By DAVID RISING and JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI &nbsp;Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar's ruling military said Saturday on state television that the confirmed death toll from a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake rose to 1,644, as more bodies were pulled from the rubble of the scores of buildings that collapsed when it struck near the country's second-largest city.

The new total is a sharp rise compared to the 1,002 total announced just hours earlier, underlining the difficulty of confirming casualties over a widespread region and the likelihood that the numbers will continue to grow from Friday's quake. The number of injured increased to 3,408, while the missing figure rose to 139.

Rescue efforts are underway especially in the major stricken cities of Mandalay, the country's No. 2 city, and Naypyitaw, the capital. But even though teams and equipment have been flown in from other nations, they are hindered by the airports in those cities being damaged and apparently unfit to land planes.

Myanmar, also known as Burma, is in the throes of a prolonged civil war, which is already responsible for a humanitarian crisis. It makes movement around the country both difficult and dangerous, complicating relief efforts and raising fears that the death toll could still rise precipitously.

The earthquake struck midday Friday with an epicenter not far from Mandalay, followed by several aftershocks, including one measuring 6.4. It sent buildings in many areas toppling to the ground, buckled roads, caused bridges to collapse and burst a dam.

In Naypyidaw, crews worked Saturday to repair damaged roads, while electricity, phone and internet services remained down for most of the city. The earthquake brought down many buildings, including multiple units that housed government civil servants, but that section of the city was blocked off by authorities on Saturday.

In neighboring Thailand, the quake rocked the greater Bangkok area, home to around 17 million people, and other parts of the country.

Bangkok city authorities said the number of confirmed dead was now 10, nine at the site of the collapsed high-rise under construction near the capital's popular Chatuchak market, while 78 people were still unaccounted for. Rescue efforrs were continuing in the hope of finding additional survivors.

On Saturday, more heavy equipment was brought in to move the tons of rubble, but hope was fading among friends and family members of the missing that they would be found alive.

"I was praying that that they had survived but when I got here and saw the ruin — where could they be? In which corner? Are they still alive? I am still praying that all six are alive," said 45-year-old Naruemol Thonglek, sobbing as she awaited news about her partner, who is from Myanmar, and five friends who worked at the site.

Waenphet Panta said she hadn't heard from her daughter Kanlayanee since a phone call about an hour before the quake. A friend told her Kanlayanee had been working high on the building on Friday.

"I am praying my daughter is safe, that she has survived and that she's at the hospital," she said, Kanlayanee's father sitting beside her.

Thai authorities said that the quake and aftershocks were felt in most of the country's provinces. Many places in the north reported damage to residential buildings, hospitals and temples, including in Chiang Mai, but the only casualties were reported in Bangkok

Earthquakes are rare in Bangkok, but relatively common in Myanmar. The country sits on the Sagaing Fault, a major north-south fault that separates the India plate and the Sunda plate.

Brian Baptie, a seismologist with the British Geological Survey, said that the quake caused intense ground shaking in an area where most of the population lives in buildings constructed of timber and unreinforced brick masonry.

"When you have a large earthquake in an area where there are over a million people, many of them living in vulnerable buildings, the consequences can often be disastrous," he said in a statement.

Myanmar's government said that blood was in high demand in the hardest-hit areas. In a country where prior governments sometimes have been slow to accept foreign aid, Min Aung Hlaing said that Myanmar was ready to accept outside assistance.

Myanmar's military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, and is now involved in a civil war with long-established militias and newly formed pro-democracy ones.

Military forces continued their attacks even after the quake, with three airstrikes in northern Kayin state, also called Karenni state, and southern Shan — both of which border Mandalay state, said Dave Eubank, a former U.S. Army Special Forces soldier who founded the Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian aid organization that has provided assistance to both combatants and civilians in Myanmar since the 1990s.

Eubank told The Associated Press that in the area he was operating in, most villages have already been destroyed by the military so the earthquake had little impact.

"People are in the jungle and I was out in the jungle when the earthquake hit — it was powerful, but the trees just moved, that was it for us, so we haven't had a direct impact other than that the Burma army keeps attacking, even after the quake," he said.

In northern Shan, an airstrike on a rebel-controlled village just minutes after the earthquake killed seven militia members and damaged five buildings, including a school, Mai Rukow, editor of a Shan-based online media Shwe Phee Myay News Agency, told the AP.

Government forces have lost control of much of Myanmar, and many places are incredibly dangerous or simply impossible for aid groups to reach. More than 3 million people have been displaced by the fighting and nearly 20 million are in need, according to the United Nations.

"Although a full picture of the damage is still emerging, most of us have never seen such destruction," said Haider Yaqub, Myanmar country director for the NGO Plan International, from Yangon.

Control tower at Myanmar airport collapsed

Satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by the AP show the earthquake toppled the air traffic control tower at Naypyitaw International Airport as if sheered from its base.

Debris lay scattered from the top of the tower, which controlled all air traffic in the capital of Myanmar, the photos showed on Saturday.

It wasn't immediately clear if there had been any injuries in the collapse, though the tower would have had staff inside of it at the time of the earthquake Friday.

China and Russia are the largest suppliers of weapons to Myanmar's military, and were among the first to step in with humanitarian aid.

China said it has sent more than 135 rescue personnel and experts along with supplies like medical kits and generators, and pledged around $13.8 million in emergency aid. Hong Kong sent a 51-member team to Myanmar.

Russia's Emergencies Ministry said it had flown in 120 rescuers and supplies, and the country's Health Ministry said Moscow had sent a medical team to Myanmar.

Other countries like India and South Korea are sending help, and the U.N. allocated $5 million to start relief efforts.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that Washington was going to help with the response, but some experts were concerned about this effort given his administration's deep cuts in foreign assistance.

Jerry Harmer and Grant Peck in Bangkok, Simina Mistreanu in Taipei, Tong-hyung Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743174433121.jpeg" alt="Rescuers work at the site a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)" />
 <figcaption>Rescuers work at the site a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID RISING and JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI &nbsp;Associated PressBANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar's ruling military said Saturday on state television that the confirmed death toll from a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake rose to 1,644, as more bodies were pulled from the rubble of the scores of buildings that collapsed when it struck near the country's second-largest city.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">A powerful earthquake rocked Myanmar and neighboring Thailand on Friday, killing at least three people in Bangkok and burying dozens when a high-rise building under construction collapsed. <a href="https://t.co/wOb65quagE">pic.twitter.com/wOb65quagE</a>&mdash; The Associated Press (@AP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/1905635759484198924?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The new total is a sharp rise compared to the 1,002 total announced just hours earlier, underlining the difficulty of confirming casualties over a widespread region and the likelihood that the numbers will continue to grow from Friday's quake. The number of injured increased to 3,408, while the missing figure rose to 139.Rescue efforts are underway especially in the major stricken cities of Mandalay, the country's No. 2 city, and Naypyitaw, the capital. But even though teams and equipment have been flown in from other nations, they are hindered by the airports in those cities being damaged and apparently unfit to land planes.Myanmar, also known as Burma, is in the throes of a prolonged civil war, which is already responsible for a humanitarian crisis. It makes movement around the country both difficult and dangerous, complicating relief efforts and raising fears that the death toll could still rise precipitously.The earthquake struck midday Friday with an epicenter not far from Mandalay, followed by several aftershocks, including one measuring 6.4. It sent buildings in many areas toppling to the ground, buckled roads, caused bridges to collapse and burst a dam.In Naypyidaw, crews worked Saturday to repair damaged roads, while electricity, phone and internet services remained down for most of the city. The earthquake brought down many buildings, including multiple units that housed government civil servants, but that section of the city was blocked off by authorities on Saturday.More damage in ThailandIn neighboring Thailand, the quake rocked the greater Bangkok area, home to around 17 million people, and other parts of the country.Bangkok city authorities said the number of confirmed dead was now 10, nine at the site of the collapsed high-rise under construction near the capital's popular Chatuchak market, while 78 people were still unaccounted for. Rescue efforrs were continuing in the hope of finding additional survivors.On Saturday, more heavy equipment was brought in to move the tons of rubble, but hope was fading among friends and family members of the missing that they would be found alive."I was praying that that they had survived but when I got here and saw the ruin — where could they be? In which corner? Are they still alive? I am still praying that all six are alive," said 45-year-old Naruemol Thonglek, sobbing as she awaited news about her partner, who is from Myanmar, and five friends who worked at the site.Waenphet Panta said she hadn't heard from her daughter Kanlayanee since a phone call about an hour before the quake. A friend told her Kanlayanee had been working high on the building on Friday."I am praying my daughter is safe, that she has survived and that she's at the hospital," she said, Kanlayanee's father sitting beside her.Thai authorities said that the quake and aftershocks were felt in most of the country's provinces. Many places in the north reported damage to residential buildings, hospitals and temples, including in Chiang Mai, but the only casualties were reported in BangkokMyanmar sits on a major fault lineEarthquakes are rare in Bangkok, but relatively common in Myanmar. The country sits on the Sagaing Fault, a major north-south fault that separates the India plate and the Sunda plate.Brian Baptie, a seismologist with the British Geological Survey, said that the quake caused intense ground shaking in an area where most of the population lives in buildings constructed of timber and unreinforced brick masonry."When you have a large earthquake in an area where there are over a million people, many of them living in vulnerable buildings, the consequences can often be disastrous," he said in a statement.A natural disaster on top of a civil warMyanmar's government said that blood was in high demand in the hardest-hit areas. In a country where prior governments sometimes have been slow to accept foreign aid, Min Aung Hlaing said that Myanmar was ready to accept outside assistance.Myanmar's military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, and is now involved in a civil war with long-established militias and newly formed pro-democracy ones.Military forces continued their attacks even after the quake, with three airstrikes in northern Kayin state, also called Karenni state, and southern Shan — both of which border Mandalay state, said Dave Eubank, a former U.S. Army Special Forces soldier who founded the Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian aid organization that has provided assistance to both combatants and civilians in Myanmar since the 1990s.Eubank told The Associated Press that in the area he was operating in, most villages have already been destroyed by the military so the earthquake had little impact."People are in the jungle and I was out in the jungle when the earthquake hit — it was powerful, but the trees just moved, that was it for us, so we haven't had a direct impact other than that the Burma army keeps attacking, even after the quake," he said.In northern Shan, an airstrike on a rebel-controlled village just minutes after the earthquake killed seven militia members and damaged five buildings, including a school, Mai Rukow, editor of a Shan-based online media Shwe Phee Myay News Agency, told the AP.Government forces have lost control of much of Myanmar, and many places are incredibly dangerous or simply impossible for aid groups to reach. More than 3 million people have been displaced by the fighting and nearly 20 million are in need, according to the United Nations."Although a full picture of the damage is still emerging, most of us have never seen such destruction," said Haider Yaqub, Myanmar country director for the NGO Plan International, from Yangon.Control tower at Myanmar airport collapsedSatellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by the AP show the earthquake toppled the air traffic control tower at Naypyitaw International Airport as if sheered from its base.Debris lay scattered from the top of the tower, which controlled all air traffic in the capital of Myanmar, the photos showed on Saturday.It wasn't immediately clear if there had been any injuries in the collapse, though the tower would have had staff inside of it at the time of the earthquake Friday.Rescue groups head to MyanmarChina and Russia are the largest suppliers of weapons to Myanmar's military, and were among the first to step in with humanitarian aid.China said it has sent more than 135 rescue personnel and experts along with supplies like medical kits and generators, and pledged around $13.8 million in emergency aid. Hong Kong sent a 51-member team to Myanmar.Russia's Emergencies Ministry said it had flown in 120 rescuers and supplies, and the country's Health Ministry said Moscow had sent a medical team to Myanmar.Other countries like India and South Korea are sending help, and the U.N. allocated $5 million to start relief efforts.U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that Washington was going to help with the response, but some experts were concerned about this effort given his administration's deep cuts in foreign assistance.___Jerry Harmer and Grant Peck in Bangkok, Simina Mistreanu in Taipei, Tong-hyung Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

Hundreds dead from massive quake in Myanmar and Thailand

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Friday asked the Supreme Court for permission to resume deportations of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-el-salvador-immigration-dd4f61999f85c4dd8bcaba7d4fc7c9af">Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador</a>&nbsp;under an 18th century wartime law, while a court fight continues.

The emergency appeal to the high court follows a rejection of the Republican administration’s plea to the federal appeals court in Washington. By a 2-1 vote, a panel of appellate judges left in place an order temporarily prohibiting deportations of the migrants under the rarely used Alien Enemies Act

The Justice Department argued in court papers that federal courts shouldn’t interfere with sensitive diplomatic negotiations. It also claimed that migrants should make their case in a federal court in Texas, where they are being detained.

The order temporarily blocking the deportations was issued by U.S. District Judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportation-judge-boasberg-venezuela-supreme-court-ccc7e61ccf8e8062d7075b617c87cdb5">James E. Boasberg</a>, the chief judge at the federal couhouse in Washington.

President Donald Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act for the first time since World War II to justify the deportation of hundreds of people under a presidential proclamation calling the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tren-de-aragua-gang-venezuela-us-a12c8fee9dc4a0ca73769ea893e09e53">Tren de Aragua gang</a>&nbsp;an invading force.

“Here, the district court’s orders have rebuffed the President’s judgments as to how to protect the Nation against foreign terrorist organizations and risk debilitating effects for delicate foreign negotiations,” acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris wrote in the court filing.

Attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit on behalf of five Venezuelan noncitizens who were being held in Texas, hours after the proclamation was made public.

The court set a Tuesday deadline for a response from the ACLU.

The case has become a flashpoint amid escalating tension between the White House and the federal courts.

Boasberg imposed a temporary halt on deportations and ordered planeloads of Venezuelan immigrants to return to the U.S. That did not happen. The judge has since vowed to determine whether the government defied his order to turn the planes around. The administration has invoked a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-state-secrets-trump-terrorism-05e19d6fede12c0d0f263e983d7f4ebc">“state secrets privilege”</a>&nbsp;and refused to give Boasberg any additional information about the deportations.

Trump and his allies have called for impeaching Boasberg. In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-federal-judges-impeachment-29da1153a9f82106748098a6606fec39">a rare statement</a>, Chief Justice John Roberts said “impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision.”

The Alien Enemies Act allows noncitizens to be deported without the opportunity for a hearing before an immigration or federal court judge.

Boasberg ruled that immigrants facing deportation must get an opportunity to challenge their designations as alleged gang members.&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436.53.0.pdf">His ruling</a>&nbsp;said there is “a strong public interest in preventing the mistaken deportation of people based on categories they have no right to challenge.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743173991721.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Friday asked the Supreme Court for permission to resume deportations of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-el-salvador-immigration-dd4f61999f85c4dd8bcaba7d4fc7c9af">Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador</a>&nbsp;under an 18th century wartime law, while a court fight continues.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">While you slept, your government sent three planes full of Tren de Aragua and MS-13 thugs to the beautiful prisons of El Salvador. Thanks to the leadership of this administration—and our friend <a href="https://twitter.com/nayibbukele?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nayibbukele</a>—America is safer today than it was yesterday. <a href="https://t.co/eO76KRqOuG">pic.twitter.com/eO76KRqOuG</a>&mdash; Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_Schmitt/status/1901344554000793658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The emergency appeal to the high court follows a rejection of the Republican administration’s plea to the federal appeals court in Washington. By a 2-1 vote, a panel of appellate judges left in place an order temporarily prohibiting deportations of the migrants under the rarely used Alien Enemies ActThe Justice Department argued in court papers that federal courts shouldn’t interfere with sensitive diplomatic negotiations. It also claimed that migrants should make their case in a federal court in Texas, where they are being detained.The order temporarily blocking the deportations was issued by U.S. District Judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportation-judge-boasberg-venezuela-supreme-court-ccc7e61ccf8e8062d7075b617c87cdb5">James E. Boasberg</a>, the chief judge at the federal couhouse in Washington.President Donald Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act for the first time since World War II to justify the deportation of hundreds of people under a presidential proclamation calling the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tren-de-aragua-gang-venezuela-us-a12c8fee9dc4a0ca73769ea893e09e53">Tren de Aragua gang</a>&nbsp;an invading force.“Here, the district court’s orders have rebuffed the President’s judgments as to how to protect the Nation against foreign terrorist organizations and risk debilitating effects for delicate foreign negotiations,” acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris wrote in the court filing.Attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit on behalf of five Venezuelan noncitizens who were being held in Texas, hours after the proclamation was made public.The court set a Tuesday deadline for a response from the ACLU.The case has become a flashpoint amid escalating tension between the White House and the federal courts.Boasberg imposed a temporary halt on deportations and ordered planeloads of Venezuelan immigrants to return to the U.S. That did not happen. The judge has since vowed to determine whether the government defied his order to turn the planes around. The administration has invoked a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-state-secrets-trump-terrorism-05e19d6fede12c0d0f263e983d7f4ebc">“state secrets privilege”</a>&nbsp;and refused to give Boasberg any additional information about the deportations.Trump and his allies have called for impeaching Boasberg. In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-federal-judges-impeachment-29da1153a9f82106748098a6606fec39">a rare statement</a>, Chief Justice John Roberts said “impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision.”The Alien Enemies Act allows noncitizens to be deported without the opportunity for a hearing before an immigration or federal court judge.Boasberg ruled that immigrants facing deportation must get an opportunity to challenge their designations as alleged gang members.&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436.53.0.pdf">His ruling</a>&nbsp;said there is “a strong public interest in preventing the mistaken deportation of people based on categories they have no right to challenge.”

Trump asks Supreme Court to allow deportations under Alien Enemies Act

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

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The leader of a small group of self-described satanists and at least one other person were arrested Friday following a scuffle inside the Kansas Statehouse arising from an effort by the group's leader to start a “Black Mass” in the rotunda.

About 30 members of the Kansas City-area Satanic Grotto, led by its president, Michael Stewart, rallied outside the Statehouse for the separation of church and state. The group also protested what members called the state's favoritism toward Christians in allowing events inside. Gov. Laura Kelly temporarily banned protests inside, just for Friday, weeks after Stewart's group scheduled its indoor ceremony.

The Satanic Grotto's rally outside drew hundreds of Christian counterprotesters because of the Grotto's satanic imagery, and its indoor ceremony included denouncing Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the Son of God. About 100 Christians stood against yellow police tape marking the Satanic Grotto's area. The two groups yelled at each other while the Christians also sang and called on Grotto members to accept Jesus. Several hundred more Christians rallied on the other side of the Grotto's area, but further away.

Kelly issued her order earlier this month after Roman Catholic groups pushed her to ban any Satanic Grotto event. The state’s Catholic Bishops called what the group planned “a despicable act of anti-Catholic bigotry” mocking the Catholic Mass. Both chambers of the Legislature also approved resolutions condemning it.

“The Bible says Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy, so when we dedicate a state to Satan, we’re dedicating it to death," said Jeremiah Hicks, a pastor at the Cure Church in Kansas City, Kansas.

Satanic Grotto members, who number several dozen, said they hold a variety of beliefs. Some are atheists, some use the group to protest harm they suffered as church members, and others see Satan as a symbol of independence.

Amy Dorsey, a friend of Stewart's, said she rallied with the Satanic Grotto to support free speech rights and religious freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment, in part because Christian groups are allowed to meet regularly inside the Statehouse for prayer or worship meetings.

Before his arrest, Stewart said his group scheduled its Black Mass for Friday because it thought the Kansas Legislature would be in session, though lawmakers adjourned late Thursday night for their annual spring break. Stewart said the group might come back next year.

“Maybe un-baptisms, right here in the Capitol,” he said.

Video shot by KSNT-TV showed that when Stewart tried to conduct his group's ceremony in the first-floor rotunda, a young man tried to snatch Stewart's script from his hands, and Stewart punched him. Several Kansas Highway Patrol troopers wrestled Stewart to the ground and handcuffed him. They led him through hallways on the ground floor below and into a room as he yelled, “Hail, Satan!”

Stewart’s wife, Maenad Bee, told reporters, “He’s only exercising his First Amendment rights.”

Online records showed that Stewart was jailed briefly Friday afternoon on suspicion of disorderly conduct and having an unlawful assembly, then released on $1,000 bond.

Witnesses and friends identified the young man trying to snatch away the script as Marcus Schroeder, who came to counterprotest with fellow members of a Kansas City-area church. Online records show Schroeder was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct, with his bond also set at $1,000.

Dorsey said two other Satanic Grotto members also were detained, but didn't have details. The Highway Patrol did not immediately confirm any arrests or detentions.

A friend of Schroeder's, Jonathan Storms, said he was trying to help a woman who also sought to snatch away Stewart's script and “didn't throw any punches.”

The woman, Karla Delgado, said she came to the Statehouse with her three youngest children to deliver a petition protesting the Black Mass to Kelly's office. Delgado said she approached Stewart because he was violating the governor's order and Highway Patrol troopers weren't immediately arresting him. She said in the ensuing confusion, her 4-year-old daughter was knocked to the ground.

“When we saw that nobody was doing anything — I guess just in the moment of it — it was like, ‘He’s not supposed to be allowed to do this,’ so we tried to stop him," she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743212422619.png" alt="Rally outside the Statehouse Friday Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Rally outside the Statehouse Friday Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20HANNA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN HANNA Associated Press</a>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The leader of a small group of self-described satanists and at least one other person were arrested Friday following a scuffle inside the Kansas Statehouse arising from an effort by the group's leader to start a “Black Mass” in the rotunda.About 30 members of the Kansas City-area Satanic Grotto, led by its president, Michael Stewart, rallied outside the Statehouse for the separation of church and state. The group also protested what members called the state's favoritism toward Christians in allowing events inside. Gov. Laura Kelly temporarily banned protests inside, just for Friday, weeks after Stewart's group scheduled its indoor ceremony.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743212382604.png" alt="Michael Stewart, Founder and President of the KC area Satanic Grotto spoke with reporters Friday -image courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Michael Stewart, Founder and President of the KC area Satanic Grotto spoke with reporters Friday -image courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>The Satanic Grotto's rally outside drew hundreds of Christian counterprotesters because of the Grotto's satanic imagery, and its indoor ceremony included denouncing Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the Son of God. About 100 Christians stood against yellow police tape marking the Satanic Grotto's area. The two groups yelled at each other while the Christians also sang and called on Grotto members to accept Jesus. Several hundred more Christians rallied on the other side of the Grotto's area, but further away.Kelly issued her order earlier this month after Roman Catholic groups pushed her to ban any Satanic Grotto event. The state’s Catholic Bishops called what the group planned “a despicable act of anti-Catholic bigotry” mocking the Catholic Mass. Both chambers of the Legislature also approved resolutions condemning it.“The Bible says Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy, so when we dedicate a state to Satan, we’re dedicating it to death," said Jeremiah Hicks, a pastor at the Cure Church in Kansas City, Kansas.Satanic Grotto members, who number several dozen, said they hold a variety of beliefs. Some are atheists, some use the group to protest harm they suffered as church members, and others see Satan as a symbol of independence.Amy Dorsey, a friend of Stewart's, said she rallied with the Satanic Grotto to support free speech rights and religious freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment, in part because Christian groups are allowed to meet regularly inside the Statehouse for prayer or worship meetings.Before his arrest, Stewart said his group scheduled its Black Mass for Friday because it thought the Kansas Legislature would be in session, though lawmakers adjourned late Thursday night for their annual spring break. Stewart said the group might come back next year.“Maybe un-baptisms, right here in the Capitol,” he said.Video shot by KSNT-TV showed that when Stewart tried to conduct his group's ceremony in the first-floor rotunda, a young man tried to snatch Stewart's script from his hands, and Stewart punched him. Several Kansas Highway Patrol troopers wrestled Stewart to the ground and handcuffed him. They led him through hallways on the ground floor below and into a room as he yelled, “Hail, Satan!”Stewart’s wife, Maenad Bee, told reporters, “He’s only exercising his First Amendment rights.”Online records showed that Stewart was jailed briefly Friday afternoon on suspicion of disorderly conduct and having an unlawful assembly, then released on $1,000 bond.Witnesses and friends identified the young man trying to snatch away the script as Marcus Schroeder, who came to counterprotest with fellow members of a Kansas City-area church. Online records show Schroeder was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct, with his bond also set at $1,000.Dorsey said two other Satanic Grotto members also were detained, but didn't have details. The Highway Patrol did not immediately confirm any arrests or detentions.A friend of Schroeder's, Jonathan Storms, said he was trying to help a woman who also sought to snatch away Stewart's script and “didn't throw any punches.”The woman, Karla Delgado, said she came to the Statehouse with her three youngest children to deliver a petition protesting the Black Mass to Kelly's office. Delgado said she approached Stewart because he was violating the governor's order and Highway Patrol troopers weren't immediately arresting him. She said in the ensuing confusion, her 4-year-old daughter was knocked to the ground.“When we saw that nobody was doing anything — I guess just in the moment of it — it was like, ‘He’s not supposed to be allowed to do this,’ so we tried to stop him," she said.

Satanist leader's attempt to hold 'Black Mass' inside Kan. Statehouse sparks chaos, arrests

KANSAS CITY — A jury on Friday convicted a Kansas City man for a fatal shooting that took place last year in the North Town Fork Creek neighborhood, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

D’Aires Gadson, 29, was found guilty of 2nd Degree Murder and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. His sentencing is scheduled for June 5.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2555/Gadson-redacted-PC-Statement">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to East 55th Street and College Avenue on Oct. 3, 2024, on reports of a shooting. They located the victim lying in the street suffering from gunshot trauma and was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;

Surveillance footage showed the defendant pull out a firearm and start shooting at the victim. The victim ran toward his truck as the defendant continued shooting at him. Witnesses say the defendant went through the victim’s pockets and drove away with the victim’s truck.

The defendant was convicted in 2018 for 2nd Degree Robbery and Armed Criminal Action and was prohibited from possessing firearms.&nbsp;

Chief Trial Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Jamie Hunt and Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kendall Robbins prosecuted the case on behalf of the state of Missouri.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742657630500.png" alt="Gadson photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Gadson photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY — A jury on Friday convicted a Kansas City man for a fatal shooting that took place last year in the North Town Fork Creek neighborhood, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.D’Aires Gadson, 29, was found guilty of 2nd Degree Murder and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. His sentencing is scheduled for June 5.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2555/Gadson-redacted-PC-Statement">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to East 55th Street and College Avenue on Oct. 3, 2024, on reports of a shooting. They located the victim lying in the street suffering from gunshot trauma and was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;Surveillance footage showed the defendant pull out a firearm and start shooting at the victim. The victim ran toward his truck as the defendant continued shooting at him. Witnesses say the defendant went through the victim’s pockets and drove away with the victim’s truck.The defendant was convicted in 2018 for 2nd Degree Robbery and Armed Criminal Action and was prohibited from possessing firearms.&nbsp;Chief Trial Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Jamie Hunt and Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kendall Robbins prosecuted the case on behalf of the state of Missouri.&nbsp;

KC man shot victim, went through his pockets, stole his truck

SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 8:30a.m. Friday in Sedgwick County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Chevy Silverado driven by Joel J. Troyer, 69, Goddard, was southbound on Interstate 135 just north of Lincoln in the far inside lane. The pickup lost some cargo and Troyer&nbsp;stopped in the lane of traffic to retrieve it.

A 2024 Kia Seltos driven by Jacob Aaron Alberts, 34, Wichita, struck Troyer. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Alberts and an 8-month old passenger were properly restrained and not injured, according to the KHP.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743176701619.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 8:30a.m. Friday in Sedgwick County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Chevy Silverado driven by Joel J. Troyer, 69, Goddard, was southbound on Interstate 135 just north of Lincoln in the far inside lane. The pickup lost some cargo and Troyer&nbsp;stopped in the lane of traffic to retrieve it.A 2024 Kia Seltos driven by Jacob Aaron Alberts, 34, Wichita, struck Troyer. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Alberts and an 8-month old passenger were properly restrained and not injured, according to the KHP.&nbsp;

Kan. man retrieving lost cargo struck and killed by SUV

NUUK, Greenland (AP) — U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Friday that Denmark has "underinvested" in Greenland’s security and demanded that Denmark change its approach as President Donald Trump continues to talk of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-offshore-drilling-gulf-of-america-fa66f8d072eb39c00a8128a8941ede75">taking over the Danish territory</a>.

The pointed remarks came as Vance visited U.S. troops on Pituffik Space Base on the mineral-rich,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-trump-independence-election-denmark-china-russia-c86afc33375d0fe260f065a662e04b57">strategically critical island</a>.

“Our message to Denmark is very simple: You have not done a good job by the people of Greenland,” Vance said. “You have underinvested in the people of Greenland, and you have underinvested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful landmass filled with incredible people. That has to change.”

Vance said the U.S. has “no option” but to take a significant position to ensure the security of Greenland as he encouraged a push in Greenland for independence from Denmark.

“I think that they ultimately will partner with the United States,” Vance said. “We could make them much more secure. We could do a lot more protection. And I think they’d fare a lot better economically as well.”

Vance was joined by his wife and other senior U.S. officials for the visit to the American military base in a trip that was scaled back after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-future-trump-arctic-independence-denmark-minerals-4711a83c4490de99638db32029b668c9">an uproar among Greenlanders and Danes</a>&nbsp;who were irked that the original itinerary was planned without consulting them.

Soon after arriving, Vance briefly addressed U.S. troops stationed at the base as he and his wife sat down to lunch with them, saying that the Republican administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is very interested in “Arctic security.” He and his entourage, including national security adviser Mike Waltz, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, then received briefings from military officials.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-greenland-trump-denmark-pituffik-base-arctic-ec5ba20a161ba52c9d664706d030b60f">revised trip</a>&nbsp;to the semi-autonomous Danish territory comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/trump-has-scared-most-greenlanders-away-from-idea-of-close-ties-with-the-us-defense-expert-says-b41ef9f6a07a4e78868646b66eb1ca7e">relations between the U.S. and the Nordic country</a>, a traditional U.S. ally and NATO member, have soured. Trump had repeatedly suggested that the United States should in some form control the island.

During his remarks at the end of the brief visit, Vance underscored that he did not think military force was ever going to be necessary as he pressed the idea of a dramatically enhanced American position on the island.

“Because we think the people of Greenland are rational and good, we think we’re going to have to cut a deal, Donald Trump style, to ensure the security of this territory but also the United States of America,” Vance said.

In Washington, Trump on Friday said the U.S. “needs Greenland for international security.”

Trump, speaking to reporters soon after Vance’s arrival, alluded to the rising Chinese and Russian interest in the Arctic, where sea lanes have opened up because of climate change.

“Greenland’s very important for the peace of the world,” Trump said. “And I think Denmark understands, and I think the European Union understands it. And if they don’t, we’re going to have to explain it to them.”

Vance hasn't shied away from impolitic exchanges with global leaders during the early going of Trump's second White House term, in which the Republican leader has vowed dramatically shake up America’s approach on the world stage.

In his first overseas trip last month, Vance used a visit to an artificial intelligence summit in Paris to deliver an unmistakable message: The United States has room for you on the Trump train — but it also has no problem leaving you behind.

Days later at the Munich Security Conference, Vance lectured European officials on free speech and illegal migration on the continent.

Late last month, he laid into Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for being insufficiently grateful to the U.S. for its assistance since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. That disastrous Oval Office meeting led to Trump briefly cutting off military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv.

Friday's one-day visit to the U.S. Space Force&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-american-military-pituffik-space-base-denmark-746d67b1bc8e6681328a809787412495">outpost at Pituffik</a>, on the northwest coast of Greenland, removed the risk of potentially violating diplomatic custom by sending a delegation to another country without an official invitation. It also reduced the likelihood that Vance and his wife would cross paths with residents angered by Trump’s announcements.

It was minus-3 degrees F (minus-19 degrees C) when the delegation landed to sunny skies at the remote base 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) north of the Arctic Circle. “It’s cold as s—- here. Nobody told me,” Vance said, prompting laughs.

Ahead of Vance's arrival, four of the five parties elected to Greenland's parliament earlier this month signed an agreement to form a new, broad-based&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-us-trump-vance-coalition-government-7761811a2fc02d1ae86bb09e16b4bd46">coalition government</a>. The parties banded together in the face of Trump's designs on the territory.

“It is a time when we as a population are under pressure,” the prime minister-designate, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said before the accord was signed to applause and cheers in the capital, Nuuk.

He added that “we must stick together. Together we are strongest,” Greenland broadcaster KNR reported.

In a post on Instagram, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen congratulated Nielsen and his incoming government, and said, “I look forward to close cooperation in an unnecessarily conflict-filled time.”

Frederiksen said Tuesday that the U.S. visit, which was originally set for three days, created “unacceptable pressure." She has said Denmark wants to work with the U.S. on defense and security, but Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders.

Initially, Vance's wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usha-vance-denmark-greenland-trump-4b2a8d19cbeda770357e84aef740d4b7">Usha Vance, had announced a solo trip</a>&nbsp;to the Avannaata Qimussersu dogsled race in Sisimiut. The vice president subsequently said he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-greenland-trump-e5d53819bfeb622c9e56d5fc2bcdb889">join her on that trip</a>, only to change that itinerary again — after protests from Greenland and Denmark — to a one-day visit to the military post only.

Inhabitants of Nuuk, which is about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) south of Pituffik, voiced concern about Vance's visit and the U.S. interest in their island.

Cora Høy, 22, said Vance was “welcome if he wants to see it but of course Greenland is not for sale.” She added that “it’s not normal around here” with all the attention Greenland is getting. "I feel now every day is about (Trump) and I just want to get away from it.”

“It’s all a bit crazy. Of course the population here is a bit shook up,” said 30-year-old Inuk Kristensen. "My opinion is the same as everyone’s: Of course you don’t do things this way. You don’t just come here and say that you want to buy the place.”

As the nautical gateway to the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America, Greenland has broader strategic value as both China and Russia seek access to its waterways and natural resources.

“We need to ensure that America is leading in the Arctic, because we know that if America doesn’t, other nations will fill the gap where we fall behind,” Vance said.

Grieshaber reported from Berlin and Madhani from Washington. Associated Press writers Geir Moulson in Berlin and Vanessa Gera in Warsaw, Poland, contributed to this report.

NUUK, Greenland (AP) — U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Friday that Denmark has "underinvested" in Greenland’s security and demanded that Denmark change its approach as President Donald Trump continues to talk of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-offshore-drilling-gulf-of-america-fa66f8d072eb39c00a8128a8941ede75">taking over the Danish territory</a>.The pointed remarks came as Vance visited U.S. troops on Pituffik Space Base on the mineral-rich,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-trump-independence-election-denmark-china-russia-c86afc33375d0fe260f065a662e04b57">strategically critical island</a>.“Our message to Denmark is very simple: You have not done a good job by the people of Greenland,” Vance said. “You have underinvested in the people of Greenland, and you have underinvested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful landmass filled with incredible people. That has to change.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>: &quot;Why does Greenland matter so much? -- We know that Russia and China and other nations are taking an extraordinary interest in Arctic passageways, Arctic naval routes, and in the minerals of the Arctic territories. We need to ensure America is leading in the Arctic.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/KVZeVxTbtW">pic.twitter.com/KVZeVxTbtW</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1905686449602916696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</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/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> Vance: &quot;We want to have good relationships with everybody... but part of having good relations is showing your strength when you have to. And unfortunately, the story of Greenland over the past 20 years when it comes to security is that we&#39;ve underinvested... that has to… <a href="https://t.co/3DwgvHnk9F">pic.twitter.com/3DwgvHnk9F</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1905687853230944440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</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/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>: &quot;We can&#39;t just bury our head in the sand — or, in Greenland, bury our head in the snow — and pretend that the Chinese are not interested in this very large landmass. We know that they are.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/2qzgOhL2pQ">pic.twitter.com/2qzgOhL2pQ</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1905689227444322722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Vance said the U.S. has “no option” but to take a significant position to ensure the security of Greenland as he encouraged a push in Greenland for independence from Denmark.“I think that they ultimately will partner with the United States,” Vance said. “We could make them much more secure. We could do a lot more protection. And I think they’d fare a lot better economically as well.”Vance was joined by his wife and other senior U.S. officials for the visit to the American military base in a trip that was scaled back after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-future-trump-arctic-independence-denmark-minerals-4711a83c4490de99638db32029b668c9">an uproar among Greenlanders and Danes</a>&nbsp;who were irked that the original itinerary was planned without consulting them.Soon after arriving, Vance briefly addressed U.S. troops stationed at the base as he and his wife sat down to lunch with them, saying that the Republican administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is very interested in “Arctic security.” He and his entourage, including national security adviser Mike Waltz, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, then received briefings from military officials.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-greenland-trump-denmark-pituffik-base-arctic-ec5ba20a161ba52c9d664706d030b60f">revised trip</a>&nbsp;to the semi-autonomous Danish territory comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/trump-has-scared-most-greenlanders-away-from-idea-of-close-ties-with-the-us-defense-expert-says-b41ef9f6a07a4e78868646b66eb1ca7e">relations between the U.S. and the Nordic country</a>, a traditional U.S. ally and NATO member, have soured. Trump had repeatedly suggested that the United States should in some form control the island.During his remarks at the end of the brief visit, Vance underscored that he did not think military force was ever going to be necessary as he pressed the idea of a dramatically enhanced American position on the island.“Because we think the people of Greenland are rational and good, we think we’re going to have to cut a deal, Donald Trump style, to ensure the security of this territory but also the United States of America,” Vance said.In Washington, Trump on Friday said the U.S. “needs Greenland for international security.”Trump, speaking to reporters soon after Vance’s arrival, alluded to the rising Chinese and Russian interest in the Arctic, where sea lanes have opened up because of climate change.“Greenland’s very important for the peace of the world,” Trump said. “And I think Denmark understands, and I think the European Union understands it. And if they don’t, we’re going to have to explain it to them.”Vance hasn't shied away from impolitic exchanges with global leaders during the early going of Trump's second White House term, in which the Republican leader has vowed dramatically shake up America’s approach on the world stage.In his first overseas trip last month, Vance used a visit to an artificial intelligence summit in Paris to deliver an unmistakable message: The United States has room for you on the Trump train — but it also has no problem leaving you behind.Days later at the Munich Security Conference, Vance lectured European officials on free speech and illegal migration on the continent.Late last month, he laid into Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for being insufficiently grateful to the U.S. for its assistance since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. That disastrous Oval Office meeting led to Trump briefly cutting off military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv.Friday's one-day visit to the U.S. Space Force&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-american-military-pituffik-space-base-denmark-746d67b1bc8e6681328a809787412495">outpost at Pituffik</a>, on the northwest coast of Greenland, removed the risk of potentially violating diplomatic custom by sending a delegation to another country without an official invitation. It also reduced the likelihood that Vance and his wife would cross paths with residents angered by Trump’s announcements.It was minus-3 degrees F (minus-19 degrees C) when the delegation landed to sunny skies at the remote base 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) north of the Arctic Circle. “It’s cold as s—- here. Nobody told me,” Vance said, prompting laughs.Ahead of Vance's arrival, four of the five parties elected to Greenland's parliament earlier this month signed an agreement to form a new, broad-based&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-us-trump-vance-coalition-government-7761811a2fc02d1ae86bb09e16b4bd46">coalition government</a>. The parties banded together in the face of Trump's designs on the territory.“It is a time when we as a population are under pressure,” the prime minister-designate, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said before the accord was signed to applause and cheers in the capital, Nuuk.He added that “we must stick together. Together we are strongest,” Greenland broadcaster KNR reported.In a post on Instagram, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen congratulated Nielsen and his incoming government, and said, “I look forward to close cooperation in an unnecessarily conflict-filled time.”Frederiksen said Tuesday that the U.S. visit, which was originally set for three days, created “unacceptable pressure." She has said Denmark wants to work with the U.S. on defense and security, but Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders.Initially, Vance's wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usha-vance-denmark-greenland-trump-4b2a8d19cbeda770357e84aef740d4b7">Usha Vance, had announced a solo trip</a>&nbsp;to the Avannaata Qimussersu dogsled race in Sisimiut. The vice president subsequently said he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-greenland-trump-e5d53819bfeb622c9e56d5fc2bcdb889">join her on that trip</a>, only to change that itinerary again — after protests from Greenland and Denmark — to a one-day visit to the military post only.Inhabitants of Nuuk, which is about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) south of Pituffik, voiced concern about Vance's visit and the U.S. interest in their island.Cora Høy, 22, said Vance was “welcome if he wants to see it but of course Greenland is not for sale.” She added that “it’s not normal around here” with all the attention Greenland is getting. "I feel now every day is about (Trump) and I just want to get away from it.”“It’s all a bit crazy. Of course the population here is a bit shook up,” said 30-year-old Inuk Kristensen. "My opinion is the same as everyone’s: Of course you don’t do things this way. You don’t just come here and say that you want to buy the place.”As the nautical gateway to the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America, Greenland has broader strategic value as both China and Russia seek access to its waterways and natural resources.“We need to ensure that America is leading in the Arctic, because we know that if America doesn’t, other nations will fill the gap where we fall behind,” Vance said.___Grieshaber reported from Berlin and Madhani from Washington. Associated Press writers Geir Moulson in Berlin and Vanessa Gera in Warsaw, Poland, contributed to this report.

🎥Vice President visits Greenland amid U.S. takeover controversy

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DEVI%20SHASTRI%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DEVI SHASTRI &nbsp;AP Health Writer</a>

At least five states have active&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">measles outbreaks</a>&nbsp;as of Friday, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">Texas'</a>&nbsp;is the largest with 400 cases.

Already, the U.S. has more measles cases this year than in all of 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">Other states with outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— defined as three or more cases — include New Mexico,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Ohio and Oklahoma. Since February, two unvaccinated people have died from measles-related causes.

The new outbreaks confirm health experts' fears that the virus will take hold in other U.S. communities with low vaccination rates and that the spread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">could stretch on for a year</a>. The World Health Organization said this week cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON561">Mexico</a>&nbsp;are linked to the Texas outbreak.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-mmr-outbreak-vaccines-408371700e3ab548777bf0354e586549">Measles</a>&nbsp;is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.

Here's what else you&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">need to know about measles in the U.S.</a>

How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico?

Texas' outbreak began two months ago. State health officials said Friday there were 73 new cases of measles since Tuesday, bringing the total to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">400 across 17 counties</a>&nbsp;— most in West Texas. Forty-one people have been hospitalized since the outbreak began, and Andrews and Midland counties were new to the list.

New Mexico announced one new case Friday, bringing the state’s total to 44. New Mexico health officials say the cases are linked to Texas' outbreak based on genetic testing. Most are in Lea County, where two people have been hospitalized, and two are in Eddy County.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">school-age child died of measles in Texas</a>&nbsp;in late February, and New Mexico reported its first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">measles-related death in an adult</a>&nbsp;on March 6.

Kansas has 23 cases in six counties in the southwest part of the state. Kiowa and Stevens counties have six cases each, while Grant, Morton, Haskell and Gray counties have five or fewer.

The state's first reported case, identified in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks based on genetic testing, a state health department spokesperson said. But health officials have not determined how the person was exposed.

Oklahoma stayed steady at nine cases this week — seven confirmed and two probable cases. The first two probable cases were “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state health department said.

A state health department spokesperson said measles exposures were confirmed in Tulsa and Rogers counties, but wouldn't say which counties had cases.

Ohio has 10 cases of measles in Ashtabula County in the northeast corner of the state, nine of those newly reported this week. The first case was in an unvaccinated adult who had interacted with someone who had traveled internationally.

And in central Ohio, Knox County officials are tracing exposures from person who visited while contagious with measles. A measles outbreak in central Ohio sickened 85 in 2022.

Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?

Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines an outbreak as three or more related cases. The agency counted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/">five clusters</a>&nbsp;that qualified as outbreaks in 2025 as of Friday.

In the U.S., cases and outbreaks are generally traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. It can then spread, especially in communities with low vaccination rates. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles.

The best way to avoid measles is to get the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/mmr.html">measles, mumps and rubella</a>&nbsp;(MMR) vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.

People at high risk for infection who got the shots many years ago may want to consider getting a booster if they live in an area with an outbreak, said Scott Weaver with the Global Virus Network, an international coalition. Those may include family members living with someone who has measles or those especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases because of underlying medical conditions.

Adults with “presumptive evidence of immunity” generally don’t need measles shots now, the CDC said. Criteria include written documentation of adequate vaccination earlier in life, lab confirmation of past infection or being born before 1957, when most people were likely to be infected naturally.

A doctor can order a lab test called an MMR titer to check your levels of measles antibodies, but health experts don't always recommend this route and insurance coverage can vary.

Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says.

People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. That also includes people who don’t know which type they got.

Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.

The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.

Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/index.html">dangerous complications</a>&nbsp;such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.

There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.

In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”

But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.

The U.S. saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-cdc-outbreak-chicago-mmr-vaccine-7ecdfef41e6dbd659c7ac8b80d5de38f">a rise in measles cases in 2024</a>, including an outbreak in Chicago that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-chicago-migrant-shelter-cdc-e58517c830f73e42266d45d45983c12b">sickened more than 60.</a>

AP Science Writer Laura Ungar contributed to this report.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DEVI%20SHASTRI%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DEVI SHASTRI &nbsp;AP Health Writer</a>At least five states have active&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">measles outbreaks</a>&nbsp;as of Friday, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">Texas'</a>&nbsp;is the largest with 400 cases.Already, the U.S. has more measles cases this year than in all of 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">Other states with outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— defined as three or more cases — include New Mexico,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Ohio and Oklahoma. Since February, two unvaccinated people have died from measles-related causes.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">1/ DSHS continues to track the measles outbreak in the South Plains and Panhandle. As of today, 400 cases have been identified since late January. Immunization with two doses of MMR vaccine protects you from getting sick and stops the outbreak from spreading. <a href="https://t.co/wDh9ka04dV">pic.twitter.com/wDh9ka04dV</a>&mdash; Texas DSHS (@TexasDSHS) <a href="https://twitter.com/TexasDSHS/status/1905684947383267517?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The new outbreaks confirm health experts' fears that the virus will take hold in other U.S. communities with low vaccination rates and that the spread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">could stretch on for a year</a>. The World Health Organization said this week cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON561">Mexico</a>&nbsp;are linked to the Texas outbreak.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-mmr-outbreak-vaccines-408371700e3ab548777bf0354e586549">Measles</a>&nbsp;is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.Here's what else you&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">need to know about measles in the U.S.</a><h2>How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico?</h2>Texas' outbreak began two months ago. State health officials said Friday there were 73 new cases of measles since Tuesday, bringing the total to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">400 across 17 counties</a>&nbsp;— most in West Texas. Forty-one people have been hospitalized since the outbreak began, and Andrews and Midland counties were new to the list.New Mexico announced one new case Friday, bringing the state’s total to 44. New Mexico health officials say the cases are linked to Texas' outbreak based on genetic testing. Most are in Lea County, where two people have been hospitalized, and two are in Eddy County.A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">school-age child died of measles in Texas</a>&nbsp;in late February, and New Mexico reported its first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">measles-related death in an adult</a>&nbsp;on March 6.<h2>How many cases are there in Kansas?</h2>Kansas has 23 cases in six counties in the southwest part of the state. Kiowa and Stevens counties have six cases each, while Grant, Morton, Haskell and Gray counties have five or fewer.The state's first reported case, identified in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks based on genetic testing, a state health department spokesperson said. But health officials have not determined how the person was exposed.<h2>How many cases are there in Oklahoma?</h2>Oklahoma stayed steady at nine cases this week — seven confirmed and two probable cases. The first two probable cases were “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state health department said.A state health department spokesperson said measles exposures were confirmed in Tulsa and Rogers counties, but wouldn't say which counties had cases.<h2>How many cases are there in Ohio?</h2>Ohio has 10 cases of measles in Ashtabula County in the northeast corner of the state, nine of those newly reported this week. The first case was in an unvaccinated adult who had interacted with someone who had traveled internationally.And in central Ohio, Knox County officials are tracing exposures from person who visited while contagious with measles. A measles outbreak in central Ohio sickened 85 in 2022.<h2>Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?</h2>Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines an outbreak as three or more related cases. The agency counted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/">five clusters</a>&nbsp;that qualified as outbreaks in 2025 as of Friday.In the U.S., cases and outbreaks are generally traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. It can then spread, especially in communities with low vaccination rates. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles.<h2>Do you need an MMR booster?</h2>The best way to avoid measles is to get the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/mmr.html">measles, mumps and rubella</a>&nbsp;(MMR) vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.People at high risk for infection who got the shots many years ago may want to consider getting a booster if they live in an area with an outbreak, said Scott Weaver with the Global Virus Network, an international coalition. Those may include family members living with someone who has measles or those especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases because of underlying medical conditions.Adults with “presumptive evidence of immunity” generally don’t need measles shots now, the CDC said. Criteria include written documentation of adequate vaccination earlier in life, lab confirmation of past infection or being born before 1957, when most people were likely to be infected naturally.A doctor can order a lab test called an MMR titer to check your levels of measles antibodies, but health experts don't always recommend this route and insurance coverage can vary.Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says.People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. That also includes people who don’t know which type they got.<h2>What are the symptoms of measles?</h2>Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/index.html">dangerous complications</a>&nbsp;such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.<h2>How can you treat measles?</h2>There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.<h2>Why do vaccination rates matter?</h2>In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.The U.S. saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-cdc-outbreak-chicago-mmr-vaccine-7ecdfef41e6dbd659c7ac8b80d5de38f">a rise in measles cases in 2024</a>, including an outbreak in Chicago that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-chicago-migrant-shelter-cdc-e58517c830f73e42266d45d45983c12b">sickened more than 60.</a>___AP Science Writer Laura Ungar contributed to this report.___

Measles outbreak growing; cases now reported in 19 states

WASHINGTON (AP) — Major anti-abortion groups gathered in the nation's capital on Thursday to begin a lobbying effort with Congress and President Donald Trump's administration aimed at eliminating funding for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/planned-parenthood">Planned Parenthood</a>, with some calling on Elon Musk to make the organization one of his cost-cutting targets.

The anti-abortion groups are taking aim at abortion providers under an initiative called Defund Planned Parenthood, which targets federal Medicaid funding for the reproductive health care provider. More than 150 of the groups signed a letter Wednesday urging Congress to cut Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood and other health care centers that provide abortions through the budget reconciliation process.

“Today is a historic moment where the pro-life movement stands united behind one message: Defund Planned Parenthood,” said Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life, as she kicked off the rally in view of the U.S. Capitol.

She called on Trump and other Republicans to “defund your political enemies,” adding that the abortion lobby has long targeted Republicans.

<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-presidential-election-90e629ff016a4e3d98e7be9c149f5c73">The federal Hyde Amendment</a>&nbsp;already restricts government funding for most abortions, and less than 5% of the services Planned Parenthood provides are abortions, according to the organization’s 2023 annual report.

Vicki Ringer, Planned Parenthood’s South Carolina director of public affairs, said claims that Planned Parenthood uses Medicaid funding for abortion is “an attempt to mislead the public” and emphasized Planned Parenthood’s role in providing broader reproductive health care.

“We should be expanding health care to low-income people rather than trying to kick off these people who rely on us for health care,” Ringer said.

Planned Parenthood provides a wide range of services besides abortion. Its most recent annual report shows that contraceptive services and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections make up the vast majority of its medical care. It also performs more cancer screening and prevention procedures than abortions, according to the report.

Rachel Rebouche, dean of Temple University's Beasley School of Law, said the Defund Planned Parenthood movement has been building for 10 years but has gained momentum as the anti-abortion movement has been emboldened by Trump’s presidential victory and by Republicans winning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republicans-house-elections-e3754a684a7b96b129841d4b207c15e9">control of Congress</a>&nbsp;in November.

“We’re seeing more enthusiasm in states like South Carolina and others to close down Planned Parenthood under the banner of stopping abortions, which their laws already do," she said.

Tina Whittington, executive vice president at Students for Life, said she was confident that Trump would consider cutting Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid funding and that Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency could be just the tool for doing it.

“I’m more confident because we’re in an era where DOGE’s actions are targeting waste, fraud and abuse,” she said. “And this is a great way to do that.”

The Supreme Court announced it will hear a case involving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-planned-parenthood-abortion-63c051a7f3c75b1af53805239a044014">South Carolina's attempt to strip Medicaid funding</a>&nbsp;for Planned Parenthood. Experts say the lawsuit could prompt similar efforts in conservative states across the country to chip away at the organization's funding.

During a 2015 push to strip Planned Parenthood funding, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that doing so would cost the government $130 million over 10 years.

Meanwhile, lawmakers in at least three states — Missouri, Ohio and South Carolina — have introduced bills this year aiming to create&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-business-health-nashville-personal-taxes-fffa6f6f86e6eaa448b8ea89087a1c46">tax breaks for anti-abortion centers</a>.

The strategies come during a time when abortion rights advocates are warning that Trump and his Cabinet hold significant power to restrict access to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medical-abortion-pill-challenge-d7ef9bb29b8720e51b0b103f59c862d2">medication abortion</a>&nbsp;nationwide.

Rather than immediately heeding calls from anti-abortion allies to restrict Medicaid funding for clinics that provide abortions, Trump has made quieter moves after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-abortion-election-2024-ivf-contraception-d91f0959087e803db390be11eb60975b">waffling on the issue</a>&nbsp;on the campaign trail.

He reinstated a policy that requires foreign nongovernmental agencies to certify that they don’t provide or promote abortion if they receive U.S. aid for family planning. He also pardoned several anti-abortion activists who had been convicted of blockading abortion clinics and used wording related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/embryos-ivf-abortion-personhood-laws-ffe4f4d326469a97fef999254ca86eea">fetal personhood</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sex-gender-transgender-dei-order-245350b97e0c4dcc221fefc49ef44699">an executive order</a>&nbsp;rolling back protections for transgender people.

The Republican president has appointed abortion opponents to some key Cabinet positions that could affect the availability of medication abortion and contraception, Medicaid coverage for family planning services, collection of abortion-related data and abortion access for troops and veterans. In a pre-recorded message to the thousands who attended&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-for-life-dc-antiabortion-trump-8a73085aba98bc7bc9c641860b49ef7b">the March for Life</a>&nbsp;in January, Trump said he proudly stood for families and for life.

Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville said during Thursday's rally that he “truly believes President Trump is the most pro-life president in history.”

“Absolutely zero taxpayer dollars should be going to abortion,” he said. “… And I know President Trump agrees.”

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America, said Republican control of the White House and Congress represents a unique opportunity to push for legislation targeting Planned Parenthood.

"I believe this is the moment they will be defunded, and this is the blow that will bring them down,” she said.

Advocates on either side of the abortion debate are waiting to see if Trump's Department of Justice will revive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/comstock-act-abortion-pills-dbf61e25f6f23cd3772c597dd6d4e337">the Comstock Act</a>, a 19th-century obscenity law, to restrict the mailing of medication abortion or other materials used for abortions. Attorney General Pam Bondi has a history of defending abortion restrictions, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pam-bondi-justice-department-trump-confirmation-7a37ef0b42964f9476776559379f48bd">her confirmation</a>&nbsp;was celebrated by abortion opponents.

At the Thursday rally, some passers-by shouted support for Planned Parenthood, saying the organization saves lives.

Haven Wright, an 83-year-old retired entrepreneur visiting Washington to see the National Museum of African American History and Culture, happened upon the rally and noted that Planned Parenthood also provided health care for underserved communities.

“They are the main doctors for many, many poor women,” she said. “They are their main resource for all kinds of reproductive health care.”

Wright said she had two abortions while in her 20s, once while she had an IUD and another time after she was raped. She said she was grateful she had the “agency to get the care I needed.”

“Women," she said, “deserve a choice.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743106633362.png" alt="Image Students for Life" />
 <figcaption>Image Students for Life</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Major anti-abortion groups gathered in the nation's capital on Thursday to begin a lobbying effort with Congress and President Donald Trump's administration aimed at eliminating funding for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/planned-parenthood">Planned Parenthood</a>, with some calling on Elon Musk to make the organization one of his cost-cutting targets.The anti-abortion groups are taking aim at abortion providers under an initiative called Defund Planned Parenthood, which targets federal Medicaid funding for the reproductive health care provider. More than 150 of the groups signed a letter Wednesday urging Congress to cut Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood and other health care centers that provide abortions through the budget reconciliation process.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743106598214.png" alt="Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, and Alabama U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville during a rally March 27 in Washington" />
 <figcaption>Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, and Alabama U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville during a rally March 27 in Washington</figcaption>
 </figure>“Today is a historic moment where the pro-life movement stands united behind one message: Defund Planned Parenthood,” said Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life, as she kicked off the rally in view of the U.S. Capitol.She called on Trump and other Republicans to “defund your political enemies,” adding that the abortion lobby has long targeted Republicans.<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-presidential-election-90e629ff016a4e3d98e7be9c149f5c73">The federal Hyde Amendment</a>&nbsp;already restricts government funding for most abortions, and less than 5% of the services Planned Parenthood provides are abortions, according to the organization’s 2023 annual report.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A child’s right to Life should not depend on their zip code. <a href="https://t.co/lYertwWY12">pic.twitter.com/lYertwWY12</a>&mdash; Students for Life of America | Pro-Life Gen (@StudentsforLife) <a href="https://twitter.com/StudentsforLife/status/1905654902728106133?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Vicki Ringer, Planned Parenthood’s South Carolina director of public affairs, said claims that Planned Parenthood uses Medicaid funding for abortion is “an attempt to mislead the public” and emphasized Planned Parenthood’s role in providing broader reproductive health care.“We should be expanding health care to low-income people rather than trying to kick off these people who rely on us for health care,” Ringer said.Planned Parenthood provides a wide range of services besides abortion. Its most recent annual report shows that contraceptive services and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections make up the vast majority of its medical care. It also performs more cancer screening and prevention procedures than abortions, according to the report.Rachel Rebouche, dean of Temple University's Beasley School of Law, said the Defund Planned Parenthood movement has been building for 10 years but has gained momentum as the anti-abortion movement has been emboldened by Trump’s presidential victory and by Republicans winning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republicans-house-elections-e3754a684a7b96b129841d4b207c15e9">control of Congress</a>&nbsp;in November.“We’re seeing more enthusiasm in states like South Carolina and others to close down Planned Parenthood under the banner of stopping abortions, which their laws already do," she said.Tina Whittington, executive vice president at Students for Life, said she was confident that Trump would consider cutting Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid funding and that Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency could be just the tool for doing it.“I’m more confident because we’re in an era where DOGE’s actions are targeting waste, fraud and abuse,” she said. “And this is a great way to do that.”The Supreme Court announced it will hear a case involving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-planned-parenthood-abortion-63c051a7f3c75b1af53805239a044014">South Carolina's attempt to strip Medicaid funding</a>&nbsp;for Planned Parenthood. Experts say the lawsuit could prompt similar efforts in conservative states across the country to chip away at the organization's funding.During a 2015 push to strip Planned Parenthood funding, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that doing so would cost the government $130 million over 10 years.Meanwhile, lawmakers in at least three states — Missouri, Ohio and South Carolina — have introduced bills this year aiming to create&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-business-health-nashville-personal-taxes-fffa6f6f86e6eaa448b8ea89087a1c46">tax breaks for anti-abortion centers</a>.The strategies come during a time when abortion rights advocates are warning that Trump and his Cabinet hold significant power to restrict access to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medical-abortion-pill-challenge-d7ef9bb29b8720e51b0b103f59c862d2">medication abortion</a>&nbsp;nationwide.Rather than immediately heeding calls from anti-abortion allies to restrict Medicaid funding for clinics that provide abortions, Trump has made quieter moves after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-abortion-election-2024-ivf-contraception-d91f0959087e803db390be11eb60975b">waffling on the issue</a>&nbsp;on the campaign trail.He reinstated a policy that requires foreign nongovernmental agencies to certify that they don’t provide or promote abortion if they receive U.S. aid for family planning. He also pardoned several anti-abortion activists who had been convicted of blockading abortion clinics and used wording related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/embryos-ivf-abortion-personhood-laws-ffe4f4d326469a97fef999254ca86eea">fetal personhood</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sex-gender-transgender-dei-order-245350b97e0c4dcc221fefc49ef44699">an executive order</a>&nbsp;rolling back protections for transgender people.The Republican president has appointed abortion opponents to some key Cabinet positions that could affect the availability of medication abortion and contraception, Medicaid coverage for family planning services, collection of abortion-related data and abortion access for troops and veterans. In a pre-recorded message to the thousands who attended&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-for-life-dc-antiabortion-trump-8a73085aba98bc7bc9c641860b49ef7b">the March for Life</a>&nbsp;in January, Trump said he proudly stood for families and for life.Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville said during Thursday's rally that he “truly believes President Trump is the most pro-life president in history.”“Absolutely zero taxpayer dollars should be going to abortion,” he said. “… And I know President Trump agrees.”Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America, said Republican control of the White House and Congress represents a unique opportunity to push for legislation targeting Planned Parenthood."I believe this is the moment they will be defunded, and this is the blow that will bring them down,” she said.Advocates on either side of the abortion debate are waiting to see if Trump's Department of Justice will revive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/comstock-act-abortion-pills-dbf61e25f6f23cd3772c597dd6d4e337">the Comstock Act</a>, a 19th-century obscenity law, to restrict the mailing of medication abortion or other materials used for abortions. Attorney General Pam Bondi has a history of defending abortion restrictions, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pam-bondi-justice-department-trump-confirmation-7a37ef0b42964f9476776559379f48bd">her confirmation</a>&nbsp;was celebrated by abortion opponents.At the Thursday rally, some passers-by shouted support for Planned Parenthood, saying the organization saves lives.Haven Wright, an 83-year-old retired entrepreneur visiting Washington to see the National Museum of African American History and Culture, happened upon the rally and noted that Planned Parenthood also provided health care for underserved communities.“They are the main doctors for many, many poor women,” she said. “They are their main resource for all kinds of reproductive health care.”Wright said she had two abortions while in her 20s, once while she had an IUD and another time after she was raped. She said she was grateful she had the “agency to get the care I needed.”“Women," she said, “deserve a choice.”

Anti-abortion groups rally in DC to end Planned Parenthood funding

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — During moments of near silence among the Catholic archbishop of Kansas City and hundreds of people gathered in prayer inside the Assumption Church in Topeka, chants, shouts and sometimes sirens penetrated the church doors.

While competing religious protests clashed on the Capitol grounds across the street, as many as 400 people convened in the church to participate in prayer, ceremony and a mass that was meant to be an “antidote” to the “unbelieving secular society.”

The services were part of a series of counterefforts planned in response to a “black mass.” The black mass, planned by a nonprofit organization not affiliated with the Satanist Temple, the Satanic Grotto. After the event’s announcement on Facebook in February, outrage ensued.&nbsp;

Leading up to Friday’s satanic protest, Christian counterprotests and Catholic services, the archbishop, Joseph Naumann, sued the grotto’s president, Michael Stewart, who was arrested Friday around 11:30 a.m. after entering the Statehouse. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and legislative leadership tried in advance to limit the protest through modifications to Stewart’s permit to gather and new restrictions on Capitol building rules. A handful of Republican legislators attended the mass.

Naumann gave a sermon condemning the protests that were meant to cause “confusion” and “chaos,” he said. The efforts fostered confrontation and conflict, he said, and were designed to be “provocative.”

“What I do not understand is why we are giving our Capitol as a venue for what truly is hate speech,” he said.

He drew a connection between satanists and atheists after dissecting Stewart’s previous claims of religiosity, calling him a “so-called satanic worshiper but really an atheist.”

“The group — who is really pro-choice, pro-abortion and atheist — present their abortion advocacy as part of their fake religion so that they can claim religious rights are being violated by any efforts to provide protection to the unborn and their mothers,” Naumann said.

The antidote to the religious conflict unfolding in Topeka, Naumann said, was allowing people to see their faith.

“It’s sad, those who are trying to desecrate the Capitol today, desecrate symbols of faith — Bibles and crucifixes. Thank God, we don’t believe they have a consecrated host, but this is a sad state of life for them to be in. We need to pray for them,” he said.

Naumann’s lawsuit, which was dropped soon after it was filed, revolved around false claims that Stewart had obtained a consecrated host.

Inside and outside the church, law enforcement officers stood on watch as throngs of people gathered and moved on the Capitol grounds while those inside the church stayed mostly still.

Natalie Rowe, a 68-year-old lifelong Catholic, said she traveled Friday morning to Topeka from Wichita to be part of a strong showing. Before the mass began, she attended the archbishop’s eucharistic adoration, which involves praying before a consecrated host.

“The universe is very important to me,” she said. “My faith is very important to me.”

Then she crossed the street to join the demonstrations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743192871509.png" alt=" Archbishop of Kansas City Joseph Naumann performs a Catholic mass on March 28, 2025, in Topeka as religious protesters clashed on the Capitol grounds across the street. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Archbishop of Kansas City Joseph Naumann performs a Catholic mass on March 28, 2025, in Topeka as religious protesters clashed on the Capitol grounds across the street. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — During moments of near silence among the Catholic archbishop of Kansas City and hundreds of people gathered in prayer inside the Assumption Church in Topeka, chants, shouts and sometimes sirens penetrated the church doors.While competing religious protests clashed on the Capitol grounds across the street, as many as 400 people convened in the church to participate in prayer, ceremony and a mass that was meant to be an “antidote” to the “unbelieving secular society.”The services were part of a series of counterefforts planned in response to a “black mass.” The black mass, planned by a nonprofit organization not affiliated with the Satanist Temple, the Satanic Grotto. After the event’s announcement on Facebook in February, outrage ensued.&nbsp;Leading up to Friday’s satanic protest, Christian counterprotests and Catholic services, the archbishop, Joseph Naumann, sued the grotto’s president, Michael Stewart, who was arrested Friday around 11:30 a.m. after entering the Statehouse. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and legislative leadership tried in advance to limit the protest through modifications to Stewart’s permit to gather and new restrictions on Capitol building rules. A handful of Republican legislators attended the mass.Naumann gave a sermon condemning the protests that were meant to cause “confusion” and “chaos,” he said. The efforts fostered confrontation and conflict, he said, and were designed to be “provocative.”“What I do not understand is why we are giving our Capitol as a venue for what truly is hate speech,” he said.He drew a connection between satanists and atheists after dissecting Stewart’s previous claims of religiosity, calling him a “so-called satanic worshiper but really an atheist.”“The group — who is really pro-choice, pro-abortion and atheist — present their abortion advocacy as part of their fake religion so that they can claim religious rights are being violated by any efforts to provide protection to the unborn and their mothers,” Naumann said.The antidote to the religious conflict unfolding in Topeka, Naumann said, was allowing people to see their faith.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743192821594.png" alt=" Archbishop of Kansas City Joseph Naumann gives a sermon during a Catholic mass on March 28, 2025, in Topeka. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Archbishop of Kansas City Joseph Naumann gives a sermon during a Catholic mass on March 28, 2025, in Topeka. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“It’s sad, those who are trying to desecrate the Capitol today, desecrate symbols of faith — Bibles and crucifixes. Thank God, we don’t believe they have a consecrated host, but this is a sad state of life for them to be in. We need to pray for them,” he said.Naumann’s lawsuit, which was dropped soon after it was filed, revolved around false claims that Stewart had obtained a consecrated host.Inside and outside the church, law enforcement officers stood on watch as throngs of people gathered and moved on the Capitol grounds while those inside the church stayed mostly still.Natalie Rowe, a 68-year-old lifelong Catholic, said she traveled Friday morning to Topeka from Wichita to be part of a strong showing. Before the mass began, she attended the archbishop’s eucharistic adoration, which involves praying before a consecrated host.“The universe is very important to me,” she said. “My faith is very important to me.”Then she crossed the street to join the demonstrations.