MARION COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged child sex crimes involving a teacher.

On February 23, the Marion County Sheriff's office Lt. Detective Aaron Christner received a report on inappropriate communication between a student and a teacher from Peabody-Burns High School, according to a media release from the sheriff's office.

The investigation revealed the teacher had sexual contact with a student. With assistance from the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children's Task Force, further evidence was discovered. On Tuesday, 30-year-old Brett T.&nbsp; McGee was arrested. He was booked into jail just before noon Wednesday, according to online jail records.&nbsp; &nbsp;He is listed as the&nbsp;Vocational Agriculture teacher at Peabody-Burns USD 398, according to the school web site.

The Marion County Sheriff asked that anyone with additional information on the case or any other mistreatment of a child to call them.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1772568670541.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>MARION COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged child sex crimes involving a teacher.On February 23, the Marion County Sheriff's office Lt. Detective Aaron Christner received a report on inappropriate communication between a student and a teacher from Peabody-Burns High School, according to a media release from the sheriff's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1772568112207.png" alt="McGee photo McPherson County" />
 <figcaption>McGee photo McPherson County</figcaption>
 </figure>The investigation revealed the teacher had sexual contact with a student. With assistance from the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children's Task Force, further evidence was discovered. On Tuesday, 30-year-old Brett T.&nbsp; McGee was arrested. He was booked into jail just before noon Wednesday, according to online jail records.&nbsp; &nbsp;He is listed as the&nbsp;Vocational Agriculture teacher at Peabody-Burns USD 398, according to the school web site.The Marion County Sheriff asked that anyone with additional information on the case or any other mistreatment of a child to call them.

Kansas teacher jailed for alleged sexual contact with a student

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

just after 2p.m. March 1, police arrested&nbsp;Steven L. Crockett, 70, Atchison, was arrested at 2:15PM on Sunday in the 300 block Santa Fe Street, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

Crockett was arrested&nbsp;on a Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear in court and was subsequently found to be in possession of fentanyl and drug paraphernalia.&nbsp; He remains in custody and is due to make a court appearance this week, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1772463780952.png" alt="Crockett-photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Crockett-photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.just after 2p.m. March 1, police arrested&nbsp;Steven L. Crockett, 70, Atchison, was arrested at 2:15PM on Sunday in the 300 block Santa Fe Street, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.Crockett was arrested&nbsp;on a Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear in court and was subsequently found to be in possession of fentanyl and drug paraphernalia.&nbsp; He remains in custody and is due to make a court appearance this week, according to online jail records.

Police: Kan. man who skipped court was also carrying fentanyl

WASHINGTON (AP) — Homeland Security Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kristi-noem">Kristi Noem</a>&nbsp;defended her department’s immigration enforcement tactics in front of a Senate committee on Tuesday and pushed back against criticism from Democrats who say she wrongly disparaged two protesters killed by federal officers in Minneapolis earlier this year.

It was Noem’s first congressional appearance since the shooting deaths of the two protesters galvanized widespread opposition to how the Trump administration is executing its mass deportation agenda, a centerpiece policy of President Donald Trump’s second term. At the time, Noem portrayed the protesters, two U.S. citizens, as armed agitators, although accounts from local officials and bystander video contradicted assertions from her and other administration officials.

In the hearing, Noem defended her agency’s treatment of immigrants caught up in enforcement activities, and blamed activists and others for attacks against officers.

“I want to address the dangerous environment that our ICE officers face on the streets today,” Noem said. “They are facing a serious and escalating threat as a result of deliberate mischaracterizations of their heroic work and rhetoric that demonizes our law enforcement.”

Since the deaths in Minneapolis, the administration has taken steps meant to tone down tensions, including drawing down the operation there. But the administration has continued pressing restrictions against both legal and illegal immigration, has been buying up warehouses for immigration detention and persisting in federal enforcement in areas around the country. Noem said about 650 investigators remain in Minnesota as part of a broader fraud probe.

The immigration tactics of Noem’s department have triggered a clash in Congress over its routine funding, which remains unresolved, although a spending bill passed last year granted it a significant infusion of cash for the Republican administration’s mass deportation policy. Noem called the partial shutdown “reckless” and blamed Democrats for putting national security at risk.

Her appearance in front of the Judiciary Committee also comes after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/austin-texas-bar-shooting-7690f931ba00f950c1828cef25399bb6">a weekend shooting</a>&nbsp;at a bar in Texas that is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism, leading to concerns that the escalating conflict in Iran could have repercussions for security in the U.S.

Noem blames chaotic situation for her characterization of killed protesters

In what was initially billed as an effort to root out fraud in Minnesota, Homeland Security sent hundreds of officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection to the state. They were met by protesters who organized marches, patrolled neighborhoods for ICE activity with whistles and ferried food to immigrants too afraid to leave their homes.

<a href="https://apnews.com/video/the-family-of-renee-good-talk-about-her-life-more-than-a-month-after-she-was-killed-in-minneapolis-9539004139804334b833384fd0e4db28">Renee Good</a>, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot and killed by an ICE officer on Jan. 7, setting off intense protests demanding pushing an end to the operation. Then on Jan. 24, Customs and Border Protection officers opened fire on another Minnesota resident,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Alex Pretti</a>, who had been filming enforcement operations.

Those deaths led to cries for accountability and transparency. Noem, whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-alex-pretti-their-own-words-27b7233380c68306a64317b3bf2aa4a3">initial comments</a>&nbsp;portrayed both Good and Pretti as the aggressors, has come under withering criticism by Democrats and even some Republicans, who have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-shootings-kristi-noem-ice-congress-add9ac7b90f5677621009e8a603c0141">called for her to resign</a>.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the committee, repeatedly questioned Noem about her initial comments and called on her to apologize.

“You and your agency rushed to brand these victims as, quote, domestic terrorists,” Durbin said. “We have ample video evidence and eyewitness testimony proving you are wrong. Your statements caused immeasurable pain to these families.”

Noem said she was relying on information from people on the scene and blamed “violent protesters” for contributing to the chaos officers encountered.

“I was getting reports from the ground from agents at the scene, and I would say that it was a chaotic scene, as you’ve seen in Minneapolis and St. Paul,” she said.

After public outrage over the deaths, Trump sent border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis to take control of operations on the ground there. Homan has since announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/homan-immigration-agents-minnesota-enforcement-operation-drawdown-5a7940eb9b5100d46efc33a97f524da0">a drawdown</a>&nbsp;of the ICE and CBP officers who had been sent to Minnesota to carry out what had been dubbed Operation Metro Surge, although he’s been adamant that the president’s mass deportation agenda will continue.

Republicans largely kept the focus on the large numbers of migrants who came into the country under former President Joe Biden, portraying Noem as cleaning up the former administration’s mess.

Noem also faced some Republican criticism

Noem did face sharp criticism from one Republican, Sen. John Kennedy from Louisiana, who pushed her to explain why her department paid more than $200 million for an ad campaign she appeared in last year encouraging migrants to leave the country voluntarily and questioned whether Trump knew about the price tag ahead of time.

Noem defended those ads, saying they were effective and went through the regular department bidding process.

“Well, they were effective in your name recognition,” Kennedy said pointedly.

Homeland Security officials have often blamed conflicts in places where it’s carrying out immigration enforcement activities, like Minneapolis and Chicago, as the fault of Democratic politicians who, they say, encourage people to oppose officers as they try to make arrests.

Noem is also slated to appear Wednesday in front of a House committee.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Homeland Security Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kristi-noem">Kristi Noem</a>&nbsp;defended her department’s immigration enforcement tactics in front of a Senate committee on Tuesday and pushed back against criticism from Democrats who say she wrongly disparaged two protesters killed by federal officers in Minneapolis earlier this year.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem opening statement before Senate <a href="https://twitter.com/JudiciaryDems?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JudiciaryDems</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SenJudiciaryGOP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@senjudiciarygop</a>. <a href="https://t.co/a4aTo4UYM5">pic.twitter.com/a4aTo4UYM5</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2028857980146290948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenBlumenthal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenBlumenthal</a> introduces U.S. citizens at hearing who were apprehended by ICE agents: &quot;Wouldn&#39;t&#39; you agree that shooting Marimar Martinez on her way to donate clothing at her church, a U.S citizen from Chicago, is wrong? <a href="https://t.co/ovFdDCozFE">pic.twitter.com/ovFdDCozFE</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2028873152185454693?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenAmyKlobuchar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenAmyKlobuchar</a> (D-MN): &quot;In one month in the city of Minneapolis, when you look at the three fatalities that were results of shooting, two of three were committed by federal agents. Are you aware of that? Secretary Kristi Noem: &quot;Yes, I am.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/SN9R762SJd">pic.twitter.com/SN9R762SJd</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2028862795614208244?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenJohnKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenJohnKennedy</a> grills DHS Secretary Noem: &quot;How do you square that concern with waste, which I share, with the fact that you have spent $220 million running television advertisements that feature you prominently?&quot; <a href="https://t.co/1zwl2wghyP">pic.twitter.com/1zwl2wghyP</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2028862151146815690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorDurbin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenatorDurbin</a> asks DHS Secretary Noem on Renée Good, Alex Pretti and others: &quot;Do you retract these statement identifying these individuals as domestic terrorists?&quot; <a href="https://t.co/8LGa7uZZed">pic.twitter.com/8LGa7uZZed</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2028858460180250646?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenBooker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenBooker</a>: &quot;This is a reckless and out of control agency that you are responsible for. You seem to have no situational awareness whatsoever... Either you are utterly incompetent or you are violating laws with impunity. You should step down from your position.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/IGXWpiabou">pic.twitter.com/IGXWpiabou</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2028892329944215607?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It was Noem’s first congressional appearance since the shooting deaths of the two protesters galvanized widespread opposition to how the Trump administration is executing its mass deportation agenda, a centerpiece policy of President Donald Trump’s second term. At the time, Noem portrayed the protesters, two U.S. citizens, as armed agitators, although accounts from local officials and bystander video contradicted assertions from her and other administration officials.In the hearing, Noem defended her agency’s treatment of immigrants caught up in enforcement activities, and blamed activists and others for attacks against officers.“I want to address the dangerous environment that our ICE officers face on the streets today,” Noem said. “They are facing a serious and escalating threat as a result of deliberate mischaracterizations of their heroic work and rhetoric that demonizes our law enforcement.”Since the deaths in Minneapolis, the administration has taken steps meant to tone down tensions, including drawing down the operation there. But the administration has continued pressing restrictions against both legal and illegal immigration, has been buying up warehouses for immigration detention and persisting in federal enforcement in areas around the country. Noem said about 650 investigators remain in Minnesota as part of a broader fraud probe.The immigration tactics of Noem’s department have triggered a clash in Congress over its routine funding, which remains unresolved, although a spending bill passed last year granted it a significant infusion of cash for the Republican administration’s mass deportation policy. Noem called the partial shutdown “reckless” and blamed Democrats for putting national security at risk.Her appearance in front of the Judiciary Committee also comes after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/austin-texas-bar-shooting-7690f931ba00f950c1828cef25399bb6">a weekend shooting</a>&nbsp;at a bar in Texas that is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism, leading to concerns that the escalating conflict in Iran could have repercussions for security in the U.S.<h2>Noem blames chaotic situation for her characterization of killed protesters</h2>In what was initially billed as an effort to root out fraud in Minnesota, Homeland Security sent hundreds of officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection to the state. They were met by protesters who organized marches, patrolled neighborhoods for ICE activity with whistles and ferried food to immigrants too afraid to leave their homes.<a href="https://apnews.com/video/the-family-of-renee-good-talk-about-her-life-more-than-a-month-after-she-was-killed-in-minneapolis-9539004139804334b833384fd0e4db28">Renee Good</a>, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot and killed by an ICE officer on Jan. 7, setting off intense protests demanding pushing an end to the operation. Then on Jan. 24, Customs and Border Protection officers opened fire on another Minnesota resident,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Alex Pretti</a>, who had been filming enforcement operations.Those deaths led to cries for accountability and transparency. Noem, whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-alex-pretti-their-own-words-27b7233380c68306a64317b3bf2aa4a3">initial comments</a>&nbsp;portrayed both Good and Pretti as the aggressors, has come under withering criticism by Democrats and even some Republicans, who have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-shootings-kristi-noem-ice-congress-add9ac7b90f5677621009e8a603c0141">called for her to resign</a>.Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the committee, repeatedly questioned Noem about her initial comments and called on her to apologize.“You and your agency rushed to brand these victims as, quote, domestic terrorists,” Durbin said. “We have ample video evidence and eyewitness testimony proving you are wrong. Your statements caused immeasurable pain to these families.”Noem said she was relying on information from people on the scene and blamed “violent protesters” for contributing to the chaos officers encountered.“I was getting reports from the ground from agents at the scene, and I would say that it was a chaotic scene, as you’ve seen in Minneapolis and St. Paul,” she said.After public outrage over the deaths, Trump sent border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis to take control of operations on the ground there. Homan has since announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/homan-immigration-agents-minnesota-enforcement-operation-drawdown-5a7940eb9b5100d46efc33a97f524da0">a drawdown</a>&nbsp;of the ICE and CBP officers who had been sent to Minnesota to carry out what had been dubbed Operation Metro Surge, although he’s been adamant that the president’s mass deportation agenda will continue.Republicans largely kept the focus on the large numbers of migrants who came into the country under former President Joe Biden, portraying Noem as cleaning up the former administration’s mess.<h2>Noem also faced some Republican criticism</h2>Noem did face sharp criticism from one Republican, Sen. John Kennedy from Louisiana, who pushed her to explain why her department paid more than $200 million for an ad campaign she appeared in last year encouraging migrants to leave the country voluntarily and questioned whether Trump knew about the price tag ahead of time.Noem defended those ads, saying they were effective and went through the regular department bidding process.“Well, they were effective in your name recognition,” Kennedy said pointedly.Homeland Security officials have often blamed conflicts in places where it’s carrying out immigration enforcement activities, like Minneapolis and Chicago, as the fault of Democratic politicians who, they say, encourage people to oppose officers as they try to make arrests.Noem is also slated to appear Wednesday in front of a House committee.

🎥Hot seat: Senators grill DHS Secretary on immigration enforcement

By&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/konstantin-toropin">KONSTANTIN TOROPIN</a> Associated Press

The Pentagon has released the names of four of the six service members who have been killed in the Iran war, saying they died in a drone strike in Kuwait.

All four Army Reserve soldiers were killed Sunday when a drone hit a command center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait. That was just a day after the U.S. and Israel launched its military campaign against Iran, which has launched retailatory strikes.

All were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, lowa.

Killed were Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; and Spc. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, lowa.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1772586254320.png" alt="Sgt. Declan Coady-photo U.S. Army Reserve" />
 <figcaption>Sgt. Declan Coady-photo U.S. Army Reserve</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/konstantin-toropin">KONSTANTIN TOROPIN</a> Associated PressThe Pentagon has released the names of four of the six service members who have been killed in the Iran war, saying they died in a drone strike in Kuwait.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1772586386971.png" alt="Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens-photo U.S. Army Reserve" />
 <figcaption>Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens-photo U.S. Army Reserve</figcaption>
 </figure>All four Army Reserve soldiers were killed Sunday when a drone hit a command center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait. That was just a day after the U.S. and Israel launched its military campaign against Iran, which has launched retailatory strikes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1772586522853.png" alt="Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor-photo U.S. Army Reserve" />
 <figcaption>Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor-photo U.S. Army Reserve</figcaption>
 </figure>All were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, lowa.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1772586582687.png" alt="Capt. Cody Khork-photo U.S. Army Reserve" />
 <figcaption>Capt. Cody Khork-photo U.S. Army Reserve</figcaption>
 </figure>Killed were Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; and Spc. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, lowa.

Pentagon releases names of U.S. soldiers killed in Iran conflict

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/julia-frankel">JULIA FRANKEL</a>

JERUSALEM (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-03-03-2026">unfolding war</a>&nbsp;in the Middle East has ricocheted across the region, with nearly every country sustaining damage from missile hits or shrapnel, many reporting casualties, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-03-03-2026#0000019c-b486-d9be-a19f-b6be8ec80000">key embassies</a>, economic engines and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strait-hormuz-iran-energy-war-5b60e82ef2fc68e2b43aa570a32404dd">passageways</a>&nbsp;closing down.

Foreign governments are urging their citizens to leave on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-us-travel-airlines-mideast-flights-93f2559eb57f05989fb1de8fda7f21ec">any available commercial flight</a>&nbsp;as Gulf airspaces largely close, cruise ships can’t pass through the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strait-hormuz-iran-energy-war-5b60e82ef2fc68e2b43aa570a32404dd">Strait of Hormuz</a>, and major airlines&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-war-middle-east-travel-7fa70acc92e8250c36b64d7809ef013c">cancel flights</a>. The U.S. State Department says it has evacuated nonemergency personnel and families in six nations, adding the United Arab Emirates to its list on Tuesday. It also has advised citizens from 14 countries to leave. Governments from Russia to Germany and France also scrambled to run repatriation flights.

Here’s a country-by-country breakdown of the impact of the war so far.

All airspace information is from the real-time flight-tracking service Flightradar 24, as of Tuesday, or national authorities.

Damage and casualties: Iran has by far the highest reported death toll of countries in the region. The Iranian Red Crescent Society said the U.S.-Israeli operation has killed at least 787 people. That includes more than 160 the state-run IRNA news agency says were killed by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/all-girls-school-in-iran-struck-by-us-israeli-strike-over-100-casualties-78cead1fc4ba4ac39d57e8a0f53b0bf2">strike on an elementary school</a>&nbsp;in Minab. Israel says it was not involved in the incident. When asked by reporters about it, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he did not have details but that the U.S. would not deliberately target a school.

U.S.-Israeli strikes have targeted nuclear infrastructure, missile launchers, government buildings in Tehran and leadership compounds, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other top military officials.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-trump-nuclear-natanz-israel-enrichment-uranium-e42a4711f6d350d14c10e5f9981eca46">Satellite images</a>&nbsp;of Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility taken Monday show several damaged buildings, compared with imagery from the previous day, along with additional damage across the facility’s complex.

Damage and casualties:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/iran-israel-us-missiles-photos-5d5d519aef16d124bd11d361f8e0d9ad">Several locations</a>&nbsp;have been hit by Iranian missiles, killing 11 people. The extent of damage to Israeli military bases and other sensitive locations is unknown; the military does not reveal that information.

Damage and casualties: The Iranian-supported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-hezbollahisrael-lebanon-b4daa0a6084df27099cef45b59120034">militant group Hezbollah</a>&nbsp;fired missiles at Israel on Monday, prompting Israel to retaliate. At least 52 people have been killed and 154 wounded, Lebanese authorities said.

Israel hit Beirut with more airstrikes early Tuesday, saying it was targeting “Hezbollah command centers and weapons storage facilities,” and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-airstrikes-beirut-rockets-troops-f3b27b80b54699f58deebf35c7b09fd2">sent ground troops</a>&nbsp;into southern Lebanon border areas. Hezbollah also said it launched drones targeting an Israeli air base. The Israeli military said it downed two drones.

Israel and Hezbollah fought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-war-numbers-hezbollah-military-6f1a651ebba0a88fbdb7ca59a57acd1e">a war for more than a year</a>, ending with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-lebanon-hezbollah-11-26-2024-aa165645d900a3d681ad127e05b0c561">November 2024 ceasefire</a>&nbsp;that left the militant group&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-hezbollah-weapons-disarmament-israel-e5421702925f68040ee354fb7b06e368">greatly weakened</a>.

The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon said Tuesday it was closing to the public until further notice.

Airspace: Lebanon’s airspace is not fully closed. Flights are coming and going, but many airlines have canceled flights.

Damage and casualties: Iran&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-us-03-03-2026-8755877b603e46ed3df8107689c1ee23">struck the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia’s</a>&nbsp;capital early Tuesday. The attack from two drones on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh caused a “limited fire” and minor damage, according to Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry, and the embassy urged Americans to avoid the compound.

Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura oil refinery also came under attack from drones, but its defenses downed the aircraft, a military spokesman told the state-run Saudi Press Agency. The refinery has a capacity of over half a million barrels of crude oil a day.

Airspace: Partially closed in the area bordering Iraq and the Persian Gulf.

Damage and casualties: On Monday, the U.S. Embassy compound in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-jets-downed-kuwait-friendly-fire-iran-f15-1151e092db4597e93e83c04f3b44bddc">Kuwait</a>&nbsp;was struck. On Tuesday, it announced it was closing to the public until further notice.

Six U.S. soldiers in a logistics unit were killed by a strike in Kuwait, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Kuwaiti Health Ministry said Sunday that one person was killed and 32 injured in an Iranian strike, all migrant workers from unnamed countries.

Damage and casualties: Three people were killed in the UAE — foreign workers from Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The city of Dubai, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-us-dubai-emirates-tourism-attack-b256f514b290c987b3004cc87744f038">a global reputation</a>&nbsp;as the safest place in the Middle East and a hub for global investment, has sustained damage to its international airport and, according to CENTCOM, hotels along its coastline. Iran also targeted two Amazon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amazon-aws-data-center-uae-iran-bahrain-71066b0a822c4cfd88b61e3fe79af917">data centers</a>&nbsp;in the UAE, the company said Tuesday.

Airspace: Closed for commercial flights. Some evacuation flights began Monday.

Damage and casualties: The ripple effects of the war have hit Egypt’s struggling economy, as global shipping firms decided to reroute vessel fleets away from the Suez Canal.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/suez-canal-egypt-gaza-houthis-israel-5a5fe98a74f64144f7aab9ceca9d87d3">The canal</a>, which connects the Mediterranean and Red Seas, is a major source of foreign currency for the cash-strapped country.

Airspace: Commercial flights are leaving the country, though there have been cancellations, and most countries are recommending residents travel through Taba and Sharm al-Sheikh instead of Cairo.

Damage and casualties: Jordanian police announced Sunday that five people were injured by falling shrapnel after Iranian projectiles were intercepted in the kingdom’s airspace.

Airspace: The Jordanian Civil Aviation Authority said the airspace will be closed from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily until further notice.

Damage and casualties: Iran has hit energy facilities in Qatar.

Airspace:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/disruption-at-qatars-doha-airport-as-attack-on-iran-affects-flights-across-middle-east-and-beyond-f96b624323634b7bbe421440bf8031ca">Closed</a>.

Damage and casualties: Strikes on Iranian proxy sites by the U.S. or Israel have killed militia members. Multiple drone and missile attacks have been launched at the U.S. bases and consulate in Irbil, and protesters attempted to storm the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

Iraq’s Ministry of Oil said Tuesday that it would stop production in a key oil field because of disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, causing crude&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-israel-war-oil-prices-energy-strait-of-hormuz-21e634acba4c35801d28dfdbcc53824a">oil prices to surge worldwide</a>. The ministry cited a shortage of tankers entering the Gulf, forcing them to “stop production and pumping” from the southern Rumaila fields near the city of Basra.

Damage and casualties: Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said fire from a strike killed one Asian worker and seriously wounded two others early Monday morning. There was also a drone impact near an Amazon data center, the company said Tuesday.

Damage and casualties: Several people, including children, suffered minor injuries in the countryside outside Damascus from Iranian missile debris, Syria’s state news agency SANA said. Some areas in Syria’s southern provinces also saw missile debris fall from Iranian projectiles fired toward Israel, with no additional injuries or material damage reported, SANA said.

Damage and casualties: Oman has been attacked by drones multiple times since the Iran war started. The attacks targeted the country’s largest port of Salalah, as well as Duqm port. At least one vessel also was hit off the country’s coast.

Airspace: Open, but many commercial flights are canceled.

AP writers Abby Sewell in Beirut, Samy Magdy in Cairo and Konstantin Toropin in Washington contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1772371332312.jpeg" alt="Government supporters mourn during a gathering after state TV officially announced the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, shown in the poster, in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)" />
 <figcaption>Government supporters mourn during a gathering after state TV officially announced the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, shown in the poster, in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/julia-frankel">JULIA FRANKEL</a>JERUSALEM (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-03-03-2026">unfolding war</a>&nbsp;in the Middle East has ricocheted across the region, with nearly every country sustaining damage from missile hits or shrapnel, many reporting casualties, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-03-03-2026#0000019c-b486-d9be-a19f-b6be8ec80000">key embassies</a>, economic engines and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strait-hormuz-iran-energy-war-5b60e82ef2fc68e2b43aa570a32404dd">passageways</a>&nbsp;closing down.Foreign governments are urging their citizens to leave on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-us-travel-airlines-mideast-flights-93f2559eb57f05989fb1de8fda7f21ec">any available commercial flight</a>&nbsp;as Gulf airspaces largely close, cruise ships can’t pass through the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strait-hormuz-iran-energy-war-5b60e82ef2fc68e2b43aa570a32404dd">Strait of Hormuz</a>, and major airlines&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-war-middle-east-travel-7fa70acc92e8250c36b64d7809ef013c">cancel flights</a>. The U.S. State Department says it has evacuated nonemergency personnel and families in six nations, adding the United Arab Emirates to its list on Tuesday. It also has advised citizens from 14 countries to leave. Governments from Russia to Germany and France also scrambled to run repatriation flights.Here’s a country-by-country breakdown of the impact of the war so far.All airspace information is from the real-time flight-tracking service Flightradar 24, as of Tuesday, or national authorities.<h2>Iran</h2>Damage and casualties: Iran has by far the highest reported death toll of countries in the region. The Iranian Red Crescent Society said the U.S.-Israeli operation has killed at least 787 people. That includes more than 160 the state-run IRNA news agency says were killed by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/all-girls-school-in-iran-struck-by-us-israeli-strike-over-100-casualties-78cead1fc4ba4ac39d57e8a0f53b0bf2">strike on an elementary school</a>&nbsp;in Minab. Israel says it was not involved in the incident. When asked by reporters about it, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he did not have details but that the U.S. would not deliberately target a school.U.S.-Israeli strikes have targeted nuclear infrastructure, missile launchers, government buildings in Tehran and leadership compounds, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other top military officials.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-trump-nuclear-natanz-israel-enrichment-uranium-e42a4711f6d350d14c10e5f9981eca46">Satellite images</a>&nbsp;of Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility taken Monday show several damaged buildings, compared with imagery from the previous day, along with additional damage across the facility’s complex.Airspace: Closed.<h2>Israel and the Palestinian territories</h2>Damage and casualties:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/iran-israel-us-missiles-photos-5d5d519aef16d124bd11d361f8e0d9ad">Several locations</a>&nbsp;have been hit by Iranian missiles, killing 11 people. The extent of damage to Israeli military bases and other sensitive locations is unknown; the military does not reveal that information.Airspace: Closed for commercial flights.<h2>Lebanon</h2>Damage and casualties: The Iranian-supported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-hezbollahisrael-lebanon-b4daa0a6084df27099cef45b59120034">militant group Hezbollah</a>&nbsp;fired missiles at Israel on Monday, prompting Israel to retaliate. At least 52 people have been killed and 154 wounded, Lebanese authorities said.Israel hit Beirut with more airstrikes early Tuesday, saying it was targeting “Hezbollah command centers and weapons storage facilities,” and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-airstrikes-beirut-rockets-troops-f3b27b80b54699f58deebf35c7b09fd2">sent ground troops</a>&nbsp;into southern Lebanon border areas. Hezbollah also said it launched drones targeting an Israeli air base. The Israeli military said it downed two drones.Israel and Hezbollah fought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-war-numbers-hezbollah-military-6f1a651ebba0a88fbdb7ca59a57acd1e">a war for more than a year</a>, ending with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-lebanon-hezbollah-11-26-2024-aa165645d900a3d681ad127e05b0c561">November 2024 ceasefire</a>&nbsp;that left the militant group&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-hezbollah-weapons-disarmament-israel-e5421702925f68040ee354fb7b06e368">greatly weakened</a>.The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon said Tuesday it was closing to the public until further notice.Airspace: Lebanon’s airspace is not fully closed. Flights are coming and going, but many airlines have canceled flights.<h2>Saudi Arabia</h2>Damage and casualties: Iran&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-us-03-03-2026-8755877b603e46ed3df8107689c1ee23">struck the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia’s</a>&nbsp;capital early Tuesday. The attack from two drones on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh caused a “limited fire” and minor damage, according to Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry, and the embassy urged Americans to avoid the compound.Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura oil refinery also came under attack from drones, but its defenses downed the aircraft, a military spokesman told the state-run Saudi Press Agency. The refinery has a capacity of over half a million barrels of crude oil a day.Airspace: Partially closed in the area bordering Iraq and the Persian Gulf.<h2>Kuwait'</h2>Damage and casualties: On Monday, the U.S. Embassy compound in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-jets-downed-kuwait-friendly-fire-iran-f15-1151e092db4597e93e83c04f3b44bddc">Kuwait</a>&nbsp;was struck. On Tuesday, it announced it was closing to the public until further notice.Six U.S. soldiers in a logistics unit were killed by a strike in Kuwait, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.The Kuwaiti Health Ministry said Sunday that one person was killed and 32 injured in an Iranian strike, all migrant workers from unnamed countries.Airspace: Closed<h2>United Arab Emirates</h2>Damage and casualties: Three people were killed in the UAE — foreign workers from Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The city of Dubai, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-us-dubai-emirates-tourism-attack-b256f514b290c987b3004cc87744f038">a global reputation</a>&nbsp;as the safest place in the Middle East and a hub for global investment, has sustained damage to its international airport and, according to CENTCOM, hotels along its coastline. Iran also targeted two Amazon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amazon-aws-data-center-uae-iran-bahrain-71066b0a822c4cfd88b61e3fe79af917">data centers</a>&nbsp;in the UAE, the company said Tuesday.Airspace: Closed for commercial flights. Some evacuation flights began Monday.<h2>Egypt</h2>Damage and casualties: The ripple effects of the war have hit Egypt’s struggling economy, as global shipping firms decided to reroute vessel fleets away from the Suez Canal.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/suez-canal-egypt-gaza-houthis-israel-5a5fe98a74f64144f7aab9ceca9d87d3">The canal</a>, which connects the Mediterranean and Red Seas, is a major source of foreign currency for the cash-strapped country.Airspace: Commercial flights are leaving the country, though there have been cancellations, and most countries are recommending residents travel through Taba and Sharm al-Sheikh instead of Cairo.<h2>Jordan</h2>Damage and casualties: Jordanian police announced Sunday that five people were injured by falling shrapnel after Iranian projectiles were intercepted in the kingdom’s airspace.Airspace: The Jordanian Civil Aviation Authority said the airspace will be closed from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily until further notice.<h2>Qatar</h2>Damage and casualties: Iran has hit energy facilities in Qatar.Airspace:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/disruption-at-qatars-doha-airport-as-attack-on-iran-affects-flights-across-middle-east-and-beyond-f96b624323634b7bbe421440bf8031ca">Closed</a>.<h2>Iraq</h2>Damage and casualties: Strikes on Iranian proxy sites by the U.S. or Israel have killed militia members. Multiple drone and missile attacks have been launched at the U.S. bases and consulate in Irbil, and protesters attempted to storm the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.Iraq’s Ministry of Oil said Tuesday that it would stop production in a key oil field because of disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, causing crude&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-israel-war-oil-prices-energy-strait-of-hormuz-21e634acba4c35801d28dfdbcc53824a">oil prices to surge worldwide</a>. The ministry cited a shortage of tankers entering the Gulf, forcing them to “stop production and pumping” from the southern Rumaila fields near the city of Basra.Airspace: Closed.<h2>Bahrain</h2>Damage and casualties: Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said fire from a strike killed one Asian worker and seriously wounded two others early Monday morning. There was also a drone impact near an Amazon data center, the company said Tuesday.Airspace: Closed.<h2>Syria</h2>Damage and casualties: Several people, including children, suffered minor injuries in the countryside outside Damascus from Iranian missile debris, Syria’s state news agency SANA said. Some areas in Syria’s southern provinces also saw missile debris fall from Iranian projectiles fired toward Israel, with no additional injuries or material damage reported, SANA said.Airspace: Closed.<h2>Oman</h2>Damage and casualties: Oman has been attacked by drones multiple times since the Iran war started. The attacks targeted the country’s largest port of Salalah, as well as Duqm port. At least one vessel also was hit off the country’s coast.Airspace: Open, but many commercial flights are canceled.___AP writers Abby Sewell in Beirut, Samy Magdy in Cairo and Konstantin Toropin in Washington contributed to this report.

Country by country, here’s how the unfolding war is affecting the Middle East

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating another fatal shooting in Wichita and have made an arrest.

Just after 7:30p.m. Monday, police responded to report of a shooting in the parking lot of the&nbsp; American Legion in the 1300 Block of North Hydraulic in Wichita. According to an online statement from police, the suspect called 911 and reported he had just shot someone.

First responders found the&nbsp; shooting victim,&nbsp;56-year-old Darnell Guiden of Wichita,&nbsp;inside a 1998 Chevrolet pickup. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased just before 8p.m.

The suspect, identified from county booking records as 40-year-old Tristan D. Miles, was taken into custody without incident. He had previously been banned from the business from a previous incident, according to police.

He is being held on requested charges of first-degree premeditated murder and criminal discharge of a firearm.&nbsp; The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1772538210414.png" alt="Miles-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Miles-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating another fatal shooting in Wichita and have made an arrest.Just after 7:30p.m. Monday, police responded to report of a shooting in the parking lot of the&nbsp; American Legion in the 1300 Block of North Hydraulic in Wichita. According to an online statement from police, the suspect called 911 and reported he had just shot someone.First responders found the&nbsp; shooting victim,&nbsp;56-year-old Darnell Guiden of Wichita,&nbsp;inside a 1998 Chevrolet pickup. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased just before 8p.m.The suspect, identified from county booking records as 40-year-old Tristan D. Miles, was taken into custody without incident. He had previously been banned from the business from a previous incident, according to police.He is being held on requested charges of first-degree premeditated murder and criminal discharge of a firearm.&nbsp; The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Police: Kan. homicide suspect called 911 to report he shot someone

NEW YORK (AP) — A sell-off for stocks wrapped around the world and hit Wall Street Tuesday, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-oil-gas-gallon-aaa-e2daee318b8e3e6a1124713909a410e4">oil prices</a>&nbsp;climbed even higher on worries about the widening&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-us-03-03-2026-8755877b603e46ed3df8107689c1ee23">war with Iran</a>. But the big moves that rocked markets in the morning eased substantially as the day progressed.

By the end of trading, the S&amp;P 500 had sunk 0.9%. That would be a solid loss on a typical day, but the index had been down as much as 2.5% in the morning because of worries that the war may do more sustained&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-economy-inflation-trump-b45192677b0751ec3550e363cdeb256a">damage to the economy</a>&nbsp;than feared.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 403 points, or 0.8%, after plunging more than 1,200 points earlier in the morning. The Nasdaq composite pared its loss to 1%.

It was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-oil-gold-iran-trump-25fd9bfa1b20549a6cbbdee61b2ea05f">just a day earlier</a>&nbsp;that U.S. stocks opened the morning with a sharp loss, only to recover all of it and end the day with a tiny gain. Helping to drive that rebound was a record showing that past wars and conflicts in the Middle East have not usually meant long-term pain for U.S. stocks.

But that was with the caveat that oil prices did not jump too high, like above $100 per barrel. On Tuesday, oil prices rose again and raised more alarms. The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, briefly leaped above $84.

The jump lessened through the day, though, which helped moderate the losses for stocks. Brent settled at $81.40, up 4.7%. A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rose 4.7% to $74.56.

The moves showed oil prices, and how much they’re set to worsen inflation, are among the central fears for investors. More expensive fuel will mean less money for U.S. and other households to spend. It would also raise expenses for companies worldwide, which would likewise hurt their profits. And corporate profits are the lifeblood of stock markets.

Tuesday’s climb for oil prices came after Iran struck the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia, part of a widening of targets that also includes areas critical to the world’s oil and natural gas production. Worries are particularly high about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strait-hormuz-iran-energy-war-5b60e82ef2fc68e2b43aa570a32404dd">Strait of Hormuz</a>&nbsp;off the coast of Iran, a narrow passageway where roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passes.

Iranian Brig. Gen. Ebrahim Jabbari, an adviser to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, vowed that any ships that passed through the strait would be set on fire.

The fears about oil prices ebbed a bit later in the day as President Donald Trump said the U.S. Navy could begin escorting tankers through the strait, “if necessary,” to “ensure the FREE FLOW of ENERGY to the WORLD.”

Making things uncertain for markets is the question about how long this war may continue.

A major attack by the United States and Israel has already killed Iranian&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-supreme-leader-ayatollah-ali-khamenei-dead-5b13b69b708c4ed38e8f95f5fb41a597">Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei</a>, but Trump said late Monday night on his social media network, “Wars can be fought ‘forever,’ and very successfully” with the supply of munitions that the United States possesses.

Some professional investors said again Tuesday they don’t think this is the beginning of a long-term down market and that stocks could rebound if the war doesn’t last that long. But they acknowledge it could take a while for that to become clear, and Tuesday’s swings for markets show how uncertain things are.

Tuesday’s sell-off started in Asia, where the Kospi stock index in South Korea, a big energy importer, plunged 7.2% as markets reopened after a holiday on Monday. That was its worst day since two summers ago, and it had been setting records recently.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 dropped 3.1%, even as analysts said Japan has a sizable stockpile lasting more than 200 days. In Europe, where prices for natural gas have soared because of the war, France’s CAC 40 lost 3.5%.

On Wall Street, nearly three out of every four stocks within the S&amp;P 500 dropped. Unlike a day before, influential Big Tech stocks weren’t able to prop up indexes, and Nvidia fell 1.3%.

Among the winners on Wall Street was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/target-earnings-sales-quarter-b3afa6d07912511f87e00af59c008d18">Target</a>, which rose 6.7% after the retailer reported a better profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 64.99 points to 6,816.63. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 403.51 to 48,501.27, and the Nasdaq composite sank 232.17 to 22,516.69.

In the bond market, Treasury yields leaped in the morning with worries about inflation. The yield on the 10-year Treasury briefly rose above 4.10% before pulling back just below 4.06%. It was at 4.05% late Monday and just 3.97% on Friday.

Higher yields can make it more expensive for U.S. households and businesses to borrow money, affecting everything from mortgages to bond issuances. They also put downward pressure on prices for stocks and all kinds of other investments.

When Treasurys are paying more in interest, they can also undercut the price of gold, which pays its investors nothing. Gold fell 3.5% Tuesday to settle at $5,123.70 per ounce, halting a strong run that had taken it above $5,300 as investors looked for safer places to park their money.

High inflation could also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-trump-powell-inflation-c13913c9e007981f075fb3b22d4a4cec">tie the Federal Reserve’s hands</a>&nbsp;and keep it from cutting interest rates. The Fed lowered rates several times last year and indicated more cuts were to come in 2026. That would help boost the economy and job market, but lower rates can also worsen inflation.

Traders are now pushing back their forecasts further into the summer for when the Fed could resume cutting rates, according to data from CME Group. That’s even though Trump has been calling for Fed officials in angry and personal terms to cut rates now.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722962507580.png" alt="File photo New York Stock Exchange.(AP Photo/Richard Drew)" />
 <figcaption>File photo New York Stock Exchange.(AP Photo/Richard Drew)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — A sell-off for stocks wrapped around the world and hit Wall Street Tuesday, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-oil-gas-gallon-aaa-e2daee318b8e3e6a1124713909a410e4">oil prices</a>&nbsp;climbed even higher on worries about the widening&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-us-03-03-2026-8755877b603e46ed3df8107689c1ee23">war with Iran</a>. But the big moves that rocked markets in the morning eased substantially as the day progressed.By the end of trading, the S&amp;P 500 had sunk 0.9%. That would be a solid loss on a typical day, but the index had been down as much as 2.5% in the morning because of worries that the war may do more sustained&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-economy-inflation-trump-b45192677b0751ec3550e363cdeb256a">damage to the economy</a>&nbsp;than feared.The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 403 points, or 0.8%, after plunging more than 1,200 points earlier in the morning. The Nasdaq composite pared its loss to 1%.It was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-oil-gold-iran-trump-25fd9bfa1b20549a6cbbdee61b2ea05f">just a day earlier</a>&nbsp;that U.S. stocks opened the morning with a sharp loss, only to recover all of it and end the day with a tiny gain. Helping to drive that rebound was a record showing that past wars and conflicts in the Middle East have not usually meant long-term pain for U.S. stocks.But that was with the caveat that oil prices did not jump too high, like above $100 per barrel. On Tuesday, oil prices rose again and raised more alarms. The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, briefly leaped above $84.The jump lessened through the day, though, which helped moderate the losses for stocks. Brent settled at $81.40, up 4.7%. A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rose 4.7% to $74.56.The moves showed oil prices, and how much they’re set to worsen inflation, are among the central fears for investors. More expensive fuel will mean less money for U.S. and other households to spend. It would also raise expenses for companies worldwide, which would likewise hurt their profits. And corporate profits are the lifeblood of stock markets.Tuesday’s climb for oil prices came after Iran struck the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia, part of a widening of targets that also includes areas critical to the world’s oil and natural gas production. Worries are particularly high about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strait-hormuz-iran-energy-war-5b60e82ef2fc68e2b43aa570a32404dd">Strait of Hormuz</a>&nbsp;off the coast of Iran, a narrow passageway where roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passes.Iranian Brig. Gen. Ebrahim Jabbari, an adviser to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, vowed that any ships that passed through the strait would be set on fire.The fears about oil prices ebbed a bit later in the day as President Donald Trump said the U.S. Navy could begin escorting tankers through the strait, “if necessary,” to “ensure the FREE FLOW of ENERGY to the WORLD.”Making things uncertain for markets is the question about how long this war may continue.A major attack by the United States and Israel has already killed Iranian&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-supreme-leader-ayatollah-ali-khamenei-dead-5b13b69b708c4ed38e8f95f5fb41a597">Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei</a>, but Trump said late Monday night on his social media network, “Wars can be fought ‘forever,’ and very successfully” with the supply of munitions that the United States possesses.Some professional investors said again Tuesday they don’t think this is the beginning of a long-term down market and that stocks could rebound if the war doesn’t last that long. But they acknowledge it could take a while for that to become clear, and Tuesday’s swings for markets show how uncertain things are.Tuesday’s sell-off started in Asia, where the Kospi stock index in South Korea, a big energy importer, plunged 7.2% as markets reopened after a holiday on Monday. That was its worst day since two summers ago, and it had been setting records recently.Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 dropped 3.1%, even as analysts said Japan has a sizable stockpile lasting more than 200 days. In Europe, where prices for natural gas have soared because of the war, France’s CAC 40 lost 3.5%.On Wall Street, nearly three out of every four stocks within the S&amp;P 500 dropped. Unlike a day before, influential Big Tech stocks weren’t able to prop up indexes, and Nvidia fell 1.3%.Among the winners on Wall Street was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/target-earnings-sales-quarter-b3afa6d07912511f87e00af59c008d18">Target</a>, which rose 6.7% after the retailer reported a better profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected.All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 64.99 points to 6,816.63. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 403.51 to 48,501.27, and the Nasdaq composite sank 232.17 to 22,516.69.In the bond market, Treasury yields leaped in the morning with worries about inflation. The yield on the 10-year Treasury briefly rose above 4.10% before pulling back just below 4.06%. It was at 4.05% late Monday and just 3.97% on Friday.Higher yields can make it more expensive for U.S. households and businesses to borrow money, affecting everything from mortgages to bond issuances. They also put downward pressure on prices for stocks and all kinds of other investments.When Treasurys are paying more in interest, they can also undercut the price of gold, which pays its investors nothing. Gold fell 3.5% Tuesday to settle at $5,123.70 per ounce, halting a strong run that had taken it above $5,300 as investors looked for safer places to park their money.High inflation could also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-trump-powell-inflation-c13913c9e007981f075fb3b22d4a4cec">tie the Federal Reserve’s hands</a>&nbsp;and keep it from cutting interest rates. The Fed lowered rates several times last year and indicated more cuts were to come in 2026. That would help boost the economy and job market, but lower rates can also worsen inflation.Traders are now pushing back their forecasts further into the summer for when the Fed could resume cutting rates, according to data from CME Group. That’s even though Trump has been calling for Fed officials in angry and personal terms to cut rates now.

Dow trims early plunge of 1,200 as oil prices climb even higher

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Police have released the names of the victims in Sunday’s early morning two-vehicle crash at 10th and Quindaro.

Tiera Laster, 30 and Ashli McGough, 37, both residents of Kansas City, Kan., died from their injuries, according to a statement from Kansas City, Kansas Police.

Based on video obtained from the scene, the driver of the eastbound vehicle on Quindaro Boulevard crossed the double yellow line into the west bound lane and struck the vehicle driven by Laster. The driver and sole occupant of the eastbound vehicle and three passengers from Laster’s vehicle remain hospitalized in serious to critical condition.

This incident remains under investigation by the KCKPD Traffic Division. 

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Police have released the names of the victims in Sunday’s early morning two-vehicle crash at 10th and Quindaro.Tiera Laster, 30 and Ashli McGough, 37, both residents of Kansas City, Kan., died from their injuries, according to a statement from Kansas City, Kansas Police.Based on video obtained from the scene, the driver of the eastbound vehicle on Quindaro Boulevard crossed the double yellow line into the west bound lane and struck the vehicle driven by Laster. The driver and sole occupant of the eastbound vehicle and three passengers from Laster’s vehicle remain hospitalized in serious to critical condition.This incident remains under investigation by the KCKPD Traffic Division.

Police ID two Kansas women who died in wrong-way crash

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">Sherman Smith</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">Morgan Chilson</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

LAWRENCE — Attorneys will argue Friday in court over whether a judge should delay enforcement of a state law that invalidates driver’s licenses and birth certificates for those who changed their gender marker and restricts bathroom use based on sex assigned at birth.

Two trans men from Lawrence&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/27/trans-men-file-lawsuit-over-kansas-law-that-restricts-bathroom-use-and-invalidates-drivers-licenses/">filed a lawsuit last week</a>&nbsp;in Douglas County District Court to challenge&nbsp;<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb244/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 244</a>, which took effect Feb. 26. The unnamed plaintiffs say the law violates constitutional rights to personal autonomy, privacy, equity, due process and expression, could subject them to harassment and violence, and would jeopardize their mental health and employment.

Attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union and the Philadelphia-based Ballard Spahr law firm, which represent the plaintiffs, appeared by Zoom for a scheduling conference Tuesday in Douglas County District Court with Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and other attorneys for the state. Journalists from Kansas Reflector and the Kansas City Star and an attorney from the University of Kansas observed the hearing from an otherwise empty courtroom.

Douglas County District Judge James McCabria told attorneys they needed to find a time this week to hold oral arguments on a motion by plaintiffs for a temporary restraining order, which would block enforcement of the law. He set the hearing for Friday afternoon.

McCabria could rule quickly on the motion. He acknowledged a restraining order would be an “extraordinary remedy” for a law that has “broad application.” He noted the ruling would not be “a determination of final merits” in the case, and that he could continue to “weigh things later.”

The plaintiffs in the case are identified in court documents as Daniel Doe and Matthew Moe. During Tuesday’s hearing, the judge questioned Kobach about the use of pseudonyms. Kobach said it wasn’t typical but that he wouldn’t object, “just to make this thing move along.”

McCabria, who was appointed to the bench by Gov. Sam Brownback in 2014, said the use of pseudonyms “raises some questions,” and that he was concerned about the public’s right to know. He said he would wait until Friday to see if a news outlet objects to the plaintiffs’ request to proceed unnamed.

“I do see a reasonable and articulated reason for the request,” McCabria said.

The GOP-led Legislature fast-tracked passage of the law this year while bending rules to avoid public input and silence debate. Every Republican except Emporia Rep. Mark Schreiber voted to pass the law and to override Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto, despite objections from Democrats about the cost to local governments, harm to transgender people, unclear provisions in the law, and constitutional problems.

Republicans argued, without evidence, that the bathroom provision of the law was necessary to ensure the safety of women. They ignored the reality that the law now requires trans men to use women’s facilities.

The law contains a bounty-style provision that allows individuals who feel “aggrieved” by someone’s bathroom use to sue the individuals for monetary gain. Any public entity that fails to properly police bathrooms could be subject to a $25,000 fine on first offense and $125,000 fines on subsequent offenses.

The Kansas Department of Revenue&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/26/trans-kansans-struggle-with-reality-of-legislatures-cruelty-as-drivers-licenses-are-invalidated/">sent a letter to trans people</a>&nbsp;shortly before the law took effect to inform them their driver’s licenses were invalid. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thehandbasket.co/p/kansas-republicans-sb-244-trans-drivers-licenses" target="_blank">independent journalist Marisa Kabas</a>&nbsp;reported&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ejihld4sywvvqwe67cdkn4jq/post/3mfucyhno7s2z" target="_blank">an internal KDOR memo</a>&nbsp;to DMVs says no records have been invalidated.

The memo also says the agency sent a letter to 300 Kansans, although the agency has publicly said 1,700 records were affected.

Zach Denney, a KDOR spokesman, told Kansas Reflector that while the new law invalidates licenses immediately,&nbsp;agency employees must look at each record to determine why the gender marker was changed, as some could have been changed because of data entry errors. He encouraged individuals to check their status on the KDOR website.

“The KDOR driver’s license status check page accurately reflects KDOR’s internal system, and what law enforcement entities will see if they check a license,” he said. “The system is being updated, and as it is, the status check website will reflect changes made within the system.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1772563967974.png" alt=" A group of people walk Feb. 6, 2026, through the Statehouse in Topeka, demonstrating opposition to a recently passed bathroom ban. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> A group of people walk Feb. 6, 2026, through the Statehouse in Topeka, demonstrating opposition to a recently passed bathroom ban. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">Sherman Smith</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">Morgan Chilson</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>LAWRENCE — Attorneys will argue Friday in court over whether a judge should delay enforcement of a state law that invalidates driver’s licenses and birth certificates for those who changed their gender marker and restricts bathroom use based on sex assigned at birth.Two trans men from Lawrence&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/27/trans-men-file-lawsuit-over-kansas-law-that-restricts-bathroom-use-and-invalidates-drivers-licenses/">filed a lawsuit last week</a>&nbsp;in Douglas County District Court to challenge&nbsp;<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb244/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 244</a>, which took effect Feb. 26. The unnamed plaintiffs say the law violates constitutional rights to personal autonomy, privacy, equity, due process and expression, could subject them to harassment and violence, and would jeopardize their mental health and employment.Attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union and the Philadelphia-based Ballard Spahr law firm, which represent the plaintiffs, appeared by Zoom for a scheduling conference Tuesday in Douglas County District Court with Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and other attorneys for the state. Journalists from Kansas Reflector and the Kansas City Star and an attorney from the University of Kansas observed the hearing from an otherwise empty courtroom.Douglas County District Judge James McCabria told attorneys they needed to find a time this week to hold oral arguments on a motion by plaintiffs for a temporary restraining order, which would block enforcement of the law. He set the hearing for Friday afternoon.McCabria could rule quickly on the motion. He acknowledged a restraining order would be an “extraordinary remedy” for a law that has “broad application.” He noted the ruling would not be “a determination of final merits” in the case, and that he could continue to “weigh things later.”The plaintiffs in the case are identified in court documents as Daniel Doe and Matthew Moe. During Tuesday’s hearing, the judge questioned Kobach about the use of pseudonyms. Kobach said it wasn’t typical but that he wouldn’t object, “just to make this thing move along.”McCabria, who was appointed to the bench by Gov. Sam Brownback in 2014, said the use of pseudonyms “raises some questions,” and that he was concerned about the public’s right to know. He said he would wait until Friday to see if a news outlet objects to the plaintiffs’ request to proceed unnamed.“I do see a reasonable and articulated reason for the request,” McCabria said.The GOP-led Legislature fast-tracked passage of the law this year while bending rules to avoid public input and silence debate. Every Republican except Emporia Rep. Mark Schreiber voted to pass the law and to override Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto, despite objections from Democrats about the cost to local governments, harm to transgender people, unclear provisions in the law, and constitutional problems.Republicans argued, without evidence, that the bathroom provision of the law was necessary to ensure the safety of women. They ignored the reality that the law now requires trans men to use women’s facilities.The law contains a bounty-style provision that allows individuals who feel “aggrieved” by someone’s bathroom use to sue the individuals for monetary gain. Any public entity that fails to properly police bathrooms could be subject to a $25,000 fine on first offense and $125,000 fines on subsequent offenses.The Kansas Department of Revenue&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/26/trans-kansans-struggle-with-reality-of-legislatures-cruelty-as-drivers-licenses-are-invalidated/">sent a letter to trans people</a>&nbsp;shortly before the law took effect to inform them their driver’s licenses were invalid. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thehandbasket.co/p/kansas-republicans-sb-244-trans-drivers-licenses" target="_blank">independent journalist Marisa Kabas</a>&nbsp;reported&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ejihld4sywvvqwe67cdkn4jq/post/3mfucyhno7s2z" target="_blank">an internal KDOR memo</a>&nbsp;to DMVs says no records have been invalidated.The memo also says the agency sent a letter to 300 Kansans, although the agency has publicly said 1,700 records were affected.Zach Denney, a KDOR spokesman, told Kansas Reflector that while the new law invalidates licenses immediately,&nbsp;agency employees must look at each record to determine why the gender marker was changed, as some could have been changed because of data entry errors. He encouraged individuals to check their status on the KDOR website.“The KDOR driver’s license status check page accurately reflects KDOR’s internal system, and what law enforcement entities will see if they check a license,” he said. “The system is being updated, and as it is, the status check website will reflect changes made within the system.”

Kansas judge orders Friday hearing on whether to tap brakes on anti-trans law

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused of sexually assaulting a teen while she was waiting for a school bus in Wichita is due back in court Tuesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Gonzalo Ramirez, 31, will appear in Judge Rodger Woods courtroom for a preliminary hearing, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney' office.

He was charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent solicitation of a child..&nbsp; The judge will determine if there is evidence to move the case forward.

Just before 6a.m. on Sept. 15, police were dispatched to a report of a sexual assault of a minor that occurred in the 1500 block of South Kansas in Wichita, according to a media release.

The investigation revealed that a minor was waiting for the school bus when they were approached by a 31-year-old male suspect, not known to her.&nbsp; The suspect, identified according to Sedgwick County booking records as Gonzalo Ramirez, lured the minor into a vehicle and committed the assault.

Officers quickly located Ramirez who was taken into custody and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp; He remains in custody on a $500,000.00 bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758056137846.png" alt="Ramirez-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Ramirez-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused of sexually assaulting a teen while she was waiting for a school bus in Wichita is due back in court Tuesday afternoon.&nbsp;Gonzalo Ramirez, 31, will appear in Judge Rodger Woods courtroom for a preliminary hearing, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney' office.He was charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent solicitation of a child..&nbsp; The judge will determine if there is evidence to move the case forward.Just before 6a.m. on Sept. 15, police were dispatched to a report of a sexual assault of a minor that occurred in the 1500 block of South Kansas in Wichita, according to a media release.The investigation revealed that a minor was waiting for the school bus when they were approached by a 31-year-old male suspect, not known to her.&nbsp; The suspect, identified according to Sedgwick County booking records as Gonzalo Ramirez, lured the minor into a vehicle and committed the assault.Officers quickly located Ramirez who was taken into custody and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp; He remains in custody on a $500,000.00 bond, according to online jail records.

Preliminary hearing for suspect in Kan. school bus stop sex assault

WINDER, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia man who gave his teenage son the gun he's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-high-school-lockdown-3969d34cf6a7adc787facf21c469ef4d">accused of using to kill two students and two teachers</a>&nbsp;at a high school was convicted of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter on Tuesday.

Jurors took less than two hours to find Colin Gray guilty of all charges in the September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, northeast of Atlanta. Gray now joins a growing number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-parents-charged-bbe07bf6f882fd44f893639dc36c0825">parents being held responsible in court after children were accused</a>&nbsp;in shootings across the country.

Colin Gray was found guilty of second-degree murder in the deaths of two 14-year-old students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo. Georgia law defines second-degree murder as causing the death of a child by committing the crime of cruelty to children. Gray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the killings of teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53.

Another teacher and eight other students were wounded. Gray was also convicted of multiple counts of reckless conduct and cruelty to children.

He showed little emotion as the verdict was read and each juror was polled by the judge. Deputies then handcuffed him behind his back as he stood at the defense table, consulting with his lawyer. He will be sentenced at a later date. Second-degree murder is punishable by at least 10 but no more than 30 years in prison, while involuntary manslaughter carries a penalty of one to 10 years in prison.

Some relatives of victims wept as the verdicts were read. They declined to comment after court. Gray’s defense lawyers left without speaking to reporters.

“We talk a lot about rights in our country,” Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith said after the verdict. “But God gave us a duty to protect our children, and I hope that we remember that, as parents, as community members, to protect our children because that is our God-given duty.”

The teen's mother, Marcee Gray, wasn't charged.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-school-shooting-trial-colin-gray-82af44f531a374c3480b4fd6aaac6454">She testified that she had urged her estranged husband</a>&nbsp;to take any guns and lock them inside his truck so they would not be not accessible to their son. She and Colin Gray were separated in the months leading up to the shooting, and Colt lived mostly with his father during that time. She declined to comment when reached by phone after the verdict.

Prosecutors said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apalachee-high-school-colin-colt-gray-04346f61a8fc8cba2520343866c56eb6">Gray gave his son, Colt, the gun as a Christmas gift</a>&nbsp;and allowed him access to it along with ammunition despite the boy's deteriorating mental health. They said he had “sufficient warning that Colt Gray would harm and endanger” other people.

Fourteen at the time of the shooting, Colt Gray pleaded not guilty to a total of 55 counts, including murder. His judge set a status hearing for mid-March.

Investigators said Colt Gray carefully planned the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting at the school attended by 1,900 students.

He boarded the school bus with a semiautomatic, assault-style rifle in his book bag, the barrel sticking out and wrapped in poster board, investigators said. He left his second-period class and emerged from a bathroom with the gun and then shot people in a classroom and hallways, investigators said.

Colin Gray knew his son was obsessed with school shooters, even having a shrine in his bedroom to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nikolas-cruz">Nikolas Cruz</a>, the shooter in the 2018 massacre at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, prosecutors said.

“It wasn’t like one parent missed one warning,” Smith told reporters. “This was multiple warnings over a lengthy period of time and, like we said, you just had to do one thing — take that rifle away and this would have been prevented.”

Jennifer and James Crumbley, the first U.S. parents held criminally responsible for a mass school shooting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pontiac-michigan-oxford-high-school-shooting-crime-shootings-ff69e26f96bb07af5dcb76bddc650bb4">committed by a child,</a>&nbsp;are serving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-crumbley-jennifer-crumbley-oxford-school-shooting-e5888f615c76c3b26153c34dc36d5436">10-year prison terms</a>&nbsp;for involuntary manslaughter after their son Ethan killed four students and wounded others in Michigan in 2021.

Colin Gray was the first such parent to be charged in Georgia. Smith said Marcee Gray had seen what happened in Michigan and asked her husband to remove the weapons as a result. “So Michigan was able to move the needle to the point that it almost stopped this tragedy,” he said. “We hope we’ve moved the needle a little further.”

Associated Press writer Kate Brumback in Atlanta contributed reporting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725585758159.png" alt="Colt Gray -photo Barrow County Sheriff's office" />
 <figcaption>Colt Gray -photo Barrow County Sheriff's office</figcaption>
 </figure>By Jeff MartinWINDER, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia man who gave his teenage son the gun he's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-high-school-lockdown-3969d34cf6a7adc787facf21c469ef4d">accused of using to kill two students and two teachers</a>&nbsp;at a high school was convicted of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter on Tuesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725622947526.png" alt="Colin Gray-photo&nbsp;photo Barrow County Sheriff's office" />
 <figcaption>Colin Gray-photo&nbsp;photo Barrow County Sheriff's office</figcaption>
 </figure>Jurors took less than two hours to find Colin Gray guilty of all charges in the September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, northeast of Atlanta. Gray now joins a growing number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-parents-charged-bbe07bf6f882fd44f893639dc36c0825">parents being held responsible in court after children were accused</a>&nbsp;in shootings across the country.Colin Gray was found guilty of second-degree murder in the deaths of two 14-year-old students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo. Georgia law defines second-degree murder as causing the death of a child by committing the crime of cruelty to children. Gray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the killings of teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53.Another teacher and eight other students were wounded. Gray was also convicted of multiple counts of reckless conduct and cruelty to children.He showed little emotion as the verdict was read and each juror was polled by the judge. Deputies then handcuffed him behind his back as he stood at the defense table, consulting with his lawyer. He will be sentenced at a later date. Second-degree murder is punishable by at least 10 but no more than 30 years in prison, while involuntary manslaughter carries a penalty of one to 10 years in prison.Some relatives of victims wept as the verdicts were read. They declined to comment after court. Gray’s defense lawyers left without speaking to reporters.“We talk a lot about rights in our country,” Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith said after the verdict. “But God gave us a duty to protect our children, and I hope that we remember that, as parents, as community members, to protect our children because that is our God-given duty.”The teen's mother, Marcee Gray, wasn't charged.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-school-shooting-trial-colin-gray-82af44f531a374c3480b4fd6aaac6454">She testified that she had urged her estranged husband</a>&nbsp;to take any guns and lock them inside his truck so they would not be not accessible to their son. She and Colin Gray were separated in the months leading up to the shooting, and Colt lived mostly with his father during that time. She declined to comment when reached by phone after the verdict.Prosecutors said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apalachee-high-school-colin-colt-gray-04346f61a8fc8cba2520343866c56eb6">Gray gave his son, Colt, the gun as a Christmas gift</a>&nbsp;and allowed him access to it along with ammunition despite the boy's deteriorating mental health. They said he had “sufficient warning that Colt Gray would harm and endanger” other people.Fourteen at the time of the shooting, Colt Gray pleaded not guilty to a total of 55 counts, including murder. His judge set a status hearing for mid-March.Investigators said Colt Gray carefully planned the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting at the school attended by 1,900 students.He boarded the school bus with a semiautomatic, assault-style rifle in his book bag, the barrel sticking out and wrapped in poster board, investigators said. He left his second-period class and emerged from a bathroom with the gun and then shot people in a classroom and hallways, investigators said.Colin Gray knew his son was obsessed with school shooters, even having a shrine in his bedroom to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nikolas-cruz">Nikolas Cruz</a>, the shooter in the 2018 massacre at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, prosecutors said.“It wasn’t like one parent missed one warning,” Smith told reporters. “This was multiple warnings over a lengthy period of time and, like we said, you just had to do one thing — take that rifle away and this would have been prevented.”Jennifer and James Crumbley, the first U.S. parents held criminally responsible for a mass school shooting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pontiac-michigan-oxford-high-school-shooting-crime-shootings-ff69e26f96bb07af5dcb76bddc650bb4">committed by a child,</a>&nbsp;are serving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-crumbley-jennifer-crumbley-oxford-school-shooting-e5888f615c76c3b26153c34dc36d5436">10-year prison terms</a>&nbsp;for involuntary manslaughter after their son Ethan killed four students and wounded others in Michigan in 2021.Colin Gray was the first such parent to be charged in Georgia. Smith said Marcee Gray had seen what happened in Michigan and asked her husband to remove the weapons as a result. “So Michigan was able to move the needle to the point that it almost stopped this tragedy,” he said. “We hope we’ve moved the needle a little further.”____Associated Press writer Kate Brumback in Atlanta contributed reporting.

History: Father who gave gun to school shooting suspect convicted of murder

NEW YORK (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elections">2026 midterm season</a>&nbsp;begins in earnest on Tuesday with two of the nation's most consequential Senate primaries playing out in Texas, a political behemoth that Democrats have been fighting to flip for decades.

Is this the year? Republican leaders in Washington openly fret that a victory by conservative firebrand Ken Paxton over four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn would give Democrats a rare shot of winning the seat come November. The contest has already cost Republicans tens of millions of dollars, and there will be much more spent ahead of a May 26 runoff if no one gets 50% in the three-way primary that also includes Rep. Wesley Hunt.

Democrats, meanwhile, are picking between two rising stars with conflicting styles. There's U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who made a name for herself through confrontation, and state Rep. James Talarico, a former middle school teacher who is working toward a divinity degree.

Primaries are also taking place in North Carolina and Arkansas. Voting comes just days after President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;launched a major&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/iran">military campaign against Iran</a>, injecting an urgent foreign policy component in races otherwise focused on domestic issues.

Is the Democrats’ Texas threat for real this time?

Democrats have been raising the prospect of a Texas upset for decades. And yet the party hasn't won a Senate race there since Lloyd Bentsen's reelection in 1988.

Both sides believe this could be the year that things change. But much depends on Tuesday's results.

Some Republican leaders in Washington, including key allies of Trump, warn that a victory by Paxton, who has well-documented&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ken-paxton-impeachment-texas-547f46284c7858905b067fefa2c48f0b">personal baggage</a>, would undermine their chances in November. If he's the nominee, the party would need to divert tens of millions of dollars from other states to protect the seat.

Paxton could finish first on Tuesday, although he's not expected to earn the 50% needed to avoid a May 26 runoff election against the second-place finisher. For now, Cornyn is most likely to claim that position, while Hunt has made an aggressive case as well.

The runoff could get even uglier for a party that has already spent more than $100 million on the nomination fight, making it the most expensive primary in state history.

Democrats have a tough choice on their side as they decide what kind of fighter it wants to run against Trump's Republican Party.

Privately, Republicans say they're most worried about Talarico. The 36-year-old Democrat blends progressive politics with biblical fluency in a way that is uncommon among many national Democratic figures.

Talarico denounces “politics as a blood sport” and says people want “a return to more timeless values of sincerity and honesty and compassion and respect.”

On the other side is 44-year-old Crocket, a former civil rights attorney who has feuded with Republicans and drawn Trump's scorn. One of her advertisements boasts that she “drives the president crazy.” Another has the tagline “Crockett fights for us.”

Former Vice President Kamala Harris backed Crockett in a recorded call that went out across the state over the weekend.

“Texas has the chance to send a fighter like Jasmine Crockett to the United States Senate,” Harris said.

The primary elections come just three days after the U.S., in coordination with Israel, launched a major attack against Iran. Trump has suggested the military campaign could take at least four weeks. At least six U.S. soldiers have already been killed and the president predicts more deaths.

Foreign policy rarely shapes U.S. elections, although the timing of the conflict could certainly help shift voters' attention in primaries that have largely focused on issues at home. Texas, after all, is home to many military families.

The Republican candidates have overwhelmingly aligned themselves with Trump and his “America First” movement. The president's aggressive interventions overseas could complicate that message and force his allies to answer difficult questions.

So far,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-cornyn">Cornyn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ken-paxton">Paxton</a>&nbsp;have been quick to line up behind Trump. “Hopefully lives will not be lost needlessly, but this always entails risk,” Cornyn said Saturday.

The president sits at the very center of Tuesday's contests whether he is on the ballot or not.

Trump visited Texas on Friday and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-texas-cornyn-paxton-hunt-gop-primary-cd31dbec10c54ce230ae915e51cbccf0">dangled a potential endorsement</a>&nbsp;in the Senate race. But on the eve of the primary, he had yet to make a pick.

All of the Republican candidates have worked to convince voters they are aligned with Trump, who remains overwhelmingly popular among the primary electorate. Former Trump campaign chief Chris LaCivita is on the Cornyn payroll as well.

Trump stars in the Democratic primary as well, where Crockett, far more than Talarico, has grown a national brand based on her fierce opposition to Trump.

Depending on Tuesday's results, Texas may play a prominent role in the balance of power in Congress for the last two years of Trump's term. And he certainly doesn't want to be known as the Republican president who presided over Texas' shift blue.

Texas may dominate the chattering class, but North Carolina may be just as important — if not more — for the makeup of the Senate come November.

Even before Republican Sen. Thom Tillis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tillis-senate-north-carolina-trump-reelection-republicans-382f72ff5228d864b38009904cbc4e6b">announced his retirement</a>&nbsp;last June, North Carolina presented Democrats with one of few opportunities to flip a Republican-held seat in an otherwise difficult electoral map.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-senate-roy-cooper-tillis-49e7b69b20db803f75a1893e1e890f18">Former two-term Gov. Roy Cooper</a>&nbsp;is the dominant figure in the six-person Democratic field. The most prominent name in the Republican field is Michael Whatley, the former Republican National Committee chair who has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-north-carolina-whatley-senate-cooper-cb3b4109f85bf2f23fee93f05f253d7b">Trump’s backing</a>.

A more competitive primary is expected in North Carolina's 4th District, where incumbent Rep. Valerie Foushee, 69, is facing progressive Nida Allam, 32, who has endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., among other progressives.

Allam, a county commissioner and the first Muslim woman ever elected to public office in North Carolina, is campaigning on a message of a “brighter future.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765248170711.png" alt="U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett- from her social media page&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett- from her social media page&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elections">2026 midterm season</a>&nbsp;begins in earnest on Tuesday with two of the nation's most consequential Senate primaries playing out in Texas, a political behemoth that Democrats have been fighting to flip for decades.Is this the year? Republican leaders in Washington openly fret that a victory by conservative firebrand Ken Paxton over four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn would give Democrats a rare shot of winning the seat come November. The contest has already cost Republicans tens of millions of dollars, and there will be much more spent ahead of a May 26 runoff if no one gets 50% in the three-way primary that also includes Rep. Wesley Hunt.Democrats, meanwhile, are picking between two rising stars with conflicting styles. There's U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who made a name for herself through confrontation, and state Rep. James Talarico, a former middle school teacher who is working toward a divinity degree.Primaries are also taking place in North Carolina and Arkansas. Voting comes just days after President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;launched a major&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/iran">military campaign against Iran</a>, injecting an urgent foreign policy component in races otherwise focused on domestic issues.Here's what to watch for on Tuesday.<h2>Is the Democrats’ Texas threat for real this time?</h2>Democrats have been raising the prospect of a Texas upset for decades. And yet the party hasn't won a Senate race there since Lloyd Bentsen's reelection in 1988.Both sides believe this could be the year that things change. But much depends on Tuesday's results.Some Republican leaders in Washington, including key allies of Trump, warn that a victory by Paxton, who has well-documented&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ken-paxton-impeachment-texas-547f46284c7858905b067fefa2c48f0b">personal baggage</a>, would undermine their chances in November. If he's the nominee, the party would need to divert tens of millions of dollars from other states to protect the seat.Paxton could finish first on Tuesday, although he's not expected to earn the 50% needed to avoid a May 26 runoff election against the second-place finisher. For now, Cornyn is most likely to claim that position, while Hunt has made an aggressive case as well.The runoff could get even uglier for a party that has already spent more than $100 million on the nomination fight, making it the most expensive primary in state history.<h2>What kind of fighter do Dems want?</h2>Democrats have a tough choice on their side as they decide what kind of fighter it wants to run against Trump's Republican Party.Privately, Republicans say they're most worried about Talarico. The 36-year-old Democrat blends progressive politics with biblical fluency in a way that is uncommon among many national Democratic figures.Talarico denounces “politics as a blood sport” and says people want “a return to more timeless values of sincerity and honesty and compassion and respect.”On the other side is 44-year-old Crocket, a former civil rights attorney who has feuded with Republicans and drawn Trump's scorn. One of her advertisements boasts that she “drives the president crazy.” Another has the tagline “Crockett fights for us.”Former Vice President Kamala Harris backed Crockett in a recorded call that went out across the state over the weekend.“Texas has the chance to send a fighter like Jasmine Crockett to the United States Senate,” Harris said.<h2>Does war with Iran change anything?</h2>The primary elections come just three days after the U.S., in coordination with Israel, launched a major attack against Iran. Trump has suggested the military campaign could take at least four weeks. At least six U.S. soldiers have already been killed and the president predicts more deaths.Foreign policy rarely shapes U.S. elections, although the timing of the conflict could certainly help shift voters' attention in primaries that have largely focused on issues at home. Texas, after all, is home to many military families.The Republican candidates have overwhelmingly aligned themselves with Trump and his “America First” movement. The president's aggressive interventions overseas could complicate that message and force his allies to answer difficult questions.So far,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-cornyn">Cornyn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ken-paxton">Paxton</a>&nbsp;have been quick to line up behind Trump. “Hopefully lives will not be lost needlessly, but this always entails risk,” Cornyn said Saturday.<h2>What's at stake for Trump?</h2>The president sits at the very center of Tuesday's contests whether he is on the ballot or not.Trump visited Texas on Friday and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-texas-cornyn-paxton-hunt-gop-primary-cd31dbec10c54ce230ae915e51cbccf0">dangled a potential endorsement</a>&nbsp;in the Senate race. But on the eve of the primary, he had yet to make a pick.All of the Republican candidates have worked to convince voters they are aligned with Trump, who remains overwhelmingly popular among the primary electorate. Former Trump campaign chief Chris LaCivita is on the Cornyn payroll as well.Trump stars in the Democratic primary as well, where Crockett, far more than Talarico, has grown a national brand based on her fierce opposition to Trump.Depending on Tuesday's results, Texas may play a prominent role in the balance of power in Congress for the last two years of Trump's term. And he certainly doesn't want to be known as the Republican president who presided over Texas' shift blue.<h2>Don't sleep on North Carolina</h2>Texas may dominate the chattering class, but North Carolina may be just as important — if not more — for the makeup of the Senate come November.Even before Republican Sen. Thom Tillis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tillis-senate-north-carolina-trump-reelection-republicans-382f72ff5228d864b38009904cbc4e6b">announced his retirement</a>&nbsp;last June, North Carolina presented Democrats with one of few opportunities to flip a Republican-held seat in an otherwise difficult electoral map.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-senate-roy-cooper-tillis-49e7b69b20db803f75a1893e1e890f18">Former two-term Gov. Roy Cooper</a>&nbsp;is the dominant figure in the six-person Democratic field. The most prominent name in the Republican field is Michael Whatley, the former Republican National Committee chair who has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-north-carolina-whatley-senate-cooper-cb3b4109f85bf2f23fee93f05f253d7b">Trump’s backing</a>.A more competitive primary is expected in North Carolina's 4th District, where incumbent Rep. Valerie Foushee, 69, is facing progressive Nida Allam, 32, who has endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., among other progressives.Allam, a county commissioner and the first Muslim woman ever elected to public office in North Carolina, is campaigning on a message of a “brighter future.”

A mess in Texas? What to watch in Tuesday's primaries

Washington&nbsp;–&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, is urgently calling on any Kansan currently in the Middle East — or anyone with a loved one there — to evacuate immediately. His office is actively assisting with departures. Anyone needing assistance should email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:EvacHelp@marshall.senate.gov">EvacHelp@marshall.senate.gov</a>&nbsp;or call (785) 829-9000.

The U.S. State Department has advised any American currently in the following countries to depart immediately:

Senator Marshall strongly encourages all Americans abroad to enroll in the U.S. State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at step.state.gov to receive the latest security updates directly from the nearest U.S. embassy.

If you or a loved one needs assistance evacuating, contact Senator Marshall's office immediately by emailing&nbsp;<a href="mailto:EvacHelp@marshall.senate.gov">EvacHelp@marshall.senate.gov</a>&nbsp;or calling (785)829-9000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1772495225840.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Washington&nbsp;–&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, is urgently calling on any Kansan currently in the Middle East — or anyone with a loved one there — to evacuate immediately. His office is actively assisting with departures. Anyone needing assistance should email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:EvacHelp@marshall.senate.gov">EvacHelp@marshall.senate.gov</a>&nbsp;or call (785) 829-9000.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Watch my message to American citizens in Israel and be sure to register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive important security updates directly. &gt;&gt; <a href="https://t.co/8fk1kydTB2">https://t.co/8fk1kydTB2</a> <a href="https://t.co/r4IV0WQFEk">pic.twitter.com/r4IV0WQFEk</a>&mdash; Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@USAmbIsrael) <a href="https://twitter.com/USAmbIsrael/status/2028766418116714811?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The U.S. State Department has advised any American currently in the following countries to depart immediately:<ul>
 <li>Bahrain</li><li>Egypt</li><li>Iran</li><li>Iraq</li><li>Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza</li><li>Jordan&nbsp;</li><li>Kuwait</li><li>Lebanon&nbsp;</li><li>Oman&nbsp;</li><li>Qatar</li><li>Saudi Arabia&nbsp;</li><li>Syria&nbsp;</li><li>United Arab Emirates&nbsp;</li><li>Yemen&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Senator Marshall strongly encourages all Americans abroad to enroll in the U.S. State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at step.state.gov to receive the latest security updates directly from the nearest U.S. embassy.If you or a loved one needs assistance evacuating, contact Senator Marshall's office immediately by emailing&nbsp;<a href="mailto:EvacHelp@marshall.senate.gov">EvacHelp@marshall.senate.gov</a>&nbsp;or calling (785)829-9000.

Kan. U.S. Senator's office assisting Kansans evacuate from Middle East

By&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/michelle-chapman">MICHELLE CHAPMAN</a> Associated Press

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683569393523.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/michelle-chapman">MICHELLE CHAPMAN</a> Associated PressThe average price for a gallon of gasoline jumped 11 cents overnight to about $3.11 in the U.S., according to motor club AAA.Gas prices were already rising before the U.S. launched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/fc413267e23c8b36fd6521216033adaf">strikes on Iran</a>&nbsp;as refiners switch over to summer blends of fuel, but crude futures have risen sharply this week because of the war.On Tuesday, oil futures soared to levels not seen in more than a year as Iran launched a series of retaliatory attacks, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-us-03-03-2026-8755877b603e46ed3df8107689c1ee23">drone strike&nbsp;</a>on the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia.Benchmark U.S. crude jumped 8.6% to $77.36 a barrel.Brent crude, the international standard, added 6.7% to $81.29 a barrel. Global oil prices jumped to start the week over concerns that the war will clog the global flow of crude.