the name of the third soldier who died Wednesday when an Army helicopter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-aircraft-crash-9d79051a9e535bd855df5a4e5553b2e9">collided</a>&nbsp;with an American Airlines jet near Reagan National Airport in D.C.Cpt. Rebecca M. Lobach, of Durham, N.C., served as an Army aviation officer since July 2019. Her awards include an Army commendation medal and an achievement medal.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738461938728.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In a statement released by the Army, her family said she was a distinguished military graduate in ROTC at the University of North Carolina, and was in the top 20% of cadets nationwide. They said she had more than 450 hours of flight time, and earned “certification as a pilot-in-command after extensive testing by the most senior and experienced pilots in her battalion.”The family also noted that she served as a certified sexual harassment/assault response and prevention victim advocate and hoped to become a physician when she got out of the Army.“We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. She was a bright star in all our lives. She was kind, generous, brilliant, funny, ambitious and strong. No one dreamed bigger or worked harder to achieve her goals,” the statement said, adding, “we request that you please respect our privacy as we grieve this devastating loss.”The names of the two other soldiers were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-62adba7fb1f546b4cf1716e42b86482b">released</a>&nbsp;on Friday, but Lobach’s name was withheld at the time at the request of her family. The others were: Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia, who was the crew chief, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland, who was a pilot.There has been no specific explanation from the Army for the one-day delay in releasing her name. But while the investigation into the crash has only just begun, President Donald Trump has publicly blamed the helicopter for flying at too high an altitude. And he issued a lengthy critique about an FAA&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crash-reagan-washington-buttigieg-diversity-biden-ef1e07684bbc845e9e7981c1ae060af2">diversity hiring</a>&nbsp;initiative —particularly regarding air traffic controllers — saying they eroded flight safety.No evidence has emerged that rules seeking to diversify the FAA played any role in the collision.

Army releases name of 3rd soldier who died in helicopter, airliner crash

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Six Americans who had been detained in Venezuela in recent months were freed by the government of President Nicolás Maduro after he met Friday with a Trump administration official tasked with urging the authoritarian leader to take back deported migrants who have committed crimes in the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump and his envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, announced the release of the six men on social media. The visit by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/richard-grenell-secretary-of-state-trump-5e7410edd659870307a5eba762f8136c">Grenell</a>&nbsp;came as a shock to many Venezuelans who hoped that Trump would continue the “maximum pressure” campaign he pursued against Maduro during his first term.

Grenell’s hours long trip to Venezuela, according to the White House, was focused on Trump’s efforts to deport Venezuelans back to their home country, which currently does not accept them, and on the release of the detained Americans.

“We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens,” Grenell posted on X along with a photo showing him and the men aboard an aircraft. “They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldn’t stop thanking him.”

The meeting in Venezuela's capital took place less than a month after Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term despite credible evidence that he lost last year's election. The U.S. government, along with several other Western nations, does not recognize Maduro's claim to victory and instead points to tally sheets collected by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-machado-biden-gonzalez-a625eb01979bc9cf5570d03242f198b1">opposition coalition</a>&nbsp;showing that its candidate,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-edmundo-opposition-presidential-election-reward-arrest-5b6bf23e53642db059304bef14d2f4ff">Edmundo González</a>, won by a more than a two-to-one margin.

Venezuelan state television aired footage of Grenell and Maduro speaking in the Miraflores Palace and said the meeting had been requested by the U.S. government.

Signing an executive order in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump was asked if Grenell being filmed meeting with Maduro lent legitimacy to a government that the Trump White House does not officially recognize.

“No. We want to do something with Venezuela. I’ve been a very big opponent of Venezuela and Maduro,” Trump responded. “They’ve treated us not so good, but they’ve treated, more importantly, the Venezuelan people, very badly."

Maduro, appearing on state television after Grenell had left Venezuela, said the visit yielded “initial agreements” but did not provide any details.

“I have seen three U.S. presidents pass before me," Maduro said. "This is the fourth term, and our message has been one: We want to build relationships of respect for Venezuela’s sovereignty, for Venezuela’s democratic life, for international law and for our Latin American region.”

“This is terrible timing," said Elliott Abrams, who served as special envoy to Venezuela and Iran during the first Trump administration. "A meeting with Maduro will be used by him to legitimize his rule and show that the Americans recognize him as president. If the purpose is to deliver a tough message about migration issues, the president could’ve done that himself. There was no need to send someone to Caracas.”

The dispute over the election results sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-machado-biden-gonzalez-elections-protests-d6e70bd88ee9511298a4850c224a12e2">nationwide protests</a>. More than 2,200 people were arrested during and after the demonstrations.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Six Americans who had been detained in Venezuela in recent months were freed by the government of President Nicolás Maduro after he met Friday with a Trump administration official tasked with urging the authoritarian leader to take back deported migrants who have committed crimes in the United States.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are home. 🇺🇸 God bless these Americans. <a href="https://t.co/L36mNkvEom">pic.twitter.com/L36mNkvEom</a>&mdash; Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardGrenell/status/1885567024795132035?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>U.S. President Donald Trump and his envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, announced the release of the six men on social media. The visit by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/richard-grenell-secretary-of-state-trump-5e7410edd659870307a5eba762f8136c">Grenell</a>&nbsp;came as a shock to many Venezuelans who hoped that Trump would continue the “maximum pressure” campaign he pursued against Maduro during his first term.Grenell’s hours long trip to Venezuela, according to the White House, was focused on Trump’s efforts to deport Venezuelans back to their home country, which currently does not accept them, and on the release of the detained Americans.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/ltyGcGiiKR">pic.twitter.com/ltyGcGiiKR</a>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1885740072705650821?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens,” Grenell posted on X along with a photo showing him and the men aboard an aircraft. “They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldn’t stop thanking him.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens. They just spoke to <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and they couldn’t stop thanking him. <a href="https://t.co/sCvCO4HQQv">pic.twitter.com/sCvCO4HQQv</a>&mdash; Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardGrenell/status/1885482064050610536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“Hello. I’m an American diplomat sent by President Trump and I’m here to bring you home.” <a href="https://t.co/mMJ7nDu88s">pic.twitter.com/mMJ7nDu88s</a>&mdash; Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardGrenell/status/1885540197879714064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The meeting in Venezuela's capital took place less than a month after Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term despite credible evidence that he lost last year's election. The U.S. government, along with several other Western nations, does not recognize Maduro's claim to victory and instead points to tally sheets collected by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-machado-biden-gonzalez-a625eb01979bc9cf5570d03242f198b1">opposition coalition</a>&nbsp;showing that its candidate,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-edmundo-opposition-presidential-election-reward-arrest-5b6bf23e53642db059304bef14d2f4ff">Edmundo González</a>, won by a more than a two-to-one margin.Venezuelan state television aired footage of Grenell and Maduro speaking in the Miraflores Palace and said the meeting had been requested by the U.S. government.Signing an executive order in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump was asked if Grenell being filmed meeting with Maduro lent legitimacy to a government that the Trump White House does not officially recognize.“No. We want to do something with Venezuela. I’ve been a very big opponent of Venezuela and Maduro,” Trump responded. “They’ve treated us not so good, but they’ve treated, more importantly, the Venezuelan people, very badly."Maduro, appearing on state television after Grenell had left Venezuela, said the visit yielded “initial agreements” but did not provide any details.“I have seen three U.S. presidents pass before me," Maduro said. "This is the fourth term, and our message has been one: We want to build relationships of respect for Venezuela’s sovereignty, for Venezuela’s democratic life, for international law and for our Latin American region.”Some Republicans criticized the visit.“This is terrible timing," said Elliott Abrams, who served as special envoy to Venezuela and Iran during the first Trump administration. "A meeting with Maduro will be used by him to legitimize his rule and show that the Americans recognize him as president. If the purpose is to deliver a tough message about migration issues, the president could’ve done that himself. There was no need to send someone to Caracas.”The dispute over the election results sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-machado-biden-gonzalez-elections-protests-d6e70bd88ee9511298a4850c224a12e2">nationwide protests</a>. More than 2,200 people were arrested during and after the demonstrations.Among those detained&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-detained-americans-maduro-inauguration-trump-e53e88838f5f06a7f207d0d090d5212b">are as many as 10 Americans</a>&nbsp;who the government has linked to alleged plots to destabilize the country. Neither the White House nor Maduro's government immediately released the names of the six who were freed Friday.A nonprofit group that had advocated for the release of a detainee said David Estrella, a 62-yer-old who was last heard from in September, was among those on their way back to the U.S. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello had accused Estrella of being part of an alleged plot to assassinate Maduro.The Trump administration has taken a slew of actions to make good on promises to crack down on illegal immigration and carry out the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-day-1-priorities-deportations-drilling-ukraine-6747c6e64b0440978f59450b928f61d1">largest mass deportation effort</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history.Those measures include the revocation earlier this week of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-tps-biden-immigration-temporary-protected-status-f423f4f3cdbac535af35337ebda314f0">a Biden administration decision</a>&nbsp;that would have protected roughly 600,000 people from Venezuela from deportation, putting some at risk of being removed from the country in about two months.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Friday that Trump had instructed Grenell to “identify a place and ensure that repatriation flights" carrying Venezuelans, including members of the Tren de Aragua criminal organization, "land in Venezuela.” She said Trump also ordered Grenell to “ensure that all U.S. detainees in Venezuela are returned home.”More than 7.7 million Venezuelans have left their home country since 2013, when its economy unraveled and Maduro first took office. Most settled in Latin America and the Caribbean, but after the pandemic, migrants increasingly set their sights on the U.S.Venezuelans’ desire for better living conditions and their rejection of Maduro are expected to keep pushing people to emigrate.Ahead of the presidential election last year, a nationwide poll by Venezuela-based research firm Delphos showed about a quarter of the population thinking about emigrating if Maduro was re-elected.Grenell has reached out to Maduro before on Trump’s behalf to secure the release of imprisoned Americans only to come home empty handed.In 2020, he traveled with Erik Prince, the founder of controversial security firm Blackwater, to Mexico City for a secret meeting with a top Maduro aide. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-venezuela-miami-arrests-mexico-city-080bf19aa627f731c065a33a410ae2f1">backchannel talks</a>&nbsp;centered on Maduro’s offer to swap eight Americans then imprisoned in Venezuela for businessman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-colombia-caribbean-miami-nicolas-maduro-f6d107240cd8085f54d192b9f7b549f3">Alex Saab</a>, a close ally of the president charged in the U.S. with money laundering, The Associated Press previously reported.No deal was struck and Grenell’s demand that Maduro step down was dismissed by the Venezuelan president’s envoy. Grenell has always denied he was negotiating a hostage swap.Later, in December 2023, the Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-saab-detained-americans-biden-d7148a34dd009d5bab3d5f50c28ed93e">exchanged Saab for 10 Americans</a>&nbsp;as part of a policy to re-engage Maduro ahead of presidential elections.___Goodman reported from Miami. Associated Press writer Will Weissert contributed to this report from Washington.