WASHINGTON (AP) — At the inaugural prayer service, the Right Rev. Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, made a direct appeal to President Donald Trump to have mercy on the LGBTQ+ community and undocumented migrant workers.

Referencing Trump’s belief that he was saved by God from assassination, Budde said, “You have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.”

The Trump administration has already issued executive orders rolling back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sex-gender-transgender-dei-order-245350b97e0c4dcc221fefc49ef44699">transgender rights</a>&nbsp;and toughening&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportation-immigration-homan-asylum-inauguration-ac10480dc636b758ab3c435b974aeb19">immigration policies</a>.

When he returned to the White House, Trump was asked about the sermon.

“Not too exciting, was it?” the president said as he walked with staff toward the Oval Office. “I didn’t think it was a good service. They could do much better."

The Washington National Cathedral service was largely focused on national unity. Trump and Vice President JD Vance were in attendance with their families, along with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth.

In her sermon, Budde said they gathered “to pray for unity as a people and a nation — not for agreement, political or otherwise — but for the kind of unity that fosters community across diversity and division.”

Evangelicals were at the service but not on the program

More than a dozen religious leaders spoke during the interfaith service, including those from Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu traditions.

Notably absent from the invited clergy with speaking roles were conservative evangelicals, who are among President Trump’s strongest supporters.

Nonetheless, some of those evangelical supporters were in the pews.

In attendance were Robert Jeffress, a longtime Trump supporter and pastor of Dallas’ First Baptist Church; Paula White-Cain, a televangelist and key spiritual adviser during Trump’s first term; and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sewell-benediction-king-dream-a9550188ef39184a2d5fd14b67843a28">Lorenzo Sewell</a>, the pastor of Detroit’s 180 Church who gave a spirited benediction at Monday’s inauguration.

The Washington National Cathedral has hosted 10 official inaugural prayer services for presidents of both parties. The tradition dates back to 1933.

The latest service had a different emphasis than previous ones. Its focus was on the nation instead of the new administration — a plan made before Election Day.

“We are in a unique moment in our country’s history, and it is time to approach this differently,” said the Very Rev. Randy Hollerith, dean of the Episcopal cathedral, in an October statement.

“This will be a service for all Americans, for the well-being of our nation, for our democracy.”

The texts and songs revolved around themes of compassion and togetherness, including a reading from Deuteronomy 10:17-21, which speaks of taking care of orphans and widows and all who are in need.

Sermons at inaugural services have often been given by ministers aligned with the incoming administration. In 2021, the Rev. William Barber, a progressive civil rights leader, preached before President Joe Biden at the cathedral.

Budde, who gave this year’s sermon, has joined other cathedral leaders in criticizing Trump previously,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2d1c74038bbe48a4af2e0807a5b49e52">rebuking</a>&nbsp;his “racialized rhetoric” and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/faith-leaders-including-trump-allies-condemn-capitol-riot-958fbf612ab94cd9fa1f0f3738eb90dc">blaming</a>&nbsp;him for inciting violence on Jan. 6, 2021.

Budde was “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-mn-state-wire-politics-09f54acd0aadf861ea3aadc5b79c0fd8">outraged</a>&nbsp;” in 2020 after Trump staged an appearance in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church, which is near the White House. He held up a Bible after the area had been cleared of peaceful protesters.

The one part of Tuesday's service that seemed tailor-made for Trump was the inclusion of opera singer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/christopher-macchio-inauguration-national-anthem-trump-9ba855e4802789e18d3fc86b321b5e86">Christopher Macchio</a>, who also sang the national anthem at the inauguration.

The tenor sang “Ave Maria,” a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-town-hall-concern-dancing-24290775c8e11223fde1d440a7a5cf7c">favorite song</a>&nbsp;of Trump and one that Macchio sang at a Trump rally and the Republican National Convention.

Before the service began, Macchio performed hymns like “How Great Thou Art” and another Trump favorite, “Hallelujah,” written by Leonard Cohen.

As the prayer service neared its end, Trump joined others in singing “America the Beautiful.”

Trump also thanked many of the clergy who participated as they processed past him — except for Budde, whom he did not acknowledge.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737484844419.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — At the inaugural prayer service, the Right Rev. Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, made a direct appeal to President Donald Trump to have mercy on the LGBTQ+ community and undocumented migrant workers.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde: &quot;The vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors...may I ask you to have mercy Mr. President on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/iXaHJrPsof">pic.twitter.com/iXaHJrPsof</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1881761682944397728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Referencing Trump’s belief that he was saved by God from assassination, Budde said, “You have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.”The Trump administration has already issued executive orders rolling back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sex-gender-transgender-dei-order-245350b97e0c4dcc221fefc49ef44699">transgender rights</a>&nbsp;and toughening&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportation-immigration-homan-asylum-inauguration-ac10480dc636b758ab3c435b974aeb19">immigration policies</a>.When he returned to the White House, Trump was asked about the sermon.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump following National Prayer Service: &quot;Not too exciting, was it. I didn&#39;t think it was a good service. No...They can do much better.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/iNpWGKaXhN">pic.twitter.com/iNpWGKaXhN</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1881789668427006443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Not too exciting, was it?” the president said as he walked with staff toward the Oval Office. “I didn’t think it was a good service. They could do much better."The Washington National Cathedral service was largely focused on national unity. Trump and Vice President JD Vance were in attendance with their families, along with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth.In her sermon, Budde said they gathered “to pray for unity as a people and a nation — not for agreement, political or otherwise — but for the kind of unity that fosters community across diversity and division.”She added, “Unity is not partisan.”<h2>Evangelicals were at the service but not on the program</h2>More than a dozen religious leaders spoke during the interfaith service, including those from Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu traditions.Notably absent from the invited clergy with speaking roles were conservative evangelicals, who are among President Trump’s strongest supporters.Nonetheless, some of those evangelical supporters were in the pews.In attendance were Robert Jeffress, a longtime Trump supporter and pastor of Dallas’ First Baptist Church; Paula White-Cain, a televangelist and key spiritual adviser during Trump’s first term; and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sewell-benediction-king-dream-a9550188ef39184a2d5fd14b67843a28">Lorenzo Sewell</a>, the pastor of Detroit’s 180 Church who gave a spirited benediction at Monday’s inauguration.<h2>A new kind of inaugural prayer service</h2>The Washington National Cathedral has hosted 10 official inaugural prayer services for presidents of both parties. The tradition dates back to 1933.The latest service had a different emphasis than previous ones. Its focus was on the nation instead of the new administration — a plan made before Election Day.“We are in a unique moment in our country’s history, and it is time to approach this differently,” said the Very Rev. Randy Hollerith, dean of the Episcopal cathedral, in an October statement.“This will be a service for all Americans, for the well-being of our nation, for our democracy.”The texts and songs revolved around themes of compassion and togetherness, including a reading from Deuteronomy 10:17-21, which speaks of taking care of orphans and widows and all who are in need.Sermons at inaugural services have often been given by ministers aligned with the incoming administration. In 2021, the Rev. William Barber, a progressive civil rights leader, preached before President Joe Biden at the cathedral.Budde, who gave this year’s sermon, has joined other cathedral leaders in criticizing Trump previously,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2d1c74038bbe48a4af2e0807a5b49e52">rebuking</a>&nbsp;his “racialized rhetoric” and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/faith-leaders-including-trump-allies-condemn-capitol-riot-958fbf612ab94cd9fa1f0f3738eb90dc">blaming</a>&nbsp;him for inciting violence on Jan. 6, 2021.Budde was “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-mn-state-wire-politics-09f54acd0aadf861ea3aadc5b79c0fd8">outraged</a>&nbsp;” in 2020 after Trump staged an appearance in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church, which is near the White House. He held up a Bible after the area had been cleared of peaceful protesters.<h2>Music made for Trump</h2>The one part of Tuesday's service that seemed tailor-made for Trump was the inclusion of opera singer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/christopher-macchio-inauguration-national-anthem-trump-9ba855e4802789e18d3fc86b321b5e86">Christopher Macchio</a>, who also sang the national anthem at the inauguration.The tenor sang “Ave Maria,” a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-town-hall-concern-dancing-24290775c8e11223fde1d440a7a5cf7c">favorite song</a>&nbsp;of Trump and one that Macchio sang at a Trump rally and the Republican National Convention.Before the service began, Macchio performed hymns like “How Great Thou Art” and another Trump favorite, “Hallelujah,” written by Leonard Cohen.As the prayer service neared its end, Trump joined others in singing “America the Beautiful.”Trump also thanked many of the clergy who participated as they processed past him — except for Budde, whom he did not acknowledge.___

🎥Trump ambushed by bishop at inaugural prayer service

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Authorities are investigating the death of an inmate the Sedgwick County jail.

Just after 10p.m. Monday, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office detention staff discovered an unresponsive inmate identified as 29-year-old Rashawn Pleas of Rockford, Illinois, on the floor of his cell in Pod 6, according to a media release.

On-site medical personnel and Sedgwick County EMS were immediately notified and responded to the scene, where life-saving measures were attempted. He was pronounced dead at approximately 10:52 p.m.

&nbsp;Pleass had been in custody since Dec. 23, 2023, awaiting sentencing in the 18th Judicial District Court on charges of aggravated domestic battery, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of opiates.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.

Pleass did not have any obvious signs of trauma and investigators are now awaiting an autopsy and toxicology.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737478356602.png" alt="Pleass photo from his Sedgwick Co. arrest in 2023" />
 <figcaption>Pleass photo from his Sedgwick Co. arrest in 2023</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Authorities are investigating the death of an inmate the Sedgwick County jail.Just after 10p.m. Monday, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office detention staff discovered an unresponsive inmate identified as 29-year-old Rashawn Pleas of Rockford, Illinois, on the floor of his cell in Pod 6, according to a media release.On-site medical personnel and Sedgwick County EMS were immediately notified and responded to the scene, where life-saving measures were attempted. He was pronounced dead at approximately 10:52 p.m.&nbsp;Pleass had been in custody since Dec. 23, 2023, awaiting sentencing in the 18th Judicial District Court on charges of aggravated domestic battery, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of opiates.The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.Pleass did not have any obvious signs of trauma and investigators are now awaiting an autopsy and toxicology.

Prisoner in Kansas jail for domestic battery has died

WASHINGTON (AP) — The former leader of the Proud Boys and the founder of the Oath Keepers have been released from prison after their lengthy sentences for seditious conspiracy in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/january-6-cases/">Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;were wiped away by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-jan-6-pardons-trump-justice-department-8ce8b2a8f8cb602d5eaf85ac7b969606">a sweeping order</a>&nbsp;from President Donald Trump benefiting more than 1,500 defendants.

Enrique Tarrio and Stewart Rhodes were two of the highest-profile Jan. 6 defendants and received some of the harshest punishments in what became the largest investigation in Justice Department history. Rhodes, of Granbury, Texas, was serving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stewart-rhodes-oath-keepers-seditious-conspiracy-sentencing-b3ed4556a3dec577539c4181639f666c">an 18-year prison sentence</a>, and Tarrio, of Miami, was serving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/enrique-tarrio-capitol-riot-seditious-conspiracy-sentencing-da60222b3e1e54902db2bbbb219dc3fb">a 22-year sentence</a>&nbsp;after they were convicted of orchestrating plots to stop the peaceful transfer of power after Trump, a Republican, lost the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden.

Their attorneys confirmed to The Associated Press on Tuesday they had been released hours after Trump pardoned, commuted the sentences of or ordered the dismissal of cases against all the 1,500-plus people who were charged with federal crimes in the riot. Trump's action paved the way for the release of extremist group leaders convicted in major conspiracy cases, as well people who violently attacked law enforcement officers defending the Capitol.

Trump also ordered the attorney general to seek the dismissal of roughly 450 cases that were still pending before judges.

Trump made rewriting the history of the Jan. 6 attack a centerpiece of his bid to return to the White House, and the pardon of the rioters fulfills a campaign pledge to free defendants he contends were politically persecuted by the Justice Department.

Trump said the pardons will end “a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years” and begin “a process of national reconciliation.”

Trump had suggested in the weeks leading up to his return to the White House that instead of blanket pardons, he would look at the Jan. 6 defendants on a case-by-case basis. Vice President JD Vance said just days ago that&nbsp;<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/jan-6-prosecutions/">people</a>&nbsp;responsible for the violence during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/january-6-cases/">Capitol riot</a>&nbsp;“obviously” should not be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pardons-congress-capitol-riot-crimes-4443c672fc3b1492640684652647cde6">pardoned</a>.

More than 1,200 people across the U.S. were convicted of Jan. 6 crimes over the last four years, including roughly 200 people who pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement. More than a dozen defendants were convicted of seditious conspiracy, a rare Civil War-era charge and the most serious one brought in the Jan. 6 attack.

Tarrio, who led the neofacist Proud Boys group as it became a force in mainstream Republican circles, was convicted in 2023 of seditious conspiracy and other crimes after a monthslong trial on allegations that he orchestrated violence to overturn Biden's 2020 victory over Trump.

Tarrio wasn’t in Washington on Jan. 6, because he had been arrested two days earlier in a separate case and ordered out of the capital city. But prosecutors said he organized and directed the attack by Proud Boys who stormed the Capitol that day.

Rhodes was convicted in a separate trial alongside members of his far-right militia group who prosecutors alleged were intent on keeping Trump in power at all costs. Over seven weeks of testimony, jurors heard how Rhodes rallied his followers to fight to defend Trump, discussed the prospect of a “bloody” civil war and warned that the Oath Keepers may have to “rise up in insurrection” to defeat Biden if Trump didn’t act.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669760612209.png" alt="-Rhodes from his Jan. 2022 arrest-photo Collin County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>-Rhodes from his Jan. 2022 arrest-photo Collin County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The former leader of the Proud Boys and the founder of the Oath Keepers have been released from prison after their lengthy sentences for seditious conspiracy in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/january-6-cases/">Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;were wiped away by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-jan-6-pardons-trump-justice-department-8ce8b2a8f8cb602d5eaf85ac7b969606">a sweeping order</a>&nbsp;from President Donald Trump benefiting more than 1,500 defendants.Enrique Tarrio and Stewart Rhodes were two of the highest-profile Jan. 6 defendants and received some of the harshest punishments in what became the largest investigation in Justice Department history. Rhodes, of Granbury, Texas, was serving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stewart-rhodes-oath-keepers-seditious-conspiracy-sentencing-b3ed4556a3dec577539c4181639f666c">an 18-year prison sentence</a>, and Tarrio, of Miami, was serving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/enrique-tarrio-capitol-riot-seditious-conspiracy-sentencing-da60222b3e1e54902db2bbbb219dc3fb">a 22-year sentence</a>&nbsp;after they were convicted of orchestrating plots to stop the peaceful transfer of power after Trump, a Republican, lost the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden.Their attorneys confirmed to The Associated Press on Tuesday they had been released hours after Trump pardoned, commuted the sentences of or ordered the dismissal of cases against all the 1,500-plus people who were charged with federal crimes in the riot. Trump's action paved the way for the release of extremist group leaders convicted in major conspiracy cases, as well people who violently attacked law enforcement officers defending the Capitol.Trump also ordered the attorney general to seek the dismissal of roughly 450 cases that were still pending before judges.Trump made rewriting the history of the Jan. 6 attack a centerpiece of his bid to return to the White House, and the pardon of the rioters fulfills a campaign pledge to free defendants he contends were politically persecuted by the Justice Department.Trump said the pardons will end “a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years” and begin “a process of national reconciliation.”Trump had suggested in the weeks leading up to his return to the White House that instead of blanket pardons, he would look at the Jan. 6 defendants on a case-by-case basis. Vice President JD Vance said just days ago that&nbsp;<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/jan-6-prosecutions/">people</a>&nbsp;responsible for the violence during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/january-6-cases/">Capitol riot</a>&nbsp;“obviously” should not be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pardons-congress-capitol-riot-crimes-4443c672fc3b1492640684652647cde6">pardoned</a>.More than 1,200 people across the U.S. were convicted of Jan. 6 crimes over the last four years, including roughly 200 people who pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement. More than a dozen defendants were convicted of seditious conspiracy, a rare Civil War-era charge and the most serious one brought in the Jan. 6 attack.Tarrio, who led the neofacist Proud Boys group as it became a force in mainstream Republican circles, was convicted in 2023 of seditious conspiracy and other crimes after a monthslong trial on allegations that he orchestrated violence to overturn Biden's 2020 victory over Trump.Tarrio wasn’t in Washington on Jan. 6, because he had been arrested two days earlier in a separate case and ordered out of the capital city. But prosecutors said he organized and directed the attack by Proud Boys who stormed the Capitol that day.Rhodes was convicted in a separate trial alongside members of his far-right militia group who prosecutors alleged were intent on keeping Trump in power at all costs. Over seven weeks of testimony, jurors heard how Rhodes rallied his followers to fight to defend Trump, discussed the prospect of a “bloody” civil war and warned that the Oath Keepers may have to “rise up in insurrection” to defeat Biden if Trump didn’t act.

Proud Boys leader and Oath Keepers founder now free after Trump clemency

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose Tuesday after more companies said they made bigger profits at the end of last year than analysts expected and as Treasury yields eased.

The S&amp;P 500 climbed 0.9%, while many markets around the world took only tentative steps following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;return to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-inauguration-swearing-capitol-b3549ebe5dae74a872502aa79def7a11">White House on Monday</a>. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 538 points, or 1.2%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.6%.

Trump has promised sweeping&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-an-executive-order-trump-ea7ef3c7a785dbd1ee63e0ea3a776e14">moves</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/america-first-trade-policy/">reshape global trade</a>&nbsp;and the economy, often at the expense of other countries, but most stock indexes in Asia and Europe made only modest moves. In the bond market, U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fed-bonds-interest-rates-37c91aa8d1cc4d2a09506d31e9dba99b">Treasury yields</a>&nbsp;gave back some of their big recent gains that had cranked up the pressure on stock markets worldwide, while bitcoin pulled back from its record set the day before.

In the foreign-currency market, the values of both the Mexican peso and Canadian dollar fell against the U.S. dollar after Trump said he expects to put 25%&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-energy-economy-inflation-ev-oil-gas-00be8d3d5216a328e129666032c889e1">tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting on Feb. 1</a>. Trump had threatened even stiffer tariffs on Chinese imports during his campaign, but he said Monday he wanted to have more discussions with the leader of the world’s second-largest economy.

The threat of widespread tariffs, along with the possibility of other policies that could swell the U.S. government’s debt, had helped send Treasury yields higher recently, which in turn knocked down stock prices. To make up for such downward pressure, companies need to deliver stronger earnings growth to support their stock prices.

Charles Schwab did just that on Tuesday and rose 5.9% after delivering a better profit report for the end of 2024 than analysts expected. It credited clients pouring more in dollars, as its total client assets rose 19% from a year earlier to $10.10 trillion.

3M climbed 4.2% after reporting profit and revenue for the end of 2024 that edged past analysts’ expectations The company behind Scotch tape and Command strips also gave forecasts for financial results in 2025 that were roughly in line with analysts’ expectations.

This earnings reporting season is still in its early days, but S&amp;P 500 companies have so far been beating analysts’ expectations for earnings by double the rate they were doing at this time three months ago, according to Bank of America strategists Ohsung Kwon and Savita Subramanian.

Moderna also rose 5.4% after saying it received $590 million in total awards from the U.S. government for the continued development of flu vaccines. Oracle rallied 7.2% ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-openai-oracle-softbank-son-altman-ellison-be261f8a8ee07a0623d4170397348c41">an expected announcement</a>&nbsp;by Trump on investments in artificial-intelligence infrastructure involving the tech giant, OpenAI and SoftBank.

Such gains helped offset a 9.2% drop for Walgreen Boots Alliance. The U.S. Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/walgreens-prescriptions-opioids-lawsuit-039ddbcc4d444796e67be5693ffa9759">accused Walgreens</a>&nbsp;late Friday of filling millions of prescriptions without a legitimate purpose, including for dangerous amounts of opioids. In the lawsuit, the government says the drugstore chain’s pharmacists filled controlled substance prescriptions with clear red flags that indicated they were highly likely to be unlawful.

Walgreens, one of the country’s largest pharmacy chains with over 8,000 locations, said in a statement that it stands behind its pharmacists and “will not stand by and allow the government to put our pharmacists in a no-win situation, trying to comply with “rules” that simply do not exist.”

All told, the S&amp;P 500 added 52.58 points to 6,049.24. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 537.98 to 44,025.81, and the Nasdaq composite rose 126.58 to 19,756.78.

In the bond market, Treasury yields eased to give back some of the big gains they’d made in recent months on worries about inflation remaining difficult to fully subdue.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.56% from 4.62% late Friday. Like the U.S. stock market, bond trading had been closed on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The 10-year Treasury yield has been regressing since an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-jobs-federal-reserve-2d6a4d1c31b37fa2d060c466472a8ca1">encouraging update on inflation</a>&nbsp;last week, but it’s still well above where it was in September, when it was below 3.65%.

Morgan Stanley strategist Michael Wilson said the movements for such longer-term interest rates appear to be the main driver for the overall U.S. stock market. He expects the pattern to continue, where stocks drop when yields rise and vice-versa, at least until the 10-year Treasury yield falls below 4.50% on a sustainable basis, among other things.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose slightly across Europe after finishing mixed in Asia.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose 0.9% after embattled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-country-property-debt-1f4e213a72a0ff0678f9b830bade695a">Chinese property</a>&nbsp;developer Country Garden got a reprieve on its deadline for working out an agreement with its creditors.

In the cryptocurrency market, which has surged amid hopes Trump will make Washington friendlier to the industry, bitcoin pulled back from its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bitcoin-crypto-trump-currency-cfa22616701c94590e6f9d409651acac">record above $109,000</a>&nbsp;set on Monday and was sitting just above $106,000.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose Tuesday after more companies said they made bigger profits at the end of last year than analysts expected and as Treasury yields eased.The S&amp;P 500 climbed 0.9%, while many markets around the world took only tentative steps following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;return to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-inauguration-swearing-capitol-b3549ebe5dae74a872502aa79def7a11">White House on Monday</a>. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 538 points, or 1.2%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.6%.Trump has promised sweeping&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-an-executive-order-trump-ea7ef3c7a785dbd1ee63e0ea3a776e14">moves</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/america-first-trade-policy/">reshape global trade</a>&nbsp;and the economy, often at the expense of other countries, but most stock indexes in Asia and Europe made only modest moves. In the bond market, U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fed-bonds-interest-rates-37c91aa8d1cc4d2a09506d31e9dba99b">Treasury yields</a>&nbsp;gave back some of their big recent gains that had cranked up the pressure on stock markets worldwide, while bitcoin pulled back from its record set the day before.In the foreign-currency market, the values of both the Mexican peso and Canadian dollar fell against the U.S. dollar after Trump said he expects to put 25%&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-energy-economy-inflation-ev-oil-gas-00be8d3d5216a328e129666032c889e1">tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting on Feb. 1</a>. Trump had threatened even stiffer tariffs on Chinese imports during his campaign, but he said Monday he wanted to have more discussions with the leader of the world’s second-largest economy.The threat of widespread tariffs, along with the possibility of other policies that could swell the U.S. government’s debt, had helped send Treasury yields higher recently, which in turn knocked down stock prices. To make up for such downward pressure, companies need to deliver stronger earnings growth to support their stock prices.Charles Schwab did just that on Tuesday and rose 5.9% after delivering a better profit report for the end of 2024 than analysts expected. It credited clients pouring more in dollars, as its total client assets rose 19% from a year earlier to $10.10 trillion.3M climbed 4.2% after reporting profit and revenue for the end of 2024 that edged past analysts’ expectations The company behind Scotch tape and Command strips also gave forecasts for financial results in 2025 that were roughly in line with analysts’ expectations.This earnings reporting season is still in its early days, but S&amp;P 500 companies have so far been beating analysts’ expectations for earnings by double the rate they were doing at this time three months ago, according to Bank of America strategists Ohsung Kwon and Savita Subramanian.Moderna also rose 5.4% after saying it received $590 million in total awards from the U.S. government for the continued development of flu vaccines. Oracle rallied 7.2% ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-openai-oracle-softbank-son-altman-ellison-be261f8a8ee07a0623d4170397348c41">an expected announcement</a>&nbsp;by Trump on investments in artificial-intelligence infrastructure involving the tech giant, OpenAI and SoftBank.Such gains helped offset a 9.2% drop for Walgreen Boots Alliance. The U.S. Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/walgreens-prescriptions-opioids-lawsuit-039ddbcc4d444796e67be5693ffa9759">accused Walgreens</a>&nbsp;late Friday of filling millions of prescriptions without a legitimate purpose, including for dangerous amounts of opioids. In the lawsuit, the government says the drugstore chain’s pharmacists filled controlled substance prescriptions with clear red flags that indicated they were highly likely to be unlawful.Walgreens, one of the country’s largest pharmacy chains with over 8,000 locations, said in a statement that it stands behind its pharmacists and “will not stand by and allow the government to put our pharmacists in a no-win situation, trying to comply with “rules” that simply do not exist.”All told, the S&amp;P 500 added 52.58 points to 6,049.24. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 537.98 to 44,025.81, and the Nasdaq composite rose 126.58 to 19,756.78.In the bond market, Treasury yields eased to give back some of the big gains they’d made in recent months on worries about inflation remaining difficult to fully subdue.The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.56% from 4.62% late Friday. Like the U.S. stock market, bond trading had been closed on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.The 10-year Treasury yield has been regressing since an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-jobs-federal-reserve-2d6a4d1c31b37fa2d060c466472a8ca1">encouraging update on inflation</a>&nbsp;last week, but it’s still well above where it was in September, when it was below 3.65%.Morgan Stanley strategist Michael Wilson said the movements for such longer-term interest rates appear to be the main driver for the overall U.S. stock market. He expects the pattern to continue, where stocks drop when yields rise and vice-versa, at least until the 10-year Treasury yield falls below 4.50% on a sustainable basis, among other things.In stock markets abroad, indexes rose slightly across Europe after finishing mixed in Asia.Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose 0.9% after embattled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-country-property-debt-1f4e213a72a0ff0678f9b830bade695a">Chinese property</a>&nbsp;developer Country Garden got a reprieve on its deadline for working out an agreement with its creditors.In the cryptocurrency market, which has surged amid hopes Trump will make Washington friendlier to the industry, bitcoin pulled back from its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bitcoin-crypto-trump-currency-cfa22616701c94590e6f9d409651acac">record above $109,000</a>&nbsp;set on Monday and was sitting just above $106,000.___

Wall Street begins Trump's second term with big gains 

JOHNSON COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of a fatal fire in Olathe.

Just after 7:30a.m. Monday, crews responded to the fire in a duplex-style home at 306 S. Kenwood, according to a social media report.

One adult lost their life. One side of the home was significantly damage.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Olathe Fire Department, Olathe Police Department and Johnson County Sheriff's Office are working together on the investigation. Johnson County MED-ACT also provided professional support at the incident.&nbsp; Authorities have not released the name of the victim or other details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737479592227.png" alt="Photos Olathe Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photos Olathe Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of a fatal fire in Olathe.Just after 7:30a.m. Monday, crews responded to the fire in a duplex-style home at 306 S. Kenwood, according to a social media report.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737479571641.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>One adult lost their life. One side of the home was significantly damage.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Olathe Fire Department, Olathe Police Department and Johnson County Sheriff's Office are working together on the investigation. Johnson County MED-ACT also provided professional support at the incident.&nbsp; Authorities have not released the name of the victim or other details..

One dead after fire at Kansas home

WASHINGTON (AP) — In one of her last acts as Treasury Secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/janet-yellen">Janet Yellen</a>&nbsp;said her agency will start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-ceiling-shutdown-explainer-22ff94a8f8b188c722ff8fab3f7093d0">the debt ceiling</a>, on January 21 in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon.

She sent a letter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/treasury-debt-limit-yellen-trump-elections-republicans-9c5d27c08feb744f5ee59dc2c87a06d5">in late December</a>&nbsp;to lawmakers stating that Treasury expected to hit the statutory debt ceiling between January 14 and January 23. And now, the agency will stop paying into certain accounts, including the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund and the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund, to make up for the shortfall in money beginning Tuesday.

The move comes during the switchover of administrations, where President-elect Donald Trump takes over control of the White House and federal agencies from President Joe Biden on Monday. Yellen will be out of office when the extraordinary measures take effect.

The department has in the past deployed what are known as “extraordinary measures,” or accounting maneuvers, to keep the government operating. But once those measures run out, the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow.

“The period of time that extraordinary measures may last is subject to considerable uncertainty, including the challenges of forecasting the payments and receipts of the U.S. Government months into the future,” Yellen wrote in a letter addressed to House and Senate leadership.

“I respectfully urge Congress to act promptly to protect the full faith and credit of the United States,” she said.

When the debt limit is raised or suspended those funds will be paid back and federal retirees and workers won’t be affected by the actions.

Outgoing President Joe Biden in December&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-disaster-aid-debt-limit-trump-5a78b3c8c7aedc9384842fae83d78f5b">signed a bill into law</a>&nbsp;that averted a government shutdown but did not include President-elect Donald Trump’s core&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-ceiling-shutdown-explainer-22ff94a8f8b188c722ff8fab3f7093d0">debt demand</a>&nbsp;to raise or suspend the nation’s debt limit.

Trump has called for the statutory debt ceiling to be abolished. He told NBC News in December that getting rid of the debt ceiling entirely would be the “smartest thing” the Congress could do.

The federal debt currently stands at roughly $36 trillion — which ballooned across both Republican and Democratic administrations. And the spike in inflation after the coronavirus pandemic pushed up government borrowing costs such that debt service next year will exceed spending on national security.

Republicans, who will have full control of the White House, House and Senate in the new year, have big plans to extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and other priorities but debate over how to pay for them.

Trump has nominated South Carolina investor Scott Bessent, to lead the Treasury Department. During his confirmation hearing on Thursday, Bessent was questioned by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who asked whether Bessent thinks the statutory debt limit should be repealed.

Bessent said in response that if Trump wants to eliminate the debt limit, “I will work with him.”

“The U.S. is not going to default on its debt if I’m confirmed,” he said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — In one of her last acts as Treasury Secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/janet-yellen">Janet Yellen</a>&nbsp;said her agency will start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-ceiling-shutdown-explainer-22ff94a8f8b188c722ff8fab3f7093d0">the debt ceiling</a>, on January 21 in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon.She sent a letter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/treasury-debt-limit-yellen-trump-elections-republicans-9c5d27c08feb744f5ee59dc2c87a06d5">in late December</a>&nbsp;to lawmakers stating that Treasury expected to hit the statutory debt ceiling between January 14 and January 23. And now, the agency will stop paying into certain accounts, including the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund and the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund, to make up for the shortfall in money beginning Tuesday.The move comes during the switchover of administrations, where President-elect Donald Trump takes over control of the White House and federal agencies from President Joe Biden on Monday. Yellen will be out of office when the extraordinary measures take effect.The department has in the past deployed what are known as “extraordinary measures,” or accounting maneuvers, to keep the government operating. But once those measures run out, the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow.“The period of time that extraordinary measures may last is subject to considerable uncertainty, including the challenges of forecasting the payments and receipts of the U.S. Government months into the future,” Yellen wrote in a letter addressed to House and Senate leadership.“I respectfully urge Congress to act promptly to protect the full faith and credit of the United States,” she said.When the debt limit is raised or suspended those funds will be paid back and federal retirees and workers won’t be affected by the actions.Outgoing President Joe Biden in December&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-disaster-aid-debt-limit-trump-5a78b3c8c7aedc9384842fae83d78f5b">signed a bill into law</a>&nbsp;that averted a government shutdown but did not include President-elect Donald Trump’s core&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-ceiling-shutdown-explainer-22ff94a8f8b188c722ff8fab3f7093d0">debt demand</a>&nbsp;to raise or suspend the nation’s debt limit.Trump has called for the statutory debt ceiling to be abolished. He told NBC News in December that getting rid of the debt ceiling entirely would be the “smartest thing” the Congress could do.The federal debt currently stands at roughly $36 trillion — which ballooned across both Republican and Democratic administrations. And the spike in inflation after the coronavirus pandemic pushed up government borrowing costs such that debt service next year will exceed spending on national security.Republicans, who will have full control of the White House, House and Senate in the new year, have big plans to extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and other priorities but debate over how to pay for them.Trump has nominated South Carolina investor Scott Bessent, to lead the Treasury Department. During his confirmation hearing on Thursday, Bessent was questioned by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who asked whether Bessent thinks the statutory debt limit should be repealed.Bessent said in response that if Trump wants to eliminate the debt limit, “I will work with him.”“The U.S. is not going to default on its debt if I’m confirmed,” he said.

US will hit debt ceiling this week

BUTLER COUNTY – A Kansas man pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography which was found on multiple electronic devices.

According to court documents, Alexander James Rosell, 34, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.

Rosell's activity was discovered through an international investigation into a particular dark web website, as well as reports made against IP addresses connected to a residence to which he had access. During a search warrant at the home, investigators found Rosell had child pornography images on a cell phone and multiple laptops.

Rosell is scheduled to be sentenced on April 4, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force are investigating the case

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737409307108.png" alt="Rosell is being held in Butler County" />
 <figcaption>Rosell is being held in Butler County</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY – A Kansas man pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography which was found on multiple electronic devices.According to court documents, Alexander James Rosell, 34, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.Rosell's activity was discovered through an international investigation into a particular dark web website, as well as reports made against IP addresses connected to a residence to which he had access. During a search warrant at the home, investigators found Rosell had child pornography images on a cell phone and multiple laptops.Rosell is scheduled to be sentenced on April 4, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force are investigating the case

International child porn investigation led to Kan. man's arrest

NEW YORK (AP) — Garth Hudson, the Band’s virtuoso keyboardist and all-around musician who drew from a unique palette of sounds and styles to add a conversational touch to such rock standards as “Up on Cripple Creek,” “The Weight” and “Rag Mama Rag,” has died at age 87.

Hudson was the eldest and last surviving member of the influential group that once backed Bob Dylan. His death was confirmed Tuesday by The Canadian Press, which cited Hudson’s friend, Jan Haust. Additional details were not immediately available. Hudson had been living in a nursing home in upstate New York.

A rustic figure with an expansive forehead and sprawling beard, Hudson was a classically trained performer and self-educated Greek chorus who spoke through piano, synthesizers, horns and his favored Lowrey organ. No matter the song, Hudson summoned just the right feeling or shading, whether the tipsy clavinet and wah-wah pedal on “Up on Cripple Creek,” the galloping piano on “Rag Mama Rag” or the melancholy saxophone on “It Makes No Difference.”

The only non-singer among five musicians celebrated for their camaraderie, texture and versatility, Hudson mostly loomed in the background, but he did have one showcase: “Chest Fever,” a Robbie Robertson composition for which he devised an introductory organ solo (“The Genetic Method”), an eclectic sampling of moods and melodies that segued into the song’s hard rock riff.

Robertson, the band’s guitarist and lead songwriter, died in 2023 after a long illness. Keyboardist-drummer Richard Manuel hung himself in 1986, bassist Rick Danko died in his sleep in 1999 and drummer Levon Helm died of cancer in 2012. The Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

Formed in the early 1960s as a backing group for rocker Ronnie Hawkins, the Band was originally called The Hawks and featured the Arkansas-born Helm and four Canadians recruited by Helm and Hawkins: Hudson, Danko, Manuel and Robertson.

The Band mastered their craft through years of performing as unknowns — first behind Hawkins, then as Levon and the Hawks, then as the unsuspecting targets of outrage after hooking up with Dylan in the mid-1960s. All joined Dylan on his historic tours of 1965-66 (Helm departed midway), when he broke with his folk past and teamed with the Band for some of the most stirring and stormiest music of the time, enraging some old Dylan admirers but attracting many new ones. The group would rename itself the Band in part because so many people around Dylan simply referred to his backing musicians as “the band.”

By 1967, Dylan was in semi-seclusion, having allegedly broken his neck in a motorcycle accident, and he and the group settled in the artist community in Woodstock that two years later would become world famous thanks to the festival in nearby Bethel. With no album planned, they wrote and played spontaneously in an old pink house outside of town shared by Hudson, Danko and Manuel. Hudson was in charge of the tape machine as Dylan and The Band recorded more than 100 songs, for years available only as bootlegs, that became known as “The Basement Tapes.” Often cited as the foundation of “roots” music and “Americana,” the music varied from old folk, country and Appalachian songs to such new compositions as “Tears of Rage,” “I Shall Be Released” and “This Wheel’s on Fire.”

“There would be an informal discussion, before each recording,’” Hudson told the online publication Something Else! in 2014. “There would be ideas floating around, and the telling of stories. And then we’d go back to the songs.

“We looked for words, phrases and situations that were worth writing about. I think that Bob Dylan showed us discipline, and ageless concern about the quality of his art.”

Dylan resurfaced in late 1967 with the austere “John Wesley Harding,” and the Band debuted soon after with “Music from Big Pink,” its down home sound so radically different from the jams and psychedelic tricks then in fashion that artists from The Beatles to Eric Clapton to the Grateful Dead would cite its influence. The Band followed in 1969 with a self-titled album that many still consider its best and has often been ranked among the greatest rock albums of all time.

Future records included “Stage Fright,” “Cahoots” and “Northern Lights/Southern Cross,” a 1975 album that brought Hudson special praise for his work on the keyboards. A year later, Robertson decided he had tired of live performances, and the Band staged the all-star concert and Martin Scorsese film, “The Last Waltz,” featuring Dylan, Clapton, Neil Young and many others. Tension between Robertson and Helm, who would allege the film unduly elevated Robertson over the others, led to a full breakup before the documentary’s release in 1978.

Hudson played briefly with the English band the Call; appeared with various latter incarnations of the Band, usually featuring Danko, Hudson and Helm; assisted on solo albums by Robertson and Danko; and joined Danko and Helm for a performance of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” at the Berlin Wall. Other session work included records by Van Morrison, Leonard Cohen and Emmylou Harris.

Hudson also organized his own projects, although his first solo effort, “The Sea to the North,” came out on the day of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In 2005, he formed a 12-piece band called The Best!, with his wife on vocals. “Garth Hudson Presents: A Canadian Celebration of The Band” was a 2010 tribute featuring Neil Young, Bruce Cockburn and other Canadian musicians.

In recent years, Hudson struggled financially. He had sold his interest in the Band to Robertson and went bankrupt several times. He lost one home to foreclosure and saw many of his belongings put up for auction in 2013 when he fell behind on payments for storage. Hudson’s wife, Maud, died in 2022. They had a daughter, Tami Zoe Hill.

The son of musicians, Hudson was born in Windsor, Ontario in 1937 and received formal training at an early age. He was performing on stage and writing before he was even a teenager, although by his early 20s he had soured on classical music and was playing in a rock band, the Capers.

He was the last to join the Band and he worried that his parents would disapprove. The solution was to have Hawkins hire him as a “musical consultant” and pay him $10 extra a week.

“It was a job,” Hudson said of the Band in a 2002 interview with Maclean’s. “Play a stadium, play a theater. My job was to provide arrangements with pads underneath, pads and fills behind good poets. Same poems every night.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737482629347.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Garth Hudson, the Band’s virtuoso keyboardist and all-around musician who drew from a unique palette of sounds and styles to add a conversational touch to such rock standards as “Up on Cripple Creek,” “The Weight” and “Rag Mama Rag,” has died at age 87.Hudson was the eldest and last surviving member of the influential group that once backed Bob Dylan. His death was confirmed Tuesday by The Canadian Press, which cited Hudson’s friend, Jan Haust. Additional details were not immediately available. Hudson had been living in a nursing home in upstate New York.A rustic figure with an expansive forehead and sprawling beard, Hudson was a classically trained performer and self-educated Greek chorus who spoke through piano, synthesizers, horns and his favored Lowrey organ. No matter the song, Hudson summoned just the right feeling or shading, whether the tipsy clavinet and wah-wah pedal on “Up on Cripple Creek,” the galloping piano on “Rag Mama Rag” or the melancholy saxophone on “It Makes No Difference.”The only non-singer among five musicians celebrated for their camaraderie, texture and versatility, Hudson mostly loomed in the background, but he did have one showcase: “Chest Fever,” a Robbie Robertson composition for which he devised an introductory organ solo (“The Genetic Method”), an eclectic sampling of moods and melodies that segued into the song’s hard rock riff.Robertson, the band’s guitarist and lead songwriter, died in 2023 after a long illness. Keyboardist-drummer Richard Manuel hung himself in 1986, bassist Rick Danko died in his sleep in 1999 and drummer Levon Helm died of cancer in 2012. The Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.Formed in the early 1960s as a backing group for rocker Ronnie Hawkins, the Band was originally called The Hawks and featured the Arkansas-born Helm and four Canadians recruited by Helm and Hawkins: Hudson, Danko, Manuel and Robertson.The Band mastered their craft through years of performing as unknowns — first behind Hawkins, then as Levon and the Hawks, then as the unsuspecting targets of outrage after hooking up with Dylan in the mid-1960s. All joined Dylan on his historic tours of 1965-66 (Helm departed midway), when he broke with his folk past and teamed with the Band for some of the most stirring and stormiest music of the time, enraging some old Dylan admirers but attracting many new ones. The group would rename itself the Band in part because so many people around Dylan simply referred to his backing musicians as “the band.”By 1967, Dylan was in semi-seclusion, having allegedly broken his neck in a motorcycle accident, and he and the group settled in the artist community in Woodstock that two years later would become world famous thanks to the festival in nearby Bethel. With no album planned, they wrote and played spontaneously in an old pink house outside of town shared by Hudson, Danko and Manuel. Hudson was in charge of the tape machine as Dylan and The Band recorded more than 100 songs, for years available only as bootlegs, that became known as “The Basement Tapes.” Often cited as the foundation of “roots” music and “Americana,” the music varied from old folk, country and Appalachian songs to such new compositions as “Tears of Rage,” “I Shall Be Released” and “This Wheel’s on Fire.”“There would be an informal discussion, before each recording,’” Hudson told the online publication Something Else! in 2014. “There would be ideas floating around, and the telling of stories. And then we’d go back to the songs.“We looked for words, phrases and situations that were worth writing about. I think that Bob Dylan showed us discipline, and ageless concern about the quality of his art.”Dylan resurfaced in late 1967 with the austere “John Wesley Harding,” and the Band debuted soon after with “Music from Big Pink,” its down home sound so radically different from the jams and psychedelic tricks then in fashion that artists from The Beatles to Eric Clapton to the Grateful Dead would cite its influence. The Band followed in 1969 with a self-titled album that many still consider its best and has often been ranked among the greatest rock albums of all time.Future records included “Stage Fright,” “Cahoots” and “Northern Lights/Southern Cross,” a 1975 album that brought Hudson special praise for his work on the keyboards. A year later, Robertson decided he had tired of live performances, and the Band staged the all-star concert and Martin Scorsese film, “The Last Waltz,” featuring Dylan, Clapton, Neil Young and many others. Tension between Robertson and Helm, who would allege the film unduly elevated Robertson over the others, led to a full breakup before the documentary’s release in 1978.Hudson played briefly with the English band the Call; appeared with various latter incarnations of the Band, usually featuring Danko, Hudson and Helm; assisted on solo albums by Robertson and Danko; and joined Danko and Helm for a performance of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” at the Berlin Wall. Other session work included records by Van Morrison, Leonard Cohen and Emmylou Harris.Hudson also organized his own projects, although his first solo effort, “The Sea to the North,” came out on the day of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In 2005, he formed a 12-piece band called The Best!, with his wife on vocals. “Garth Hudson Presents: A Canadian Celebration of The Band” was a 2010 tribute featuring Neil Young, Bruce Cockburn and other Canadian musicians.In recent years, Hudson struggled financially. He had sold his interest in the Band to Robertson and went bankrupt several times. He lost one home to foreclosure and saw many of his belongings put up for auction in 2013 when he fell behind on payments for storage. Hudson’s wife, Maud, died in 2022. They had a daughter, Tami Zoe Hill.The son of musicians, Hudson was born in Windsor, Ontario in 1937 and received formal training at an early age. He was performing on stage and writing before he was even a teenager, although by his early 20s he had soured on classical music and was playing in a rock band, the Capers.He was the last to join the Band and he worried that his parents would disapprove. The solution was to have Hawkins hire him as a “musical consultant” and pay him $10 extra a week.“It was a job,” Hudson said of the Band in a 2002 interview with Maclean’s. “Play a stadium, play a theater. My job was to provide arrangements with pads underneath, pads and fills behind good poets. Same poems every night.”

Garth Hudson, last surviving member of The Band, dies at 87

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City.

Just after 7:30p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to 56th and Westridge in Kansas City on a reported shooting, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Upon arrival they were directed to a residence near the intersection. In the yard they located a man suffering from gunshot wounds.&nbsp; Several witnesses were rendering aid to the victim as officers arrived.

 Officers took over life saving measures and ordered EMS.&nbsp; The victim was transported from the scene with life threatening injuries.&nbsp; Several hours later the victim died at the hospital, according to DiMartion.

This is being investigated as a homicide and no one is in custody. Detectives and crime scene personnel are working to determine what led up to the incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737478624532.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City.Just after 7:30p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to 56th and Westridge in Kansas City on a reported shooting, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.Upon arrival they were directed to a residence near the intersection. In the yard they located a man suffering from gunshot wounds.&nbsp; Several witnesses were rendering aid to the victim as officers arrived. Officers took over life saving measures and ordered EMS.&nbsp; The victim was transported from the scene with life threatening injuries.&nbsp; Several hours later the victim died at the hospital, according to DiMartion.This is being investigated as a homicide and no one is in custody. Detectives and crime scene personnel are working to determine what led up to the incident.

Police: Shooting victim dies at Kansas City hospital

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-inauguration-swearing-capitol-b3549ebe5dae74a872502aa79def7a11">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has begun his promised flurry of executive action on Day 1.

With his opening rounds of memoranda and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-an-executive-order-trump-ea7ef3c7a785dbd1ee63e0ea3a776e14">executive orders</a>, Trump repealed dozens of former President Joe Biden’s actions, began his immigration crackdown, withdrew the U.S. from the Paris climate accords and sought to keep TikTok open in the U.S., among other actions. He pardoned hundreds of people for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Here’s a look at some of Trump’s initial actions and upcoming plans:

As he promised repeatedly during the 2024 campaign, the president&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-jan-6-pardons-trump-justice-department-8ce8b2a8f8cb602d5eaf85ac7b969606">issued pardons</a>&nbsp;late Monday for about 1,500 people convicted or criminally charged in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol as Congress convened to certify Biden’s 2020 victory over Trump.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/granting-pardons-and-commutation-of-sentences-for-certain-offenses-relating-to-the-events-at-or-near-the-united-states-capitol-on-january-6-2021/">Click here to see the full list</a>&nbsp;of pardons and commutations

Separately, Trump ordered an end to federal cases against “political opponents” of the Biden administration — meaning Trump supporters. He said Monday that he would end “weaponization” of federal law enforcement but his actions seemed targeted only to help his backers.

In a made-for-TV display at Capital One Arena on Monday evening, Trump signed a largely symbolic memorandum that he described as directing every federal agency to combat consumer inflation. By repealing Biden actions and adding his own orders, Trump is easing regulatory burdens on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-offshore-drilling-trump-florida-atlantic-pacific-aa26f50e158fd4f9c24d368898244dce">oil and natural gas production</a>, something he promises will bring down costs of all consumer goods. Trump is specifically targeting Alaska for expanded fossil fuel production.

On trade, the president said he expects to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting Feb. 1, but declined to flesh out his plans for taxing Chinese imports.

Trump also signed an order intended to pause Congress’ TikTok ban for 75 days, a period in which the president says he will seek a U.S. buyer in a deal that can protect national security interests while leaving the popular social media platform open to Americans.

As he did during his first administration, Trump is pulling the U.S. out of the World Health Organization. He also ordered a comprehensive review of U.S. foreign aid spending. Both moves fit into his more isolationist “America First” approach to international affairs.

In more symbolic moves, Trump planned to sign an order renaming the Gulf of Mexico, making it the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-gulf-of-mexico-bc438f4feca1234475a1adef99344da7">Gulf of America</a>. The highest mountain in North America,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-denali-mckinley-alaska-57b2a44d878aa7ac927d346fcdf824b8">now known as Denali</a>, will revert back to Mount McKinley, its name until President Barack Obama changed it. And Trump signed an order that flags must be at full height at every future Inauguration Day. The order came because former President Jimmy Carter’s death had prompted flags to be at half-staff. Trump demanded they be moved up Monday. Another Trump order calls for promoting “Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture.”

Trump reversed several immigration orders from Biden’s presidency, including one that narrowed deportation priorities to people who commit serious crimes, are deemed national security threats or were stopped at the border. It returns the government to Trump’s first-term policy that everyone in the country illegally is a priority for deportation.

The president declared a national emergency at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-town-us-mexico-7b0e02f167bb6d01159f2fda80566752">the U.S.-Mexico border</a>, and he plans to send U.S. troops to help support immigration agents and restrict refugees and asylum.

Trump is trying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/79744cebd6a348239aae057a7331316d">end birthright citizenship</a>. It’s unclear, though, whether his order will survive inevitable legal challenges, since birthright citizenship is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.

He temporarily suspended the U.S. Refugee Admission Program, pending a review to assess the program’s “public safety and national security” implications. He’s also pledged to restart a policy that forced asylum seekers to wait over the border in Mexico, but officials didn’t say whether Mexico would accept migrants again. And Trump is ending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportation-immigration-homan-asylum-inauguration-ac10480dc636b758ab3c435b974aeb19">the CBP One app</a>, a Biden-era border app that gave legal entry to nearly 1 million migrants.

Meanwhile, on national security, the president revoked any active security clearances from a long list of his perceived enemies, including former director of national intelligence James Clapper, Leon Panetta, a former director of the CIA and defense secretary, and his own former national security adviser, John Bolton.

As expected, Trump signed documents he said will formally withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreements. He made the same move during his first term but Biden reversed it.

Additionally, Trump declared an energy emergency as he promised to “drill, baby, drill,” and said he will eliminate what he calls Biden’s electric vehicle mandate.

Trump has halted federal government hiring, excepting the military and other parts of government that went unnamed. He added a freeze on new federal regulations while he builds out his second administration.

He formally empowered the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which is being led by Elon Musk, the world’s richest man. Ostensibly an effort to streamline government, DOGE is not an official agency. But Trump appears poised to give Musk wide latitude to recommend cuts in government programs and spending.

Diversity, equity and inclusion and transgender rights

Trump is rolling back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-transgender-rights-lgbtq-donald-trump-3bb3ace81ff32b6dec382b486ec6a772">protections for transgender people</a>&nbsp;and terminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs within the federal government. Both are major shifts for the federal policy and are in line with Trump’s campaign trail promises. One order declares that the federal government would recognize only two immutable sexes: male and female. And they’re to be defined based on whether people are born with eggs or sperm, rather than on their chromosomes, according to details of the upcoming order. Under the order, federal prisons and shelters for migrants and rape victims would be segregated by sex as defined by the order. And federal taxpayer money could not be used to fund “transition services.”

A separate order halts DEI programs, directing the White House to identify and end them within the government.

In addition, the White House web site lists these items on Tuesday

Barrow reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers Elliot Spagat and Geoff Mulvihill contributed to this report.

A look at the dozens of executive orders Trump signed on Day 1

ATCHISON COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a train derailment in Atchison.

Just after 6:30p.m.  on Monday police officers were on the scene of a derailment that involved empty coal rail cars in Atchison. The derailment extended between 4th Street and 5th Street in the rail yards, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.  

According to Union Pacific, approximately seven Union Pacific rail cars and one locomotive derailed. The train crew was taken to local emergency services for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

The 4th Street railroad crossing will remain closed for an extended period of time. There were no injuries, no fire, no hazards, and no damage other than to the rail cars.

Clean up crews for the railroad were on the scene during the night and the clean up continued Tuesday morning. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737470837622.png" alt="Photos Atchison Police" />
 <figcaption>Photos Atchison Police</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a train derailment in Atchison.Just after 6:30p.m. on Monday police officers were on the scene of a derailment that involved empty coal rail cars in Atchison. The derailment extended between 4th Street and 5th Street in the rail yards, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737470777673.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>According to Union Pacific, approximately seven Union Pacific rail cars and one locomotive derailed. The train crew was taken to local emergency services for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.The 4th Street railroad crossing will remain closed for an extended period of time. There were no injuries, no fire, no hazards, and no damage other than to the rail cars.Clean up crews for the railroad were on the scene during the night and the clean up continued Tuesday morning. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Cause of Kansas train derailment under investigation

WASHINGTON (AP)—Vice President JD Vance has sworn in Rubio as Secretary of State, the first of Trump’s Cabinet nominees to take the job.

Rubio said Trump’s primary priority will be furthering the United States’ interests and that anything the government and State Department do must make the country stronger, safer or more prosperous.

“If it doesn’t do one of those three things, we will not do it,” Rubio said.

Vance, who served as a senator alongside Rubio, called him a “bipartisan solutions seeker.”

WASHINGTON (AP)—Vice President JD Vance has sworn in Rubio as Secretary of State, the first of Trump’s Cabinet nominees to take the job.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Vice President Vance swears in Marco Rubio as Secretary of State. Full video here: <a href="https://t.co/hzNSC919DE">https://t.co/hzNSC919DE</a> <a href="https://t.co/Cdh76lakDa">pic.twitter.com/Cdh76lakDa</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1881717644291653784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Rubio said Trump’s primary priority will be furthering the United States’ interests and that anything the government and State Department do must make the country stronger, safer or more prosperous.“If it doesn’t do one of those three things, we will not do it,” Rubio said.Vance, who served as a senator alongside Rubio, called him a “bipartisan solutions seeker.”

Marco Rubio has been sworn in as America’s chief diplomat

OSAGE COUNTY —Authorities investigating a drowning incident at a Kansas lake over the weekend have identified the victim as 28-year-old Justin T. Steinman, 28, of Overland Park, according to Osage County Sheriff Chris Wells.

&nbsp;Just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a person who had fallen out of a boat while duck hunting on Melvern Lake, according to Wells. Emergency crews responded to the scene.

After a lengthy search by land, air and water,&nbsp;Steinman was located&nbsp; and rescued from the water.&nbsp; Life-saving measures were performed. EMS&nbsp; transported him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.

The Osage County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Osage County Fire District #2 – Osage City, Osage County Fire District #3 – Melvern, Reading Fire Department, LifeSave air ambulance out of Emporia, and Osage County EMS participated in the search.&nbsp;

OSAGE COUNTY —Authorities investigating a drowning incident at a Kansas lake over the weekend have identified the victim as 28-year-old Justin T. Steinman, 28, of Overland Park, according to Osage County Sheriff Chris Wells.&nbsp;Just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a person who had fallen out of a boat while duck hunting on Melvern Lake, according to Wells. Emergency crews responded to the scene.After a lengthy search by land, air and water,&nbsp;Steinman was located&nbsp; and rescued from the water.&nbsp; Life-saving measures were performed. EMS&nbsp; transported him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.The Osage County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Osage County Fire District #2 – Osage City, Osage County Fire District #3 – Melvern, Reading Fire Department, LifeSave air ambulance out of Emporia, and Osage County EMS participated in the search.&nbsp;

Sheriff IDs Kansas duck hunter who drowned after fall from boat

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A prisoner swap between the United States and Afghanistan's Taliban freed two Americans in exchange for a Taliban figure imprisoned for life in California on drug trafficking and terrorism charges, officials said Tuesday.

<a href="https://www.freeryancorbett.com/so/6aPHtMZIi?languageTag=en&amp;fbclid=IwY2xjawH8W71leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHc0ut7yKrylOwcHSZqFM14sCncUQu_YAW7xABIuGGIqrRKMcZ89pRC-mLQ_aem_VrDGZ5EICOPoa4wrpFfPEQ">Click here to read the statement</a> from the Ryan Corbett family

The deal came as Joe Biden, who oversaw the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-kabul-milley-taliban-biden-620fd2ca8187389da38ddcf3f9466fbd">chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan</a>&nbsp;in 2021, handed power over to returning President Donald Trump. The Taliban praised the swap as a step toward the “normalization” of ties between the U.S. and Afghanistan, but that likely remains a tall order as most countries in the world still don't recognize their rule and another two Americans are believed held.

U.S., Qatar and Taliban all involved in the swap

The Taliban’s Foreign Ministry in Kabul confirmed the swap, saying two unidentified U.S. citizens had been exchanged for Khan Mohammed, who was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment in 2008.

The family of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taliban-detained-american-un-investigation-afghanistan-641ffd0b1664f8512d33008137e49244">Ryan Corbett</a>, one American held by the Taliban, confirmed he had been released in a statement. Corbett, who had lived in Afghanistan with his family at the time of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-state-department-withdrawal-c4004657b7390a952d2a74c74fd720f2">the 2021 collapse of the U.S.-backed government,</a>&nbsp;was detained by the Taliban in August 2022 while on a business trip.

“Our hearts are filled with overwhelming gratitude and praise to God for sustaining Ryan’s life and bringing him back home after what has been the most challenging and uncertain 894 days of our lives,” the family's statement said. They thanked both Trump and Biden, as well as many government officials, for their efforts in freeing him.

Corbett's family also praised the Middle Eastern nation of Qatar “for their vital role in facilitating Ryan’s release, and for their visits to Ryan as the United States’ Protecting Power in Afghanistan.” Energy-rich Qatar has hosted negotiations between the U.S. and the Taliban over the years.

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari declined to discuss the swap in detail with journalists at a briefing Tuesday.

“We are still working on it with the parties,” al-Ansari said. “We can confirm that our efforts are always ongoing, of course, in all or many of the elements of this matter.”

Both CNN and The New York Times, relying on anonymous U.S. officials, identified the second American released as William McKenty, though no other details have emerged about his identity or what he was doing in Afghanistan. Officials in Washington did not respond to requests for comment early Tuesday after Trump’s inauguration the day before.

Taliban prisoner first convicted of narco-terrorism

Mohammed, 55, was a prisoner in California after his 2008 conviction. The Bureau of Prisons early Tuesday listed Mohammed as not being in their custody.

Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, a Taliban Foreign Ministry deputy spokesperson, said Mohammed had arrived in Afghanistan and was with his family. Photos released by the Taliban showed him being welcomed home with multicolored garlands.

Mohammed was detained on the battlefield in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province and later taken to the U.S. A federal jury convicted him on charges of securing heroin and opium that he knew were bound for the United States and, in doing so, assisting terrorism activity.

The Justice Department at the time referred to Mohammed as “a violent jihadist and narcotics trafficker” who “sought to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan using rockets.” He was the first person to be convicted on U.S. narco-terrorism laws.

Before Biden left office, his administration had been trying to work out a deal to free Corbett, as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taliban-afghanistan-detainees-ryan-corbett-biden-trump-7a62e24dda83867f83386e08ff2e60df">George Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi</a>, in exchange for Muhammad Rahim, one of the remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

Glezmann, an airline mechanic from Atlanta, was taken by the Taliban’s intelligence services in December 2022 while traveling through the country. Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman who worked as a contractor for a Kabul-based telecommunications company, also went missing in 2022. The Taliban have denied they have Habibi.

Habibi's family welcomed the exchange and said they were confident the Trump administration would make a “greater effort” to free him, expressing their frustration with the Biden team.

“We know they have evidence my brother is alive and in Taliban hands and it could have been influential in encouraging the Taliban to admit they have him,” Habibi's brother Ahmed said in a statement shared by the nonprofit Global Reach.

Biden officials “refused to use" the evidence, he claimed. "We know Trump is about results and we have faith he will use every tool available to get Mahmood home.”

Taliban tries to gain international recognition

For their part, the Taliban called the exchange the result of “long and fruitful negotiations” with the U.S. and said it was a good example of solving problems through dialogue.

“The Islamic Emirate looks positively at the actions of the United States of America that help the normalization and development of relations between the two countries,” it said.

The Taliban have been trying to make inroads in being recognized, in part to escape&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-business-united-nations-economy-kabul-08db064b2e1d8986b3f731ae7f6589f4">the economic tailspin caused by their takeover.</a>&nbsp;Billions in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-afghanistan-coronavirus-pandemic-middle-east-2af7c7c8c2022c7a7cdf17b0697e5784">international funds were frozen</a>, and tens of thousands of highly skilled Afghans fled the country and took their money with them.

However, some nations have welcomed Taliban officials, like the United Arab Emirates, home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai. On Tuesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/emirates-afghanistan-taliban-sirajuddin-haqqani-5a2c407eee5b0d37e4cf37511b550232">Emirati leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan</a>&nbsp;again welcomed Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, who also heads the Haqqani network, a powerful force within the group blamed for some of the bloodiest attacks against Afghanistan’s former Western-backed government.

Haqqani is still wanted by the U.S. on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-aa640fb0516d4d8b9b1eb79a4dce8b2e">bounty of up to $10 million</a>&nbsp;over his involvement in an attack that killed an American citizen and other assaults. The meeting came even as the UAE maintains a close relationship with the U.S.

Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Najib Jobain in Doha, Qatar, contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737456783181.png" alt="Ryan Corbett as seen in this photo published Tuesday on Free Ryan Corbett social media page" />
 <figcaption>Ryan Corbett as seen in this photo published Tuesday on Free Ryan Corbett social media page</figcaption>
 </figure>ISLAMABAD (AP) — A prisoner swap between the United States and Afghanistan's Taliban freed two Americans in exchange for a Taliban figure imprisoned for life in California on drug trafficking and terrorism charges, officials said Tuesday.<a href="https://www.freeryancorbett.com/so/6aPHtMZIi?languageTag=en&amp;fbclid=IwY2xjawH8W71leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHc0ut7yKrylOwcHSZqFM14sCncUQu_YAW7xABIuGGIqrRKMcZ89pRC-mLQ_aem_VrDGZ5EICOPoa4wrpFfPEQ">Click here to read the statement</a> from the Ryan Corbett familyThe deal came as Joe Biden, who oversaw the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-kabul-milley-taliban-biden-620fd2ca8187389da38ddcf3f9466fbd">chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan</a>&nbsp;in 2021, handed power over to returning President Donald Trump. The Taliban praised the swap as a step toward the “normalization” of ties between the U.S. and Afghanistan, but that likely remains a tall order as most countries in the world still don't recognize their rule and another two Americans are believed held.<h2>U.S., Qatar and Taliban all involved in the swap</h2>The Taliban’s Foreign Ministry in Kabul confirmed the swap, saying two unidentified U.S. citizens had been exchanged for Khan Mohammed, who was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment in 2008.The family of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taliban-detained-american-un-investigation-afghanistan-641ffd0b1664f8512d33008137e49244">Ryan Corbett</a>, one American held by the Taliban, confirmed he had been released in a statement. Corbett, who had lived in Afghanistan with his family at the time of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-state-department-withdrawal-c4004657b7390a952d2a74c74fd720f2">the 2021 collapse of the U.S.-backed government,</a>&nbsp;was detained by the Taliban in August 2022 while on a business trip.“Our hearts are filled with overwhelming gratitude and praise to God for sustaining Ryan’s life and bringing him back home after what has been the most challenging and uncertain 894 days of our lives,” the family's statement said. They thanked both Trump and Biden, as well as many government officials, for their efforts in freeing him.Corbett's family also praised the Middle Eastern nation of Qatar “for their vital role in facilitating Ryan’s release, and for their visits to Ryan as the United States’ Protecting Power in Afghanistan.” Energy-rich Qatar has hosted negotiations between the U.S. and the Taliban over the years.Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari declined to discuss the swap in detail with journalists at a briefing Tuesday.“We are still working on it with the parties,” al-Ansari said. “We can confirm that our efforts are always ongoing, of course, in all or many of the elements of this matter.”Both CNN and The New York Times, relying on anonymous U.S. officials, identified the second American released as William McKenty, though no other details have emerged about his identity or what he was doing in Afghanistan. Officials in Washington did not respond to requests for comment early Tuesday after Trump’s inauguration the day before.<h2>Taliban prisoner first convicted of narco-terrorism</h2>Mohammed, 55, was a prisoner in California after his 2008 conviction. The Bureau of Prisons early Tuesday listed Mohammed as not being in their custody.Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, a Taliban Foreign Ministry deputy spokesperson, said Mohammed had arrived in Afghanistan and was with his family. Photos released by the Taliban showed him being welcomed home with multicolored garlands.Mohammed was detained on the battlefield in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province and later taken to the U.S. A federal jury convicted him on charges of securing heroin and opium that he knew were bound for the United States and, in doing so, assisting terrorism activity.The Justice Department at the time referred to Mohammed as “a violent jihadist and narcotics trafficker” who “sought to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan using rockets.” He was the first person to be convicted on U.S. narco-terrorism laws.Before Biden left office, his administration had been trying to work out a deal to free Corbett, as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taliban-afghanistan-detainees-ryan-corbett-biden-trump-7a62e24dda83867f83386e08ff2e60df">George Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi</a>, in exchange for Muhammad Rahim, one of the remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay.Glezmann, an airline mechanic from Atlanta, was taken by the Taliban’s intelligence services in December 2022 while traveling through the country. Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman who worked as a contractor for a Kabul-based telecommunications company, also went missing in 2022. The Taliban have denied they have Habibi.Habibi's family welcomed the exchange and said they were confident the Trump administration would make a “greater effort” to free him, expressing their frustration with the Biden team.“We know they have evidence my brother is alive and in Taliban hands and it could have been influential in encouraging the Taliban to admit they have him,” Habibi's brother Ahmed said in a statement shared by the nonprofit Global Reach.Biden officials “refused to use" the evidence, he claimed. "We know Trump is about results and we have faith he will use every tool available to get Mahmood home.”<h2>Taliban tries to gain international recognition</h2>For their part, the Taliban called the exchange the result of “long and fruitful negotiations” with the U.S. and said it was a good example of solving problems through dialogue.“The Islamic Emirate looks positively at the actions of the United States of America that help the normalization and development of relations between the two countries,” it said.The Taliban have been trying to make inroads in being recognized, in part to escape&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-business-united-nations-economy-kabul-08db064b2e1d8986b3f731ae7f6589f4">the economic tailspin caused by their takeover.</a>&nbsp;Billions in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-afghanistan-coronavirus-pandemic-middle-east-2af7c7c8c2022c7a7cdf17b0697e5784">international funds were frozen</a>, and tens of thousands of highly skilled Afghans fled the country and took their money with them.However, some nations have welcomed Taliban officials, like the United Arab Emirates, home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai. On Tuesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/emirates-afghanistan-taliban-sirajuddin-haqqani-5a2c407eee5b0d37e4cf37511b550232">Emirati leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan</a>&nbsp;again welcomed Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, who also heads the Haqqani network, a powerful force within the group blamed for some of the bloodiest attacks against Afghanistan’s former Western-backed government.Haqqani is still wanted by the U.S. on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-aa640fb0516d4d8b9b1eb79a4dce8b2e">bounty of up to $10 million</a>&nbsp;over his involvement in an attack that killed an American citizen and other assaults. The meeting came even as the UAE maintains a close relationship with the U.S.___Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Najib Jobain in Doha, Qatar, contributed to this report.

Taliban: 2 Americans held in Afghanistan freed in a prisoner exchange

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attended the Commander-in-Chief Inaugural Ball and the Liberty Inaugural Ball in Washington on Monday night. (Click below to watch)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737458384752.png" alt="Images from video provided by the Presidential Inaugural Committee" />
 <figcaption>Images from video provided by the Presidential Inaugural Committee</figcaption>
 </figure>President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attended the Commander-in-Chief Inaugural Ball and the Liberty Inaugural Ball in Washington on Monday night. (Click below to watch)<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the Commander in Chief Inaugural Ball. <a href="https://t.co/1TM8TxkJsh">pic.twitter.com/1TM8TxkJsh</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1881547485585293680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737458926595.png" alt="Vance" />
 <figcaption>Vance</figcaption>
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