KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Sunday homicide in Kansas City.

Just after 1:30a.m. Sunday, police responded to 94th Terrace and Cable Road after report of a dead body found, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.

Officers located the body of a man suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or suspect information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710680138551.png" alt="Photo of search area- Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo of search area- Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Sunday homicide in Kansas City.Just after 1:30a.m. Sunday, police responded to 94th Terrace and Cable Road after report of a dead body found, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.Officers located the body of a man suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or suspect information.

Homicide: Body of man found with gunshot wounds in Kansas City

WASHINGTON (AP) — The big news this week, President Joe Biden said at a weekend Washington roast, was that two candidates&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-primary-georgia-washington-mississippi-hawaii-15bb0084ad656903ffef14cfae822abd">had clinched their party's nomination</a>&nbsp;for president. But one was too old, too mentally unfit for the job, he said.

The digs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ohio-moreno-senate-social-security-3b450dcfc24a02c8cac3a3feb657ddc8">against Republican Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;kept coming from the president at the annual Gridiron Club and Foundation Dinner, as Biden deflected ongoing criticism&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-memory-age-special-counsel-report-doj-f4232bc8316e556ed467185b67c3e0a8">that his memory is hazy</a>&nbsp;and he appears confused, instead highlighting moments when the 77-year-old Trump has slipped up, too.

“Don't tell him, he thinks he's running against Barack Obama, that's what he said," said Biden, 81, who also quipped that he was staying up way past his bedtime.

It was the first time Biden has attended the dinner during his presidency, and comes as the 2024 election looms and the rematch between Biden and Trump heats up. The annual bacchanalia, now in its 139th year, traces its history to 1885 — that was the year President Grover Cleveland refused to attend. Every president since has come to at least one Gridiron.

Biden veered quickly into the somber, though, highlighting what he sees as a real threat to democracy should Trump — who continues to falsely claim the 2020 election was stolen — return to the White House. The speech had echoes of Biden's campaign remarks, criticizing Trump as well as too soft on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“We live in an unprecedented moment in democracy,” he said. “An unprecedented moment for history. Democracy and freedom are literally under attack. Putin's on the march in Europe. My predecessor bows down to him and says to him, ‘do whatever the hell you want.’”

Biden then introduced the Ukrainian ambassador, Oksana Markarova, and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.

“We will not bow down. They will not bow down, and I will not bow down,” he said.

Biden, dressed in white-tie attire as is the custom, brought his daughter Ashley.

The dinner has a reputation as a night of bipartisan mirth, and was jam-packed with politicians and who's-who of Washington, including Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff, at least eight other Cabinet members, at least five members of Congress, five governors and at least five ambassadors. Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who’s in town for St. Patrick’s Day, also attended.

Also speaking at the dinner were Harris, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican.

Biden closed out the dinner, speaking also about the importance of a free press. Although he may not agree with everything the news media prints, he said, he understands the necessity of journalism and said he was still working to bring home&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gershkovich-russia-jailed-journalist-putin-custody-extended-e53ec909dd55b3cfe94a11e4d4b713ed">journalists Evan Gershovich</a>&nbsp;and Austin Tice, one held in Russia, the other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-syria-lebanon-middle-east-beirut-1ed67016bc0594b4e8e998bad8659fdd">who disappeared during a reporting trip in Syria</a>.

“Good journalism holds a mirror up to society,” he said. “We need you.”

Biden and Harris were seated at the head table along with other administration officials and the foreign leaders, plus Gridiron president Dan Balz of the Washington Post. Seated also at the table were Balz's bosses, the Post's Executive Editor Sally Buzbee and the newspaper’s owner, Jeff Bezos.

The dinner was held at the Grand Hyatt. No photos or TV were allowed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710675638300.png" alt="President Joe Biden during a meeting on Friday with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in the Oval Office -White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden during a meeting on Friday with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in the Oval Office -White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The big news this week, President Joe Biden said at a weekend Washington roast, was that two candidates&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-primary-georgia-washington-mississippi-hawaii-15bb0084ad656903ffef14cfae822abd">had clinched their party's nomination</a>&nbsp;for president. But one was too old, too mentally unfit for the job, he said.“The other's me," Biden quipped.The digs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ohio-moreno-senate-social-security-3b450dcfc24a02c8cac3a3feb657ddc8">against Republican Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;kept coming from the president at the annual Gridiron Club and Foundation Dinner, as Biden deflected ongoing criticism&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-memory-age-special-counsel-report-doj-f4232bc8316e556ed467185b67c3e0a8">that his memory is hazy</a>&nbsp;and he appears confused, instead highlighting moments when the 77-year-old Trump has slipped up, too.“Don't tell him, he thinks he's running against Barack Obama, that's what he said," said Biden, 81, who also quipped that he was staying up way past his bedtime.It was the first time Biden has attended the dinner during his presidency, and comes as the 2024 election looms and the rematch between Biden and Trump heats up. The annual bacchanalia, now in its 139th year, traces its history to 1885 — that was the year President Grover Cleveland refused to attend. Every president since has come to at least one Gridiron.Biden veered quickly into the somber, though, highlighting what he sees as a real threat to democracy should Trump — who continues to falsely claim the 2020 election was stolen — return to the White House. The speech had echoes of Biden's campaign remarks, criticizing Trump as well as too soft on Russian President Vladimir Putin.“We live in an unprecedented moment in democracy,” he said. “An unprecedented moment for history. Democracy and freedom are literally under attack. Putin's on the march in Europe. My predecessor bows down to him and says to him, ‘do whatever the hell you want.’”Biden then introduced the Ukrainian ambassador, Oksana Markarova, and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.“We will not bow down. They will not bow down, and I will not bow down,” he said.Biden, dressed in white-tie attire as is the custom, brought his daughter Ashley.The dinner has a reputation as a night of bipartisan mirth, and was jam-packed with politicians and who's-who of Washington, including Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff, at least eight other Cabinet members, at least five members of Congress, five governors and at least five ambassadors. Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who’s in town for St. Patrick’s Day, also attended.Also speaking at the dinner were Harris, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican.Biden closed out the dinner, speaking also about the importance of a free press. Although he may not agree with everything the news media prints, he said, he understands the necessity of journalism and said he was still working to bring home&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gershkovich-russia-jailed-journalist-putin-custody-extended-e53ec909dd55b3cfe94a11e4d4b713ed">journalists Evan Gershovich</a>&nbsp;and Austin Tice, one held in Russia, the other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-syria-lebanon-middle-east-beirut-1ed67016bc0594b4e8e998bad8659fdd">who disappeared during a reporting trip in Syria</a>.“Good journalism holds a mirror up to society,” he said. “We need you.”Biden and Harris were seated at the head table along with other administration officials and the foreign leaders, plus Gridiron president Dan Balz of the Washington Post. Seated also at the table were Balz's bosses, the Post's Executive Editor Sally Buzbee and the newspaper’s owner, Jeff Bezos.The dinner was held at the Grand Hyatt. No photos or TV were allowed.

Biden at DC roast: Of 2 presidential candidates, 1 mentally unfit. 'The other's me'

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities in Olathe are investigating a Kansas teacher on child sex allegations.

Micah Horton, 35, the former Choir Director at Olathe North High School has been charged with sexual exploitation of a child and unlawful sexual relations, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; He made his first court appearance in the case Wednesday.

He is being held on a $500,000 bond and is due back in court March 21, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710373305440.png" alt="Horton-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Horton-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities in Olathe are investigating a Kansas teacher on child sex allegations.Micah Horton, 35, the former Choir Director at Olathe North High School has been charged with sexual exploitation of a child and unlawful sexual relations, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; He made his first court appearance in the case Wednesday.He is being held on a $500,000 bond and is due back in court March 21, according to the district attorney's office.

Former Kan. choir director accused of sex crimes with student

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A second man has been charged in connection with the 2005 theft of a pair of ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in “The Wizard of Oz," according to an indictment made public Sunday.

Jerry Hal Saliterman, 76, of Crystal, Minnesota, was charged with theft of a major artwork and witness tampering. He did not enter a plea when he made his first appearance Friday in U.S. District Court in St. Paul.

The slippers, adorned with sequins and glass beads, were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in the late actor's hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, nearly 20 years ago and their whereabouts remained a mystery until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5f15402e28f04341b6a25d179b070fc5">the FBI recovered them in 2018</a>.

The indictment says that from August 2005 to July 2018 Saliterman “received, concealed, and disposed of an object of cultural heritage" — specifically, "an authentic pair of ‘ruby slippers’ worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 movie ‘The Wizard of Oz.’" The indictment says Saliterman knew they were stolen, and that he threatened to release a sex tape of a woman and “take her down with him” if she didn’t keep her mouth shut about the slippers.

Saliterman was in a wheelchair and on supplemental oxygen during his Friday court appearance. His oxygen machine hummed throughout the hearing and he bounced his knee nervously during breaks in the proceedings. He responded with “yes,” when U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright asked whether he understood the charges against him, but he said nothing about the allegations.

The case was not openly discussed in court. The magistrate ordered Friday that the indictment be unsealed, but it did not become publicly available until Sunday.

Saliterman’s attorney, John Brink, said after Friday's hearing that he couldn’t say much about the case, but: “He’s not guilty. He hasn’t done anything wrong.” Saliterman, who was released on his own recognizance, declined to comment to The Associated Press outside the courthouse.

The man who stole the slippers, Terry Jon Martin, 76,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wizard-oz-stolen-ruby-slippers-judy-garland-f2bd6d4455a9821c311d1d0a03f6d77a">pleaded guilty in October</a>&nbsp;to theft of a major artwork, admitting to using a hammer to smash the glass of the museum's door and display case in what his attorney said was an attempt to pull off “one last score” after turning away from a life of crime. He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oz-stolen-ruby-slippers-sentencing-2479d587123b97eda5c47672322d2d6e">sentenced in January</a>&nbsp;to time served because of his poor health.

Martin’s lawyer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stolen-ruby-slippers-judy-garland-wizard-oz-f93b3da8331f050cc81bf7f1f79877e8">said in court documents</a>&nbsp;that an old associate of Martin's with connections to the mob told him the shoes had to be adorned with real jewels to justify their $1 million insured value.

Martin, who lives near Grand Rapids, said at an October hearing that he hoped to take what he thought were real rubies from the shoes and sell them. But a person who deals in stolen goods, known as a fence, informed him the rubies weren’t real, Martin said. So he got rid of the slippers.

Defense attorney Dane DeKrey wrote in court documents that Martin’s unidentified former associate persuaded him to steal the slippers as “one last score,” even though Martin had seemed to have “finally put his demons to rest” after finishing his last prison term nearly 10 years earlier.

“But old habits die hard, and the thought of a ‘final score’ kept him up at night,” DeKrey wrote.

According to DeKrey’s memo, Martin had no idea about the cultural significance of the ruby slippers and had never seen “The Wizard of Oz.”

The documents unsealed Sunday do not indicate how Martin and Saliterman may have been connected.

In the classic 1939 musical, Garland’s character, Dorothy, had to click the heels of her ruby slippers three times and repeat, “There’s no place like home,” to return to Kansas from Oz. She wore several pairs during filming, but only four authentic pairs are known to remain.

The FBI never disclosed exactly how it tracked down the slippers. The bureau said a man approached the insurer in 2017 and claimed he could help recover them but demanded more than the $200,000 reward being offered. The slippers were recovered during an FBI sting in Minneapolis the next year. Federal prosecutors have put the slippers’ market value at about $3.5 million.

Hollywood memorabilia collector Michael Shaw had loaned the pair to the museum before Martin stole them. The other pairs are held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.si.edu/object/dorothys-ruby-slippers:nmah_670130">Smithsonian Museum of American History</a>&nbsp;and a private collector. According to John Kelsh, founding director of the museum, the slippers were returned to Shaw and are being held by an auction house that plans to sell them.

Garland was born Frances Gumm in 1922. She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/16889e9c55dd4728a45ee11a783b74de">lived in Grand Rapids</a>, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of Minneapolis, until she was 4, when her family moved to Los Angeles. She died in 1969. The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.judygarlandmuseum.com/">Judy Garland Museum,</a>&nbsp;which includes the house where she lived, says it has the world’s largest collection of Garland and “Wizard of Oz” memorabilia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684352824766.png" alt="FILE - A pair of ruby slippers once worn by actress Judy Garland in the "The Wizard of Oz" sit on display at a news conference on Sept. 4, 2018, at the FBI office in Brooklyn Center, Minn. Federal prosecutors say a man has been indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, on charges of stealing a pair of ruby red slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz.” The FBI recovered the slippers in 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - A pair of ruby slippers once worn by actress Judy Garland in the "The Wizard of Oz" sit on display at a news conference on Sept. 4, 2018, at the FBI office in Brooklyn Center, Minn. Federal prosecutors say a man has been indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, on charges of stealing a pair of ruby red slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz.” The FBI recovered the slippers in 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A second man has been charged in connection with the 2005 theft of a pair of ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in “The Wizard of Oz," according to an indictment made public Sunday.Jerry Hal Saliterman, 76, of Crystal, Minnesota, was charged with theft of a major artwork and witness tampering. He did not enter a plea when he made his first appearance Friday in U.S. District Court in St. Paul.The slippers, adorned with sequins and glass beads, were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in the late actor's hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, nearly 20 years ago and their whereabouts remained a mystery until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5f15402e28f04341b6a25d179b070fc5">the FBI recovered them in 2018</a>.The indictment says that from August 2005 to July 2018 Saliterman “received, concealed, and disposed of an object of cultural heritage" — specifically, "an authentic pair of ‘ruby slippers’ worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 movie ‘The Wizard of Oz.’" The indictment says Saliterman knew they were stolen, and that he threatened to release a sex tape of a woman and “take her down with him” if she didn’t keep her mouth shut about the slippers.Saliterman was in a wheelchair and on supplemental oxygen during his Friday court appearance. His oxygen machine hummed throughout the hearing and he bounced his knee nervously during breaks in the proceedings. He responded with “yes,” when U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright asked whether he understood the charges against him, but he said nothing about the allegations.The case was not openly discussed in court. The magistrate ordered Friday that the indictment be unsealed, but it did not become publicly available until Sunday.Saliterman’s attorney, John Brink, said after Friday's hearing that he couldn’t say much about the case, but: “He’s not guilty. He hasn’t done anything wrong.” Saliterman, who was released on his own recognizance, declined to comment to The Associated Press outside the courthouse.The man who stole the slippers, Terry Jon Martin, 76,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wizard-oz-stolen-ruby-slippers-judy-garland-f2bd6d4455a9821c311d1d0a03f6d77a">pleaded guilty in October</a>&nbsp;to theft of a major artwork, admitting to using a hammer to smash the glass of the museum's door and display case in what his attorney said was an attempt to pull off “one last score” after turning away from a life of crime. He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oz-stolen-ruby-slippers-sentencing-2479d587123b97eda5c47672322d2d6e">sentenced in January</a>&nbsp;to time served because of his poor health.Martin’s lawyer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stolen-ruby-slippers-judy-garland-wizard-oz-f93b3da8331f050cc81bf7f1f79877e8">said in court documents</a>&nbsp;that an old associate of Martin's with connections to the mob told him the shoes had to be adorned with real jewels to justify their $1 million insured value.Martin, who lives near Grand Rapids, said at an October hearing that he hoped to take what he thought were real rubies from the shoes and sell them. But a person who deals in stolen goods, known as a fence, informed him the rubies weren’t real, Martin said. So he got rid of the slippers.Defense attorney Dane DeKrey wrote in court documents that Martin’s unidentified former associate persuaded him to steal the slippers as “one last score,” even though Martin had seemed to have “finally put his demons to rest” after finishing his last prison term nearly 10 years earlier.“But old habits die hard, and the thought of a ‘final score’ kept him up at night,” DeKrey wrote.According to DeKrey’s memo, Martin had no idea about the cultural significance of the ruby slippers and had never seen “The Wizard of Oz.”The documents unsealed Sunday do not indicate how Martin and Saliterman may have been connected.In the classic 1939 musical, Garland’s character, Dorothy, had to click the heels of her ruby slippers three times and repeat, “There’s no place like home,” to return to Kansas from Oz. She wore several pairs during filming, but only four authentic pairs are known to remain.The FBI never disclosed exactly how it tracked down the slippers. The bureau said a man approached the insurer in 2017 and claimed he could help recover them but demanded more than the $200,000 reward being offered. The slippers were recovered during an FBI sting in Minneapolis the next year. Federal prosecutors have put the slippers’ market value at about $3.5 million.Hollywood memorabilia collector Michael Shaw had loaned the pair to the museum before Martin stole them. The other pairs are held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.si.edu/object/dorothys-ruby-slippers:nmah_670130">Smithsonian Museum of American History</a>&nbsp;and a private collector. According to John Kelsh, founding director of the museum, the slippers were returned to Shaw and are being held by an auction house that plans to sell them.Garland was born Frances Gumm in 1922. She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/16889e9c55dd4728a45ee11a783b74de">lived in Grand Rapids</a>, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of Minneapolis, until she was 4, when her family moved to Los Angeles. She died in 1969. The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.judygarlandmuseum.com/">Judy Garland Museum,</a>&nbsp;which includes the house where she lived, says it has the world’s largest collection of Garland and “Wizard of Oz” memorabilia.

2nd man charged for theft of ruby slippers worn in 'The Wizard of Oz'

NASHVILLE —Riley Strain's bank card was discovered Sunday afternoon on the embankment between Gay Street and the Cumberland River, according to a statement from Metro Nashville Police.

Authorities continue searching for the 22-year-old University of Missouri student who was last seen by friends at a Nashville bar on March 8.

Police&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MNPDNashville/status/1767578348249559347">released video</a>&nbsp;Tuesday that shows Riley Strain crossing a downtown street. Police have said Strain was last seen just before 10 p.m. March 8, after drinking downtown. They searched the area, including the banks of the Cumberland River, by helicopter and on the ground, but did not find him.

University of Missouri officials said in a statement that they were alerted last weekend that Strain was missing after traveling to Nashville to attend a private event and that they have been in touch with family and authorities.

Strain’s mother, Michelle Whiteid, and his stepfather, Chris Whiteid, drove to Nashville from Springfield, Missouri, after they learned he disappeared while on a fraternity trip, news outlets reported.

“I just need to know where my son is,” Michelle Whiteid said. “We talk every day, multiple times a day. This is the longest I’ve ever gone without talking to him. It’s devastating. I just want to find him and hug him.”

After the bus ride from Columbia, Strain and some of his fraternity brothers went out, according to Chris Whiteid. Strain was asked to leave a bar, and they got separated, he said.

“The boys called him, and he said, ‘I’m walking back to my hotel,’" Chris Strain said. “They didn’t think anything about it.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710335346952.png" alt="Riley Strain courtesy ph oto" />
 <figcaption>Riley Strain courtesy ph oto</figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE —Riley Strain's bank card was discovered Sunday afternoon on the embankment between Gay Street and the Cumberland River, according to a statement from Metro Nashville Police.Authorities continue searching for the 22-year-old University of Missouri student who was last seen by friends at a Nashville bar on March 8.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMetroNashvillePoliceDepartment%2Fvideos%2F941179284268997%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Police&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MNPDNashville/status/1767578348249559347">released video</a>&nbsp;Tuesday that shows Riley Strain crossing a downtown street. Police have said Strain was last seen just before 10 p.m. March 8, after drinking downtown. They searched the area, including the banks of the Cumberland River, by helicopter and on the ground, but did not find him.University of Missouri officials said in a statement that they were alerted last weekend that Strain was missing after traveling to Nashville to attend a private event and that they have been in touch with family and authorities.Strain’s mother, Michelle Whiteid, and his stepfather, Chris Whiteid, drove to Nashville from Springfield, Missouri, after they learned he disappeared while on a fraternity trip, news outlets reported.“I just need to know where my son is,” Michelle Whiteid said. “We talk every day, multiple times a day. This is the longest I’ve ever gone without talking to him. It’s devastating. I just want to find him and hug him.”After the bus ride from Columbia, Strain and some of his fraternity brothers went out, according to Chris Whiteid. Strain was asked to leave a bar, and they got separated, he said.“The boys called him, and he said, ‘I’m walking back to my hotel,’" Chris Strain said. “They didn’t think anything about it.”

Police: Bank card of missing Univ. of Missouri student found

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lori Shelton can't fathom ever having the money to buy a home — and that's a major reason why so many voters feel down on the economy ahead of this year's presidential election.

Shelton, 67, drives an Uber to help pay rent in Aurora, Colorado. An advance on her pay covered her apartment's security deposit. But it also cut into her next paycheck, leaving her bank account dangerously low when the rent was due — a cycle that never seems to end.

“I'm always one step behind,” said Shelton, her voice choking up. “It’s a nightmare, it’s a freaking nightmare right now.”

The United States is slogging through a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-affordability-century-21-ceo-b60d7bf34139334a843f9760a976f33c">housing affordability crisis</a>&nbsp;that was decades in the making. At the root of this problem: America failed to build enough homes for its growing population. The shortage strikes at the heart of the American dream of homeownership — dampening President Joe Biden's assurances that the U.S. economy is strong and underscoring the degree to which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Republican Donald Trump</a>, the former president and presumptive GOP nominee for 2024, has largely overlooked the shortage.

The lack of housing has caused a record number of renters to devote an excessive amount of income to housing, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/affordable-housing-rent-eviction-price-harvard-congress-f5411012e10fa78d0257c137e60c1be3">Harvard University analysis</a>. Not enough homes are for sale or being built, keeping prices elevated. Average mortgage rates have more than doubled and further worsened affordability.

In fact, the Census Bureau reported that homeownership fell slightly at the end of last year in an otherwise solid economy. If it wasn’t for shelter costs, inflation — Biden’s most pronounced economic problem — would be running at a healthy and stable 1.8%. Instead, it's hovering around 3.2%.

Administration officials are confident that shelter inflation will soon cool, but the damage across several years is apparent to advocates and economists.

“I’ve been doing housing work for 30 years — the housing affordability challenge is the worst I've ever seen in my career,” said Shaun Donovan, a former secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Obama years who now leads the nonprofit Enterprise Community Partners.

Donovan noted that this is an increasingly bipartisan challenge that could bring the political parties together. Expensive housing was once the domain of Democratic areas such as New York City and San Francisco. It's now moved into Republican states as places such as Boise, Idaho, grapple with higher prices.

“It is a first-tier issue almost everywhere,” he said. “And that is changing the national politics around it in a way that I think is quite different than I’ve ever seen.”

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, said that the outcome of the November election could ultimately depend on the path of 30-year mortgage rates.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-loan-530356e889579526a953e46dcd8ca7d1">Rates currently average about 6.74%.</a>&nbsp;If they dropped closer to 6%, the odds of a Biden victory would increase. But rates moving near 8% might enable Trump to prevail, Zandi said.

“Given the current housing affordability crisis, higher rates will make owning a home completely out of reach for nearly all potential first-time homebuyers,” he said. “Since homeownership is a key part of the American dream, if it appears unattainable, this will deeply impact voters’ sense of the economy.”

Biden, a Democrat, acknowledged the pain many are feeling in his State of the Union address earlier this month and in his budget proposal released on Monday.

The president wants to fund the building and preservation of 2 million housing units — a meaningful sum, but not enough to solve the shortage. He also proposed a tax credit worth up to $10,000 to homebuyers. Over the past three years, he has increased rental assistance to 100,000 households.

“The bottom line is we have to build, build, build,” Biden said Monday in a speech to the National League of Cities. “That’s how we bring down housing costs for good.”

Rapidly climbing home prices were also a festering problem under Trump, who first achieved celebrity status as a real estate developer. While president, Trump called for limiting construction in the suburbs. He claimed during the 2020 election that Biden's policies to spur building and affordability would “destroy your neighborhood.”

During the 2018 to 2020 years of Trump's presidency, the country’s housing shortage surged 52% to 3.8 million units, according to the mortgage company Freddie Mac.

The Associated Press contacted Trump's campaign for his policy plans but did not get a response. The America First Policy Institute, a think tank promoting Trump's vision, said the key is to cut government borrowing to reduce mortgage rates. The former president has pledged to reduce deficits, but an analysis by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget shows that his policies in office will have likely added&nbsp;<a href="https://www.crfb.org/blogs/how-much-did-president-trump-add-debt">more than $8 trillion to the national debt.</a>

“The best way for us to improve access to homeownership for young people is to get interest rates back down, not to provide subsidies that cause housing unaffordability to worsen,” said Mike Faulkender, chief economist at the institute.

Lower rates might play well with voters, but most economists say they would at best offer temporary financial relief. Purchase prices would likely adjust upward in response to greater demand from falling rates.

Construction, the more enduring solution, would take years to achieve and require&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-land-use-law-urban-growth-boundary-housing-d85c2413f169cd02cbf6b15fd9c95329">new rules by states and cities</a>. The administration is trying to incentivize zoning changes, but the major choices are outside the White House's control.

“Even as incomes are going up and the economy is doing well and inflation is coming down, people can’t buy homes,” said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at the brokerage Redfin. “That’s like the biggest problem for Biden because it’s not one that he can solve.”

The general rule of thumb is that people should pay no more than 30% of their income on rent or a mortgage. A typical household looking to buy a home would have to devote 41% of its income to mortgage payments, according to Redfin.

There are far-reaching economic risks because of this. High housing costs can lead people to cut back spending elsewhere. Advocates said it enables landlords to neglect their properties since there is always a ready tenant.

Evictions can worsen health and educational outcomes for children and exact an even wider cost on society, said Zach Neumann, a Denver-based lawyer who provides more than $30 million annually in rental assistance through the nonprofit Community Economic Defense Project.

The cumulative costs of evicting poorer renters are "$20,000 to $30,000 a year when you include shelter nights and emergency room visits,” Neumann said. “It’s really overwhelming when you think about the total numbers and these folks are fighting to have a roof over their heads.”

While there is bipartisan agreement on the need for more housing, there has yet to be a significant plan that has passed the House and Senate. Biden has proposed housing aid throughout his administration that never materialized.

“Had Congress passed some of the investments that the president has called for since the beginning of the administration, had they done that three years ago, as he was advocating, we’d have affordable units coming online right now," said Daniel Hornung, deputy director of the White House National Economic Council.

But Mark Calabria, who was director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency during the Trump administration, said that many of the federal tools to increase housing such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit could further push up demand without adding enough construction.

“My worry would be we’ve done a number of things that increased demand when the problem is supply,” said Calabria, now an adviser with the libertarian Cato Institute.

But for renters such as Lori Shelton in Colorado, the debate about how to add housing supply is cold comfort when she owes rent now. She's previously dealt with the threat of eviction and late fees. She gets some rent money from her son, but she has also relied at times on her church to cover the $2,399 a month.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lori Shelton can't fathom ever having the money to buy a home — and that's a major reason why so many voters feel down on the economy ahead of this year's presidential election.Shelton, 67, drives an Uber to help pay rent in Aurora, Colorado. An advance on her pay covered her apartment's security deposit. But it also cut into her next paycheck, leaving her bank account dangerously low when the rent was due — a cycle that never seems to end.“I'm always one step behind,” said Shelton, her voice choking up. “It’s a nightmare, it’s a freaking nightmare right now.”The United States is slogging through a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-affordability-century-21-ceo-b60d7bf34139334a843f9760a976f33c">housing affordability crisis</a>&nbsp;that was decades in the making. At the root of this problem: America failed to build enough homes for its growing population. The shortage strikes at the heart of the American dream of homeownership — dampening President Joe Biden's assurances that the U.S. economy is strong and underscoring the degree to which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Republican Donald Trump</a>, the former president and presumptive GOP nominee for 2024, has largely overlooked the shortage.The lack of housing has caused a record number of renters to devote an excessive amount of income to housing, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/affordable-housing-rent-eviction-price-harvard-congress-f5411012e10fa78d0257c137e60c1be3">Harvard University analysis</a>. Not enough homes are for sale or being built, keeping prices elevated. Average mortgage rates have more than doubled and further worsened affordability.In fact, the Census Bureau reported that homeownership fell slightly at the end of last year in an otherwise solid economy. If it wasn’t for shelter costs, inflation — Biden’s most pronounced economic problem — would be running at a healthy and stable 1.8%. Instead, it's hovering around 3.2%.Administration officials are confident that shelter inflation will soon cool, but the damage across several years is apparent to advocates and economists.“I’ve been doing housing work for 30 years — the housing affordability challenge is the worst I've ever seen in my career,” said Shaun Donovan, a former secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Obama years who now leads the nonprofit Enterprise Community Partners.Donovan noted that this is an increasingly bipartisan challenge that could bring the political parties together. Expensive housing was once the domain of Democratic areas such as New York City and San Francisco. It's now moved into Republican states as places such as Boise, Idaho, grapple with higher prices.“It is a first-tier issue almost everywhere,” he said. “And that is changing the national politics around it in a way that I think is quite different than I’ve ever seen.”Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, said that the outcome of the November election could ultimately depend on the path of 30-year mortgage rates.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-loan-530356e889579526a953e46dcd8ca7d1">Rates currently average about 6.74%.</a>&nbsp;If they dropped closer to 6%, the odds of a Biden victory would increase. But rates moving near 8% might enable Trump to prevail, Zandi said.“Given the current housing affordability crisis, higher rates will make owning a home completely out of reach for nearly all potential first-time homebuyers,” he said. “Since homeownership is a key part of the American dream, if it appears unattainable, this will deeply impact voters’ sense of the economy.”Biden, a Democrat, acknowledged the pain many are feeling in his State of the Union address earlier this month and in his budget proposal released on Monday.The president wants to fund the building and preservation of 2 million housing units — a meaningful sum, but not enough to solve the shortage. He also proposed a tax credit worth up to $10,000 to homebuyers. Over the past three years, he has increased rental assistance to 100,000 households.“The bottom line is we have to build, build, build,” Biden said Monday in a speech to the National League of Cities. “That’s how we bring down housing costs for good.”Rapidly climbing home prices were also a festering problem under Trump, who first achieved celebrity status as a real estate developer. While president, Trump called for limiting construction in the suburbs. He claimed during the 2020 election that Biden's policies to spur building and affordability would “destroy your neighborhood.”During the 2018 to 2020 years of Trump's presidency, the country’s housing shortage surged 52% to 3.8 million units, according to the mortgage company Freddie Mac.The Associated Press contacted Trump's campaign for his policy plans but did not get a response. The America First Policy Institute, a think tank promoting Trump's vision, said the key is to cut government borrowing to reduce mortgage rates. The former president has pledged to reduce deficits, but an analysis by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget shows that his policies in office will have likely added&nbsp;<a href="https://www.crfb.org/blogs/how-much-did-president-trump-add-debt">more than $8 trillion to the national debt.</a>“The best way for us to improve access to homeownership for young people is to get interest rates back down, not to provide subsidies that cause housing unaffordability to worsen,” said Mike Faulkender, chief economist at the institute.Lower rates might play well with voters, but most economists say they would at best offer temporary financial relief. Purchase prices would likely adjust upward in response to greater demand from falling rates.Construction, the more enduring solution, would take years to achieve and require&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-land-use-law-urban-growth-boundary-housing-d85c2413f169cd02cbf6b15fd9c95329">new rules by states and cities</a>. The administration is trying to incentivize zoning changes, but the major choices are outside the White House's control.“Even as incomes are going up and the economy is doing well and inflation is coming down, people can’t buy homes,” said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at the brokerage Redfin. “That’s like the biggest problem for Biden because it’s not one that he can solve.”The general rule of thumb is that people should pay no more than 30% of their income on rent or a mortgage. A typical household looking to buy a home would have to devote 41% of its income to mortgage payments, according to Redfin.There are far-reaching economic risks because of this. High housing costs can lead people to cut back spending elsewhere. Advocates said it enables landlords to neglect their properties since there is always a ready tenant.Evictions can worsen health and educational outcomes for children and exact an even wider cost on society, said Zach Neumann, a Denver-based lawyer who provides more than $30 million annually in rental assistance through the nonprofit Community Economic Defense Project.The cumulative costs of evicting poorer renters are "$20,000 to $30,000 a year when you include shelter nights and emergency room visits,” Neumann said. “It’s really overwhelming when you think about the total numbers and these folks are fighting to have a roof over their heads.”While there is bipartisan agreement on the need for more housing, there has yet to be a significant plan that has passed the House and Senate. Biden has proposed housing aid throughout his administration that never materialized.“Had Congress passed some of the investments that the president has called for since the beginning of the administration, had they done that three years ago, as he was advocating, we’d have affordable units coming online right now," said Daniel Hornung, deputy director of the White House National Economic Council.But Mark Calabria, who was director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency during the Trump administration, said that many of the federal tools to increase housing such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit could further push up demand without adding enough construction.“My worry would be we’ve done a number of things that increased demand when the problem is supply,” said Calabria, now an adviser with the libertarian Cato Institute.But for renters such as Lori Shelton in Colorado, the debate about how to add housing supply is cold comfort when she owes rent now. She's previously dealt with the threat of eviction and late fees. She gets some rent money from her son, but she has also relied at times on her church to cover the $2,399 a month.

Why are so many voters frustrated by the US economy? Home prices

WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment this week charging two men in connection with a bank robbery, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Demond M. Johnson, 18, and Ryan D. Smith, 25, both of Houston, Texas, are charged with one count of bank robbery. The defendants are accused of robbing Credit Union of America on South Ridge Road in Wichita, Kansas, on October 17, 2023.&nbsp;

If convicted, each faces up to 20 years in prison.&nbsp;

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Wichita Police Department are investigating the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710446842345.png" alt="Security camera images Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera images Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment this week charging two men in connection with a bank robbery, according to the United State's Attorney.According to court documents, Demond M. Johnson, 18, and Ryan D. Smith, 25, both of Houston, Texas, are charged with one count of bank robbery. The defendants are accused of robbing Credit Union of America on South Ridge Road in Wichita, Kansas, on October 17, 2023.&nbsp;If convicted, each faces up to 20 years in prison.&nbsp;The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Wichita Police Department are investigating the case.

Teen among suspects accused in Kansas bank robbery

NEW YORK (AP) — Artificial intelligence is supercharging the threat of election&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-elections-social-media-technology-4086949d878336f8ea6daa4dee725d94">disinformation</a>&nbsp;worldwide, making it easy for anyone with a smartphone and a devious imagination to create fake – but convincing – content aimed at fooling voters.

It marks a quantum leap from a few years ago, when creating phony photos, videos or audio clips required&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c737b8bd4d24487db64194d95ec4d5f0">teams of people</a>&nbsp;with time, technical skill and money. Now, using free and low-cost generative artificial intelligence services from companies like Google and OpenAI, anyone can create high-quality “deepfakes” with just a simple text prompt.

A wave of AI deepfakes tied to elections in Europe and Asia has coursed through social media for months, serving as a warning for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-elections-2024-preview-cb77b0940964c5c95a9affc8ebb6f0b7">more than 50 countries heading to the polls</a>&nbsp;this year.

“You don’t need to look far to see some people ... being clearly confused as to whether something is real or not,” said Henry Ajder, a leading expert in generative AI based in Cambridge, England.

The question is no longer whether AI deepfakes could affect elections, but how influential they will be, said Ajder, who runs a consulting firm called Latent Space Advisory.

As the U.S. presidential race heats up, FBI Director Christopher Wray recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-election-interference-wray-2024-campaign-ai-a0c4a95c818839b18f919c6d648c4dcf">warned about the growing threat</a>, saying generative AI makes it easy for "foreign adversaries to engage in malign influence.”

With AI deepfakes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/deepfake-trump-ai-biden-tiktok-72194f59823037391b3888a1720ba7c2">a candidate’s image</a>&nbsp;can be smeared, or softened. Voters can be steered toward or away from candidates — or even to avoid the polls altogether. But perhaps the greatest threat to democracy, experts say, is that a surge of AI deepfakes could erode the public’s trust in what they see and hear.

Some recent examples of AI deepfakes include:

— A video of Moldova's pro-Western president throwing her support behind a political party friendly to Russia.

— Audio clips of Slovakia's liberal party leader discussing vote rigging and raising the price of beer.

— A video of an opposition lawmaker in Bangladesh — a conservative Muslim majority nation — wearing a bikini.

The novelty and sophistication of the technology makes it hard to track who is behind AI deepfakes. Experts say governments and companies are not yet capable of stopping the deluge, nor are they moving fast enough to solve the problem.

As the technology improves, “definitive answers about a lot of the fake content are going to be hard to come by,” Ajder said.

Some AI deepfakes aim to sow doubt about candidates' allegiances.

In Moldova, an Eastern European country bordering Ukraine, pro-Western President Maia Sandu has been a frequent target. One AI deepfake that circulated shortly before local elections depicted her endorsing a Russian-friendly party and announcing plans to resign.

Officials in Moldova believe the Russian government is behind the activity. With presidential elections this year, the deepfakes aim “to erode trust in our electoral process, candidates and institutions — but also to erode trust between people,” said Olga Rosca, an adviser to Sandu. The Russian government declined to comment for this story.

China has also been accused of weaponizing generative AI for political purposes.

In Taiwan, a self-ruled island that China claims as its own, an AI deepfake gained attention earlier this year by stirring concerns about U.S. interference in local politics.

The fake clip circulating on TikTok showed U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman, vice chairman of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, promising stronger U.S. military support for Taiwan if the incumbent party's candidates were elected in January.

Wittman blamed the Chinese Communist Party for trying to meddle in Taiwanese politics, saying it uses TikTok — a Chinese-owned company — to spread “propaganda.”

A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, Wang Wenbin, said his government doesn't comment on fake videos and that it opposes interference in other countries' internal affairs. The Taiwan election, he stressed, “is a local affair of China.”

Audio-only deepfakes are especially hard to verify because, unlike photos and videos, they lack telltale signs of manipulated content.

In Slovakia, another country overshadowed by Russian influence, audio clips resembling the voice of the liberal party chief were shared widely on social media just days before parliamentary elections. The clips purportedly captured him talking about hiking beer prices and rigging the vote.

It's understandable that voters might fall for the deception, Ajder said, because humans are “much more used to judging with our eyes than with our ears.”

In the U.S., robocalls impersonating U.S. President Joe Biden urged voters in New Hampshire to abstain from voting in January's primary election. The calls were later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-robocall-biden-new-hampshire-primary-2024-f94aa2d7f835ccc3cc254a90cd481a99">traced to a political consultant</a>&nbsp;who said he was trying to publicize the dangers of AI deepfakes.

In poorer countries, where media literacy lags, even low-quality AI fakes can be effective.

Such was the case last year in Bangladesh, where opposition lawmaker Rumeen Farhana — a vocal critic of the ruling party — was falsely depicted wearing a bikini. The viral video sparked outrage in the conservative, majority-Muslim nation.

“They trust whatever they see on Facebook,” Farhana said.

Experts are particularly concerned about upcoming elections in India, the world’s largest democracy and where social media platforms are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/misinformation-surges-india-covid-c52d04de1c3b2332d572736ee069a495">breeding grounds for disinformation</a>.

Some political campaigns are using generative AI to bolster their candidate’s image.

In Indonesia, the team that ran&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indonesia-president-election-prabowo-subianto-dce462b4c334cd4fb92f95de0ddc3804">the presidential campaign of Prabowo Subianto</a>&nbsp;deployed a simple mobile app to build a deeper connection with supporters across the vast island nation. The app enabled voters to upload photos and make AI-generated images of themselves with Subianto.

As the types of AI deepfakes multiply, authorities around the world are scrambling to come up with guardrails.

The European Union already requires social media platforms to cut the risk of spreading disinformation or “election manipulation.” It will mandate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-act-european-union-chatbots-155157e2be2e42d0f1acca33983d8c82">special labeling of AI deepfakes</a>&nbsp;starting next year, too late for the EU's parliamentary elections in June. Still, the rest of the world is a lot further behind.

The world's biggest tech companies recently — and voluntarily — signed a pact to prevent AI tools from disrupting elections. For example, the company that owns Instagram and Facebook has said it will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/meta-adds-labels-to-ai-imagery-deepfakes-415163d053ed915042a04f1ec3d9eafa">start labeling</a>&nbsp;deepfakes that appear on its platforms.

But deepfakes are harder to rein in on apps like the Telegram chat service, which did not sign the voluntary pact and uses encrypted chats that can be difficult to monitor.

Some experts worry that efforts to rein in AI deepfakes could have unintended consequences.

Well-meaning governments or companies might trample on the sometimes “very thin” line between political commentary and an “illegitimate attempt to smear a candidate,” said Tim Harper, a senior policy analyst at the Center for Democracy and Technology in Washington.

Major generative AI services have rules to limit political disinformation. But experts say it remains too easy to outwit the platforms' restrictions or use alternative services that don't have the same safeguards.

Even without bad intentions, the rising use of AI is problematic. Many popular AI-powered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-chatbots-elections-artificial-intelligence-chatgpt-falsehoods-cc50dd0f3f4e7cc322c7235220fc4c69?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">chatbots are still spitting out false and misleading information</a>&nbsp;that threatens to disenfranchise voters.

And software isn't the only threat. Candidates could try to deceive voters by claiming that real events portraying them in an unfavorable light were manufactured by AI.

“A world in which everything is suspect — and so everyone gets to choose what they believe — is also a world that’s really challenging for a flourishing democracy,” said Lisa Reppell, a researcher at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems in Arlington, Virginia.

Swenson reported from New York. Associated Press writers Julhas Alam in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Krutika Pathi in New Delhi, Huizhong Wu in Bangkok, Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia, Dake Kang in Beijing, and Stephen McGrath in Bucharest, Romania, contributed to this report.

By ALI SWENSON and KELVIN CHAN&nbsp;NEW YORK (AP) — Artificial intelligence is supercharging the threat of election&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-elections-social-media-technology-4086949d878336f8ea6daa4dee725d94">disinformation</a>&nbsp;worldwide, making it easy for anyone with a smartphone and a devious imagination to create fake – but convincing – content aimed at fooling voters.It marks a quantum leap from a few years ago, when creating phony photos, videos or audio clips required&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c737b8bd4d24487db64194d95ec4d5f0">teams of people</a>&nbsp;with time, technical skill and money. Now, using free and low-cost generative artificial intelligence services from companies like Google and OpenAI, anyone can create high-quality “deepfakes” with just a simple text prompt.A wave of AI deepfakes tied to elections in Europe and Asia has coursed through social media for months, serving as a warning for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-elections-2024-preview-cb77b0940964c5c95a9affc8ebb6f0b7">more than 50 countries heading to the polls</a>&nbsp;this year.“You don’t need to look far to see some people ... being clearly confused as to whether something is real or not,” said Henry Ajder, a leading expert in generative AI based in Cambridge, England.The question is no longer whether AI deepfakes could affect elections, but how influential they will be, said Ajder, who runs a consulting firm called Latent Space Advisory.As the U.S. presidential race heats up, FBI Director Christopher Wray recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-election-interference-wray-2024-campaign-ai-a0c4a95c818839b18f919c6d648c4dcf">warned about the growing threat</a>, saying generative AI makes it easy for "foreign adversaries to engage in malign influence.”With AI deepfakes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/deepfake-trump-ai-biden-tiktok-72194f59823037391b3888a1720ba7c2">a candidate’s image</a>&nbsp;can be smeared, or softened. Voters can be steered toward or away from candidates — or even to avoid the polls altogether. But perhaps the greatest threat to democracy, experts say, is that a surge of AI deepfakes could erode the public’s trust in what they see and hear.Some recent examples of AI deepfakes include:— A video of Moldova's pro-Western president throwing her support behind a political party friendly to Russia.— Audio clips of Slovakia's liberal party leader discussing vote rigging and raising the price of beer.— A video of an opposition lawmaker in Bangladesh — a conservative Muslim majority nation — wearing a bikini.The novelty and sophistication of the technology makes it hard to track who is behind AI deepfakes. Experts say governments and companies are not yet capable of stopping the deluge, nor are they moving fast enough to solve the problem.As the technology improves, “definitive answers about a lot of the fake content are going to be hard to come by,” Ajder said.ERODING TRUSTSome AI deepfakes aim to sow doubt about candidates' allegiances.In Moldova, an Eastern European country bordering Ukraine, pro-Western President Maia Sandu has been a frequent target. One AI deepfake that circulated shortly before local elections depicted her endorsing a Russian-friendly party and announcing plans to resign.Officials in Moldova believe the Russian government is behind the activity. With presidential elections this year, the deepfakes aim “to erode trust in our electoral process, candidates and institutions — but also to erode trust between people,” said Olga Rosca, an adviser to Sandu. The Russian government declined to comment for this story.China has also been accused of weaponizing generative AI for political purposes.In Taiwan, a self-ruled island that China claims as its own, an AI deepfake gained attention earlier this year by stirring concerns about U.S. interference in local politics.The fake clip circulating on TikTok showed U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman, vice chairman of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, promising stronger U.S. military support for Taiwan if the incumbent party's candidates were elected in January.Wittman blamed the Chinese Communist Party for trying to meddle in Taiwanese politics, saying it uses TikTok — a Chinese-owned company — to spread “propaganda.”A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, Wang Wenbin, said his government doesn't comment on fake videos and that it opposes interference in other countries' internal affairs. The Taiwan election, he stressed, “is a local affair of China.”BLURRING REALITYAudio-only deepfakes are especially hard to verify because, unlike photos and videos, they lack telltale signs of manipulated content.In Slovakia, another country overshadowed by Russian influence, audio clips resembling the voice of the liberal party chief were shared widely on social media just days before parliamentary elections. The clips purportedly captured him talking about hiking beer prices and rigging the vote.It's understandable that voters might fall for the deception, Ajder said, because humans are “much more used to judging with our eyes than with our ears.”In the U.S., robocalls impersonating U.S. President Joe Biden urged voters in New Hampshire to abstain from voting in January's primary election. The calls were later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-robocall-biden-new-hampshire-primary-2024-f94aa2d7f835ccc3cc254a90cd481a99">traced to a political consultant</a>&nbsp;who said he was trying to publicize the dangers of AI deepfakes.In poorer countries, where media literacy lags, even low-quality AI fakes can be effective.Such was the case last year in Bangladesh, where opposition lawmaker Rumeen Farhana — a vocal critic of the ruling party — was falsely depicted wearing a bikini. The viral video sparked outrage in the conservative, majority-Muslim nation.“They trust whatever they see on Facebook,” Farhana said.Experts are particularly concerned about upcoming elections in India, the world’s largest democracy and where social media platforms are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/misinformation-surges-india-covid-c52d04de1c3b2332d572736ee069a495">breeding grounds for disinformation</a>.A CHALLENGE TO DEMOCRACYSome political campaigns are using generative AI to bolster their candidate’s image.In Indonesia, the team that ran&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indonesia-president-election-prabowo-subianto-dce462b4c334cd4fb92f95de0ddc3804">the presidential campaign of Prabowo Subianto</a>&nbsp;deployed a simple mobile app to build a deeper connection with supporters across the vast island nation. The app enabled voters to upload photos and make AI-generated images of themselves with Subianto.As the types of AI deepfakes multiply, authorities around the world are scrambling to come up with guardrails.The European Union already requires social media platforms to cut the risk of spreading disinformation or “election manipulation.” It will mandate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-act-european-union-chatbots-155157e2be2e42d0f1acca33983d8c82">special labeling of AI deepfakes</a>&nbsp;starting next year, too late for the EU's parliamentary elections in June. Still, the rest of the world is a lot further behind.The world's biggest tech companies recently — and voluntarily — signed a pact to prevent AI tools from disrupting elections. For example, the company that owns Instagram and Facebook has said it will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/meta-adds-labels-to-ai-imagery-deepfakes-415163d053ed915042a04f1ec3d9eafa">start labeling</a>&nbsp;deepfakes that appear on its platforms.But deepfakes are harder to rein in on apps like the Telegram chat service, which did not sign the voluntary pact and uses encrypted chats that can be difficult to monitor.Some experts worry that efforts to rein in AI deepfakes could have unintended consequences.Well-meaning governments or companies might trample on the sometimes “very thin” line between political commentary and an “illegitimate attempt to smear a candidate,” said Tim Harper, a senior policy analyst at the Center for Democracy and Technology in Washington.Major generative AI services have rules to limit political disinformation. But experts say it remains too easy to outwit the platforms' restrictions or use alternative services that don't have the same safeguards.Even without bad intentions, the rising use of AI is problematic. Many popular AI-powered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-chatbots-elections-artificial-intelligence-chatgpt-falsehoods-cc50dd0f3f4e7cc322c7235220fc4c69?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">chatbots are still spitting out false and misleading information</a>&nbsp;that threatens to disenfranchise voters.And software isn't the only threat. Candidates could try to deceive voters by claiming that real events portraying them in an unfavorable light were manufactured by AI.“A world in which everything is suspect — and so everyone gets to choose what they believe — is also a world that’s really challenging for a flourishing democracy,” said Lisa Reppell, a researcher at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems in Arlington, Virginia.__Swenson reported from New York. Associated Press writers Julhas Alam in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Krutika Pathi in New Delhi, Huizhong Wu in Bangkok, Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia, Dake Kang in Beijing, and Stephen McGrath in Bucharest, Romania, contributed to this report.__

 AI created election disinformation already deceiving voters

VATICAN CITY (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;says he has no plans to resign and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-health-italy-6bcbbd81b293d03ea57ca1c597aba4fb">isn’t suffering from any health problems</a>&nbsp;that would require doing so, saying in a new memoir he still has “many projects to bring to fruition.”

Francis, 87, made the comments in an autobiography, “Life: My Story Through History,” which is being published Tuesday, the 11th&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-15a1f30a5ae64cf992ee71e028283229">anniversary of his installation as pope</a>. Extensive excerpts were published Thursday in the Italian daily Corriere della Sera.

In the memoir, written with Italian journalist Fabio Marchese Ragona, Francis traces key moments of his life and their intersection with world events (World War II, Argentina’s military dictatorship and Vatican intrigue) and how they together inform his priorities as pope.

Significantly, he addresses recurring speculation about his health problems,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-conservatives-abortion-us-bbfc346c117bd9ae68a1963478bea6b3">criticism from conservatives</a>&nbsp;and what both may mean for the future of his pontificate. Such questions have always surrounded the papacy but the prospect of a papal resignation only became a reality with the late&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-benedict-xvi-dead-9d486fd9b12eab1177b9eb8ab7be22f4">Pope Benedict XVI</a>&nbsp;'s historic 2013 retirement.

Francis, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has been battling bronchitis, the flu and a cold on and off this winter and for the past two weeks has asked an aide to read most of his speeches. He had a chunk of his large intestine removed in 2021 and was hospitalized three times last year, including once to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-health-758c3d7b07e6d6f242c4a5ea6f2de154">remove intestinal scar tissue</a>&nbsp;from previous surgeries to address diverticulosis, or bulges in his intestinal wall.

In his memoir, he stressed that the papacy is a job for life but that “if a serious physical impediment” occurs, he has already penned a letter of resignation that is being held in the Secretariat of State.

“But this is, I repeat, a distant possibility, because I truly do not have any cause serious enough to make me think of resigning,” he said. “Some people may have hoped that sooner or later, perhaps after a stay in the hospital, I might make an announcement of that kind, but there is no risk of it: Thanks be to God, I enjoy good health, and as I have said, there are many projects to bring to fruition, God willing."

Francis acknowledged that critics inside the Vatican and out have accused him of destroying the papacy and have tried to block the reforms that he was mandated by cardinals to enact as a result of his 2013 election.

“There was a strong desire to change things, to abandon certain attitudes, which, sadly, have proved difficult to eradicate,” he said. “Needless to say, there are always some who wish to put the brakes on reform, who want things always to stay as they were during the days of pope kings.”

In the memoir, Francis doubled down on his recent decision to allow Catholic priests to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-blessing-africa-france-12ede13dec72ecdd9f6da1dd1877d7e5">bless same-sex couples</a>&nbsp;and denied that the criticism that erupted could split the church.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-blessing-africa-france-12ede13dec72ecdd9f6da1dd1877d7e5">Africa’s bishops as a whole</a>, as well as individual conservative bishops around the world, have said they would not follow the new directive.

“I just want to say that God loves everyone, especially sinners. And if my brother bishops, according to their discernment, decide not to follow this path it doesn’t mean that this is the antechamber to schism, because the church’s doctrine is not brought into question,” Francis said.

He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-civil-union-comment-8f53e237da41da9891564268f1a2e66a">reaffirmed his support for civil unions</a>&nbsp;while ruling out gay marriage, saying “it is right that these people who experience the gift of love should have the same legal protections as everyone else.”

He reasoned that Jesus spent time with people who lived on the margins of society “and that is what the church should be doing today with members of the LGBTQ+ community.”

“Make them feel at home, especially those who have been baptized and are in every respect among God’s people," he said. "And those who have not been baptized and would like to be, or who would like to be godfathers or godmothers: let them be welcomed, please; let them follow a careful pathway to personal discernment.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710452214314.png" alt="The book is set for release on Tuesday" />
 <figcaption>The book is set for release on Tuesday</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;says he has no plans to resign and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-health-italy-6bcbbd81b293d03ea57ca1c597aba4fb">isn’t suffering from any health problems</a>&nbsp;that would require doing so, saying in a new memoir he still has “many projects to bring to fruition.”Francis, 87, made the comments in an autobiography, “Life: My Story Through History,” which is being published Tuesday, the 11th&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-15a1f30a5ae64cf992ee71e028283229">anniversary of his installation as pope</a>. Extensive excerpts were published Thursday in the Italian daily Corriere della Sera.In the memoir, written with Italian journalist Fabio Marchese Ragona, Francis traces key moments of his life and their intersection with world events (World War II, Argentina’s military dictatorship and Vatican intrigue) and how they together inform his priorities as pope.Significantly, he addresses recurring speculation about his health problems,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-conservatives-abortion-us-bbfc346c117bd9ae68a1963478bea6b3">criticism from conservatives</a>&nbsp;and what both may mean for the future of his pontificate. Such questions have always surrounded the papacy but the prospect of a papal resignation only became a reality with the late&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-benedict-xvi-dead-9d486fd9b12eab1177b9eb8ab7be22f4">Pope Benedict XVI</a>&nbsp;'s historic 2013 retirement.Francis, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has been battling bronchitis, the flu and a cold on and off this winter and for the past two weeks has asked an aide to read most of his speeches. He had a chunk of his large intestine removed in 2021 and was hospitalized three times last year, including once to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-health-758c3d7b07e6d6f242c4a5ea6f2de154">remove intestinal scar tissue</a>&nbsp;from previous surgeries to address diverticulosis, or bulges in his intestinal wall.In his memoir, he stressed that the papacy is a job for life but that “if a serious physical impediment” occurs, he has already penned a letter of resignation that is being held in the Secretariat of State.“But this is, I repeat, a distant possibility, because I truly do not have any cause serious enough to make me think of resigning,” he said. “Some people may have hoped that sooner or later, perhaps after a stay in the hospital, I might make an announcement of that kind, but there is no risk of it: Thanks be to God, I enjoy good health, and as I have said, there are many projects to bring to fruition, God willing."Francis acknowledged that critics inside the Vatican and out have accused him of destroying the papacy and have tried to block the reforms that he was mandated by cardinals to enact as a result of his 2013 election.“There was a strong desire to change things, to abandon certain attitudes, which, sadly, have proved difficult to eradicate,” he said. “Needless to say, there are always some who wish to put the brakes on reform, who want things always to stay as they were during the days of pope kings.”In the memoir, Francis doubled down on his recent decision to allow Catholic priests to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-blessing-africa-france-12ede13dec72ecdd9f6da1dd1877d7e5">bless same-sex couples</a>&nbsp;and denied that the criticism that erupted could split the church.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-blessing-africa-france-12ede13dec72ecdd9f6da1dd1877d7e5">Africa’s bishops as a whole</a>, as well as individual conservative bishops around the world, have said they would not follow the new directive.“I just want to say that God loves everyone, especially sinners. And if my brother bishops, according to their discernment, decide not to follow this path it doesn’t mean that this is the antechamber to schism, because the church’s doctrine is not brought into question,” Francis said.He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-civil-union-comment-8f53e237da41da9891564268f1a2e66a">reaffirmed his support for civil unions</a>&nbsp;while ruling out gay marriage, saying “it is right that these people who experience the gift of love should have the same legal protections as everyone else.”He reasoned that Jesus spent time with people who lived on the margins of society “and that is what the church should be doing today with members of the LGBTQ+ community.”“Make them feel at home, especially those who have been baptized and are in every respect among God’s people," he said. "And those who have not been baptized and would like to be, or who would like to be godfathers or godmothers: let them be welcomed, please; let them follow a careful pathway to personal discernment.”

Pope Francis reveals in autobiography his plans for the future

KANSAS CITY —The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported just after 9:30a.m. Sunday they canceled the Amber Alert for the the child. She was found and is safe. The patrol did not report and arrest or additional details.

KANSAS CITY —Authorities in Kansas City issued an Amber Alert just after 4:30a.m. Sunday for a missing 4-year-old girl.

Just after 9p.m. Saturday Amira Bills was abducted at 71st and Prospect in Kansas City.&nbsp; The suspect allegedly assaulted the mother of the&nbsp; girl inside a vehicle. The mother left the vehicle and the suspect 36-year-old Aerian D. Bills drove away with the child.

Police are looking for a white Chevy Malibu 4-door with a Missouri Temporary&nbsp; Plate 077RUE. The vehicle was traveling westbound on Myers Boulevard from Olive Street.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710676264550.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported just after 9:30a.m. Sunday they canceled the Amber Alert for the the child. She was found and is safe. The patrol did not report and arrest or additional details.------------KANSAS CITY —Authorities in Kansas City issued an Amber Alert just after 4:30a.m. Sunday for a missing 4-year-old girl.Just after 9p.m. Saturday Amira Bills was abducted at 71st and Prospect in Kansas City.&nbsp; The suspect allegedly assaulted the mother of the&nbsp; girl inside a vehicle. The mother left the vehicle and the suspect 36-year-old Aerian D. Bills drove away with the child.Police are looking for a white Chevy Malibu 4-door with a Missouri Temporary&nbsp; Plate 077RUE. The vehicle was traveling westbound on Myers Boulevard from Olive Street.

Patrol: Amber Alert canceled; child abducted in Kansas City is safe

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a registered Kansas sex offender on new allegations.

On Wednesday,&nbsp;Timothy Daniel Luker, 35, of Wichita was indicted on one count of distribution of child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.

Luker has been listed as a registered sex offender since August of 2023. He was convicted of child porn possession in Arkansas in 2017, according to the Kansas Offender Registry.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710441684397.png" alt="Luker-photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Luker-photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a registered Kansas sex offender on new allegations.On Wednesday,&nbsp;Timothy Daniel Luker, 35, of Wichita was indicted on one count of distribution of child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.Luker has been listed as a registered sex offender since August of 2023. He was convicted of child porn possession in Arkansas in 2017, according to the Kansas Offender Registry.Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.

Kansas sex offender accused of distributing child porn

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a pursuit by law enforcement.

Just after 1:30a.m. March 11, a sheriff's deputy attempted a traffic stop on a Honda motorcycle in the 1600 Block of NE Quincy Street in Topeka, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

The driver refused to stop and that initiated a pursuit. During the chase, the motorcycle crashed on the Shunga Trail near Garfield Park when it entered a pond full of sewer water.

The driver, later identified as 36-year-old Brandon S. Riley of Topeka, ran into a sewage tunnel. Deputies chased and found him in the tunnel.

Riley was arrested on requested charges of speeding, driving the wrong way on a one-way road, driving on a sidewalk, failure to stop at a stop sign, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, driving while license suspended, interference with law enforcement, driving with improper registration and with a license plate not assigned to that that vehicle. He also was wanted on a city of Topeka warrant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710261293280.png" alt="Riley- photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Riley- photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a pursuit by law enforcement.Just after 1:30a.m. March 11, a sheriff's deputy attempted a traffic stop on a Honda motorcycle in the 1600 Block of NE Quincy Street in Topeka, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.The driver refused to stop and that initiated a pursuit. During the chase, the motorcycle crashed on the Shunga Trail near Garfield Park when it entered a pond full of sewer water.The driver, later identified as 36-year-old Brandon S. Riley of Topeka, ran into a sewage tunnel. Deputies chased and found him in the tunnel.Riley was arrested on requested charges of speeding, driving the wrong way on a one-way road, driving on a sidewalk, failure to stop at a stop sign, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, driving while license suspended, interference with law enforcement, driving with improper registration and with a license plate not assigned to that that vehicle. He also was wanted on a city of Topeka warrant.

Wanted Kan. man fled police, crashed motorcycle in sewage pond

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Detectives with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department are currently conducting a death investigation after a body was found near the Kansas River.

Just after 10:38a.m., a person fishing near the 12th Street Bridge over the Kansas River called 911 to report the discovery a body. 

 Officers were dispatched to the area where they confirmed the body of man near the river.

This death is currently under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). All tips remain anonymous.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710621914932.png" alt="View of the Kansas River from the 12 Street Bridge-Google image" />
 <figcaption>View of the Kansas River from the 12 Street Bridge-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Detectives with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department are currently conducting a death investigation after a body was found near the Kansas River.Just after 10:38a.m., a person fishing near the 12th Street Bridge over the Kansas River called 911 to report the discovery a body. Officers were dispatched to the area where they confirmed the body of man near the river.This death is currently under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). All tips remain anonymous.

Police: Fisherman finds body near Kansas River

LANGLEY, VIRGINIA — U.S. Army Vessels (USAV SP4 James A. Loux (LSV-6), USAV Monterrey (LCU30), USAV Matamoros (LCU26), and USAV Wilson Warf (LCU11) from the 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary), 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, XVIII Airborne Corps, departed Joint Base Langley-Eustis are en route to the Eastern Mediterranean to establish a roll-on, roll-off dock capability that allows ship to shore humanitarian assistance to Gaza, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

SP4 James A. Loux, Monterrey, Matamoros, and Wilson Warf are carrying equipment and supplies needed to establish a temporary pier to deliver vital humanitarian supplies.

The seaborne delivery will complement other means of getting essential supplies to Gazans. The United States is also air-dropping food and supplies to Gaza and the U.S. Agency for International Development is working to get land routes open to those who need the supplies. &nbsp;

A look at what’s known about the operation temporary pier.

In the five months since Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage, Israel's military has battered the territory, killing more than 30,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The result of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;is a devastating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">humanitarian catastrophe</a>.

The U.N. says virtually all of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are struggling to find food, and more than a half-million&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-malnutrition-famine-children-dying-israel-palestinians-2f938b1a82d7822c7da67cc162da1a37">currently face starvation.</a>&nbsp;Many people have been reduced to eating animal fodder to survive.

Getting in food, medical supplies and other aid has been difficult, if not impossible at times, due to the ongoing hostilities and struggles to coordinate with the Israeli military, which has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-rafah-aid-us-senators-2bc2a3c5e5f8af8e2d3f0b7242c1a885">blocked routes and slowed deliveries</a>&nbsp;due to inspections.

Trucks carrying humanitarian aid have to drive from the Rafah crossing with Egypt or the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel, both on the southern edge of Gaza, through the conflict zone to reach the largely cut-off areas in the north.

It's been frustrating for the Biden administration as its efforts to step up aid to Gaza have been impeded by the obstacles posed by Israel, its close ally.

Last week, the U.S. began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airdrops-israel-gaza-palestinians-biden-9e6cfb3a2c7d909ca2a8a2abd25793ca">airdrops</a>&nbsp;of aid for Gaza. But that can provide only a limited amount of aid and may not reach those who need it.

In his address Thursday, Biden directed the military to construct a temporary pier on Gaza's coast "that can receive large ships carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters.”

Biden said the pier will “enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day.”

According to defense officials, the 7th Transportation Brigade based at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia is already starting to pull together what's called the Joint Logistics Over The Shore (JLOTS) equipment and watercraft.

It's like a huge LEGO system — an array of 40-foot-long (12-meter-long) pieces of steel that can be locked together to form a pier and causeway. The causeway would be up to 1,800 feet (nearly 550 meters) long and two lanes wide.

And in the coming days, U.S. troops will begin loading the equipment onto a large Military Sealift Command vessel. The equipment will include the steel pieces and smaller tug vessels that can help move things into place.

That loading isn't likely to start until sometime next week, and once done the ship will set off across the Atlantic Ocean with members of the 7th Transportation Brigade aboard. A number of other military units from the U.S. and abroad will also be participating in the mission.

Ryder said the troops will build an offshore pier where large ships can offload food and supplies. Then smaller military vessels will transport that aid from the floating pier to the temporary causeway that will be driven into the ground at the shoreline.

Biden said Thursday that there will be no U.S. forces on the ground in Gaza for the mission, which will likely involve other allies, contractors and aid agencies.

A key question will be what Israel is prepared to do to support the aid delivery effort.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710291193776.png" alt="Photos U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photos U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>LANGLEY, VIRGINIA — U.S. Army Vessels (USAV SP4 James A. Loux (LSV-6), USAV Monterrey (LCU30), USAV Matamoros (LCU26), and USAV Wilson Warf (LCU11) from the 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary), 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, XVIII Airborne Corps, departed Joint Base Langley-Eustis are en route to the Eastern Mediterranean to establish a roll-on, roll-off dock capability that allows ship to shore humanitarian assistance to Gaza, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.SP4 James A. Loux, Monterrey, Matamoros, and Wilson Warf are carrying equipment and supplies needed to establish a temporary pier to deliver vital humanitarian supplies.The seaborne delivery will complement other means of getting essential supplies to Gazans. The United States is also air-dropping food and supplies to Gaza and the U.S. Agency for International Development is working to get land routes open to those who need the supplies. &nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710291319858.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A look at what’s known about the operation temporary pier.WHY BUILD A FLOATING PIER?In the five months since Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage, Israel's military has battered the territory, killing more than 30,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The result of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;is a devastating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">humanitarian catastrophe</a>.The U.N. says virtually all of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are struggling to find food, and more than a half-million&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-malnutrition-famine-children-dying-israel-palestinians-2f938b1a82d7822c7da67cc162da1a37">currently face starvation.</a>&nbsp;Many people have been reduced to eating animal fodder to survive.Getting in food, medical supplies and other aid has been difficult, if not impossible at times, due to the ongoing hostilities and struggles to coordinate with the Israeli military, which has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-rafah-aid-us-senators-2bc2a3c5e5f8af8e2d3f0b7242c1a885">blocked routes and slowed deliveries</a>&nbsp;due to inspections.Trucks carrying humanitarian aid have to drive from the Rafah crossing with Egypt or the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel, both on the southern edge of Gaza, through the conflict zone to reach the largely cut-off areas in the north.It's been frustrating for the Biden administration as its efforts to step up aid to Gaza have been impeded by the obstacles posed by Israel, its close ally.Last week, the U.S. began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airdrops-israel-gaza-palestinians-biden-9e6cfb3a2c7d909ca2a8a2abd25793ca">airdrops</a>&nbsp;of aid for Gaza. But that can provide only a limited amount of aid and may not reach those who need it.In his address Thursday, Biden directed the military to construct a temporary pier on Gaza's coast "that can receive large ships carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters.”Biden said the pier will “enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day.”ASSEMBLED LIKE LEGOSAccording to defense officials, the 7th Transportation Brigade based at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia is already starting to pull together what's called the Joint Logistics Over The Shore (JLOTS) equipment and watercraft.It's like a huge LEGO system — an array of 40-foot-long (12-meter-long) pieces of steel that can be locked together to form a pier and causeway. The causeway would be up to 1,800 feet (nearly 550 meters) long and two lanes wide.And in the coming days, U.S. troops will begin loading the equipment onto a large Military Sealift Command vessel. The equipment will include the steel pieces and smaller tug vessels that can help move things into place.That loading isn't likely to start until sometime next week, and once done the ship will set off across the Atlantic Ocean with members of the 7th Transportation Brigade aboard. A number of other military units from the U.S. and abroad will also be participating in the mission.Ryder said the troops will build an offshore pier where large ships can offload food and supplies. Then smaller military vessels will transport that aid from the floating pier to the temporary causeway that will be driven into the ground at the shoreline.Biden said Thursday that there will be no U.S. forces on the ground in Gaza for the mission, which will likely involve other allies, contractors and aid agencies.WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES?A key question will be what Israel is prepared to do to support the aid delivery effort.The U.S. airdrops have been an unusual workaround by the Biden administration, which for months has appealed to Israel to increase the delivery of aid to Gaza and provide access and protection for trucks carrying the goods.According to Biden, the Israeli government will maintain security at the pier and protect it from any attacks by Hamas. And there may also be a need for crowd control, in case residents try to storm the pier to get the desperately needed food.While officials said they don't likely need security on the sea route to Israel there will be a requirement for allies and private ships to deliver the aid along the maritime corridor.It is also unclear who will be unloading the aid at the dock and moving it to shore.WHAT ARE OTHER NATIONS AID GROUPS DOING?Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides offered the use of his country’s port in Larnaca months ago for a possible sea route for aid deliveries to Gaza, a 230-mile (370-kilometer) journey. Cyprus invited authorities from Israel, the U.S. and other European countries to join Cypriot agents in vetting all shipments so nothing could be used by Hamas against Israel. The offer received strong interest from the Americans, Europeans and others, and extended planning followed.The European Commission said Friday that a ship bearing humanitarian aid was preparing to leave Cyprus and head for Gaza.The vessel belonging to Spain’s Open Arms aid group will make a pilot voyage to test the maritime corridor in the coming days. The ship has been waiting at Larnaca for permission to deliver food aid from World Central Kitchen, a U.S. charity founded by celebrity chef José Andrés.The UAE ambassador to the U.S., Yousef Al Otaiba, told the AP the exact timing of the pilot shipment by sea depended on conditions, but said Sunday looked favorable. The UAE funded the operation and worked directly with the Israelis in getting the shipment ready without issues, he said.