DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has launched a new campaign of intense airstrikes targeting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen’s Houthi rebels</a>.

This weekend’s strikes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-yemen-houthis-rebels-attack-airstrike-11b0e080b3982542dd621338a7b18afd">killed at least 53 people</a>, including children, and wounded others. The campaign is likely to continue, part of a wider pressure campaign by Trump now targeting the Houthis’ main benefactor, Iran, as well.

Here’s what to know about the U.S. strikes and what could happen next:

Why did the U.S. launch the new airstrikes?

The Houthi rebels attacked over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthi-rebels-ship-attack-red-sea-yemen-bfa7d321e55c5bb59b268b82ef3c56ba">sinking two vessels</a>&nbsp;and killing four sailors, from November 2023 until January this year. Their leadership described the attacks as aiming to end the Israeli war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The campaign also greatly raised the Houthis’ profile in the wider Arab world and tamped down on public criticism against their human rights abuses and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-un-war-israel-hamas-099c777c457b49c8362d590afc32a537">crackdowns on dissent and aid workers</a>.

Trump, writing on his social media platform Truth Social, said his administration targeted the Houthis over their “unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence and terrorism.” He noted the disruption Houthi attacks have caused through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, key waterways for energy and cargo shipments between Asia and Europe through Egypt’s Suez Canal.

“We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective,” Trump said.

Didn’t the U.S. already target the Houthis with airstrikes?

Under former President Joe Biden,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">the U.S. and the United Kingdom began a series of airstrikes against the Houthis</a>&nbsp;starting in January 2024. A December report by The International Institute for Strategic Studies said the U.S. and its partners struck the Houthis over 260 times up to that point.

U.S. military officials during that period acknowledged having a far-wider target list for possible strikes. While the Biden administration didn’t go too far into explaining its targeting, analysts believe officials largely were trying to avoid civilian casualties and not rekindle Yemen’s stalemated war, which pits the Houthis and their allies against the country’s exiled government and their local and international allies, like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The Trump administration, however, appears willing to go after more targets, based on the weekend’s strikes and public remarks made by officials.

“We’re doing the entire world a favor by getting rid of these guys and their ability to strike global shipping,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CBS News’ “Face The Nation” on Sunday. “That’s the mission here, and it will continue until that’s carried out.”

Rubio added: “Some of the key people involved in those missile launches are no longer with us, and I can tell you that some of the facilities that they used are no longer existing, and that will continue.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-airstrikes-sanaa-israel-hamas-war-8f73755ccc47a34261cc041658403b4d">Israel also launched its own airstrikes on Houthi-held sites</a>, including the port city of Hodeida, over the rebels’ missile and drone attacks targeting Israel.

What could the new U.S. strikes mean for the wider Mideast?

The Houthis said last week they’ll again&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-israel-hamas-war-gaza-aid-ship-attacks-0da6c2453fe2c4e5f81923c84c7d3f3a">target “Israeli” ships traveling through Mideast waterways</a>&nbsp;like the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, because of Israel’s blocking of aid to the Gaza Strip. No rebel attack targeting commercial shipping has been reported as of Monday morning.

However, the new U.S. campaign likely could inspire Houthi attacks at sea or on land beyond American warships. The rebels previously targeted oil infrastructure in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-sports-united-arab-emirates-saudi-arabia-yemen-a0673736ceddfd5f498deb16a4254d64">Saudi Arabia</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-media-dubai-united-arab-emirates-abu-dhabi-a507ac70e7d4739afd535f0f9477e7fc">the UAE</a>, two countries deeply involved in Yemen’s war since 2015.

“Although the U.S. has been striking at Houthi targets for over a year, the scope and scale of this new campaign, including the targeting of senior Houthi figures, marks a significant escalation in the conflict,” analysts at the Eurasia Group said Monday.

Gulf Arab countries “will distance themselves from ongoing hostilities but now face threats to their major oil infrastructure. The Houthis will want to hit President Donald Trump where it hurts, oil prices.”

Meanwhile, the Houthis likely will expand their possible targets for ship attacks, meaning shippers will continue to stay out of the region, said Jakob P. Larsen, the head of maritime security for BIMCO, the largest international association representing shipowners.

Iran long has armed the Houthis, who are members of Islam’s minority Shiite Zaydi sect, which ruled Yemen for 1,000 years until 1962. Tehran routinely denies arming the rebels, despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-iran-politics-united-states-government-middle-east-65b99a04a99d2504fd1123fc8e4300cc">physical evidence, numerous seizures and experts tying the weapons back to Iran</a>. That’s likely because Tehran wants to avoid sanctions for violating a United Nations arms embargo on the Houthis.

The Houthis now form the strongest group within Iran’s self-described “Axis of Resistance.” Others like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-airstrikes-28-september-2024-c4751957433ff944c4eb06027885a973">Lebanon’s Hezbollah</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-lebanon-hezbollah-news-10-17-2024-d12ca71945313e601cf10876072f4182">Palestinian militant group Hamas</a>&nbsp;have been decimated by Israel after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-military-inquiry-gaza-34988076bd5283686cb80678aff799ad">the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas</a>&nbsp;that sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war of attrition in the Gaza Strip</a>. Allied Shiite militias in Iraq largely have kept their heads down since the U.S. launched retaliatory attacks last year over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jordan-drone-attack-attack-confusion-f175962e058b9b6f668303faf248d8e6">a drone attack</a>&nbsp;that killed three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drone-attack-soldier-killed-jordan-sanders-georgia-947c5c440e149154b06bc1bc29d84a19">American troops</a>&nbsp;and injured at least 34 others at a military base in Jordan.

While Iranian state television aired footage of civilian casualties from the weekend strikes in Yemen, top political leaders stayed away from suggestion Tehran itself would get involved in the fight. Revolutionary Guard chief Gen. Hossein Salami notably underscored the Houthis made their own decisions — while not offering any warning over what would happen if the strikes killed any members of the Guard’s expeditionary Quds Force, who are believed to actively support the rebels on the ground.

“We have always declared — and we declare again today — that the Yemenis are an independent and free nation in their own land, with an independent national policy,” Salami said.

Trump’s national security adviser Mike Waltz, speaking to ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, warned Guard officials training the Houthis “will be on the table too” as possible targets for attack.

Meanwhile, Iran is still trying to determine how to respond to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-program-us-tensions-explains-25acc4bfbbe165a374a58ebfa6a4ab41">a letter from Trump aiming to restart negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program</a>. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Monday officials continue to review the letter and will respond “after investigations are completed.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi separately traveled Sunday to Oman, which long has been an interlocutor between Tehran and the West. The Houthis also operate a political office in the sultanate.

The attacks on the Houthis are “a not-so-subtle signal to Iran, as President Trump has been unequivocal in his insistence that Iran return to the negotiating table to deal with its nuclear program,” the New York-based Soufan Center said in an analysis Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742347497679.png" alt="Image U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Image U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has launched a new campaign of intense airstrikes targeting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen’s Houthi rebels</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">CENTCOM continuous operations against Iran-back Houthi terrorists…<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HouthisAreTerrorists?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HouthisAreTerrorists</a> <a href="https://t.co/ppggVK1Jgg">pic.twitter.com/ppggVK1Jgg</a>&mdash; U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1902145041063178333?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>This weekend’s strikes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-yemen-houthis-rebels-attack-airstrike-11b0e080b3982542dd621338a7b18afd">killed at least 53 people</a>, including children, and wounded others. The campaign is likely to continue, part of a wider pressure campaign by Trump now targeting the Houthis’ main benefactor, Iran, as well.Here’s what to know about the U.S. strikes and what could happen next:<h2>Why did the U.S. launch the new airstrikes?</h2>The Houthi rebels attacked over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthi-rebels-ship-attack-red-sea-yemen-bfa7d321e55c5bb59b268b82ef3c56ba">sinking two vessels</a>&nbsp;and killing four sailors, from November 2023 until January this year. Their leadership described the attacks as aiming to end the Israeli war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The campaign also greatly raised the Houthis’ profile in the wider Arab world and tamped down on public criticism against their human rights abuses and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-un-war-israel-hamas-099c777c457b49c8362d590afc32a537">crackdowns on dissent and aid workers</a>.Trump, writing on his social media platform Truth Social, said his administration targeted the Houthis over their “unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence and terrorism.” He noted the disruption Houthi attacks have caused through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, key waterways for energy and cargo shipments between Asia and Europe through Egypt’s Suez Canal.“We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective,” Trump said.<h2>Didn’t the U.S. already target the Houthis with airstrikes?</h2>Under former President Joe Biden,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">the U.S. and the United Kingdom began a series of airstrikes against the Houthis</a>&nbsp;starting in January 2024. A December report by The International Institute for Strategic Studies said the U.S. and its partners struck the Houthis over 260 times up to that point.U.S. military officials during that period acknowledged having a far-wider target list for possible strikes. While the Biden administration didn’t go too far into explaining its targeting, analysts believe officials largely were trying to avoid civilian casualties and not rekindle Yemen’s stalemated war, which pits the Houthis and their allies against the country’s exiled government and their local and international allies, like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.The Trump administration, however, appears willing to go after more targets, based on the weekend’s strikes and public remarks made by officials.“We’re doing the entire world a favor by getting rid of these guys and their ability to strike global shipping,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CBS News’ “Face The Nation” on Sunday. “That’s the mission here, and it will continue until that’s carried out.”Rubio added: “Some of the key people involved in those missile launches are no longer with us, and I can tell you that some of the facilities that they used are no longer existing, and that will continue.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-airstrikes-sanaa-israel-hamas-war-8f73755ccc47a34261cc041658403b4d">Israel also launched its own airstrikes on Houthi-held sites</a>, including the port city of Hodeida, over the rebels’ missile and drone attacks targeting Israel.<h2>What could the new U.S. strikes mean for the wider Mideast?</h2>In two words: More attacks.The Houthis said last week they’ll again&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-israel-hamas-war-gaza-aid-ship-attacks-0da6c2453fe2c4e5f81923c84c7d3f3a">target “Israeli” ships traveling through Mideast waterways</a>&nbsp;like the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, because of Israel’s blocking of aid to the Gaza Strip. No rebel attack targeting commercial shipping has been reported as of Monday morning.However, the new U.S. campaign likely could inspire Houthi attacks at sea or on land beyond American warships. The rebels previously targeted oil infrastructure in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-sports-united-arab-emirates-saudi-arabia-yemen-a0673736ceddfd5f498deb16a4254d64">Saudi Arabia</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-media-dubai-united-arab-emirates-abu-dhabi-a507ac70e7d4739afd535f0f9477e7fc">the UAE</a>, two countries deeply involved in Yemen’s war since 2015.“Although the U.S. has been striking at Houthi targets for over a year, the scope and scale of this new campaign, including the targeting of senior Houthi figures, marks a significant escalation in the conflict,” analysts at the Eurasia Group said Monday.Gulf Arab countries “will distance themselves from ongoing hostilities but now face threats to their major oil infrastructure. The Houthis will want to hit President Donald Trump where it hurts, oil prices.”Meanwhile, the Houthis likely will expand their possible targets for ship attacks, meaning shippers will continue to stay out of the region, said Jakob P. Larsen, the head of maritime security for BIMCO, the largest international association representing shipowners.<h2>Where are the Iranians in all of this?</h2>Iran long has armed the Houthis, who are members of Islam’s minority Shiite Zaydi sect, which ruled Yemen for 1,000 years until 1962. Tehran routinely denies arming the rebels, despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-iran-politics-united-states-government-middle-east-65b99a04a99d2504fd1123fc8e4300cc">physical evidence, numerous seizures and experts tying the weapons back to Iran</a>. That’s likely because Tehran wants to avoid sanctions for violating a United Nations arms embargo on the Houthis.The Houthis now form the strongest group within Iran’s self-described “Axis of Resistance.” Others like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-airstrikes-28-september-2024-c4751957433ff944c4eb06027885a973">Lebanon’s Hezbollah</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-lebanon-hezbollah-news-10-17-2024-d12ca71945313e601cf10876072f4182">Palestinian militant group Hamas</a>&nbsp;have been decimated by Israel after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-military-inquiry-gaza-34988076bd5283686cb80678aff799ad">the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas</a>&nbsp;that sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war of attrition in the Gaza Strip</a>. Allied Shiite militias in Iraq largely have kept their heads down since the U.S. launched retaliatory attacks last year over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jordan-drone-attack-attack-confusion-f175962e058b9b6f668303faf248d8e6">a drone attack</a>&nbsp;that killed three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drone-attack-soldier-killed-jordan-sanders-georgia-947c5c440e149154b06bc1bc29d84a19">American troops</a>&nbsp;and injured at least 34 others at a military base in Jordan.While Iranian state television aired footage of civilian casualties from the weekend strikes in Yemen, top political leaders stayed away from suggestion Tehran itself would get involved in the fight. Revolutionary Guard chief Gen. Hossein Salami notably underscored the Houthis made their own decisions — while not offering any warning over what would happen if the strikes killed any members of the Guard’s expeditionary Quds Force, who are believed to actively support the rebels on the ground.“We have always declared — and we declare again today — that the Yemenis are an independent and free nation in their own land, with an independent national policy,” Salami said.Trump’s national security adviser Mike Waltz, speaking to ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, warned Guard officials training the Houthis “will be on the table too” as possible targets for attack.Meanwhile, Iran is still trying to determine how to respond to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-program-us-tensions-explains-25acc4bfbbe165a374a58ebfa6a4ab41">a letter from Trump aiming to restart negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program</a>. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Monday officials continue to review the letter and will respond “after investigations are completed.”Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi separately traveled Sunday to Oman, which long has been an interlocutor between Tehran and the West. The Houthis also operate a political office in the sultanate.The attacks on the Houthis are “a not-so-subtle signal to Iran, as President Trump has been unequivocal in his insistence that Iran return to the negotiating table to deal with its nuclear program,” the New York-based Soufan Center said in an analysis Monday.

U.S. airstrikes continue against Iran-backed terrorists

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City area man faces felony charges in connection with an attempted kidnapping, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2546/KEITH-COMPLAINT-REDACTED">Jeromy Keith, 47, Independence, Mo., faces</a>&nbsp;one count of 1st Degree Attempted Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2547/keithjeromy---pc-statement">According to court records</a>, Independence police responded to a disturbance call where victims reported Keith had threatened to kidnap his wife and murder another person. Officers later arrested Keith and an individual who was with him, and discovered packing tape, a mask, a container of bleach, detergent, a striking baton, and a specialized view camera in their vehicle.&nbsp;

Witnesses told police they overheard the defendant planning to pay someone to help kidnap his wife and murder another victim.&nbsp;

Officers were told Keith had a history of domestic abuse, causing his wife to often relocate to avoid him. Keith had also been sending threatening messages to his wife, which made her fear for her safety.&nbsp;

Keith is being held on a $200,000 bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742232326673.png" alt="Keith photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Keith photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City area man faces felony charges in connection with an attempted kidnapping, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2546/KEITH-COMPLAINT-REDACTED">Jeromy Keith, 47, Independence, Mo., faces</a>&nbsp;one count of 1st Degree Attempted Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2547/keithjeromy---pc-statement">According to court records</a>, Independence police responded to a disturbance call where victims reported Keith had threatened to kidnap his wife and murder another person. Officers later arrested Keith and an individual who was with him, and discovered packing tape, a mask, a container of bleach, detergent, a striking baton, and a specialized view camera in their vehicle.&nbsp;Witnesses told police they overheard the defendant planning to pay someone to help kidnap his wife and murder another victim.&nbsp;Officers were told Keith had a history of domestic abuse, causing his wife to often relocate to avoid him. Keith had also been sending threatening messages to his wife, which made her fear for her safety.&nbsp;Keith is being held on a $200,000 bond.&nbsp;

Prosecutor: KC area man planned to pay for his wife's kidnapping

DALLAS (AP) — Previously classified documents related to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-51224feebb8742a8a4e604da845c7fa8">1963 assassination</a>&nbsp;of President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jfk-assassination">John F. Kennedy</a>&nbsp;were released Tuesday following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-files-trump-release-381cd547e10e4f41d27a8e020bb6a435">an order by President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;shortly after he took office.

<a href="https://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/available-online">Click here to read the files</a> from the National Archives

The documents were posted on the website of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. The vast majority of the National Archives' collection of over 6 million pages of records, photographs, motion pictures, sound recordings and artifacts related to the assassination have previously been released.

Trump told reporters Monday that has administration will be releasing 80,000 files, though it’s not clear how many of those are among the millions of pages of records that have already been made public.

“We have a tremendous amount of paper. You’ve got a lot of reading,” Trump said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-kennedy-center-559bf5254b99f938dc156b60c9a495e7">while visiting</a>&nbsp;the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.

Researchers have estimated that 3,000 records or so&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-assassination-documents-release-trump-50ea62770b13f0ffc11ca18dde03500d">hadn't been released</a>, either in whole or in part. And last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-fbi-trump-newly-discovered-files-0bd8ad5569f5fa3ed92b8ee9b795c9e7#">the FBI said</a>&nbsp;that it had discovered about 2,400 new records related to the assassination.

Many who have studied what’s been released so far by the government say the public shouldn’t anticipate any earth-shattering revelations from the newly released documents, but there is still intense interest in details related to the assassination and the events surrounding it.

Trump's January order directed the national intelligence director and attorney general to develop a plan to release the records.

Kennedy was killed on Nov. 22, 1963, on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-298388ef0d6e41d98a47c70c86c64788">visit to Dallas</a>. As his motorcade was finishing its parade route downtown, shots rang out from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/travel-and-tourism-e9f33c5e647d45149c1738d64ea0e3c5">Texas School Book Depository</a>&nbsp;building. Police arrested 24-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/national-national-general-news-808c313725d849fd884794fe49b6fd39">Lee Harvey Oswald</a>, who had positioned himself from a sniper’s perch on the sixth floor. Two days later, nightclub owner Jack Ruby fatally shot Oswald during a jail transfer.

A year after the assassination, the Warren Commission, which President Lyndon B. Johnson established to investigate, concluded that Oswald acted alone and that there was no evidence of a conspiracy. But that didn’t quell a web of alternative theories over the decades.

In the early 1990s, the federal government mandated that all assassination-related documents be housed in a single collection in the National Archives and Records Administration. The collection was required to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c50d6fd107534341b9fa47b9014801ab">opened by 2017</a>, barring any exemptions designated by the president.

Trump, who took office for his first term in 2017, had said that he would allow the release of all of the remaining records but ended up holding some back because of what he called the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/trump-boasted-hed-open-all-jfk-files-but-now-says-he-cant-2f48d57f9ee045d98eb784d2295288ef">potential harm to national security</a>. And while files&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-statutes-assassinations-lee-harvey-oswald-5b50bdcd246d228828b24f584ccad3ab">continued to be released</a>&nbsp;during President Joe Biden’s administration, some remained unseen.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700660678254.png" alt="FILE - In this Nov. 22, 1963 file photo, President John F. Kennedy waves from his car in a motorcade approximately one minute before he was shot in Dallas. Riding with Kennedy are First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, right, Nellie Connally, second from left, and her husband, Texas Gov. John Connally, far left. (AP Photo/Jim Altgens, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - In this Nov. 22, 1963 file photo, President John F. Kennedy waves from his car in a motorcade approximately one minute before he was shot in Dallas. Riding with Kennedy are First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, right, Nellie Connally, second from left, and her husband, Texas Gov. John Connally, far left. (AP Photo/Jim Altgens, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>DALLAS (AP) — Previously classified documents related to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-51224feebb8742a8a4e604da845c7fa8">1963 assassination</a>&nbsp;of President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jfk-assassination">John F. Kennedy</a>&nbsp;were released Tuesday following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-files-trump-release-381cd547e10e4f41d27a8e020bb6a435">an order by President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;shortly after he took office.<a href="https://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/available-online">Click here to read the files</a> from the National ArchivesThe documents were posted on the website of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. The vast majority of the National Archives' collection of over 6 million pages of records, photographs, motion pictures, sound recordings and artifacts related to the assassination have previously been released.Trump told reporters Monday that has administration will be releasing 80,000 files, though it’s not clear how many of those are among the millions of pages of records that have already been made public.“We have a tremendous amount of paper. You’ve got a lot of reading,” Trump said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-kennedy-center-559bf5254b99f938dc156b60c9a495e7">while visiting</a>&nbsp;the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742345702324.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Researchers have estimated that 3,000 records or so&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-assassination-documents-release-trump-50ea62770b13f0ffc11ca18dde03500d">hadn't been released</a>, either in whole or in part. And last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-fbi-trump-newly-discovered-files-0bd8ad5569f5fa3ed92b8ee9b795c9e7#">the FBI said</a>&nbsp;that it had discovered about 2,400 new records related to the assassination.Many who have studied what’s been released so far by the government say the public shouldn’t anticipate any earth-shattering revelations from the newly released documents, but there is still intense interest in details related to the assassination and the events surrounding it.Trump's January order directed the national intelligence director and attorney general to develop a plan to release the records.Kennedy was killed on Nov. 22, 1963, on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-298388ef0d6e41d98a47c70c86c64788">visit to Dallas</a>. As his motorcade was finishing its parade route downtown, shots rang out from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/travel-and-tourism-e9f33c5e647d45149c1738d64ea0e3c5">Texas School Book Depository</a>&nbsp;building. Police arrested 24-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/national-national-general-news-808c313725d849fd884794fe49b6fd39">Lee Harvey Oswald</a>, who had positioned himself from a sniper’s perch on the sixth floor. Two days later, nightclub owner Jack Ruby fatally shot Oswald during a jail transfer.A year after the assassination, the Warren Commission, which President Lyndon B. Johnson established to investigate, concluded that Oswald acted alone and that there was no evidence of a conspiracy. But that didn’t quell a web of alternative theories over the decades.In the early 1990s, the federal government mandated that all assassination-related documents be housed in a single collection in the National Archives and Records Administration. The collection was required to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c50d6fd107534341b9fa47b9014801ab">opened by 2017</a>, barring any exemptions designated by the president.Trump, who took office for his first term in 2017, had said that he would allow the release of all of the remaining records but ended up holding some back because of what he called the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/trump-boasted-hed-open-all-jfk-files-but-now-says-he-cant-2f48d57f9ee045d98eb784d2295288ef">potential harm to national security</a>. And while files&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-statutes-assassinations-lee-harvey-oswald-5b50bdcd246d228828b24f584ccad3ab">continued to be released</a>&nbsp;during President Joe Biden’s administration, some remained unseen.

Read the new JFK assassination files just released

KANSAS CITY (AP) —A woman has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a television reporter last month while he was on assignment to cover the Super Bowl in New Orleans, authorities said Tuesday.

Adan Manzano, a 27-year-old reporter and anchor for Telemundo based in Kansas City, Missouri, was found dead Feb. 5 in his hotel room in the New Orleans suburb of Kenner. The next day, police arrested Danette Colbert, 48, on charges that she had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-telemundo-reporter-death-adan-manzano-590192fafbbc6401682e813402801e94">stolen Manzano's cellphone</a>&nbsp;and bank cards.

Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley told a news conference streamed online Tuesday that a charge of second-degree murder had been added against Colbert, who remained jailed since her arrest last month. He said a suspected accomplice had been arrested in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on theft and fraud charges.

The decision to charge Colbert in Manzano's death was made despite preliminary autopsy results being inconclusive as to whether he was killed or died accidentally.

An attorney for Colbert, Stavros Panagoulopoulos, did not immediately respond to an email message seeking comment Tuesday. He said last month that police were making “assumptions and guesses” to link Colbert to Manzano’s death.

Dr. Gerry Cvitanovich, the Jefferson Parish coroner, told reporters that the autopsy found Manzano died from “positional asphyxia” as he was lying facedown on a pillow and unable to breathe after ingesting a combination of alcohol&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-reporter-death-drug-telemundo-2e63ce04cbe526ae6856559b20c92913">and the depressant Xanax.</a>

“Both of them are central nervous system depressants, and when you add them up they're really bad,” the coroner said, adding: “One of the dangers is you end up in a position where you are obstructing your ability to breathe.”

Conley said he was “very confident” authorities have enough evidence to successfully prosecute Colbert for murder, though he declined to discuss specifics of their case.

Police have previously said security video from the hotel where Manzano was staying showed him and Colbert entering his room together the day of his death. Footage showed Colbert leaving without him about an hour later. Authorities have said Colbert later used Manzano’s credit card to make a purchase at a New Orleans gas station and several stores in the area.

Police have also said Manzano's medical records showed no prescriptions for Xanax or other depressants, and that they recovered the drug from Colbert's home.

“Look, there's a lot of pieces in this puzzle,” the police chief said. “We recognize it's going to be a circumstantial case.”

As for the man charged with theft and fraud alongside Colbert, Conley said only that police had found “correspondence and information where they were going back and forth. So we think they were working hand-in-hand in concert with each other.”

Last year, a Louisiana jury found Colbert guilty of theft and fraud charges in an unrelated case.

In 2022, Colbert was twice arrested in Las Vegas on felony charges of grand larceny and administering a drug to aid in a felony crime, court records show. In both cases, she was accused of drugging men in their hotel rooms and stealing from them. The charges were dismissed because the victims did not want to testify in court, Colbert’s attorney for those cases, Daniel Lippmann, told The Associated Press.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738973498909.png" alt="Adan Manzano courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Adan Manzano courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —A woman has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a television reporter last month while he was on assignment to cover the Super Bowl in New Orleans, authorities said Tuesday.Adan Manzano, a 27-year-old reporter and anchor for Telemundo based in Kansas City, Missouri, was found dead Feb. 5 in his hotel room in the New Orleans suburb of Kenner. The next day, police arrested Danette Colbert, 48, on charges that she had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-telemundo-reporter-death-adan-manzano-590192fafbbc6401682e813402801e94">stolen Manzano's cellphone</a>&nbsp;and bank cards.Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley told a news conference streamed online Tuesday that a charge of second-degree murder had been added against Colbert, who remained jailed since her arrest last month. He said a suspected accomplice had been arrested in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on theft and fraud charges.The decision to charge Colbert in Manzano's death was made despite preliminary autopsy results being inconclusive as to whether he was killed or died accidentally.An attorney for Colbert, Stavros Panagoulopoulos, did not immediately respond to an email message seeking comment Tuesday. He said last month that police were making “assumptions and guesses” to link Colbert to Manzano’s death.Dr. Gerry Cvitanovich, the Jefferson Parish coroner, told reporters that the autopsy found Manzano died from “positional asphyxia” as he was lying facedown on a pillow and unable to breathe after ingesting a combination of alcohol&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-reporter-death-drug-telemundo-2e63ce04cbe526ae6856559b20c92913">and the depressant Xanax.</a>“Both of them are central nervous system depressants, and when you add them up they're really bad,” the coroner said, adding: “One of the dangers is you end up in a position where you are obstructing your ability to breathe.”Conley said he was “very confident” authorities have enough evidence to successfully prosecute Colbert for murder, though he declined to discuss specifics of their case.Police have previously said security video from the hotel where Manzano was staying showed him and Colbert entering his room together the day of his death. Footage showed Colbert leaving without him about an hour later. Authorities have said Colbert later used Manzano’s credit card to make a purchase at a New Orleans gas station and several stores in the area.Police have also said Manzano's medical records showed no prescriptions for Xanax or other depressants, and that they recovered the drug from Colbert's home.“Look, there's a lot of pieces in this puzzle,” the police chief said. “We recognize it's going to be a circumstantial case.”As for the man charged with theft and fraud alongside Colbert, Conley said only that police had found “correspondence and information where they were going back and forth. So we think they were working hand-in-hand in concert with each other.”Last year, a Louisiana jury found Colbert guilty of theft and fraud charges in an unrelated case.In 2022, Colbert was twice arrested in Las Vegas on felony charges of grand larceny and administering a drug to aid in a felony crime, court records show. In both cases, she was accused of drugging men in their hotel rooms and stealing from them. The charges were dismissed because the victims did not want to testify in court, Colbert’s attorney for those cases, Daniel Lippmann, told The Associated Press.

Woman charged in the death of a Super Bowl reporter from Kansas City

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Stuck in space no more,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-butch-wilmore-suni-williams-432d8c3ebf8d617d2df4d3ae53db51c3">NASA astronauts</a>&nbsp;Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned to Earth on Tuesday, hitching a different ride home to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stuck-astronauts-nasa-boeing-starliner-1929d955463291701b99d4862b2c45ef">close out a saga</a>&nbsp;that began with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-boeing-starliner-92dca67a1fbecf05f5f0e6e2e79afc3b">bungled test flight</a>&nbsp;more than nine months ago.

Their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-launch-boeing-nasa-stuck-astronauts-e179d0dc6c77d224278fd0430148ff8b">SpaceX capsule</a>&nbsp;parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico in the early evening, just hours after departing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-international-space-station-e8e2d188bc4cd1bf36c3c41512d38fcb">the International Space Station</a>. Splashdown occurred off the coast of Tallahassee in the Florida Panhandle, bringing their unplanned odyssey to an end.

It all started with a flawed Boeing test flight last spring.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-spacewalk-2cb2b5897892449f9d4661449a88de1c">The two</a>&nbsp;expected to be gone just a week or so after launching on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-starliner-nasa-astronauts-launch-e139ce1842e0324942746bb0cdee5c73">Boeing’s new Starliner crew capsule</a>&nbsp;on June 5. So many problems cropped up on the way to the space station that NASA eventually sent Starliner back empty and transferred the test pilots to SpaceX, pushing their homecoming into February. Then SpaceX capsule issues added another month’s delay.

Sunday’s arrival of their relief crew meant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-butch-wilmore-suni-williams-4e379e121d4386d2baca1e3426f62e58">Wilmore and Williams</a>&nbsp;could finally leave. NASA cut them loose a little early, given the iffy weather forecast later this week. They checked out with NASA’s Nick Hague and Russia’s Alexander Gorbunov, who arrived in their own SpaceX capsule last fall with two empty seats reserved for the Starliner duo.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-astronauts-faith-orbit-international-space-station-b5d3e3473dff3b92c8dcfc7a7cb48b50">Wilmore</a>&nbsp;and Williams ended up spending 286 days in space — 278 days longer than anticipated when they launched. They circled Earth 4,576 times and traveled 121 million miles (195 million kilometers) by the time of splashdown.

Their plight captured the world’s attention, giving new meaning to the phrase “stuck at work" and turning “Butch and Suni” into household names. While other astronauts had logged longer spaceflights over the decades, none had to deal with so much uncertainty or see the length of their mission expand by so much.

Wilmore and Williams quickly transitioned from guests to full-fledged station crew members, conducting experiments, fixing equipment and even spacewalking together. With 62 hours over nine spacewalks, Williams set a record: the most time spent spacewalking over a career among female astronauts.

Both had lived on the orbiting lab before and knew the ropes, and brushed up on their station training before rocketing away. Williams became the station's commander three months into their stay and held the post until earlier this month.

Their mission took an unexpected twist in late January when President Donald Trump asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to accelerate the astronauts’ return and blamed the delay on the Biden administration. The replacement crew’s brand new SpaceX capsule still wasn’t ready to fly, so SpaceX subbed it with a used one, hurrying things along by at least a few weeks.

Even in the middle of the political storm, Wilmore and Williams continued to maintain an even keel at public appearances from orbit, casting no blame and insisting they supported NASA’s decisions from the start.

NASA hired SpaceX and Boeing after the shuttle program ended, in order to have two competing U.S. companies for transporting astronauts to and from the space station until it's abandoned in 2030 and steered to a fiery reentry. By then, it will have been up there more than three decades; the plan is to replace it with privately run stations so NASA can focus on moon and Mars expeditions.

Both retired Navy captains, Wilmore and Williams stressed they didn’t mind spending more time in space — a prolonged deployment reminiscent of their military days. But they acknowledged it was tough on their families.

Wilmore, 62, missed most of his younger daughter’s senior year of high school; his older daughter is in college. Williams, 59, had to settle for internet calls from space to her mother and relatives.

“We have not been worried about her because she has been in good spirits,” said Falguni Pandya, who is married to Williams’ cousin. “She’s been healthy and we’ve been in touch with her right until they left. She was definitely ready to come home.”

Prayers for Williams and Wilmore were offered up at 21 Hindu temples in the U.S. in the months leading up to their return, organizer Tejal Shah, president of World Hindu Council of America said. Williams has spoken frequently about her Indian and Slovenian heritage. Prayers for their safe return also came from Wilmore’s Baptist church in Houston, where he serves as an elder.

After returning in the gulf — Trump in January signed an executive order renaming the body of water Gulf of America — Wilmore and Williams will have to wait until they’re off the SpaceX recovery ship and flown to Houston before reuniting with their loved ones. The three NASA astronauts will be checked out by flight surgeons as they adjust to gravity, officials said, and allowed to go home after several days.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742338402938.png" alt="Suni Williams exits the spacecraft with a smile and a wave- image courtesy SpaceX video" />
 <figcaption>Suni Williams exits the spacecraft with a smile and a wave- image courtesy SpaceX video</figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Stuck in space no more,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-butch-wilmore-suni-williams-432d8c3ebf8d617d2df4d3ae53db51c3">NASA astronauts</a>&nbsp;Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned to Earth on Tuesday, hitching a different ride home to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stuck-astronauts-nasa-boeing-starliner-1929d955463291701b99d4862b2c45ef">close out a saga</a>&nbsp;that began with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-boeing-starliner-92dca67a1fbecf05f5f0e6e2e79afc3b">bungled test flight</a>&nbsp;more than nine months ago.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742338623314.png" alt="Astronaut Butch Wilmore exits the spacecraft&nbsp; -image courtesy SpaceX video" />
 <figcaption>Astronaut Butch Wilmore exits the spacecraft&nbsp; -image courtesy SpaceX video</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Drogue and main parachutes have deployed <a href="https://t.co/X0wiXqFaPt">pic.twitter.com/X0wiXqFaPt</a>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1902116771806732511?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Splashdown of Dragon confirmed – welcome back to Earth, Nick, Suni, Butch, and Aleks! <a href="https://t.co/M4RZ6UYsQ2">pic.twitter.com/M4RZ6UYsQ2</a>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1902117509798465910?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-launch-boeing-nasa-stuck-astronauts-e179d0dc6c77d224278fd0430148ff8b">SpaceX capsule</a>&nbsp;parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico in the early evening, just hours after departing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-international-space-station-e8e2d188bc4cd1bf36c3c41512d38fcb">the International Space Station</a>. Splashdown occurred off the coast of Tallahassee in the Florida Panhandle, bringing their unplanned odyssey to an end.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742336199488.png" alt="Dragon capsule moments before it was lifted onto the recovery vessel" />
 <figcaption>Dragon capsule moments before it was lifted onto the recovery vessel</figcaption>
 </figure>It all started with a flawed Boeing test flight last spring.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742335496712.png" alt="Image courtesy Space X video" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Space X video</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-spacewalk-2cb2b5897892449f9d4661449a88de1c">The two</a>&nbsp;expected to be gone just a week or so after launching on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-starliner-nasa-astronauts-launch-e139ce1842e0324942746bb0cdee5c73">Boeing’s new Starliner crew capsule</a>&nbsp;on June 5. So many problems cropped up on the way to the space station that NASA eventually sent Starliner back empty and transferred the test pilots to SpaceX, pushing their homecoming into February. Then SpaceX capsule issues added another month’s delay.Sunday’s arrival of their relief crew meant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-butch-wilmore-suni-williams-4e379e121d4386d2baca1e3426f62e58">Wilmore and Williams</a>&nbsp;could finally leave. NASA cut them loose a little early, given the iffy weather forecast later this week. They checked out with NASA’s Nick Hague and Russia’s Alexander Gorbunov, who arrived in their own SpaceX capsule last fall with two empty seats reserved for the Starliner duo.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-astronauts-faith-orbit-international-space-station-b5d3e3473dff3b92c8dcfc7a7cb48b50">Wilmore</a>&nbsp;and Williams ended up spending 286 days in space — 278 days longer than anticipated when they launched. They circled Earth 4,576 times and traveled 121 million miles (195 million kilometers) by the time of splashdown.Their plight captured the world’s attention, giving new meaning to the phrase “stuck at work" and turning “Butch and Suni” into household names. While other astronauts had logged longer spaceflights over the decades, none had to deal with so much uncertainty or see the length of their mission expand by so much.Wilmore and Williams quickly transitioned from guests to full-fledged station crew members, conducting experiments, fixing equipment and even spacewalking together. With 62 hours over nine spacewalks, Williams set a record: the most time spent spacewalking over a career among female astronauts.Both had lived on the orbiting lab before and knew the ropes, and brushed up on their station training before rocketing away. Williams became the station's commander three months into their stay and held the post until earlier this month.Their mission took an unexpected twist in late January when President Donald Trump asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to accelerate the astronauts’ return and blamed the delay on the Biden administration. The replacement crew’s brand new SpaceX capsule still wasn’t ready to fly, so SpaceX subbed it with a used one, hurrying things along by at least a few weeks.Even in the middle of the political storm, Wilmore and Williams continued to maintain an even keel at public appearances from orbit, casting no blame and insisting they supported NASA’s decisions from the start.NASA hired SpaceX and Boeing after the shuttle program ended, in order to have two competing U.S. companies for transporting astronauts to and from the space station until it's abandoned in 2030 and steered to a fiery reentry. By then, it will have been up there more than three decades; the plan is to replace it with privately run stations so NASA can focus on moon and Mars expeditions.Both retired Navy captains, Wilmore and Williams stressed they didn’t mind spending more time in space — a prolonged deployment reminiscent of their military days. But they acknowledged it was tough on their families.Wilmore, 62, missed most of his younger daughter’s senior year of high school; his older daughter is in college. Williams, 59, had to settle for internet calls from space to her mother and relatives.“We have not been worried about her because she has been in good spirits,” said Falguni Pandya, who is married to Williams’ cousin. “She’s been healthy and we’ve been in touch with her right until they left. She was definitely ready to come home.”Prayers for Williams and Wilmore were offered up at 21 Hindu temples in the U.S. in the months leading up to their return, organizer Tejal Shah, president of World Hindu Council of America said. Williams has spoken frequently about her Indian and Slovenian heritage. Prayers for their safe return also came from Wilmore’s Baptist church in Houston, where he serves as an elder.After returning in the gulf — Trump in January signed an executive order renaming the body of water Gulf of America — Wilmore and Williams will have to wait until they’re off the SpaceX recovery ship and flown to Houston before reuniting with their loved ones. The three NASA astronauts will be checked out by flight surgeons as they adjust to gravity, officials said, and allowed to go home after several days.___

🎥Stuck in Space no more: 2 NASA astronauts are back on Earth

MANHATTAN, KS – Get ready for an unforgettable weekend of live country music as Rock The Plains 2025 makes its highly anticipated debut at Tuttle Creek State Park in Manhattan, Kansas.

 The festival is set for Friday, August 8, and Saturday, August 9, and will feature an all-star lineup of Red Dirt, Texas Country, and independent country artists.

The full lineup has officially been revealed, with country music heavyweights headlining each night. Friday, August 8, will be led by the Randy Rogers Band, with additional performances from Aaron Watson, Braxton Keith, Kaitlin Butts, Curtis Grimes, Jenna Paulette, Clay Aery, and DJ DU.

Saturday, August 9, will keep the energy high with Casey Donahew headlining the night, alongside performances from Josh Abbott Band, Pat Green, Logan Mize, Adam Hood, Kat Hasty, Clay Aery, and DJ DU.

Tuttle Creek State Park provides the perfect backdrop for an immersive festival experience, complete with on-site camping, allowing fans to enjoy two days of incredible music, scenic views, and great vibes.

Tickets for Rock The Plains 2025 are on-sale now at <a href="https://www.rocktheplains.com/">www.rocktheplains.com</a>. Early ticket purchases are encouraged, as this event is expected to sell out as capacity is being capped!

For more information, including ticket details, camping reservations, and festival updates, visit <a href="https://www.rocktheplains.com/">www.rocktheplains.com</a> and follow Rock The Plains on social media.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742332870380.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Rock the PlainsMANHATTAN, KS – Get ready for an unforgettable weekend of live country music as Rock The Plains 2025 makes its highly anticipated debut at Tuttle Creek State Park in Manhattan, Kansas. The festival is set for Friday, August 8, and Saturday, August 9, and will feature an all-star lineup of Red Dirt, Texas Country, and independent country artists.The full lineup has officially been revealed, with country music heavyweights headlining each night. Friday, August 8, will be led by the Randy Rogers Band, with additional performances from Aaron Watson, Braxton Keith, Kaitlin Butts, Curtis Grimes, Jenna Paulette, Clay Aery, and DJ DU.Saturday, August 9, will keep the energy high with Casey Donahew headlining the night, alongside performances from Josh Abbott Band, Pat Green, Logan Mize, Adam Hood, Kat Hasty, Clay Aery, and DJ DU.Tuttle Creek State Park provides the perfect backdrop for an immersive festival experience, complete with on-site camping, allowing fans to enjoy two days of incredible music, scenic views, and great vibes.Tickets for Rock The Plains 2025 are on-sale now at <a href="https://www.rocktheplains.com/">www.rocktheplains.com</a>. Early ticket purchases are encouraged, as this event is expected to sell out as capacity is being capped!For more information, including ticket details, camping reservations, and festival updates, visit <a href="https://www.rocktheplains.com/">www.rocktheplains.com</a> and follow Rock The Plains on social media.

Lineup announced for new country music event in Manhattan

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Tuesday released their preliminary report on the incident that led to the gas line explosion and fire on Feb. 22. &nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/PLD25FR003.aspx" target="_blank">Click here to read the full preliminary report&nbsp;</a>

In the first portion of the report, the NTSB states that an underline gas leak resulted in a commercial building explosion which destroyed the building and caused an evacuation of the surrounding community. &nbsp;&nbsp;

No injuries or deaths occurred and the NTSB states that the damages are to be approximately $975,000. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The report states that the Reno County dispatch received a gas odor report from the public at approximately 9:26 a.m., and that Hutchinson Fire Department arrived on the scene approximately seven minutes later at 9:33 a.m. &nbsp;

After the explosion ONE Gas, the parent company of Kansas Gas Service, excavated the area exposing approximately 120-feet of the ten-inch steel gas main. &nbsp;During the excavation, a leak was found at a girth weld, which is where two gas pipes are welded along their circumference. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The NTSB while on scene conducted a visual examination of the pipeline, collected physical evidence and conducted interviews. &nbsp;A portion of the gas line was later transported to the NTSB Materials Laboratory in Washington DC for evaluation and testing. &nbsp;&nbsp;Currently the investigation by the NTSB is ongoing. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The report says that future investigative activity will focus on previous failures and the leak history of the pipeline as well as aspects o ONE Gas’s integrity management program and state regulatory oversite; ONE Gas emergency response training and ONE Gas’s leak response, safety management system program and isolation planning tool. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742323605763.png" alt="Photo NTSB report" />
 <figcaption>Photo NTSB report</figcaption>
 </figure>The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Tuesday released their preliminary report on the incident that led to the gas line explosion and fire on Feb. 22. &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/PLD25FR003.aspx" target="_blank">Click here to read the full preliminary report&nbsp;</a>In the first portion of the report, the NTSB states that an underline gas leak resulted in a commercial building explosion which destroyed the building and caused an evacuation of the surrounding community. &nbsp;&nbsp;No injuries or deaths occurred and the NTSB states that the damages are to be approximately $975,000. &nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740255614106.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Hutchinson Fire Department (file photo)&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Hutchinson Fire Department (file photo)&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>The report states that the Reno County dispatch received a gas odor report from the public at approximately 9:26 a.m., and that Hutchinson Fire Department arrived on the scene approximately seven minutes later at 9:33 a.m. &nbsp;After the explosion ONE Gas, the parent company of Kansas Gas Service, excavated the area exposing approximately 120-feet of the ten-inch steel gas main. &nbsp;During the excavation, a leak was found at a girth weld, which is where two gas pipes are welded along their circumference. &nbsp;&nbsp;The NTSB while on scene conducted a visual examination of the pipeline, collected physical evidence and conducted interviews. &nbsp;A portion of the gas line was later transported to the NTSB Materials Laboratory in Washington DC for evaluation and testing. &nbsp;&nbsp;Currently the investigation by the NTSB is ongoing. &nbsp;&nbsp;The report says that future investigative activity will focus on previous failures and the leak history of the pipeline as well as aspects o ONE Gas’s integrity management program and state regulatory oversite; ONE Gas emergency response training and ONE Gas’s leak response, safety management system program and isolation planning tool. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Read the NTSB preliminary report on the gas explosion in Hutchinson

WASHINGTON (AP)—On Monday a judge ordered the Trump administration to restore federal grands for teacher training programs.

The order applies to more than 100 teacher preparation and training programs the administration canceled in February.

The judge in Maryland issued the preliminary injunction in a lawsuit filed by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and the National Center for Teacher Residencies.

The administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-teacher-training-doge-34f1a56f7394ee3343412e6a96b635c7">cut $600 million in grants</a>&nbsp;to teacher training programs, saying they ran afoul of its policies against diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Grantees rejected the notion that their work was tied to DEI. Many programs used the money to hire teachers, to pay for college scholarships, and to address retention issues leading to staff shortages.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742327693872.png" alt="American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education" />
 <figcaption>American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP)—On Monday a judge ordered the Trump administration to restore federal grands for teacher training programs.The order applies to more than 100 teacher preparation and training programs the administration canceled in February.The judge in Maryland issued the preliminary injunction in a lawsuit filed by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and the National Center for Teacher Residencies.The administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-teacher-training-doge-34f1a56f7394ee3343412e6a96b635c7">cut $600 million in grants</a>&nbsp;to teacher training programs, saying they ran afoul of its policies against diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Grantees rejected the notion that their work was tied to DEI. Many programs used the money to hire teachers, to pay for college scholarships, and to address retention issues leading to staff shortages.

Judge orders Trump admin. to restore federal grants for teacher training programs

WILSON COUNTY —With more fire weather warnings in portions of Kansas, officials are asking the public to monitor their previous controlled burns. 

On Monday Wilson County fire units were paged out for embers blowing across a road into unburnt pastures from a controlled burn conducted Sunday, according to a social media report from the rural fire department. 

Fire officials ask that you to double check your burns from the last couple weeks.

Just after 3pm Monday additional crews were paged out for a grassfire in the Southeast corner of the Wilson County. There are not reports of injury. Officials did not release details on what caused the afternoon grass fire.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742319065148.png" alt="Photos Wilson Co. Rural Fire" />
 <figcaption>Photos Wilson Co. Rural Fire</figcaption>
 </figure>WILSON COUNTY —With more fire weather warnings in portions of Kansas, officials are asking the public to monitor their previous controlled burns. On Monday Wilson County fire units were paged out for embers blowing across a road into unburnt pastures from a controlled burn conducted Sunday, according to a social media report from the rural fire department. Fire officials ask that you to double check your burns from the last couple weeks.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742319118211.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 3pm Monday additional crews were paged out for a grassfire in the Southeast corner of the Wilson County. There are not reports of injury. Officials did not release details on what caused the afternoon grass fire.

Fire officials: Double check your previous controlled burns

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and Russian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;agreed during a lengthy call Tuesday to seek a limited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-zelenskyy-ukraine-war-ceasefire-e8232c202998d5b934ca81bf98e74c55">ceasefire</a>&nbsp;against energy and infrastructure targets in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia-Ukraine war,</a>&nbsp;according to the White House.

The White House described it as the first step in a “movement to peace” it hopes will eventually include a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea and a full and lasting end to the fighting.

Shortly after the call, the White House released a brief summary of the conversation. It is below.

&nbsp;Today, President Trump and President Putin spoke about the need for peace and a ceasefire in the Ukraine war. Both leaders agreed this conflict needs to end with a lasting peace. They also stressed the need for improved bilateral relations between the United States and Russia.

The blood and treasure that both Ukraine and Russia have been spending in this war would be better spent on the needs of their people.
 
This conflict should never have started and should have been ended long ago with sincere and good faith peace efforts.

The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace.

These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East. 
 
The leaders spoke broadly about the Middle East as a region of potential cooperation to prevent future conflicts. They further discussed the need to stop proliferation of strategic weapons and will engage with others to ensure the broadest possible application.

The two leaders shared the view that Iran should never be in a position to destroy Israel. 
 
The two leaders agreed that a future with an improved bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia has huge upside. This includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has been achieved.

The White House added negotiations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-zelenskyy-ukraine-war-ceasefire-e8232c202998d5b934ca81bf98e74c55">would “begin immediately”</a>&nbsp;in the Middle East on those steps for a ceasefire. It was not immediately clear whether Ukraine is on board with the phased ceasefire plan.

Ukrainian officials had proposed a limited ceasefire covering the Black Sea and long-range missile strikes and the release of prisoners at their meeting with the U.S delegation in Saudi Arabia this month.

The Kremlin said Putin welcomed Trump's calls for the maritime ceasefire and “agreed to begin negotiations to further work out specific details of such an agreement.”

Putin also told Trump that Russia and Ukraine are set to exchange 175 prisoners of war each on Wednesday, and Russia will also hand over to Ukraine 23 badly wounded soldiers, the Kremlin said.

Putin also called on Trump to end foreign military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine as the U.S. looks to bring an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the Kremlin.

The move comes as the White House pushes for Russia to sign off on its 30-day ceasefire proposal aimed at ending the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials last week agreed to the 30-day ceasefire proposal during talks in Saudi Arabia led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, remains skeptical that Putin is ready for peace as Russian forces continue to pound Ukraine.

The engagement is just the latest turn in dramatically shifting U.S.-Russia relations as Trump made quickly ending the conflict a top priority — even at the expense of straining ties with longtime American allies who want Putin to pay a price for the invasion.

In preparation for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-ukraine-russia-b86c7230a3d9df6a76ed0a064ec3402a">Trump-Putin call</a>, White House special envoy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-witkoff-special-envoy-russia-ukraine-mideast-d26c80c87a57fd3a811e4b0aa0eda58e">Steve Witkoff</a>&nbsp;met last week with Putin in Moscow to discuss the proposal. Rubio had persuaded senior Ukrainian officials during talks in Saudi Arabia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-us-saudi-arabia-ca9630cdccb0a8b904a77d6e134690b6">to agree to the ceasefire framework.</a>

Putin last week said he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kursk-sudzhba-military-occupation-17cebbc24642ab56d78112eba7eb7509">agreed in principle</a>&nbsp;with the U.S. proposal, but emphasized that Russia would seek guarantees that Ukraine would not use a break in hostilities to rearm and continue mobilization. The Russian president has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-zelenskyy-ukraine-war-ceasefire-e8232c202998d5b934ca81bf98e74c55">also demanded</a>&nbsp;that Ukraine renounce joining the NATO military alliance, sharply cut its army, and protect Russian language and culture to keep the country in Moscow’s orbit.

The U.S. president said this week that Washington and Moscow have already begun discussing “dividing up certain assets" between Ukraine and Russia as part of a deal to end the conflict.

Trump, who during his campaign pledged to end the war quickly, has at moments boasted of his relationship with Putin and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-trump-war-zelenskyy-putin-7fe8c0c80b4e93e3bc079c621a44e8bb">blamed Ukraine for Russia’s unprovoked invasion</a>, all while accusing Zelenskyy of unnecessarily prolonging the biggest land war in Europe since World War II.

Trump had said before the call that control of land and power plants would be part of the conversation, which came on the anniversary of Russia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-ukraine-crimea-seizure-8245aec572fb71236febfa8735c42879">annexing Ukraine's Crimean peninsula</a>&nbsp;11 years ago. That bold land grab by Russia set the stage for Russia to invade its neighbor in 2022.

Witkoff suggested that U.S. and Russian officials have discussed the fate of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant — Europe's largest — in southern Ukraine.

The plant has been caught in the crossfire since Moscow&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine">sent troops into Ukraine in 2022</a>&nbsp;and seized the facility shortly after. The U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly expressed alarm about it, fueling fears of a potential nuclear catastrophe.

The plant is a significant asset, producing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/why-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-power-plant-mattersfor-whole-world">nearly a quarter of Ukraine’s electricity</a>&nbsp;in the year before the war.

After a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-security-guarantees-trump-meeting-washington-eebdf97b663c2cdc9e51fa346b09591d">disastrous Feb. 28 White House meeting</a>&nbsp;with Zelenskyy, Trump temporarily cut off some military intelligence-sharing and aid to Ukraine. It was restored after the Ukrainians last week signed off on the Trump administration's 30-day ceasefire proposal.

Zelenskyy in his&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1901734482639523936">nightly video address on Monday</a>&nbsp;made clear he remains doubtful that Putin is ready for peace.

"Now, almost a week later, it’s clear to everyone in the world — even to those who refused to acknowledge the truth for the past three years — that it is Putin who continues to drag out this war," Zelenskyy said.

In his dealings with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Putin</a>, Trump has frequently focused on who has the leverage. Putin has “the cards” and Zelenskyy does not, Trump has said repeatedly.

Trump, who has long shown admiration for Putin, has also made clear he'd like to see the U.S.-Russia relationship return to a more normal footing.

The president during his recent contentious meeting with Zelenskyy grumbled that “Putin went through a hell of a lot with me," a reference to the federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f109a539220b41218860fa68176a9c98">investigation into Russian interference</a>&nbsp;in the 2016 presidential election in which he beat Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Trump on Monday again underscored his view that Ukraine is not in a strong negotiating position. He said Russian forces have “surrounded” Ukrainian troops in Russia's Kursk region — amplifying an assertion made by Russian officials that's been disputed by Zelenskyy.

Ukraine’s army&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kursk-incursion-putin-1178b99b32b476816db3a48ffa06b11a">stunned Russia in August last year</a>&nbsp;by attacking across the border and taking control of an estimated 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of land. But Ukraine’s forces are now in retreat and it has all but lost a valuable bargaining chip, as momentum builds for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kursk-sudzhba-military-occupation-17cebbc24642ab56d78112eba7eb7509">ceasefire with Russia</a>.

Zelenskyy has acknowledged that the Ukrainians are on their back foot while disputing Russian claims that his troops are encircled in Kursk.

Trump suggested that he's taken unspecified action that has kept Russia from slaughtering Ukrainian troops in Kursk.

“They’re surrounded by Russian soldiers, and I believe if it wasn’t for me they wouldn’t be here any longer,” Trump said.

The White House said the leaders also discussed the situation in the Middle East and agreed “Iran should never be in a position to destroy Israel.”

U.S. officials have previously said that Iran has provided Russia with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-iran-ukraine-ballistic-missiles-us-intelligence-1e637abe11396989c641fa5bf3f57b24">short-range ballistic missiles</a>&nbsp;and attack drones for the war in Ukraine. The U.S. has also said that Iran has assisted the Kremlin with building a drone-manufacturing factory.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742207940676.png" alt="File photo President Trump discussed calling Putin during a flight from Florida to Washington on Sunday-image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo President Trump discussed calling Putin during a flight from Florida to Washington on Sunday-image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and Russian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;agreed during a lengthy call Tuesday to seek a limited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-zelenskyy-ukraine-war-ceasefire-e8232c202998d5b934ca81bf98e74c55">ceasefire</a>&nbsp;against energy and infrastructure targets in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia-Ukraine war,</a>&nbsp;according to the White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">NEW: Statement from President Trump <a href="https://t.co/jsY8Ut66i7">pic.twitter.com/jsY8Ut66i7</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1902070277690753268?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The White House described it as the first step in a “movement to peace” it hopes will eventually include a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea and a full and lasting end to the fighting.Shortly after the call, the White House released a brief summary of the conversation. It is below.&nbsp;Today, President Trump and President Putin spoke about the need for peace and a ceasefire in the Ukraine war. Both leaders agreed this conflict needs to end with a lasting peace. They also stressed the need for improved bilateral relations between the United States and Russia. The blood and treasure that both Ukraine and Russia have been spending in this war would be better spent on the needs of their people.
 
This conflict should never have started and should have been ended long ago with sincere and good faith peace efforts. The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace. These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East. 
 
The leaders spoke broadly about the Middle East as a region of potential cooperation to prevent future conflicts. They further discussed the need to stop proliferation of strategic weapons and will engage with others to ensure the broadest possible application. The two leaders shared the view that Iran should never be in a position to destroy Israel. 
 
The two leaders agreed that a future with an improved bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia has huge upside. This includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has been achieved.The White House added negotiations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-zelenskyy-ukraine-war-ceasefire-e8232c202998d5b934ca81bf98e74c55">would “begin immediately”</a>&nbsp;in the Middle East on those steps for a ceasefire. It was not immediately clear whether Ukraine is on board with the phased ceasefire plan.Ukrainian officials had proposed a limited ceasefire covering the Black Sea and long-range missile strikes and the release of prisoners at their meeting with the U.S delegation in Saudi Arabia this month.The Kremlin said Putin welcomed Trump's calls for the maritime ceasefire and “agreed to begin negotiations to further work out specific details of such an agreement.”Putin also told Trump that Russia and Ukraine are set to exchange 175 prisoners of war each on Wednesday, and Russia will also hand over to Ukraine 23 badly wounded soldiers, the Kremlin said.Putin also called on Trump to end foreign military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine as the U.S. looks to bring an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the Kremlin.The move comes as the White House pushes for Russia to sign off on its 30-day ceasefire proposal aimed at ending the Russian invasion of Ukraine.Ukrainian officials last week agreed to the 30-day ceasefire proposal during talks in Saudi Arabia led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, remains skeptical that Putin is ready for peace as Russian forces continue to pound Ukraine.The engagement is just the latest turn in dramatically shifting U.S.-Russia relations as Trump made quickly ending the conflict a top priority — even at the expense of straining ties with longtime American allies who want Putin to pay a price for the invasion.In preparation for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-ukraine-russia-b86c7230a3d9df6a76ed0a064ec3402a">Trump-Putin call</a>, White House special envoy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-witkoff-special-envoy-russia-ukraine-mideast-d26c80c87a57fd3a811e4b0aa0eda58e">Steve Witkoff</a>&nbsp;met last week with Putin in Moscow to discuss the proposal. Rubio had persuaded senior Ukrainian officials during talks in Saudi Arabia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-us-saudi-arabia-ca9630cdccb0a8b904a77d6e134690b6">to agree to the ceasefire framework.</a>Putin last week said he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kursk-sudzhba-military-occupation-17cebbc24642ab56d78112eba7eb7509">agreed in principle</a>&nbsp;with the U.S. proposal, but emphasized that Russia would seek guarantees that Ukraine would not use a break in hostilities to rearm and continue mobilization. The Russian president has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-zelenskyy-ukraine-war-ceasefire-e8232c202998d5b934ca81bf98e74c55">also demanded</a>&nbsp;that Ukraine renounce joining the NATO military alliance, sharply cut its army, and protect Russian language and culture to keep the country in Moscow’s orbit.The U.S. president said this week that Washington and Moscow have already begun discussing “dividing up certain assets" between Ukraine and Russia as part of a deal to end the conflict.Trump, who during his campaign pledged to end the war quickly, has at moments boasted of his relationship with Putin and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-trump-war-zelenskyy-putin-7fe8c0c80b4e93e3bc079c621a44e8bb">blamed Ukraine for Russia’s unprovoked invasion</a>, all while accusing Zelenskyy of unnecessarily prolonging the biggest land war in Europe since World War II.Trump had said before the call that control of land and power plants would be part of the conversation, which came on the anniversary of Russia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-ukraine-crimea-seizure-8245aec572fb71236febfa8735c42879">annexing Ukraine's Crimean peninsula</a>&nbsp;11 years ago. That bold land grab by Russia set the stage for Russia to invade its neighbor in 2022.Witkoff suggested that U.S. and Russian officials have discussed the fate of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant — Europe's largest — in southern Ukraine.The plant has been caught in the crossfire since Moscow&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine">sent troops into Ukraine in 2022</a>&nbsp;and seized the facility shortly after. The U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly expressed alarm about it, fueling fears of a potential nuclear catastrophe.The plant is a significant asset, producing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/why-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-power-plant-mattersfor-whole-world">nearly a quarter of Ukraine’s electricity</a>&nbsp;in the year before the war.After a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-security-guarantees-trump-meeting-washington-eebdf97b663c2cdc9e51fa346b09591d">disastrous Feb. 28 White House meeting</a>&nbsp;with Zelenskyy, Trump temporarily cut off some military intelligence-sharing and aid to Ukraine. It was restored after the Ukrainians last week signed off on the Trump administration's 30-day ceasefire proposal.Zelenskyy in his&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1901734482639523936">nightly video address on Monday</a>&nbsp;made clear he remains doubtful that Putin is ready for peace."Now, almost a week later, it’s clear to everyone in the world — even to those who refused to acknowledge the truth for the past three years — that it is Putin who continues to drag out this war," Zelenskyy said.In his dealings with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Putin</a>, Trump has frequently focused on who has the leverage. Putin has “the cards” and Zelenskyy does not, Trump has said repeatedly.Trump, who has long shown admiration for Putin, has also made clear he'd like to see the U.S.-Russia relationship return to a more normal footing.The president during his recent contentious meeting with Zelenskyy grumbled that “Putin went through a hell of a lot with me," a reference to the federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f109a539220b41218860fa68176a9c98">investigation into Russian interference</a>&nbsp;in the 2016 presidential election in which he beat Democrat Hillary Clinton.Trump on Monday again underscored his view that Ukraine is not in a strong negotiating position. He said Russian forces have “surrounded” Ukrainian troops in Russia's Kursk region — amplifying an assertion made by Russian officials that's been disputed by Zelenskyy.Ukraine’s army&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kursk-incursion-putin-1178b99b32b476816db3a48ffa06b11a">stunned Russia in August last year</a>&nbsp;by attacking across the border and taking control of an estimated 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of land. But Ukraine’s forces are now in retreat and it has all but lost a valuable bargaining chip, as momentum builds for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kursk-sudzhba-military-occupation-17cebbc24642ab56d78112eba7eb7509">ceasefire with Russia</a>.Zelenskyy has acknowledged that the Ukrainians are on their back foot while disputing Russian claims that his troops are encircled in Kursk.Trump suggested that he's taken unspecified action that has kept Russia from slaughtering Ukrainian troops in Kursk.“They’re surrounded by Russian soldiers, and I believe if it wasn’t for me they wouldn’t be here any longer,” Trump said.The White House said the leaders also discussed the situation in the Middle East and agreed “Iran should never be in a position to destroy Israel.”U.S. officials have previously said that Iran has provided Russia with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-iran-ukraine-ballistic-missiles-us-intelligence-1e637abe11396989c641fa5bf3f57b24">short-range ballistic missiles</a>&nbsp;and attack drones for the war in Ukraine. The U.S. has also said that Iran has assisted the Kremlin with building a drone-manufacturing factory.___

See the readout : Trump and Putin discuss Ukraine-Russia ceasefire deal 

A Kansas City man has been charged in connection with a fatal shooting that took place at a West Side gas station in Kansas on July 4, 2024, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2535/Afterhours-Complaint-Packet-JONES-REDACTED">Orlando Smith, 22,&nbsp;</a>is charged with 2nd Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, and Unlawful Use of a Weapon.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2534/Orlando-Smith-PC-Statement-Redacted">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police responded to a gas station on and observed a female victim in her vehicle with a fatal gunshot wound to the head.&nbsp;

Detectives reviewed surveillance video in the area showing a man, who detectives later identified as Smith armed with a pistol and walking toward a light pole near the gas station. An unknown man is also seen near the light pole. As the victim’s vehicle is pulling into the gas station parking lot, a muzzle flash is seen coming from where the defendant is standing.

Witnesses reported Smith got into an argument with a homeless man, fired a shot in the air, and then attacked the man. One witness stated the defendant could not control his firearm as it continued firing until he removed his finger from the trigger.&nbsp;

Detectives interviewed Smith and he admitted to shooting a Glock 22 with an extended magazine after getting into an argument with an unknown man. He said he thought he shot twice into the ground and was not aware anyone was killed.&nbsp;

The defendant is being held without bond. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741966273012.png" alt="Smith photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Smith photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>A Kansas City man has been charged in connection with a fatal shooting that took place at a West Side gas station in Kansas on July 4, 2024, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2535/Afterhours-Complaint-Packet-JONES-REDACTED">Orlando Smith, 22,&nbsp;</a>is charged with 2nd Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, and Unlawful Use of a Weapon.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2534/Orlando-Smith-PC-Statement-Redacted">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police responded to a gas station on and observed a female victim in her vehicle with a fatal gunshot wound to the head.&nbsp;Detectives reviewed surveillance video in the area showing a man, who detectives later identified as Smith armed with a pistol and walking toward a light pole near the gas station. An unknown man is also seen near the light pole. As the victim’s vehicle is pulling into the gas station parking lot, a muzzle flash is seen coming from where the defendant is standing.Witnesses reported Smith got into an argument with a homeless man, fired a shot in the air, and then attacked the man. One witness stated the defendant could not control his firearm as it continued firing until he removed his finger from the trigger.&nbsp;Detectives interviewed Smith and he admitted to shooting a Glock 22 with an extended magazine after getting into an argument with an unknown man. He said he thought he shot twice into the ground and was not aware anyone was killed.&nbsp;The defendant is being held without bond. &nbsp;

Double-homicide: KC suspect told police he was unaware anyone died

RENO COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just before 11a.m. Monday in Hutchinson.

According to Hutchinson Police, a motorcycle operator, identified as 52-year-old Joseph L. Kelly of Hutchinson, was northbound on Monroe Street at 15th Street and struck an eastbound passenger vehicle driven by 94-year-old Doris L. Sloup of Hutchinson

EMS transported Kelly to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;

The accident remains under investigation by the Hutchinson Police Department Traffic Unit.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742235069353.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just before 11a.m. Monday in Hutchinson.According to Hutchinson Police, a motorcycle operator, identified as 52-year-old Joseph L. Kelly of Hutchinson, was northbound on Monroe Street at 15th Street and struck an eastbound passenger vehicle driven by 94-year-old Doris L. Sloup of HutchinsonEMS transported Kelly to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;The accident remains under investigation by the Hutchinson Police Department Traffic Unit.

Police ID Kansas motorcyclist who died in 2-vehicle crash

KANSAS CITY —The cause of a fire at a Tesla dealership in Kansas City is under investigation.

Just after 11p.m. Monday, Kansas City Missouri Fire crews responded to a reported fire at the Tesla car lot, 10111 Stateline Avenue, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

Crews found two Tesla Cyber Trucks on fire. KCFD sent an additional company for additional water and a Battalion Chief. 

The fire was brought under control and the vehicles were covered with a fire blanket to prevent reignition. 

Kansas City Fire officials ordered Bomb and Arson officials to investigate. The Kansas City Police Department will assist withe the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742306039181.png" alt="Image courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —The cause of a fire at a Tesla dealership in Kansas City is under investigation.Just after 11p.m. Monday, Kansas City Missouri Fire crews responded to a reported fire at the Tesla car lot, 10111 Stateline Avenue, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742305766866.png" alt="Image courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>Crews found two Tesla Cyber Trucks on fire. KCFD sent an additional company for additional water and a Battalion Chief. The fire was brought under control and the vehicles were covered with a fire blanket to prevent reignition. Kansas City Fire officials ordered Bomb and Arson officials to investigate. The Kansas City Police Department will assist withe the investigation.

Arson investigation: Tesla Cyber trucks burn at KC dealership

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal crash and are working to determine if gunfire was involved.

Just before 8:30p.m. Monday., police&nbsp; responded to a report of a crash in the 4600 block of E. Mt. Vernon in Wichita, according to Officer Andrew Ford. Fesponders located two vehicles involved in the collision.

In the first vehicle, emergency personnel attempted life-saving measures on a 46-year-old man, who was pronounced deceased at the scene. The vehicle’s other two occupants, a 45-year-old man and a 40-year-old man, sustained severe injuries and were transported to a local hospital.

The second vehicle had three occupants. EMS transported&nbsp; 40-year-old woman and a 2-year-old girl to a local hospital for treatment. A 24-year-old man declined medical care.

Through further investigation, detectives now believe a possible shooting incident may have contributed to the crash. Police are working to confirm this and determine the circumstances leading up to the incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742240574782.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal crash and are working to determine if gunfire was involved.Just before 8:30p.m. Monday., police&nbsp; responded to a report of a crash in the 4600 block of E. Mt. Vernon in Wichita, according to Officer Andrew Ford. Fesponders located two vehicles involved in the collision.In the first vehicle, emergency personnel attempted life-saving measures on a 46-year-old man, who was pronounced deceased at the scene. The vehicle’s other two occupants, a 45-year-old man and a 40-year-old man, sustained severe injuries and were transported to a local hospital.The second vehicle had three occupants. EMS transported&nbsp; 40-year-old woman and a 2-year-old girl to a local hospital for treatment. A 24-year-old man declined medical care.Through further investigation, detectives now believe a possible shooting incident may have contributed to the crash. Police are working to confirm this and determine the circumstances leading up to the incident.

Police: Gunfire may have caused deadly Kansas crash

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement continues to investigate weekend vandalism at a church in Wichita. On Monday while meeting with the media during a tour of the&nbsp;Kennedy Center, President Trump was asked about the crime.

Police in Wichita arrested a 23-year-old Saline County man identified as Michael Angel Gonzalez, according to Sedgwick County booking records, for the vandalism.

Just after 8:30 Saturday, police responded to a reported burglary at St. Patrick Catholic Church, located in the 2000 block of N. Arkansas Street in Wichita, according to Wichita Police spokesman Brad Wright.

Officers discovered significant vandalism, including hate speech and damage to items such as statues, candles, and glass. Notably, a United States flag had been burned.

Recognizing the severity of this crime, Wichita Police and investigators—alongside federal law enforcement partners including the FBI and ATF—immediately launched a full-scale investigation. The Wichita Police dedicated Crime Scene Investigation team worked diligently to analyze evidence, leading to the swift identification of a suspect.

Officers from the Wichita Police Field Community Response Teams were provided with critical intelligence and began searching for the suspect. At approximately 2:20 a.m. Sunday, officers located and arrested Gonzalez in the 2800 block of N. Hillside in Wichita without incident.

Gonzalez is being held in the Sedgwick County Jail on a bond of over $500,000 on requested charges of Burglary, Criminal Desecration, and Criminal Damage to Property. The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney and federal prosecutors for formal charging considerations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742206082557.png" alt="GONZALEZ-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>GONZALEZ-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement continues to investigate weekend vandalism at a church in Wichita. On Monday while meeting with the media during a tour of the&nbsp;Kennedy Center, President Trump was asked about the crime.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Trump says he will investigate the anti-Catholic hate crime at a Wichita, Kansas, parish. “I love Wichita.” Follow: <a href="https://twitter.com/AFpost?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AFpost</a> <a href="https://t.co/b1fi33Kbb3">pic.twitter.com/b1fi33Kbb3</a>&mdash; AF Post (@AFpost) <a href="https://twitter.com/AFpost/status/1901820931577622552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Police in Wichita arrested a 23-year-old Saline County man identified as Michael Angel Gonzalez, according to Sedgwick County booking records, for the vandalism.Just after 8:30 Saturday, police responded to a reported burglary at St. Patrick Catholic Church, located in the 2000 block of N. Arkansas Street in Wichita, according to Wichita Police spokesman Brad Wright.Officers discovered significant vandalism, including hate speech and damage to items such as statues, candles, and glass. Notably, a United States flag had been burned.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fkscathconf%2Fposts%2Fpfbid026gaY1WkRdEDQ7e1i3rT7xskofNW44E13p9ojGNiKWSSxZknV9o4WsWap6oMhDA3Ll&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="819" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Recognizing the severity of this crime, Wichita Police and investigators—alongside federal law enforcement partners including the FBI and ATF—immediately launched a full-scale investigation. The Wichita Police dedicated Crime Scene Investigation team worked diligently to analyze evidence, leading to the swift identification of a suspect.Officers from the Wichita Police Field Community Response Teams were provided with critical intelligence and began searching for the suspect. At approximately 2:20 a.m. Sunday, officers located and arrested Gonzalez in the 2800 block of N. Hillside in Wichita without incident.Gonzalez is being held in the Sedgwick County Jail on a bond of over $500,000 on requested charges of Burglary, Criminal Desecration, and Criminal Damage to Property. The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney and federal prosecutors for formal charging considerations.

🎥President Trump comments on church vandalism arrest in Kansas

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-butch-wilmore-suni-williams-432d8c3ebf8d617d2df4d3ae53db51c3">stuck astronauts</a>&nbsp;headed back to Earth with SpaceX on Tuesday to close out a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stuck-astronauts-nasa-boeing-starliner-1929d955463291701b99d4862b2c45ef">dramatic marathon mission</a>&nbsp;that began with a bungled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-boeing-starliner-92dca67a1fbecf05f5f0e6e2e79afc3b">Boeing test flight</a>&nbsp;more than nine months ago.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-spacewalk-2cb2b5897892449f9d4661449a88de1c">Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams</a>&nbsp;bid farewell to the International Space Station — their home since last spring — departing aboard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-boeing-starliner-92dca67a1fbecf05f5f0e6e2e79afc3b">a SpaceX capsule</a>&nbsp;alongside two other astronauts. The capsule undocked in the wee hours and aimed for a splashdown off the Florida coast by early evening, weather permitting.

The two expected to be gone just a week or so after launching on Boeing’s new Starliner crew capsule on June 5. So many problems cropped up on the way to the space station that NASA eventually sent Starliner back empty and transferred the test pilots to SpaceX, pushing their homecoming into February. Then SpaceX capsule issues added another month’s delay.

Sunday’s arrival of their relief crew meant Wilmore and Williams could finally leave. NASA cut them loose a little early, given the iffy weather forecast later this week. They checked out with NASA’s Nick Hague and Russia’s Alexander Gorbunov, who arrived in their own SpaceX capsule last fall with two empty seats reserved for the Starliner duo.

“We'll miss you, but have a great journey home,” NASA's Anne McClain called out from the space station as the capsule pulled away 260 miles (418 kilometers) above the Pacific.

Their plight captured the world’s attention, giving new meaning to the phrase “stuck at work.” While other astronauts had logged longer spaceflights over the decades, none had to deal with so much uncertainty or see the length of their mission expand by so much.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742291660677.png" alt="Image courtesy SpaceX" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy SpaceX</figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-butch-wilmore-suni-williams-432d8c3ebf8d617d2df4d3ae53db51c3">stuck astronauts</a>&nbsp;headed back to Earth with SpaceX on Tuesday to close out a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stuck-astronauts-nasa-boeing-starliner-1929d955463291701b99d4862b2c45ef">dramatic marathon mission</a>&nbsp;that began with a bungled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-boeing-starliner-92dca67a1fbecf05f5f0e6e2e79afc3b">Boeing test flight</a>&nbsp;more than nine months ago.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Watch Dragon depart the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a> and return to Earth with the Crew-9 astronauts → <a href="https://t.co/ZZEmGU8Aar">https://t.co/ZZEmGU8Aar</a> <a href="https://t.co/kWcj6rvu1V">https://t.co/kWcj6rvu1V</a>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1901857375897923826?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-spacewalk-2cb2b5897892449f9d4661449a88de1c">Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams</a>&nbsp;bid farewell to the International Space Station — their home since last spring — departing aboard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-boeing-starliner-92dca67a1fbecf05f5f0e6e2e79afc3b">a SpaceX capsule</a>&nbsp;alongside two other astronauts. The capsule undocked in the wee hours and aimed for a splashdown off the Florida coast by early evening, weather permitting.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742294003477.png" alt="NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 members pose together for a portrait inside the vestibule between the International Space Station and the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft. Clockwise from left, are NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Suni Williams, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. NASA" />
 <figcaption>NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 members pose together for a portrait inside the vestibule between the International Space Station and the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft. Clockwise from left, are NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Suni Williams, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. NASA</figcaption>
 </figure>The two expected to be gone just a week or so after launching on Boeing’s new Starliner crew capsule on June 5. So many problems cropped up on the way to the space station that NASA eventually sent Starliner back empty and transferred the test pilots to SpaceX, pushing their homecoming into February. Then SpaceX capsule issues added another month’s delay.Sunday’s arrival of their relief crew meant Wilmore and Williams could finally leave. NASA cut them loose a little early, given the iffy weather forecast later this week. They checked out with NASA’s Nick Hague and Russia’s Alexander Gorbunov, who arrived in their own SpaceX capsule last fall with two empty seats reserved for the Starliner duo.“We'll miss you, but have a great journey home,” NASA's Anne McClain called out from the space station as the capsule pulled away 260 miles (418 kilometers) above the Pacific.Their plight captured the world’s attention, giving new meaning to the phrase “stuck at work.” While other astronauts had logged longer spaceflights over the decades, none had to deal with so much uncertainty or see the length of their mission expand by so much.Wilmore and Williams quickly transitioned from guests to full-fledged station crew members, conducting experiments, fixing equipment and even spacewalking together. With 62 hours over nine spacewalks, Williams set a new record: the most time spent spacewalking over a career among female astronauts.Both had lived on the orbiting lab before and knew the ropes, and brushed up on their station training before rocketing away. Williams became the station's commander three months into their stay and held the post until earlier this month.Their mission took an unexpected twist in late January when President Donald Trump asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to accelerate the astronauts’ return and blamed the delay on the Biden administration. The replacement crew’s brand new SpaceX capsule still wasn’t ready to fly, so SpaceX subbed it with a used one, hurrying things along by at least a few weeks.Even in the middle of the political storm, Wilmore and Williams continued to maintain an even keel at public appearances from orbit, casting no blame and insisting they supported NASA’s decisions from the start.NASA hired SpaceX and Boeing after the shuttle program ended, in order to have two competing U.S. companies for transporting astronauts to and from the space station until it's abandoned in 2030 and steered to a fiery reentry. By then, it will have been up there more than three decades; the plan is to replace it with privately run stations so NASA can focus on moon and Mars expeditions.Both retired Navy captains, Wilmore and Williams stressed they didn’t mind spending more time in space — a prolonged deployment reminiscent of their military days. But they acknowledged it was tough on their families.Wilmore, 62, missed most of his younger daughter’s senior year of high school; his older daughter is in college. Williams, 59, had to settle for internet calls from space to her mother. They’ll have to wait until they’re off the SpaceX recovery ship and flown to Houston before the long-awaited reunion with their loved ones.___