By NICHOLAS RICCARDI Associated Press

President Donald Trump on Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-white-house-el-salvador-kilmar-abrego-garcia-ad338d6b4558a6aba80e8290fd3eece9">reiterated</a>&nbsp;that he’d like to send U.S. citizens who commit violent crimes to prison in El Salvador, telling that country’s president, Nayib Bukele, that he’d “have to build five more places” to hold the potential new arrivals.

Trump’s administration has already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-deportation-venezuela-tren-de-aragua-trump-0d3485e0985b9d30d493c9da0adf73ef">deported</a>&nbsp;immigrants to El Salvador’s notorious mega-prison&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-trump-prison-immigrants-4ab3fc3c0474efb308084604b61f8a37">CECOT</a>, known for its harsh conditions. The president has also said his administration is trying to find “legal” ways to ship U.S. citizens there, too.

Trump on Monday insisted these would just be “violent people,” implying they would be those already convicted of crimes in the United States, though he’s also floated it as a punishment for those who attack Tesla dealerships to protest his administration and its patron, billionaire Elon Musk. But it would likely be a violation of the U.S. Constitution for his administration to send any native-born citizen forcibly into an overseas prison. Indeed, it would likely even violate a provision of a law Trump himself signed during his first term.

Here’s a look at the notion of sending U.S. citizens to prison in a foreign country, why it’s likely not legal and some possible legal loopholes.

If it’s legal to do to immigrants, why not citizens?

Immigrants can be deported from the United States, while citizens cannot. Deportation is covered by immigration law, which does not apply to U.S. citizens. Part of being a citizen means you cannot be forcibly sent to another country.

Immigrants can be removed, and that’s what’s been happening in El Salvador. The country is taking both its own citizens that the United States is sending as well as those from Venezuela and potentially other countries that will not take their own citizens back from the U.S. The Venezuelans sent there last month had no opportunity to respond to evidence against them or appear before a judge.

That’s the deal the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportations-salvador-tren-aragua-64e72142a171ea57c869c3b35eeecce7">signed</a>&nbsp;with Bukele. The U.S. has sent people to El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama and elsewhere even when they are not citizens of those countries. But, under international agreements, people cannot be sent to countries where they are likely to be persecuted or tortured.

Why does the Trump administration want to send people to El Salvador?

Bukele calls himself “the world’s coolest dictator” and has cracked down on human rights during his administration. He’s also turned El Salvador from one of the world’s most violent countries into a fairly safe one. Trump has embraced that example, including during the Oval Office visit Monday.

Sending immigrants from countries like Venezuela to El Salvador sends a message to would-be migrants elsewhere about the risks of trying to make it to — or stay in — the United States.

There’s a second benefit to the administration: People sent to El Salvador are outside the jurisdiction of United States courts. Judges, the administration argues, can’t order someone sent to El Salvador to be released or shipped back to the U.S. because the U.S. government no longer has control of them.

It’s a potential legal loophole that led Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to issue a grim warning in her opinion in a 9-0 U.S. Supreme Court finding that the administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-deportations-el-salvador-9988b667199e1b02fc0a6a83570225c1">could not</a>&nbsp;fly alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador with no court hearing, even after Trump invoked an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alien-enemies-trump-immigration-deportations-21a62ede23b8c493b60d00a9c125722f">18th century law</a>&nbsp;last used during World War II to claim wartime powers.

“The implication of the Government’s position is that not only noncitizens but also United States citizens could be taken off the streets, forced onto planes, and confined to foreign prisons with no opportunity for redress,” Sotomayor warned. She was writing to dissent from the majority taking the case from the federal judge who had initially barred the administration from any deportations and had ordered planes en route to El Salvador turned around — an order the administration apparently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportations-boasberg-venezuelans-8c1287a1fec1c026efb2bde51ffdda9a">ignored</a>.

A second case highlights the risks of sending people to El Salvador. The administration admits it sent a Maryland man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, erroneously to El Salvador. A Salvadoran immigrant, Abrego Garcia, who has not been charged with a crime, had an order against deportation but was shipped to CECOT anyway. On Monday Bukele and Trump scoffed at the idea of sending him back, even though the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the administration to “facilitate” his return.

Wait, so can they send citizens to El Salvador?

Nothing like this has ever been contemplated in U.S. history, but it seems unlikely. There are other legal barriers besides the fact that you cannot deport U.S. citizens. The United States does have extradition treaties with several countries where it will send a citizen accused of a crime in that country to face trial there. That appears to be the only existing way a U.S. citizen can be forcibly removed from the country under current law.

The Constitution also prohibits “cruel and unusual punishment,” and one of CECOT’s selling points is that conditions there are far harsher than in prisons in the U.S. As noted above, federal courts have no jurisdiction there, and that may deprive people sent there of the constitutional guarantee of due process of law.

“It is illegal to expatriate U.S. citizens for a crime,” wrote Lauren-Brooke Eisen of the Brennan Center for Social Justice in New York.

She noted that even if the administration tries to transfer federal prisoners there, arguing they’re already incarcerated, it could run afoul of the First Step Act that Trump himself championed and signed in 2018. The provision requires that the government try to house federal inmates as close to their homes as possible so their families can visit them — and indeed transfer anyone housed farther than 500 miles from their home to a closer facility.

There is one potential loophole that the administration could use to send a small group of citizens to El Salvador. They can try to strip the citizenship of people who earned it after immigrating to the United States.

People who were made U.S. citizens after birth can lose that status for a handful of offenses, like funding terrorist organizations or lying on naturalization forms. They would then revert to green card holders, and would be potentially eligible for deportation if convicted of other, serious crimes.

That’s a small, but real, pool of people. Perhaps the most significant thing about it is that it would require loss of citizenship first. In other words, there’s still likely no legal way to force a citizen out of the country. But a few could end up in legal jeopardy anyway.

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI Associated PressPresident Donald Trump on Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-white-house-el-salvador-kilmar-abrego-garcia-ad338d6b4558a6aba80e8290fd3eece9">reiterated</a>&nbsp;that he’d like to send U.S. citizens who commit violent crimes to prison in El Salvador, telling that country’s president, Nayib Bukele, that he’d “have to build five more places” to hold the potential new arrivals.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">President Trump says he&#39;s open to deporting U.S. citizens who commit violent crimes. <a href="https://t.co/CjhA8QxGL0">pic.twitter.com/CjhA8QxGL0</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1911820223876850160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump’s administration has already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-deportation-venezuela-tren-de-aragua-trump-0d3485e0985b9d30d493c9da0adf73ef">deported</a>&nbsp;immigrants to El Salvador’s notorious mega-prison&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-trump-prison-immigrants-4ab3fc3c0474efb308084604b61f8a37">CECOT</a>, known for its harsh conditions. The president has also said his administration is trying to find “legal” ways to ship U.S. citizens there, too.Trump on Monday insisted these would just be “violent people,” implying they would be those already convicted of crimes in the United States, though he’s also floated it as a punishment for those who attack Tesla dealerships to protest his administration and its patron, billionaire Elon Musk. But it would likely be a violation of the U.S. Constitution for his administration to send any native-born citizen forcibly into an overseas prison. Indeed, it would likely even violate a provision of a law Trump himself signed during his first term.Here’s a look at the notion of sending U.S. citizens to prison in a foreign country, why it’s likely not legal and some possible legal loopholes.<h2>If it’s legal to do to immigrants, why not citizens?</h2>Immigrants can be deported from the United States, while citizens cannot. Deportation is covered by immigration law, which does not apply to U.S. citizens. Part of being a citizen means you cannot be forcibly sent to another country.Immigrants can be removed, and that’s what’s been happening in El Salvador. The country is taking both its own citizens that the United States is sending as well as those from Venezuela and potentially other countries that will not take their own citizens back from the U.S. The Venezuelans sent there last month had no opportunity to respond to evidence against them or appear before a judge.That’s the deal the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportations-salvador-tren-aragua-64e72142a171ea57c869c3b35eeecce7">signed</a>&nbsp;with Bukele. The U.S. has sent people to El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama and elsewhere even when they are not citizens of those countries. But, under international agreements, people cannot be sent to countries where they are likely to be persecuted or tortured.Advertisement<h2>Why does the Trump administration want to send people to El Salvador?</h2>Bukele calls himself “the world’s coolest dictator” and has cracked down on human rights during his administration. He’s also turned El Salvador from one of the world’s most violent countries into a fairly safe one. Trump has embraced that example, including during the Oval Office visit Monday.Sending immigrants from countries like Venezuela to El Salvador sends a message to would-be migrants elsewhere about the risks of trying to make it to — or stay in — the United States.There’s a second benefit to the administration: People sent to El Salvador are outside the jurisdiction of United States courts. Judges, the administration argues, can’t order someone sent to El Salvador to be released or shipped back to the U.S. because the U.S. government no longer has control of them.It’s a potential legal loophole that led Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to issue a grim warning in her opinion in a 9-0 U.S. Supreme Court finding that the administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-deportations-el-salvador-9988b667199e1b02fc0a6a83570225c1">could not</a>&nbsp;fly alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador with no court hearing, even after Trump invoked an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alien-enemies-trump-immigration-deportations-21a62ede23b8c493b60d00a9c125722f">18th century law</a>&nbsp;last used during World War II to claim wartime powers.Advertisement“The implication of the Government’s position is that not only noncitizens but also United States citizens could be taken off the streets, forced onto planes, and confined to foreign prisons with no opportunity for redress,” Sotomayor warned. She was writing to dissent from the majority taking the case from the federal judge who had initially barred the administration from any deportations and had ordered planes en route to El Salvador turned around — an order the administration apparently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportations-boasberg-venezuelans-8c1287a1fec1c026efb2bde51ffdda9a">ignored</a>.A second case highlights the risks of sending people to El Salvador. The administration admits it sent a Maryland man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, erroneously to El Salvador. A Salvadoran immigrant, Abrego Garcia, who has not been charged with a crime, had an order against deportation but was shipped to CECOT anyway. On Monday Bukele and Trump scoffed at the idea of sending him back, even though the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the administration to “facilitate” his return.Advertisement<h2>Wait, so can they send citizens to El Salvador?</h2>Nothing like this has ever been contemplated in U.S. history, but it seems unlikely. There are other legal barriers besides the fact that you cannot deport U.S. citizens. The United States does have extradition treaties with several countries where it will send a citizen accused of a crime in that country to face trial there. That appears to be the only existing way a U.S. citizen can be forcibly removed from the country under current law.The Constitution also prohibits “cruel and unusual punishment,” and one of CECOT’s selling points is that conditions there are far harsher than in prisons in the U.S. As noted above, federal courts have no jurisdiction there, and that may deprive people sent there of the constitutional guarantee of due process of law.Advertisement“It is illegal to expatriate U.S. citizens for a crime,” wrote Lauren-Brooke Eisen of the Brennan Center for Social Justice in New York.She noted that even if the administration tries to transfer federal prisoners there, arguing they’re already incarcerated, it could run afoul of the First Step Act that Trump himself championed and signed in 2018. The provision requires that the government try to house federal inmates as close to their homes as possible so their families can visit them — and indeed transfer anyone housed farther than 500 miles from their home to a closer facility.<h2>One last loophole?</h2>There is one potential loophole that the administration could use to send a small group of citizens to El Salvador. They can try to strip the citizenship of people who earned it after immigrating to the United States.People who were made U.S. citizens after birth can lose that status for a handful of offenses, like funding terrorist organizations or lying on naturalization forms. They would then revert to green card holders, and would be potentially eligible for deportation if convicted of other, serious crimes.That’s a small, but real, pool of people. Perhaps the most significant thing about it is that it would require loss of citizenship first. In other words, there’s still likely no legal way to force a citizen out of the country. But a few could end up in legal jeopardy anyway.

🎥Trump says he wants to send American 'criminals' to foreign prisons

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Missouri man with a drug trafficking related offense, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Otis J. Newton, 58, of Kansas City, Missouri, was indicted on one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744319036629.png" alt="Newton is being held in Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Newton is being held in Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Missouri man with a drug trafficking related offense, according to the United State's Attorney.According to court documents, Otis J. Newton, 58, of Kansas City, Missouri, was indicted on one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.

Missouri man accused of attempting to sell meth in Kansas

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A second U.S. aircraft carrier is operating in Mideast waters ahead of the next round of talks between&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/iran">Iran</a>&nbsp;and the United States over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-program-us-tensions-explains-25acc4bfbbe165a374a58ebfa6a4ab41">Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program</a>, satellite photos analyzed Tuesday by The Associated Press showed.

The operation of the USS Carl Vinson and its strike group in the Arabian Sea comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-us-airstrikes-israel-hamas-war-f37d6c5e878045efd48d3790fe69aef7">suspected U.S. airstrikes pounded parts of Yemen controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;overnight into Tuesday. American officials repeatedly have linked the U.S.' monthlong campaign against the Houthis under President Donald Trump as a means to pressure Iran in the negotiations.

Questions remain over where the weekend talks between the countries will be held after officials initially identified Rome as hosting the negotiations, only for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-nuclear-talks-italy-77b07a31957b2cb64bd2c37a9d47dad5">Iran to insist early Tuesday they would return to Oman</a>. American officials so far haven't said where the talks will be held.

The stakes of the negotiations couldn’t be higher for the two nations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-timeline-nuclear-program-uranium-tehran-118ab7924978559857cceb5a39f711f5">closing in on half a century of enmity</a>. Trump repeatedly has threatened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-trump-nuclear-weapons-program-702e7dfa4c3609f8cefdcb9f67b8117a">to unleash airstrikes</a>&nbsp;targeting Iran’s nuclear program if a deal isn’t reached. Iranian officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-iran-dubai-nuclear-d96093efcf1e6b8581138b9db48cbedc">increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon</a>&nbsp;with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.

But even Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reportedly described the first round of talks as going “well,” even while still couching his remarks Tuesday.

<a href="https://koff-special-envoy-russia-ukraine-mideast-d26c80c87a57fd3a811e4b0aa0eda58e/">U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff</a>, who represented America in last weekend's talks in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-talks-oman-nuclear-program-5813e0814efcd99616428086de6ba0be">Oman</a>, separately signaled that the Trump administration may be looking at terms of the 2015 nuclear deal that the president unilaterally withdrew from in 2018 as a basis for these negotiations. He described the talks last weekend as “positive, constructive, compelling.”

“This is going to be much about verification on the enrichment program, and then ultimately verification on weaponization,” Witkoff told Fox News on Monday night. “That includes missiles, the type of missiles that they have stockpiled there. And it includes the trigger for a bomb.”

He added: “We’re here to see if we can solve this situation diplomatically and with dialogue.”

Vinson joins Truman as second US aircraft carrier in Mideast

Satellite photos taken Monday by the European Union's Copernicus program showed the Vinson, which is based out of San Diego, California, operating northeast of Socotra, an island off Yemen that sits near the mouth of the Gulf of Aden. The Vinson is accompanied by the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Princeton and two Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers, the USS Sterett and the USS William P. Lawrence.

The U.S. ordered the Vinson to the Mideast to back up the USS Harry S. Truman, which has been launching airstrikes against the Houthis since the American campaign started March 15. Footage released by the Navy showed the Vinson preparing ordinance and launching F-35 and F/A-18 fighter jets off its deck in recent days.

The U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, which oversees the Mideast, declined to discuss details of the Vinson's operations. However, hours after the AP's report, the U.S. military's Central Command posted videos from the two carriers on the social platform X saying there had been “24/7 strikes” on the Houthis by the two carriers.

The Vinson's arrival came as Khamenei, while speaking to high-ranking government officials in Tehran on Tuesday, endorsed the progress of the talks.

“We shouldn’t be overly optimistic about this dialogue, nor overly pessimistic," the 85-year-old Khamenei said. "The first steps have been taken well and executed properly. From here on, the process should be followed carefully. The red lines are clear — both for the other side and for us. We may or may not reach a result, but either way, it’s worth pursuing.”

He also urged officials “not to tie the country’s affairs” to the talks, which are scheduled to have a second round on Saturday.

“Of course, we don’t fully trust them — we know who we’re dealing with,” Khamenei added. “But we are optimistic about our own capabilities.”

Witkoff suggests 3.67% uranium enrichment for Iran

Meanwhile, Witkoff offered for the first time a specific enrichment level he'd like to see for Iran's nuclear program. Today, Tehran enriches uranium to up to 60% — a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

“They do not need to enrich past 3.67%,” Witkoff told Fox News. "In some circumstances, they’re at 60%, in other circumstances, 20%. That cannot be.

“And you do not need to run, as they claim, a civil nuclear program where you’re enriching past 3.67%. So this is going to be much about verification on the enrichment program, and then ultimately verification on weaponization.”

The 2015 nuclear deal Iran agreed to with world powers under President Barack Obama saw Tehran agree to drastically reduce its stockpile of uranium and only enrich up to 3.67% — enough for its nuclear power plant at Bushehr. Iran in exchange received access to frozen funds around the world, and sanctions were lifted on its crucial oil industry and other sectors.

Iran's Javan newspaper, which is believed to be close to its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, suggested in an editorial Tuesday that Tehran would be open to reducing its enrichment.

“Something that we have done before, why should we not carry it again and reach a deal?” the editorial asked. "This is not called a withdrawal by Islamic Republic from its ideals anywhere in the world.”

When Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018, however, he pointed at Iran's ballistic missile stockpile as one reason to leave the deal. Witkoff said any deal with Iran would have to include “missiles, the type of missiles that they have stockpiled there and it includes the trigger for a bomb.”

Iran relies on its ballistic missiles as a hedge against regional nations armed with advanced fighter jets and other American weaponry. Getting it to abandon its missile program likely will be difficult in negotiations.

Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report. ___

The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.carnegie.org/">the Carnegie Corporation of New York</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://outrider.org/">Outrider Foundation</a>. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744712636526.png" alt="This photograph released by the U.S. Navy shows a MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter hovering over the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier while operating in the Middle East on April 12, 2025. (Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan Jordan/U.S. Navy via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This photograph released by the U.S. Navy shows a MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter hovering over the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier while operating in the Middle East on April 12, 2025. (Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan Jordan/U.S. Navy via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A second U.S. aircraft carrier is operating in Mideast waters ahead of the next round of talks between&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/iran">Iran</a>&nbsp;and the United States over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-program-us-tensions-explains-25acc4bfbbe165a374a58ebfa6a4ab41">Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program</a>, satellite photos analyzed Tuesday by The Associated Press showed.The operation of the USS Carl Vinson and its strike group in the Arabian Sea comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-us-airstrikes-israel-hamas-war-f37d6c5e878045efd48d3790fe69aef7">suspected U.S. airstrikes pounded parts of Yemen controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;overnight into Tuesday. American officials repeatedly have linked the U.S.' monthlong campaign against the Houthis under President Donald Trump as a means to pressure Iran in the negotiations.Questions remain over where the weekend talks between the countries will be held after officials initially identified Rome as hosting the negotiations, only for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-nuclear-talks-italy-77b07a31957b2cb64bd2c37a9d47dad5">Iran to insist early Tuesday they would return to Oman</a>. American officials so far haven't said where the talks will be held.The stakes of the negotiations couldn’t be higher for the two nations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-timeline-nuclear-program-uranium-tehran-118ab7924978559857cceb5a39f711f5">closing in on half a century of enmity</a>. Trump repeatedly has threatened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-trump-nuclear-weapons-program-702e7dfa4c3609f8cefdcb9f67b8117a">to unleash airstrikes</a>&nbsp;targeting Iran’s nuclear program if a deal isn’t reached. Iranian officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-iran-dubai-nuclear-d96093efcf1e6b8581138b9db48cbedc">increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon</a>&nbsp;with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.But even Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reportedly described the first round of talks as going “well,” even while still couching his remarks Tuesday.<a href="https://koff-special-envoy-russia-ukraine-mideast-d26c80c87a57fd3a811e4b0aa0eda58e/">U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff</a>, who represented America in last weekend's talks in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-talks-oman-nuclear-program-5813e0814efcd99616428086de6ba0be">Oman</a>, separately signaled that the Trump administration may be looking at terms of the 2015 nuclear deal that the president unilaterally withdrew from in 2018 as a basis for these negotiations. He described the talks last weekend as “positive, constructive, compelling.”“This is going to be much about verification on the enrichment program, and then ultimately verification on weaponization,” Witkoff told Fox News on Monday night. “That includes missiles, the type of missiles that they have stockpiled there. And it includes the trigger for a bomb.”He added: “We’re here to see if we can solve this situation diplomatically and with dialogue.”<h2>Vinson joins Truman as second US aircraft carrier in Mideast</h2>Satellite photos taken Monday by the European Union's Copernicus program showed the Vinson, which is based out of San Diego, California, operating northeast of Socotra, an island off Yemen that sits near the mouth of the Gulf of Aden. The Vinson is accompanied by the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Princeton and two Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers, the USS Sterett and the USS William P. Lawrence.The U.S. ordered the Vinson to the Mideast to back up the USS Harry S. Truman, which has been launching airstrikes against the Houthis since the American campaign started March 15. Footage released by the Navy showed the Vinson preparing ordinance and launching F-35 and F/A-18 fighter jets off its deck in recent days.The U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, which oversees the Mideast, declined to discuss details of the Vinson's operations. However, hours after the AP's report, the U.S. military's Central Command posted videos from the two carriers on the social platform X saying there had been “24/7 strikes” on the Houthis by the two carriers.<h2>Khamenei responds</h2>The Vinson's arrival came as Khamenei, while speaking to high-ranking government officials in Tehran on Tuesday, endorsed the progress of the talks.“We shouldn’t be overly optimistic about this dialogue, nor overly pessimistic," the 85-year-old Khamenei said. "The first steps have been taken well and executed properly. From here on, the process should be followed carefully. The red lines are clear — both for the other side and for us. We may or may not reach a result, but either way, it’s worth pursuing.”He also urged officials “not to tie the country’s affairs” to the talks, which are scheduled to have a second round on Saturday.“Of course, we don’t fully trust them — we know who we’re dealing with,” Khamenei added. “But we are optimistic about our own capabilities.”<h2>Witkoff suggests 3.67% uranium enrichment for Iran</h2>Meanwhile, Witkoff offered for the first time a specific enrichment level he'd like to see for Iran's nuclear program. Today, Tehran enriches uranium to up to 60% — a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90%.“They do not need to enrich past 3.67%,” Witkoff told Fox News. "In some circumstances, they’re at 60%, in other circumstances, 20%. That cannot be.“And you do not need to run, as they claim, a civil nuclear program where you’re enriching past 3.67%. So this is going to be much about verification on the enrichment program, and then ultimately verification on weaponization.”The 2015 nuclear deal Iran agreed to with world powers under President Barack Obama saw Tehran agree to drastically reduce its stockpile of uranium and only enrich up to 3.67% — enough for its nuclear power plant at Bushehr. Iran in exchange received access to frozen funds around the world, and sanctions were lifted on its crucial oil industry and other sectors.Iran's Javan newspaper, which is believed to be close to its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, suggested in an editorial Tuesday that Tehran would be open to reducing its enrichment.“Something that we have done before, why should we not carry it again and reach a deal?” the editorial asked. "This is not called a withdrawal by Islamic Republic from its ideals anywhere in the world.”When Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018, however, he pointed at Iran's ballistic missile stockpile as one reason to leave the deal. Witkoff said any deal with Iran would have to include “missiles, the type of missiles that they have stockpiled there and it includes the trigger for a bomb.”Iran relies on its ballistic missiles as a hedge against regional nations armed with advanced fighter jets and other American weaponry. Getting it to abandon its missile program likely will be difficult in negotiations.___Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report. ___The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.carnegie.org/">the Carnegie Corporation of New York</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://outrider.org/">Outrider Foundation</a>. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Another show of US force in Mideast ahead of second round of Iran nuclear talks

COWLEY COUNTY—A Kansas family is celebrating the birth of their fourth child who arrived sooner than expected.

According to a social media report on Monday from the Arkansas City Fire and EMS, shortly after 11:30 a.m. March 31, emergency crews responded to a 911 call reporting an unexpected childbirth at the home of Mary Trenary and Donovan Dean. When responders arrived, they discovered that baby Kyng Kyrie Dean had already made his entrance into the world — a week ahead of schedule — at 11:20 a.m., weighing 8 pounds, 5 ounces, and measuring 19 inches long.

“I was taking care of my toddlers, and then the next thing I know, I was giving birth,” Mary said. “I thought it was just Braxton Hicks contractions.”Earlier that morning, Mary experienced back pain, which she attributed to lying on a heating pad. But by 11 a.m., it was clear she needed to get to the hospital. However, Baby Kyng had his own plans. With contractions rapidly intensifying, Donovan found himself playing PlayStation one minute — the next, he was delivering his son.

“I used to play doctor as a kid, but I never guessed I’d actually play one in real life,” Donovan said. “I just knew I had to get him out and make sure he could breathe.

 After I realized what happened, I started shaking. I wanted to make sure she was okay and he was okay. I know complications can happen. Then I heard him crying, and EMS came — and I knew it was going to be okay. I appreciate EMS getting there so quickly.

”For Mary, the experience was a whirlwind.“I just remember the police arriving, then EMS,” she said. “I don’t think it really hit me that I had given birth until they said, ‘Here’s the umbilical cord.’”

Arkansas City Fire/EMS crews transported both mom and baby safely to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WilliamNewtonHospital?__cft__[0]=AZX0c4TouQ39qu07s-c2aMxk9anyY2jJxOBIZZWo216YrRDfHqCTMsIk_8CZH5lbIC-I10-xXmeEAF3IgH-A9-u9WbEbbEaiMDzSUtHMhOORapnz4bkILEY0Q1h4Mf9I9OBR8LDgHZhaSz8bBpGuDjUwdj0_cIzCCizdMgTihOKPruMyoLMAcYXpF1b1Rwm0Qtg&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">William Newton Hospital</a>. Kyng is Mary and Donovan’s fourth child — and their first boy. Their daughters are 5, 3, and 2 years old.“I’ve had a hospital birth, a water birth, and now a home birth,” Mary said. “Each one has been different, but this was definitely the most unexpected!”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744717717084.png" alt="Photo Arkansas City Fire and EMS" />
 <figcaption>Photo Arkansas City Fire and EMS</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY—A Kansas family is celebrating the birth of their fourth child who arrived sooner than expected.According to a social media report on Monday from the Arkansas City Fire and EMS, shortly after 11:30 a.m. March 31, emergency crews responded to a 911 call reporting an unexpected childbirth at the home of Mary Trenary and Donovan Dean. When responders arrived, they discovered that baby Kyng Kyrie Dean had already made his entrance into the world — a week ahead of schedule — at 11:20 a.m., weighing 8 pounds, 5 ounces, and measuring 19 inches long.“I was taking care of my toddlers, and then the next thing I know, I was giving birth,” Mary said. “I thought it was just Braxton Hicks contractions.”Earlier that morning, Mary experienced back pain, which she attributed to lying on a heating pad. But by 11 a.m., it was clear she needed to get to the hospital. However, Baby Kyng had his own plans. With contractions rapidly intensifying, Donovan found himself playing PlayStation one minute — the next, he was delivering his son.“I used to play doctor as a kid, but I never guessed I’d actually play one in real life,” Donovan said. “I just knew I had to get him out and make sure he could breathe. After I realized what happened, I started shaking. I wanted to make sure she was okay and he was okay. I know complications can happen. Then I heard him crying, and EMS came — and I knew it was going to be okay. I appreciate EMS getting there so quickly.”For Mary, the experience was a whirlwind.“I just remember the police arriving, then EMS,” she said. “I don’t think it really hit me that I had given birth until they said, ‘Here’s the umbilical cord.’”Arkansas City Fire/EMS crews transported both mom and baby safely to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WilliamNewtonHospital?__cft__[0]=AZX0c4TouQ39qu07s-c2aMxk9anyY2jJxOBIZZWo216YrRDfHqCTMsIk_8CZH5lbIC-I10-xXmeEAF3IgH-A9-u9WbEbbEaiMDzSUtHMhOORapnz4bkILEY0Q1h4Mf9I9OBR8LDgHZhaSz8bBpGuDjUwdj0_cIzCCizdMgTihOKPruMyoLMAcYXpF1b1Rwm0Qtg&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">William Newton Hospital</a>. Kyng is Mary and Donovan’s fourth child — and their first boy. Their daughters are 5, 3, and 2 years old.“I’ve had a hospital birth, a water birth, and now a home birth,” Mary said. “Each one has been different, but this was definitely the most unexpected!”

Kansas man delivers baby boy at home

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A Wisconsin teenager charged in the deaths of his parents faces wider allegations that he killed them to “obtain the financial means” to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-assassination-attempt-butler-pennsylvania/">assassinate President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and overthrow the government, according to a recently unsealed federal warrant.

Nikita Casap, 17, was charged last month by Waukesha County authorities with first-degree murder, theft and other crimes in the deaths of his mother, Tatiana Casap, and his stepfather, Donald Mayer. Authorities allege the teenager fatally shot them at their home outside Milwaukee in February and lived with the decomposing bodies for weeks before fleeing with $14,000 cash, passports and the family dog. He was arrested last month in Trego County.

Casap, in custody at the Waukesha County jail on a $1 million bond, is due in court next month to enter a plea. County prosecutors have offered a glimpse of the federal allegations, which were outlined in an FBI warrant unsealed Friday.

Federal authorities accuse Casap of planning his parents’ murders, buying a drone and explosives, and sharing his plans with others, including a Russian speaker. His intentions are detailed in a three-page antisemitic manifesto praising Adolf Hitler. The warrant filed at the federal court in Milwaukee also contains excerpts of communications on TikTok and the Telegram messenger app.

“Casap appears to have written a manifest calling for the assassination of the President of the United States. He was in touch with other parties about his plan to kill the President and overthrow the government of the United States,” the search warrant says. “The killing of his parents appeared to be an effort to obtain the financial means and autonomy necessary to carrying out his plan.”

In court, prosecutors alleged Casap was in touch with a person who speaks Russian and shared a plan to flee to Ukraine. Authorities found him in Kansas with money, passports, a car and the family’s dog.

Federal prosecutors alleged Casap’s manifesto outlined his reasons for wanting to kill Trump and included ideas about how he would live in Ukraine.

Citing Casap’s writings, the federal warrant said the teenager wanted to spur governmental collapse by “by getting rid of the president and perhaps the vice president.”

Phone and online messages seeking comment were left Sunday for Casap’s public defender, Nicole Ostrowski. In court last month, she moved to dismiss some of the charges against her client, including theft, arguing that prosecutors had not laid out their case. She’s also noted her client’s age during court proceedings.

“He is young, he is still in high school,” she said on March 12.

County authorities also charged Casap with hiding a corpse, theft and misappropriating identification to obtain money.

Officers found the bodies of Tatiana Casap, 35; and Mayer, 51, on Feb. 28. Family members requested a well-being check after Mayer didn’t report for work and Nikita Casap skipped school for about two weeks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744674855261.png" alt="Casp PhotoWaukesha County Sheriff's Department)" />
 <figcaption>Casp PhotoWaukesha County Sheriff's Department)</figcaption>
 </figure>MILWAUKEE (AP) — A Wisconsin teenager charged in the deaths of his parents faces wider allegations that he killed them to “obtain the financial means” to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-assassination-attempt-butler-pennsylvania/">assassinate President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and overthrow the government, according to a recently unsealed federal warrant.Nikita Casap, 17, was charged last month by Waukesha County authorities with first-degree murder, theft and other crimes in the deaths of his mother, Tatiana Casap, and his stepfather, Donald Mayer. Authorities allege the teenager fatally shot them at their home outside Milwaukee in February and lived with the decomposing bodies for weeks before fleeing with $14,000 cash, passports and the family dog. He was arrested last month in Trego County.Casap, in custody at the Waukesha County jail on a $1 million bond, is due in court next month to enter a plea. County prosecutors have offered a glimpse of the federal allegations, which were outlined in an FBI warrant unsealed Friday.Federal authorities accuse Casap of planning his parents’ murders, buying a drone and explosives, and sharing his plans with others, including a Russian speaker. His intentions are detailed in a three-page antisemitic manifesto praising Adolf Hitler. The warrant filed at the federal court in Milwaukee also contains excerpts of communications on TikTok and the Telegram messenger app.“Casap appears to have written a manifest calling for the assassination of the President of the United States. He was in touch with other parties about his plan to kill the President and overthrow the government of the United States,” the search warrant says. “The killing of his parents appeared to be an effort to obtain the financial means and autonomy necessary to carrying out his plan.”In court, prosecutors alleged Casap was in touch with a person who speaks Russian and shared a plan to flee to Ukraine. Authorities found him in Kansas with money, passports, a car and the family’s dog.Federal prosecutors alleged Casap’s manifesto outlined his reasons for wanting to kill Trump and included ideas about how he would live in Ukraine.Citing Casap’s writings, the federal warrant said the teenager wanted to spur governmental collapse by “by getting rid of the president and perhaps the vice president.”Phone and online messages seeking comment were left Sunday for Casap’s public defender, Nicole Ostrowski. In court last month, she moved to dismiss some of the charges against her client, including theft, arguing that prosecutors had not laid out their case. She’s also noted her client’s age during court proceedings.“He is young, he is still in high school,” she said on March 12.County authorities also charged Casap with hiding a corpse, theft and misappropriating identification to obtain money.Officers found the bodies of Tatiana Casap, 35; and Mayer, 51, on Feb. 28. Family members requested a well-being check after Mayer didn’t report for work and Nikita Casap skipped school for about two weeks.

Teen arrested in NW Kansas accused of plotting to kill Trump

SEDGWICK COUNTY –&nbsp;A detention deputy was seriously injured just before 7:30p.m. Monday after an inmate allegedly threw scalding water on the deputy inside the&nbsp;Sedgwick County Detention facility, according to a media release from the Sheriff's Office.

&nbsp;The deputy sustained serious burns and was transported by Sedgwick County EMS to a local hospital for treatment.

Sheriff’s detectives launched an investigation.&nbsp; The sheriff's office released no additional details late Monday.

SEDGWICK COUNTY –&nbsp;A detention deputy was seriously injured just before 7:30p.m. Monday after an inmate allegedly threw scalding water on the deputy inside the&nbsp;Sedgwick County Detention facility, according to a media release from the Sheriff's Office.&nbsp;The deputy sustained serious burns and was transported by Sedgwick County EMS to a local hospital for treatment.Sheriff’s detectives launched an investigation.&nbsp; The sheriff's office released no additional details late Monday.

Kan. inmate accused of throwing scalding water on deputy

BOSTON (AP) — The federal government says it’s freezing more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard University, since the institution said Monday it won’t comply with the Trump administration’s demands to limit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-antisemitism-demands-columbia-84d6265d2fbfcd5534006edff638160e">activism on campus</a>.

In a letter to Harvard Friday, the administration called for broad government and leadership reforms, a requirement that Harvard institute what it calls “merit-based” admissions and hiring policies as well as conduct an audit of the study body, faculty and leadership on their views about diversity.&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2025/04/Letter-Sent-to-Harvard-2025-04-11.pdf"> CLICK here to read the letter from the Trump Admin.</a>

The demands, which are an update from an earlier letter, also call for a ban on face masks — which appeared to target pro-Palestinian protesters. They also pressure the university to stop recognizing or funding "any student group or club that endorses or promotes criminal activity, illegal violence, or illegal harassment.”

Harvard President Alan Garber, in a letter to the Harvard community Monday, said the demands violated the university's First Amendment rights and “exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI," which prohibits discrimination against students based on their race, color or national origin.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Below is the full letter President Garber sent on Monday

Dear Members of the Harvard Community,&nbsp;

For three-quarters of a century, the federal government has awarded grants and contracts to Harvard and other universities to help pay for work that, along with investments by the universities themselves, has led to groundbreaking innovations across a wide range of medical, engineering, and scientific fields. These innovations have made countless people in our country and throughout the world healthier and safer. In recent weeks, the federal government has threatened its partnerships with several universities, including Harvard, over accusations of antisemitism on our campuses. These partnerships are among the most productive and beneficial in American history. New frontiers beckon us with the prospect of life-changing advances—from treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and diabetes, to breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, quantum science and engineering, and numerous other areas of possibility. For the government to retreat from these partnerships now risks not only the health and well-being of millions of individuals but also the economic security and vitality of our nation.&nbsp;Late Friday night, the administration issued an updated and expanded list of demands, warning that Harvard must comply if we intend to “maintain [our] financial relationship with the federal government.” It makes clear that the intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner. Although some of the demands outlined by the government are aimed at combating antisemitism, the majority represent direct governmental regulation of the “intellectual conditions” at Harvard.&nbsp;I encourage you to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2025/04/Letter-Sent-to-Harvard-2025-04-11.pdf" target="_blank">read the letter</a>&nbsp;to gain a fuller understanding of the unprecedented demands being made by the federal government to control the Harvard community. They include requirements to “audit” the viewpoints of our student body, faculty, staff, and to “reduc[e] the power” of certain students, faculty, and administrators targeted because of their ideological views. We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2025/04/Harvard-Response-2025-04-14.pdf" target="_blank">we will not accept their proposed agreement</a>. The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.&nbsp;The administration’s prescription goes beyond the power of the federal government. It violates Harvard’s First Amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI. And it threatens our values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge. No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.&nbsp;Our motto—Veritas, or truth—guides us as we navigate the challenging path ahead. Seeking truth is a journey without end. It requires us to be open to new information and different perspectives, to subject our beliefs to ongoing scrutiny, and to be ready to change our minds. It compels us to take up the difficult work of acknowledging our flaws so that we might realize the full promise of the University, especially when that promise is threatened.&nbsp;We have made it abundantly clear that we do not take lightly our moral duty to fight antisemitism. Over the past fifteen months, we have taken many steps to address antisemitism on our campus. We plan to do much more. As we defend Harvard, we will continue to:&nbsp;

These ends will not be achieved by assertions of power, unmoored from the law, to control teaching and learning at Harvard and to dictate how we operate. The work of addressing our shortcomings, fulfilling our commitments, and embodying our values is ours to define and undertake as a community. Freedom of thought and inquiry, along with the government’s longstanding commitment to respect and protect it, has enabled universities to contribute in vital ways to a free society and to healthier, more prosperous lives for people everywhere. All of us share a stake in safeguarding that freedom. We proceed now, as always, with the conviction that the fearless and unfettered pursuit of truth liberates humanity—and with faith in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/">enduring promise that America’s colleges and universities</a>&nbsp;hold for our country and our world.&nbsp;

The demands of Harvard are part of a broader push of using taxpayer dollars to pressure major academic institutions to comply with President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;political agenda and to influence campus policy. The administration has also argued that universities allowed what it considered to be antisemitism to go unchecked at campus protests last year against Israel's war in Gaza; the schools deny it.

Harvard is one of several Ivy League schools targeted in a pressure campaign by the administration, which also has paused federal funding for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/penn-transgender-swimmer-trump-federal-funding-2416de5d0abee40163a25294e8a72442">University of Pennsylvania</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-grant-funding-antisemitism-2b7fcd9ee708e1fb3cd0beac65ad56a5">Brown</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/princeton-trump-federal-funding-9c32a996256849ac00792ef50dbdfb0e">Princeton</a>&nbsp;to force compliance with its agenda. Harvard's demand letter is similar to the one that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-funding-trump-fa70143c715df8fd4ef337c0e1ccf872">prompted changes</a>&nbsp;at Columbia University under the threat of billions of dollars in cuts.

The demands from the Trump administration prompted a group of alumni to write to university leaders calling for it to “legally contest and refuse to comply with unlawful demands that threaten academic freedom and university self-governance.”

“Harvard stood up today for the integrity, values, and freedoms that serve as the foundation of higher education,” said Anurima Bhargava, one of the alumni behind the letter. "Harvard reminded the world that learning, innovation and transformative growth will not yield to bullying and authoritarian whims.”

It also sparked a protest over the weekend from members of the Harvard community and from residents of Cambridge and a lawsuit from the American Association of University Professors on Friday challenging the cuts.

In their lawsuit, plaintiffs argue that the Trump administration has failed to follow steps required under Title VI before it starts cutting funds, and giving notice of the cuts to both the university and Congress.

“These sweeping yet indeterminate demands are not remedies targeting the causes of any determination of noncompliance with federal law. Instead, they overtly seek to impose on Harvard University political views and policy preferences advanced by the Trump administration and commit the University to punishing disfavored speech,” plaintiffs wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744677178521.png" alt="Harvard President Alan Garber- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Harvard President Alan Garber- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BOSTON (AP) — The federal government says it’s freezing more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard University, since the institution said Monday it won’t comply with the Trump administration’s demands to limit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-antisemitism-demands-columbia-84d6265d2fbfcd5534006edff638160e">activism on campus</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.” - President Alan Garber <a href="https://t.co/6cQQpcJVTd">https://t.co/6cQQpcJVTd</a>&mdash; Harvard University (@Harvard) <a href="https://twitter.com/Harvard/status/1911835670953214401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a letter to Harvard Friday, the administration called for broad government and leadership reforms, a requirement that Harvard institute what it calls “merit-based” admissions and hiring policies as well as conduct an audit of the study body, faculty and leadership on their views about diversity.&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2025/04/Letter-Sent-to-Harvard-2025-04-11.pdf"> CLICK here to read the letter from the Trump Admin.</a>The demands, which are an update from an earlier letter, also call for a ban on face masks — which appeared to target pro-Palestinian protesters. They also pressure the university to stop recognizing or funding "any student group or club that endorses or promotes criminal activity, illegal violence, or illegal harassment.”Harvard President Alan Garber, in a letter to the Harvard community Monday, said the demands violated the university's First Amendment rights and “exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI," which prohibits discrimination against students based on their race, color or national origin.&nbsp; &nbsp;Below is the full letter President Garber sent on MondayDear Members of the Harvard Community,&nbsp;For three-quarters of a century, the federal government has awarded grants and contracts to Harvard and other universities to help pay for work that, along with investments by the universities themselves, has led to groundbreaking innovations across a wide range of medical, engineering, and scientific fields. These innovations have made countless people in our country and throughout the world healthier and safer. In recent weeks, the federal government has threatened its partnerships with several universities, including Harvard, over accusations of antisemitism on our campuses. These partnerships are among the most productive and beneficial in American history. New frontiers beckon us with the prospect of life-changing advances—from treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and diabetes, to breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, quantum science and engineering, and numerous other areas of possibility. For the government to retreat from these partnerships now risks not only the health and well-being of millions of individuals but also the economic security and vitality of our nation.&nbsp;Late Friday night, the administration issued an updated and expanded list of demands, warning that Harvard must comply if we intend to “maintain [our] financial relationship with the federal government.” It makes clear that the intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner. Although some of the demands outlined by the government are aimed at combating antisemitism, the majority represent direct governmental regulation of the “intellectual conditions” at Harvard.&nbsp;I encourage you to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2025/04/Letter-Sent-to-Harvard-2025-04-11.pdf" target="_blank">read the letter</a>&nbsp;to gain a fuller understanding of the unprecedented demands being made by the federal government to control the Harvard community. They include requirements to “audit” the viewpoints of our student body, faculty, staff, and to “reduc[e] the power” of certain students, faculty, and administrators targeted because of their ideological views. We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2025/04/Harvard-Response-2025-04-14.pdf" target="_blank">we will not accept their proposed agreement</a>. The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.&nbsp;The administration’s prescription goes beyond the power of the federal government. It violates Harvard’s First Amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI. And it threatens our values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge. No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.&nbsp;Our motto—Veritas, or truth—guides us as we navigate the challenging path ahead. Seeking truth is a journey without end. It requires us to be open to new information and different perspectives, to subject our beliefs to ongoing scrutiny, and to be ready to change our minds. It compels us to take up the difficult work of acknowledging our flaws so that we might realize the full promise of the University, especially when that promise is threatened.&nbsp;We have made it abundantly clear that we do not take lightly our moral duty to fight antisemitism. Over the past fifteen months, we have taken many steps to address antisemitism on our campus. We plan to do much more. As we defend Harvard, we will continue to:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>nurture a thriving culture of open inquiry on our campus; develop the tools, skills, and practices needed to engage constructively with one another; and broaden the intellectual and viewpoint diversity within our community;&nbsp;</li><li>affirm the rights and responsibilities we share; respect free speech and dissent while also ensuring that protest occurs in a time, place, and manner that does not interfere with teaching, learning, and research; and enhance the consistency and fairness of disciplinary processes; and&nbsp;</li><li>work together to find ways, consistent with law, to foster and support a vibrant community that exemplifies, respects, and embraces difference. As we do, we will also continue to comply with&nbsp;Students For Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which ruled that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act makes it unlawful for universities to make decisions “on the basis of race.”&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>These ends will not be achieved by assertions of power, unmoored from the law, to control teaching and learning at Harvard and to dictate how we operate. The work of addressing our shortcomings, fulfilling our commitments, and embodying our values is ours to define and undertake as a community. Freedom of thought and inquiry, along with the government’s longstanding commitment to respect and protect it, has enabled universities to contribute in vital ways to a free society and to healthier, more prosperous lives for people everywhere. All of us share a stake in safeguarding that freedom. We proceed now, as always, with the conviction that the fearless and unfettered pursuit of truth liberates humanity—and with faith in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/">enduring promise that America’s colleges and universities</a>&nbsp;hold for our country and our world.&nbsp;Sincerely, Alan M. GarberThe demands of Harvard are part of a broader push of using taxpayer dollars to pressure major academic institutions to comply with President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;political agenda and to influence campus policy. The administration has also argued that universities allowed what it considered to be antisemitism to go unchecked at campus protests last year against Israel's war in Gaza; the schools deny it.Harvard is one of several Ivy League schools targeted in a pressure campaign by the administration, which also has paused federal funding for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/penn-transgender-swimmer-trump-federal-funding-2416de5d0abee40163a25294e8a72442">University of Pennsylvania</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-grant-funding-antisemitism-2b7fcd9ee708e1fb3cd0beac65ad56a5">Brown</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/princeton-trump-federal-funding-9c32a996256849ac00792ef50dbdfb0e">Princeton</a>&nbsp;to force compliance with its agenda. Harvard's demand letter is similar to the one that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-funding-trump-fa70143c715df8fd4ef337c0e1ccf872">prompted changes</a>&nbsp;at Columbia University under the threat of billions of dollars in cuts.The demands from the Trump administration prompted a group of alumni to write to university leaders calling for it to “legally contest and refuse to comply with unlawful demands that threaten academic freedom and university self-governance.”“Harvard stood up today for the integrity, values, and freedoms that serve as the foundation of higher education,” said Anurima Bhargava, one of the alumni behind the letter. "Harvard reminded the world that learning, innovation and transformative growth will not yield to bullying and authoritarian whims.”It also sparked a protest over the weekend from members of the Harvard community and from residents of Cambridge and a lawsuit from the American Association of University Professors on Friday challenging the cuts.In their lawsuit, plaintiffs argue that the Trump administration has failed to follow steps required under Title VI before it starts cutting funds, and giving notice of the cuts to both the university and Congress.“These sweeping yet indeterminate demands are not remedies targeting the causes of any determination of noncompliance with federal law. Instead, they overtly seek to impose on Harvard University political views and policy preferences advanced by the Trump administration and commit the University to punishing disfavored speech,” plaintiffs wrote.

Read Harvard's response after Trump admin. freezes $2 billion in grants 

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged sex assault in connection with an arranged marriage.

Just before 6a.m.., April 11, police responded to the east part of Garden City where a woman was screaming and pleading for help and an unidentified man was following her, according to a media release.

When Officers arrived, they located the woman in the driveway of a home with numerous injuries. She was transported to St. Catherine Hospital for treatment of injuries.&nbsp; The man, identified as Mohamed Hakim, 44, fled before police arrived but was later located and taken into custody. 

Officers learned that the victim was recently placed into an arranged marriage to Hakim against her will in exchange for money and was relocated to the United States from overseas by family to carry out the arrangement. 

After arriving to Garden City, the victim was physically and sexually assaulted and confined to the home without communication or resources other than provided by Hakim. 

Further investigation revealed that the victim’s relocation to the United States was facilitated under transactional and coercive circumstances. 

Hakim is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp; Rape, Aggravated Domestic Battery, Aggravated Human Trafficking, Aggravated Kidnapping, and Criminal Threat. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744659743808.png" alt="Hakim photo Finney County" />
 <figcaption>Hakim photo Finney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged sex assault in connection with an arranged marriage.Just before 6a.m.., April 11, police responded to the east part of Garden City where a woman was screaming and pleading for help and an unidentified man was following her, according to a media release.When Officers arrived, they located the woman in the driveway of a home with numerous injuries. She was transported to St. Catherine Hospital for treatment of injuries.&nbsp; The man, identified as Mohamed Hakim, 44, fled before police arrived but was later located and taken into custody. Officers learned that the victim was recently placed into an arranged marriage to Hakim against her will in exchange for money and was relocated to the United States from overseas by family to carry out the arrangement. After arriving to Garden City, the victim was physically and sexually assaulted and confined to the home without communication or resources other than provided by Hakim. Further investigation revealed that the victim’s relocation to the United States was facilitated under transactional and coercive circumstances. Hakim is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp; Rape, Aggravated Domestic Battery, Aggravated Human Trafficking, Aggravated Kidnapping, and Criminal Threat.

Man accused of sex crimes in arranged marriage in SW Kansas

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22TARA%20COPP%20and%20LOLITA%20C.%20BALDOR%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By TARA COPP and LOLITA C. BALDOR&nbsp;</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — A long sliver of federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border that President Donald Trump is turning over to the Department of Defense would be controlled by the Army as part of a base, which could allow troops to detain any trespassers, including migrants, U.S. officials told The Associated Press.

The transfer of that border zone to military control — and making it part of an Army installation — is an attempt by the Trump administration to get around a federal law that prohibits U.S. troops from being used in domestic law enforcement on American soil.

But if the troops are providing security for land that is part of an Army base, they can perform that function. However, at least one presidential powers expert said the move is likely to be challenged in the courts.

The officials said the issue is still under review in the Pentagon, but even as any legal review goes on, the administration’s intent is to have troops detain migrants at the border.

The land transfer is the farthest the Trump administration has gone yet to use the military for border security. Up until now, the military's involvement has been limited largely to helping build or fortify sections of the border wall and operating deportation flights to send migrants back to their home countries or, in some cases, to the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The military also has assisted U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents by conducting surveillance or performing backup administrative tasks.

The corridor, known as the Roosevelt Reservation, is a 60-foot-wide federal buffer zone that ribbons along the border from New Mexico to California, except where it encounters tribal or privately owned land. It had been run by the Interior Department until Trump directed control be transferred to the Defense Department in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/military-mission-for-sealing-the-southern-border-of-the-united-states-and-repelling-invasions/">presidential memo</a>&nbsp;released Friday night.

For the next 45 days, the Defense Department will test taking control of a section of the Roosevelt Reservation in New Mexico, east of Fort Huachuca, which is an Army installation in Arizona, one of the U.S. officials said. During that period, the Army will put up additional fencing and signs warning people not to trespass.

People not authorized to be in that area could be arrested by the Army’s security forces, the officials said, who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public.

Any migrants in the country illegally who are detained by military personnel on those lands would be turned over to local civilian law enforcement agencies, the officials said.

It was not clear if the added land would require the military to deploy additional forces to the border. There are about 7,100 active duty troops under federal control currently assigned to the border and about 4,600 National Guard troops under state control.

Troops are prohibited from conducting civilian law enforcement on U.S. soil under the Posse Comitatus Act. An exception known as the military purpose doctrine allows it in some cases — but would not apply here and would likely be challenged in the courts, said Elizabeth Goitein, an expert on presidential emergency powers at the Brennan Center for Justice.

That’s because even though troops would be on land designated as an Army installation, they would have to prove that their primary mission there was not to conduct border security and law enforcement — and the whole point of Trump’s order transferring the Roosevelt Reservation to the military’s control is to secure the border, she said.

The military purpose doctrine “only applies if the law enforcement aspect is incidental,” Goitein said. “Does this (area) have a military purpose that has nothing to do with enforcing customs and security at the border?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738854959688.png" alt="File Photos U.S. Northern Command" />
 <figcaption>File Photos U.S. Northern Command</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22TARA%20COPP%20and%20LOLITA%20C.%20BALDOR%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By TARA COPP and LOLITA C. BALDOR&nbsp;</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — A long sliver of federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border that President Donald Trump is turning over to the Department of Defense would be controlled by the Army as part of a base, which could allow troops to detain any trespassers, including migrants, U.S. officials told The Associated Press.The transfer of that border zone to military control — and making it part of an Army installation — is an attempt by the Trump administration to get around a federal law that prohibits U.S. troops from being used in domestic law enforcement on American soil.But if the troops are providing security for land that is part of an Army base, they can perform that function. However, at least one presidential powers expert said the move is likely to be challenged in the courts.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738854978070.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The officials said the issue is still under review in the Pentagon, but even as any legal review goes on, the administration’s intent is to have troops detain migrants at the border.The land transfer is the farthest the Trump administration has gone yet to use the military for border security. Up until now, the military's involvement has been limited largely to helping build or fortify sections of the border wall and operating deportation flights to send migrants back to their home countries or, in some cases, to the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The military also has assisted U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents by conducting surveillance or performing backup administrative tasks.The corridor, known as the Roosevelt Reservation, is a 60-foot-wide federal buffer zone that ribbons along the border from New Mexico to California, except where it encounters tribal or privately owned land. It had been run by the Interior Department until Trump directed control be transferred to the Defense Department in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/military-mission-for-sealing-the-southern-border-of-the-united-states-and-repelling-invasions/">presidential memo</a>&nbsp;released Friday night.For the next 45 days, the Defense Department will test taking control of a section of the Roosevelt Reservation in New Mexico, east of Fort Huachuca, which is an Army installation in Arizona, one of the U.S. officials said. During that period, the Army will put up additional fencing and signs warning people not to trespass.People not authorized to be in that area could be arrested by the Army’s security forces, the officials said, who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public.Any migrants in the country illegally who are detained by military personnel on those lands would be turned over to local civilian law enforcement agencies, the officials said.It was not clear if the added land would require the military to deploy additional forces to the border. There are about 7,100 active duty troops under federal control currently assigned to the border and about 4,600 National Guard troops under state control.Troops are prohibited from conducting civilian law enforcement on U.S. soil under the Posse Comitatus Act. An exception known as the military purpose doctrine allows it in some cases — but would not apply here and would likely be challenged in the courts, said Elizabeth Goitein, an expert on presidential emergency powers at the Brennan Center for Justice.That’s because even though troops would be on land designated as an Army installation, they would have to prove that their primary mission there was not to conduct border security and law enforcement — and the whole point of Trump’s order transferring the Roosevelt Reservation to the military’s control is to secure the border, she said.The military purpose doctrine “only applies if the law enforcement aspect is incidental,” Goitein said. “Does this (area) have a military purpose that has nothing to do with enforcing customs and security at the border?”—-

US Army to control land on Mexico border as part of base, migrants could be detained

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a high-speed chase in a Kansas City suburb.

Just after 3:30p.m. Saturday,&nbsp; police officer observed a vehicle speeding and driving recklessly on Watson Drive near Price Chopper Kearney, Missouri, according to a media release. As the officer got behind the speeding vehicle, he noticed a paper temporary tag that expired in 2024. The officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle, but the driver had other plans. 

The vehicle continued south on Watson Drive past the water tower and toward 19th Street, failing to stop. The vehicle then took the 19th street bridge to southbound Interstate 35 where he continued to evade officers who were now in pursuit.

Assistance was requested to other law enforcement agencies for help. Deputies with the Clay County Sheriff's Office set up a perfect cascade of tire deflation devices (stop sticks) near the 69/Lightburne exit ramp from Interstate 35. The suspect drove over all the sticks and every tire was quickly deflating. The driver then took the 291 Highway exit into Liberty, turning onto N Church Road near the Price Chopper.

As all the tires were shredded, the vehicle stopped, and the driver immediately got out and started to run from the vehicle. After a short foot pursuit, the suspect was tased and taken into custody without further incident. 

The driver was revealed to have a revoked driver's license and had 6 active warrants for his arrest to include resisting/evading arrest . There were no damages to any other property and no other people were injured during this pursuit.

The 33-year-old male of Gladstone, Missouri was transported to the Clay County Detention Center where he was booked in requested felony charges of aggravated fleeing in motor vehicle (Valentine's Law). He was charged in custody by the Clay County Prosecutors Office with a bond of $75,000.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744508951322.png" alt="Shredded tire -photo Kearney Police" />
 <figcaption>Shredded tire -photo Kearney Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a high-speed chase in a Kansas City suburb.Just after 3:30p.m. Saturday,&nbsp; police officer observed a vehicle speeding and driving recklessly on Watson Drive near Price Chopper Kearney, Missouri, according to a media release. As the officer got behind the speeding vehicle, he noticed a paper temporary tag that expired in 2024. The officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle, but the driver had other plans. The vehicle continued south on Watson Drive past the water tower and toward 19th Street, failing to stop. The vehicle then took the 19th street bridge to southbound Interstate 35 where he continued to evade officers who were now in pursuit.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744508909470.png" alt="&nbsp;Kearney Police body camera image" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Kearney Police body camera image</figcaption>
 </figure>Assistance was requested to other law enforcement agencies for help. Deputies with the Clay County Sheriff's Office set up a perfect cascade of tire deflation devices (stop sticks) near the 69/Lightburne exit ramp from Interstate 35. The suspect drove over all the sticks and every tire was quickly deflating. The driver then took the 291 Highway exit into Liberty, turning onto N Church Road near the Price Chopper.As all the tires were shredded, the vehicle stopped, and the driver immediately got out and started to run from the vehicle. After a short foot pursuit, the suspect was tased and taken into custody without further incident. The driver was revealed to have a revoked driver's license and had 6 active warrants for his arrest to include resisting/evading arrest . There were no damages to any other property and no other people were injured during this pursuit.The 33-year-old male of Gladstone, Missouri was transported to the Clay County Detention Center where he was booked in requested felony charges of aggravated fleeing in motor vehicle (Valentine's Law). He was charged in custody by the Clay County Prosecutors Office with a bond of $75,000.&nbsp;

Wanted suspect captured after running from KC area high-speed chase

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/barbara-ortutay">BARBARA ORTUTAY</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-lawsuits-federal-trade-commission-facebook-fb2716964e7bcd6dd1e790d7fc65a20b">historic antitrust trial</a>&nbsp;began Monday for Meta Platforms Inc. in a case that could force the tech giant to break off Instagram and WhatsApp, startups it bought more than a decade ago that have since grown into social media powerhouses.

The trial is bringing Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg into federal court in Washington to testify.

In opening statements, Federal Trade Commission attorney Daniel Matheson said Meta has used a monopoly to generate enormous profits as consumer satisfaction has dropped. He said Meta was “erecting a moat” to protect its interests by buying the two startups because the company feared they were a threat to Meta’s dominance.

Zuckerberg and other Meta witnesses will testify during the trial.

“We’re going to give them their chance to tell their side of the story,” Matheson said.

Mark Hansen, an attorney for Meta, said the FTC was making a “grab bag” of arguments that were wrong. He said Meta has plenty of competition and has made improvements to the startups it acquired.

“This lawsuit, in summary, is misguided,” Hansen said, adding: “anyway you look at it, consumers have been the big winners.”

The trial will be the first big test of President Donald Trump’s Federal Trade Commission’s ability to challenge Big Tech. The lawsuit was filed against Meta — then called Facebook — in 2020, during Trump’s first term. It claims the company bought Instagram and WhatsApp to squash competition and establish an illegal monopoly in the social media market.

Meta, the FTC argues, has maintained a monopoly by pursuing CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s strategy, “expressed in 2008: ‘It is better to buy than compete.’ True to that maxim, Facebook has systematically tracked potential rivals and acquired companies that it viewed as serious competitive threats.”

Facebook also enacted policies designed to make it difficult for smaller rivals to enter the market and “neutralize perceived competitive threats,” the FTC says in its complaint, just as the world shifted its attention to mobile devices from desktop computers.

“Unable to maintain its monopoly by fairly competing, the company’s executives addressed the existential threat by buying up new innovators that were succeeding where Facebook failed,” the FTC says.

Facebook bought Instagram — then a scrappy photo-sharing app with no ads and a small cult following — in 2012. The $1 billion cash and stock purchase price was eye-popping at the time, though the deal’s value fell to $750 million after Facebook’s stock price dipped following its initial public offering in May 2012.

Instagram was the first company Facebook bought and kept running as a separate app. Up until then, Facebook was known for smaller “acqui-hires” — a type of popular Silicon Valley deal in which a company purchases a startup as a way to hire its talented workers, then shuts the acquired company down. Two years later, it did it again with the messaging app WhatsApp, which it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ca-state-wire-135dcb36fc16407699d0a04664a67bfc">purchased for $22 billion</a>.

WhatsApp and Instagram helped Facebook move its business from desktop computers to mobile devices, and to remain popular with younger generations as rivals like Snapchat (which it also tried, but failed, to buy) and TikTok emerged. However, the FTC has a narrow definition of Meta’s competitive market, excluding companies like TikTok, YouTube and Apple’s messaging service from being considered rivals to Instagram and WhatsApp.

“The FTC already has the difficult task, whether it’s looking at 10 years ago or five years ago or today, of trying to define what is the market we’re talking about in a sufficiently narrow way that it can show Meta has a ton of power in that market,” said Paul Swanson, an antitrust attorney for the law firm Holland &amp; Hart. “And I do think that challenge has gotten harder as the years have gone by and we see more and more potential competitors in social media spaces.”

Meta, meanwhile, says the FTC’s lawsuit “defies reality.”

“The evidence at trial will show what every 17-year-old in the world knows: Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp compete with Chinese-owned TikTok, YouTube, X, iMessage and many others. More than 10 years after the FTC reviewed and cleared our acquisitions, the Commission’s action in this case sends the message that no deal is ever truly final. Regulators should be supporting American innovation, rather than seeking to break up a great American company and further advantaging China on critical issues like AI,” the company said in a statement.

In a filing last week, Meta also stressed that the FTC “must prove that Meta has monopoly power in its claimed relevant market now, not at some time in the past.” This, experts say, could also prove challenging since more competitors have emerged in the social media space in the years since the company bought WhatsApp and Instagram.

Meta’s fate will be decided by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who late last year denied Meta’s request for a summary judgment and ruled that the case must go to trial.

Boasberg “seems to be skeptical” of the FTC’s narrow market definition in his rulings to date, Swanson said. He added that the judge also said it is a “fact question,” which means he is open to hearing what the FTC and its experts have to say to define that narrow market.

While the FTC may face an uphill battle in proving its case, the stakes are high for Meta, whose advertising business could be cut in half if it’s forced to spin off Instagram.

Meta isn’t the only technology company in the sights of federal antitrust regulators, Google and Amazon face their own cases. The remedy phase of Google’s case is scheduled to begin on April 21. A federal judge declared the search giant an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-antitrust-search-engine-verdict-apple-319a61f20fb11510097845a30abaefd8">illegal monopoly</a>&nbsp;last August.

“A big theme here is we are applying 19th-century laws to 21st-century markets. And I think it’s an open question whether the judge-made developments to antitrust law can keep up with markets as they are changing — these fluid and dynamic tech markets in particular,” Swanson said. “And this will be a case that speaks directly to that.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660141848593.jpg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/barbara-ortutay">BARBARA ORTUTAY</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-lawsuits-federal-trade-commission-facebook-fb2716964e7bcd6dd1e790d7fc65a20b">historic antitrust trial</a>&nbsp;began Monday for Meta Platforms Inc. in a case that could force the tech giant to break off Instagram and WhatsApp, startups it bought more than a decade ago that have since grown into social media powerhouses.The trial is bringing Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg into federal court in Washington to testify.In opening statements, Federal Trade Commission attorney Daniel Matheson said Meta has used a monopoly to generate enormous profits as consumer satisfaction has dropped. He said Meta was “erecting a moat” to protect its interests by buying the two startups because the company feared they were a threat to Meta’s dominance.Zuckerberg and other Meta witnesses will testify during the trial.“We’re going to give them their chance to tell their side of the story,” Matheson said.Mark Hansen, an attorney for Meta, said the FTC was making a “grab bag” of arguments that were wrong. He said Meta has plenty of competition and has made improvements to the startups it acquired.“This lawsuit, in summary, is misguided,” Hansen said, adding: “anyway you look at it, consumers have been the big winners.”The trial will be the first big test of President Donald Trump’s Federal Trade Commission’s ability to challenge Big Tech. The lawsuit was filed against Meta — then called Facebook — in 2020, during Trump’s first term. It claims the company bought Instagram and WhatsApp to squash competition and establish an illegal monopoly in the social media market.Meta, the FTC argues, has maintained a monopoly by pursuing CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s strategy, “expressed in 2008: ‘It is better to buy than compete.’ True to that maxim, Facebook has systematically tracked potential rivals and acquired companies that it viewed as serious competitive threats.”Facebook also enacted policies designed to make it difficult for smaller rivals to enter the market and “neutralize perceived competitive threats,” the FTC says in its complaint, just as the world shifted its attention to mobile devices from desktop computers.“Unable to maintain its monopoly by fairly competing, the company’s executives addressed the existential threat by buying up new innovators that were succeeding where Facebook failed,” the FTC says.Facebook bought Instagram — then a scrappy photo-sharing app with no ads and a small cult following — in 2012. The $1 billion cash and stock purchase price was eye-popping at the time, though the deal’s value fell to $750 million after Facebook’s stock price dipped following its initial public offering in May 2012.Instagram was the first company Facebook bought and kept running as a separate app. Up until then, Facebook was known for smaller “acqui-hires” — a type of popular Silicon Valley deal in which a company purchases a startup as a way to hire its talented workers, then shuts the acquired company down. Two years later, it did it again with the messaging app WhatsApp, which it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ca-state-wire-135dcb36fc16407699d0a04664a67bfc">purchased for $22 billion</a>.WhatsApp and Instagram helped Facebook move its business from desktop computers to mobile devices, and to remain popular with younger generations as rivals like Snapchat (which it also tried, but failed, to buy) and TikTok emerged. However, the FTC has a narrow definition of Meta’s competitive market, excluding companies like TikTok, YouTube and Apple’s messaging service from being considered rivals to Instagram and WhatsApp.“The FTC already has the difficult task, whether it’s looking at 10 years ago or five years ago or today, of trying to define what is the market we’re talking about in a sufficiently narrow way that it can show Meta has a ton of power in that market,” said Paul Swanson, an antitrust attorney for the law firm Holland &amp; Hart. “And I do think that challenge has gotten harder as the years have gone by and we see more and more potential competitors in social media spaces.”Meta, meanwhile, says the FTC’s lawsuit “defies reality.”“The evidence at trial will show what every 17-year-old in the world knows: Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp compete with Chinese-owned TikTok, YouTube, X, iMessage and many others. More than 10 years after the FTC reviewed and cleared our acquisitions, the Commission’s action in this case sends the message that no deal is ever truly final. Regulators should be supporting American innovation, rather than seeking to break up a great American company and further advantaging China on critical issues like AI,” the company said in a statement.In a filing last week, Meta also stressed that the FTC “must prove that Meta has monopoly power in its claimed relevant market now, not at some time in the past.” This, experts say, could also prove challenging since more competitors have emerged in the social media space in the years since the company bought WhatsApp and Instagram.Meta’s fate will be decided by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who late last year denied Meta’s request for a summary judgment and ruled that the case must go to trial.Boasberg “seems to be skeptical” of the FTC’s narrow market definition in his rulings to date, Swanson said. He added that the judge also said it is a “fact question,” which means he is open to hearing what the FTC and its experts have to say to define that narrow market.While the FTC may face an uphill battle in proving its case, the stakes are high for Meta, whose advertising business could be cut in half if it’s forced to spin off Instagram.Meta isn’t the only technology company in the sights of federal antitrust regulators, Google and Amazon face their own cases. The remedy phase of Google’s case is scheduled to begin on April 21. A federal judge declared the search giant an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-antitrust-search-engine-verdict-apple-319a61f20fb11510097845a30abaefd8">illegal monopoly</a>&nbsp;last August.“A big theme here is we are applying 19th-century laws to 21st-century markets. And I think it’s an open question whether the judge-made developments to antitrust law can keep up with markets as they are changing — these fluid and dynamic tech markets in particular,” Swanson said. “And this will be a case that speaks directly to that.”

Landmark trial: U.S. challenges Meta's social media dominance 

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Promises to voters ring hollow as emphasis remains on reducing income taxes

TOPEKA — The Kansas Legislature and Gov. Laura Kelly patted themselves on the back last June after placing into state law a compromise bill slashing income taxes an estimated $1.2 billion over three years.

Senate Bill 1 had broad support with a mere six opponents among 159 legislators voting on the package negotiated by the Democratic governor, Republican Senate President Ty Masterson of Andover and GOP House Speaker Dan Hawkins of Wichita. The focus of that bill was income taxes, but it did raise to $75,000 the exemption on the value of a residence when calculating a taxpayer’s obligation to the state’s property tax levy for public schools.

While 2024 was viewed as the year of the income tax, promises were made by Republicans and Democrats to address property tax reform during the 2025 legislative session. The end of the annual session last week offered evidence the performance of lawmakers on property tax relief was again underwhelming.

“When it came time to lead, both the governor and leadership came up short,” said Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican candidate for governor, said Monday.

He said state lawmakers this session delivered a paltry $25.88 property tax break for the owner of a $150,000 home. That’s not enough to fill the gas tank in many vehicles, cover the cost of a couple sacks of groceries or pay someone to mow a lawn.

Schwab encouraged “every property owner” to respond by challenging their property tax valuation with the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals.

“Kansans expected leadership that would address runaway property tax increases, arrest out-of-control valuations and restore confidence that they can afford the homes they live in — not rent them from the government,” he said.

The Senate did endorse an amendment to the Kansas Constitution imposing a 3% cap on residential property tax valuation increases. That won’t be appearing on statewide ballots, however, because the amendment was never taken up in the House.

“We came here with a mandate,” said Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican. “I’m just disappointed that we end up at the end of this session with no&nbsp;real&nbsp;relief for those homeowners who are facing selling their home or paying their&nbsp;property&nbsp;tax. That’s where we are.”

Lenexa Sen. Dinah Sykes, who serves as Democratic leader of the Senate, drew the same conclusion with a partisan twist. She said progress on property tax reform was minimal, but reminded Kansans that Republicans held supermajorities in the House and Senate. Those two-thirds majorities meant the GOP could pass just about any bill it desired and had numbers to override the governor’s vetoes and place constitutional amendments on the ballot.

“Kansans deserve better than what they got from their Legislature in 2025,” Sykes said. “Unfortunately, our Republican colleagues refused to join us in that effort. Republicans promised Kansans they would deliver&nbsp;property&nbsp;tax&nbsp;relief, but they failed to make good on that promise.”

Kansas voters were assured by sloganeering candidates during last year’s August primary and November general elections that nothing would stand in the way of meaningful property tax reform in 2025. Voters made it clear they thought property taxes were too high, valuations were rising faster than paychecks and, incredibly, some people on fixed incomes who worked all their lives to have a home of their own were being forced out.

As the legislative session began in January, another layer of political vows emerged about cutting property taxes.

“You expect us to put Kansans first, control the overreach of government and keep our promises — and that is exactly what we intend to do,” Masterson said. “That must begin with property tax relief and reform.”

When the dust settled in April, the Legislature barely scratched the surface on rolling back state property taxes. The governor signed Senate Bill 35, which used general state tax dollars to replace a 1.5-mill state property tax dedicated to government building projects. It was unanimously approved in the Senate and overwhelmingly endorsed in the House 96-26.

The Legislature passed a bill renewing the state’s 20-mill property tax, valued at about $875 million annually, to provide financial support to K-12 public schools. The Legislature could have earmarked state income or sales tax dollars to public schools and trimmed state property tax dedicated to that purpose.

Instead, the Republican-controlled House and Senate placed emphasis on income tax reform by voting to override Kelly’s veto of Senate Bill 269. This so-called income-tax-trigger bill was designed to methodically drop individual and corporate income tax rates to 4%.

“I have proposed and supported tax cuts when they are implemented responsibly and benefit the people of Kansas, especially those who need it most,” Kelly said. “This bill ignores Kansas families at a time of rising costs and inflation in favor of hundreds of millions of dollars in giveaways to corporations and the wealthy.”

The override vote on SB 269 was 87-37 in the House and 30-10 in the Senate. Instead of responding to Kansans’ demands for gradual reduction of property taxes, the Legislature in 2025 ended up dedicating future state revenue surpluses to gradually reducing income taxes.

The Senate did endorse a constitutional amendment that would have set a 3% cap on property taxes starting in 2027, but House GOP leaders said the necessary two-thirds majority to place Senate Concurrent Resolution 1603 before Kansas voters didn’t exist in the House.

Critics of the amendment had argued the limitation would cripple the ability of cities and counties to operate, because municipal government relied heavily on property and sales taxes. The state’s revenue stream includes income, sales and property taxes.

In January, the conservative Kansas Policy Institute highlighted for legislators an opinion poll conducted by SurveyUSA on behalf of the Wichita think tank. It showed 64% of participants were in favor of limits on annual increases in the appraised value of property rather than the current practice of annually resetting appraisals to fair market value.

The poll showed majority support for restraint of property taxes existed in urban and rural regions of the state, said Dave Trabert, a lobbyist with Kansas Policy Institute.

He said 70% of conservatives in the poll were supportive of steps to hold down property taxes, while 67% of moderates and 52% of liberals were on board. Eighteen percent were opposed and the same percentage was uncertain.

“Many homeowners have experienced double-digit property tax increases because local officials took advantage of valuation spikes,” Trabert said.

Rep. Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat often distant from KPI’s perspective on public policy issues, said it was folly to ignore will of the people.

“Our constituents are asking for property tax relief,” said Sawyer, who contended the income tax trigger law would prove to be an obstacle to property tax reform. “We go to a rachet so all of our money above inflation in the future goes to cutting the income tax.”

Some of the Senate’s most right-wing members were convinced the Legislature did a belly flop on property taxes in 2025.

Sen. Virgil Peck, a Republican from Havana, said it wasn’t enough the Legislature worked on income tax policy and ditched the 1.5-mill property tax for building construction.

“I think we could do better when it comes to&nbsp;property&nbsp;tax&nbsp;reductions,” Peck said.

Finally, Wichita GOP Sen. Renee Erickson, said the Legislature’s approach to property tax issues didn’t answer the public’s call for relief.

“I’m very disappointed we did not do more for our constituents on&nbsp;property&nbsp;tax&nbsp;and I hope that we seriously are able to do something next session,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744653464396.png" alt=" Republican Sen. Mike Thompson, right, says the Kansas Legislature failed to deliver on a bipartisan promise to concentrate during the 2025 session on meaningful property tax reform. Here, Thompson speaks with Democratic Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau on the floor of the Kansas Senate in March. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Republican Sen. Mike Thompson, right, says the Kansas Legislature failed to deliver on a bipartisan promise to concentrate during the 2025 session on meaningful property tax reform. Here, Thompson speaks with Democratic Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau on the floor of the Kansas Senate in March. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>Promises to voters ring hollow as emphasis remains on reducing income taxes</h2>TOPEKA — The Kansas Legislature and Gov. Laura Kelly patted themselves on the back last June after placing into state law a compromise bill slashing income taxes an estimated $1.2 billion over three years.Senate Bill 1 had broad support with a mere six opponents among 159 legislators voting on the package negotiated by the Democratic governor, Republican Senate President Ty Masterson of Andover and GOP House Speaker Dan Hawkins of Wichita. The focus of that bill was income taxes, but it did raise to $75,000 the exemption on the value of a residence when calculating a taxpayer’s obligation to the state’s property tax levy for public schools.While 2024 was viewed as the year of the income tax, promises were made by Republicans and Democrats to address property tax reform during the 2025 legislative session. The end of the annual session last week offered evidence the performance of lawmakers on property tax relief was again underwhelming.“When it came time to lead, both the governor and leadership came up short,” said Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican candidate for governor, said Monday.He said state lawmakers this session delivered a paltry $25.88 property tax break for the owner of a $150,000 home. That’s not enough to fill the gas tank in many vehicles, cover the cost of a couple sacks of groceries or pay someone to mow a lawn.Schwab encouraged “every property owner” to respond by challenging their property tax valuation with the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals.“Kansans expected leadership that would address runaway property tax increases, arrest out-of-control valuations and restore confidence that they can afford the homes they live in — not rent them from the government,” he said.The Senate did endorse an amendment to the Kansas Constitution imposing a 3% cap on residential property tax valuation increases. That won’t be appearing on statewide ballots, however, because the amendment was never taken up in the House.“We came here with a mandate,” said Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican. “I’m just disappointed that we end up at the end of this session with no&nbsp;real&nbsp;relief for those homeowners who are facing selling their home or paying their&nbsp;property&nbsp;tax. That’s where we are.”Lenexa Sen. Dinah Sykes, who serves as Democratic leader of the Senate, drew the same conclusion with a partisan twist. She said progress on property tax reform was minimal, but reminded Kansans that Republicans held supermajorities in the House and Senate. Those two-thirds majorities meant the GOP could pass just about any bill it desired and had numbers to override the governor’s vetoes and place constitutional amendments on the ballot.“Kansans deserve better than what they got from their Legislature in 2025,” Sykes said. “Unfortunately, our Republican colleagues refused to join us in that effort. Republicans promised Kansans they would deliver&nbsp;property&nbsp;tax&nbsp;relief, but they failed to make good on that promise.”<h2>‘Put Kansans first’</h2>Kansas voters were assured by sloganeering candidates during last year’s August primary and November general elections that nothing would stand in the way of meaningful property tax reform in 2025. Voters made it clear they thought property taxes were too high, valuations were rising faster than paychecks and, incredibly, some people on fixed incomes who worked all their lives to have a home of their own were being forced out.As the legislative session began in January, another layer of political vows emerged about cutting property taxes.“You expect us to put Kansans first, control the overreach of government and keep our promises — and that is exactly what we intend to do,” Masterson said. “That must begin with property tax relief and reform.”When the dust settled in April, the Legislature barely scratched the surface on rolling back state property taxes. The governor signed Senate Bill 35, which used general state tax dollars to replace a 1.5-mill state property tax dedicated to government building projects. It was unanimously approved in the Senate and overwhelmingly endorsed in the House 96-26.The Legislature passed a bill renewing the state’s 20-mill property tax, valued at about $875 million annually, to provide financial support to K-12 public schools. The Legislature could have earmarked state income or sales tax dollars to public schools and trimmed state property tax dedicated to that purpose.Instead, the Republican-controlled House and Senate placed emphasis on income tax reform by voting to override Kelly’s veto of Senate Bill 269. This so-called income-tax-trigger bill was designed to methodically drop individual and corporate income tax rates to 4%.“I have proposed and supported tax cuts when they are implemented responsibly and benefit the people of Kansas, especially those who need it most,” Kelly said. “This bill ignores Kansas families at a time of rising costs and inflation in favor of hundreds of millions of dollars in giveaways to corporations and the wealthy.”The override vote on SB 269 was 87-37 in the House and 30-10 in the Senate. Instead of responding to Kansans’ demands for gradual reduction of property taxes, the Legislature in 2025 ended up dedicating future state revenue surpluses to gradually reducing income taxes.The Senate did endorse a constitutional amendment that would have set a 3% cap on property taxes starting in 2027, but House GOP leaders said the necessary two-thirds majority to place Senate Concurrent Resolution 1603 before Kansas voters didn’t exist in the House.Critics of the amendment had argued the limitation would cripple the ability of cities and counties to operate, because municipal government relied heavily on property and sales taxes. The state’s revenue stream includes income, sales and property taxes.<h2>‘Very disappointed’</h2>In January, the conservative Kansas Policy Institute highlighted for legislators an opinion poll conducted by SurveyUSA on behalf of the Wichita think tank. It showed 64% of participants were in favor of limits on annual increases in the appraised value of property rather than the current practice of annually resetting appraisals to fair market value.The poll showed majority support for restraint of property taxes existed in urban and rural regions of the state, said Dave Trabert, a lobbyist with Kansas Policy Institute.He said 70% of conservatives in the poll were supportive of steps to hold down property taxes, while 67% of moderates and 52% of liberals were on board. Eighteen percent were opposed and the same percentage was uncertain.“Many homeowners have experienced double-digit property tax increases because local officials took advantage of valuation spikes,” Trabert said.Rep. Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat often distant from KPI’s perspective on public policy issues, said it was folly to ignore will of the people.“Our constituents are asking for property tax relief,” said Sawyer, who contended the income tax trigger law would prove to be an obstacle to property tax reform. “We go to a rachet so all of our money above inflation in the future goes to cutting the income tax.”Some of the Senate’s most right-wing members were convinced the Legislature did a belly flop on property taxes in 2025.Sen. Virgil Peck, a Republican from Havana, said it wasn’t enough the Legislature worked on income tax policy and ditched the 1.5-mill property tax for building construction.“I think we could do better when it comes to&nbsp;property&nbsp;tax&nbsp;reductions,” Peck said.Finally, Wichita GOP Sen. Renee Erickson, said the Legislature’s approach to property tax issues didn’t answer the public’s call for relief.“I’m very disappointed we did not do more for our constituents on&nbsp;property&nbsp;tax&nbsp;and I hope that we seriously are able to do something next session,” she said.