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TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The U.S. Embassy in Israel on Friday told its staff that it could leave the country and urged anyone considering departure to do so immediately, as thethreat of an American strike on Iranlooms.

U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee told embassy employees in an email that discussions with officials in Washington had led to a decision authorizing departures for those who wished to leave.

The email was recounted to The Associated Press by someone involved with the U.S. mission who wasn't authorized to share details. Sent before 10:30 a.m., it urged staff considering departure to do so quickly, advising them to to focus initially on getting any flight out of Israel and to then make their way to Washington.

"Those wishing to take AD should do so TODAY," Huckabee wrote, using an acronym for "authorized departure."

"While there may be outbound flights over the coming days, there may not be," he added.

Huckabee said that there was no need for panic, but for those desiring to leave, it was important to make plans soon.

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The email came a day afterIran and the United Stateswalked away from nuclear negotiations without a deal. Airlines such as Netherlands-based KLM have already announced plans to suspend flights out of Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport, and other embassies have also made plans for authorized departures from Israel and neighboring countries.

Australia on Wednesday "directed the departure of all dependents of Australian officials posted to Israel in response to the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East." India and several European countries with missions in Iran advised citizens to avoid travel to the country as well.

On a town hall meeting Friday after the email was sent, Huckabee told staff that he was encouraging airlines to keep flying.

The departure authorizations signal a new level of contingency planning as a massive fleet of U.S.aircraft and warshipsmass in the Middle East.

Badr al-Busaidi, Oman's foreign minister who is mediating in the negotiations, said that there had been significant progress made on Thursday, though officials from Iran and the United States haven't announced steps forward.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday offered no specifics, but said "what needs to happen has been clearly spelled out from our side."

___ Metz reported from Ramallah, West Bank.

The death of aRohingya refugeein Buffalo, New York, has raised pressing questions about how federal immigration agents handled his release from their custody – and what happened in the five days he was missing before his body was found.

Nurul Amin Shah Alam, 56, who spoke little English and was nearly blind, was released from the Erie County Holding Center on February 19. Border Patrol agents briefly took custody of him on an immigration detainer before determining he shouldn't be deported and, later that night, dropped him at a closed coffee house alone in near freezing temperatures. His body was found on February 24, about four miles away.

US Customs and Border Protection has defended the agents' actions, but local and state leaders are calling for investigations.

Meanwhile, Shah Alam's friends and family gathered at a mosque Thursday for his funeral, offering prayers before accompanying him to a cemetery for burial.

"We do not want his death to just go to waste," Khaleda Shah, a spokesperson for the family, told theAssociated Press. "We want his death to bring awareness to his community, his family, his community at large. We want his name, his story to be a voice for those who are still suffering."

The case comes amid growing concerns about the constitutional protections andtreatmentof people who come into contact with federal immigration authorities, regardless of their immigration status, under the Trump administration'smass deportationefforts.

Here's what we know – and don't know – about his death:

Who was Nurul Amin Shah Alam?

Shah Alam entered the US as a refugee on December 24, 2024, according to US Customs and Border Protection. He and his family areArakan Rohingya, a persecuted Muslim minority from Myanmar that the US government has said was subjected to genocide.

Shah Alam previously worked in construction in Malaysia and came to the US with his wife and two children, searching for opportunity, Imran Fazal, who knows the family, toldCNN affiliate Spectrum News Buffalo.

Shah Alam's son, Mohamad Faisal, told CNN he last saw his father on February 19, before he was released from jail.

Faisal toldReutersthat Shah Alam did not read, write or use electronic devices.

What we don't know:

• What was the extent of Shah Alam's visual impairment?

• What was his health condition before he was released?

• Did he have diagnosed medical conditions requiring treatment?

Why was he in jail?

Shah Alam was arrested in February 2025 after what his son described as a misunderstanding.

He had gone for a walk using a curtain rod as a walking stick, became lost and wandered onto private property, Faisal told Reuters. When officers arrived and ordered Shah Alam to drop the rod, he did not comply because he did not understand.

Body camera video obtained byCNN affiliate WGRZshows Shah Alam holding what appears to be two long black poles. He is seen waving the poles in the direction of the officers before they fired stun guns and tackled him. Two officers suffered minor injuries, police said.

He was later indicted on felony assault, burglary and criminal mischief charges, the Erie County District Attorney's Office said.

Earlier this month, he pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges: criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree and criminal trespass in the third degree. Sentencing was scheduled for March 24.

Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane said his office reduced the charges after considering Shah Alam's medical condition, time served and the "significant collateral consequences that would result from a felony conviction – including mandatory deportation."

What we don't know:

• Did Shah Alam consistently have access to a translator during his year in custody?

• Was his visual impairment or other health issues documented in internal jail records?

Why was he released from jail?

Shah Alam's bond had been set at $5,000. His family initially declined to post bail, fearing a federal immigration detainer would result in his transfer to immigration custody, according to theLegal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, which represented Shah Alam.

Following the plea deal, an immigration lawyer was consulted and the family posted bond after being advised it would not place Shah Alam at risk of deportation, the legal aid statement said.

As Shah Alam's release was being processed on February 19, Erie County deputies notified Border Patrol because of the detainer, the Erie County Sheriff's Office said.

Border Patrol agents arrived as Shah Alam's release was being processed and took him into their custody.

What we don't know:

• Who posted the bond?

• Was Shah Alam offered a translator during his release or when Border Patrol agents picked him up?

• How much communication was there between local and federal authorities before the transfer?

What happened when he was released from jail?

Later that day, immigration authorities determined Shah Alam, as a legal refugee, "was not amenable to removal," Customs and Border Protection said in a statement.

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Using a translation program, agents attempted to communicate with Shah Alam, according to a federal law enforcement official. Shah Alam was offered the opportunity to make a phone call, but declined, and asked to be taken to the location where he was eventually dropped off, the official said.

"Border Patrol agents offered him a courtesy ride, which he chose to accept to a coffee shop, determined to be a warm, safe location near his last known address, rather than be released directly from the Border Patrol station. He showed no signs of distress, mobility issues, or disabilities requiring special assistance," the CBP statement said.

According to legal aid, Shah Alam was dropped off at a Tim Hortons near his last known address sometime after 8 p.m., though that location had already closed at 7 p.m. His family no longer lived at the prior address, and neither relatives nor his attorney were told he had been released by CBP or where was taken, the organization said.

"Mr. Alam was extremely vulnerable. He spoke almost no English and could not communicate without the aid of an interpreter. He suffered from severely impaired vision and had other health issues," the legal aid statement said.

"He had only been in the US for a few months prior to his arrest. He would not have known where he was or had the wherewithal to contact his family or avail himself of other resources or services that could have assisted him," the statement continued.

Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan criticized Shah Alam's release by Border Patrol, saying agents could have contacted family members or returned him to the county holding center. There, they could have obtained phone numbers for his son or lawyer, who had both been active visitors while he was in custody, according to Ryan.

What we don't know:

• Is there protocol for releases involving people with disabilities or limited English proficiency?

• Did the agents speak to anyone in the coffee shop after it had closed and before leaving him there?

How was he found?

Shah Alam's attorney reported him missing to police three days after he was released, on February 22, telling officers he couldn't "confirm his client's location despite contacting federal authorities," police said.

Police briefly closed the case after determining Shah Alam had been transferred to federal custody, then reopened it when they learned he had been released.

His missing person case remained open when someone called 911 around 8:30 p.m. on February 24 to report a man on a downtown street who appeared not to be breathing.

The man, later identified as Shah Alam, was wearing a dark parka and khaki pants, a police statement said. A woman told responding officers she'd seen the man about three hours earlier at the same location and he was moving.

First responders attempted life-saving measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

His cause of death is unknown.

A city spokesperson said Wednesday the death appeared health-related and exposure and homicide had been ruled out. But on Thursday, Ryan, the mayor, said the medical examiner had not yet released its full findings.

The Erie County Health Department told CNN that medical examiner records are treated as confidential medical records and would only be shared with law enforcement and others legally entitled to them.

According to preliminary information, Shah Alam did not have shoes on, just orange booties from the detention center, when he was dropped off by agents, Ryan said.

The day Shah Alam was dropped off at the coffee shop, the area saw light freezing rain with temperatures in the low 30s. There was snow and fog over the next two days, with temperatures hovering around freezing for at least 24 consecutive hours.

What we don't know:

• What is Shah Alam's cause of death?

• Did any underlying health conditions contribute to his death?

• What happened in the days between his release and when he was found dead?

What are local and state officials saying?

Ryan has sharply criticized Border Patrol's actions in the case, calling it "an inhumane thing to do," and insisted that CBP must "answer for how and why this happened."

The Buffalo Police Department said its homicide detectives are looking into the timeline and circumstances leading to Shah Alam's death.

"The death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam is a horrific and heartbreaking tragedy," US Rep. Tim Kennedy, whose district includes Buffalo, said Thursday, calling for a "full and transparent investigation at the local, state, and federal levels."

New York Attorney General Letitia James said her office "is reviewing our legal options," according to a statement.

CNN has reached out to CBP for more information.

What we don't know:

• Have any agencies aside from the Buffalo Police Department started an investigation?

CNN's Omar Jimenez, Priscilla Alvarez and Nicole Chavez contributed to this report.

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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to bat first in cricket's T20 World Cup Super 8 match against England at R. Premadasa Stadium on Friday.

England New Zealand T20 WCup Cricket

A win will earn New Zealand the second semifinal spot from Group 2. Leader England has already qualified after beating Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Victory for England will leave Pakistan with a slim chance of getting into the semifinals via net run-rate if they beat Sri Lanka on Saturday.

South Africa has already qualified from Group 1. The second spot will be decided by the result of the match between India and the West Indies.

New Zealand fielded the same side that beat Sri Lanka comprehensively on Wednesday while England bolstered its spin attack by recalling Rehan Ahmed in place of Jamie Overton.

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England: Harry Brook (captain), Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Rehan Ahmed, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid.

New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (captain), Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Cole McConchie, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson.

AP cricket:https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Madina Okot had 26 points and 17 rebounds, Joyce Edwards added 23 points and No. 3 South Carolina clinched its fifth straight Southeastern Conference regular-season title with a 112-71 victory over Missouri on Thursday night.

Missouri South Carolina Basketball

The Gamecocks (28-2, 14-1) have been the dominant program the past five years in a league with five teams currentlyin the top 10. South Carolina is 76-3 against the SEC in its run and will look to add a fourth straight league tournament crown when the event begins in Greenville, South Carolina next week.

There was little celebration in their last win over Mississippi on Sunday even though South Carolina had guaranteed itself no worse than a share of the title.

This time, there were plenty of smiles and dancing as the team was awarded its latest trophy at midcourt following the win.

Missouri owns one of those South Carolina losses in that stretch, but these Tigers had little chance of holding up against South Carolina's deep and talented front line.

Okot, the Mississippi State transfer, had 12 points and seven rebounds as South Carolina led 33-13 after the first quarter. Edwards, averaging team-best 20.1 points, made seven of 12 shots for 17 points as the Gamecocks led 57-32 at the break.

And that was without the Gamecocks best outside shooter, starter Tessa Johnson, on bench with the team called an upper-body injury.

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Ta'Niya Latson had 17 points and Raven Johnson 16 for the Gamecocks as both were honored on Senior Night.

South Carolina won its ninth in a row since its lone SEC loss this season at Oklahoma on Jan. 22.

Grace Slaughter had 21 points to lead Missouri, which lost its season-worst fifth straight.

Up next

Missouri: Closes the season at home against No. 7 Oklahoma on Sunday.

South Carolina: Finishes up at No. 16 Kentucky on Sunday.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign uphere. AP women's college basketball:https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-pollandhttps://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

By Bhanvi Satija

Feb 27 (Reuters) - Europe's medicines regulator recommended approval for Moderna's COVID and flu combination vaccine on Friday, putting it on track to become the ‌first single shot to protect people aged 50 and older against both illnesses.

Currently ‌people need two separate shots to protect them against COVID-19 and influenza and the vaccines are updated regularly to ​match the viral strains in circulation.

Moderna is banking on the COVID-flu combination shot and also an mRNA-based flu shot to help it return to revenue growth as demand for COVID vaccines has collapsed in the years after the pandemic.

It hopes international markets will drive revenue growth this ‌year, as anti-vaccine activist U.S. Health ⁠Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr has disrupted the domestic market.

MODERNA SHARES HAVE PLUNGED FROM 2021 HIGHS

Shares of the biotech, which were flat in ⁠U.S. premarket hours on Friday, have declined by nearly 90% from 2021 highs.

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Last year, Moderna withdrew its U.S. application for its COVID-flu combination shot to wait for efficacy data from a late-stage trial ​of its ​influenza vaccine.

Earlier this month, the company said it ​was waiting for guidance from the ‌Food and Drug Administration on refiling the application.

U.S. regulators initially refused to review a separate mRNA-based flu vaccine from the company, then reversed course a week later after Moderna amended its application.

EMA's recommendation on Friday was based on data from a study of 8,000 participants that showed those who received mCombriax generated more antibodies than those who received separate shots against ‌the viruses.

The study compared mCombriax with a combination of ​Moderna's COVID-19 shot Spikevax and traditional flu shots from ​GSK and Sanofi.

EMA also considered data ​from a study of a similar mRNA flu vaccine, in which mCombriax ‌triggered an adequate immune response. The shot ​contains messenger RNA with ​instructions for making proteins found on some strains of the influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2.

EMA's recommendation will be reviewed by the European Commission, which will give the final ​sign off for marketing in ‌the European Union. It was not clear how long that decision would take.

(Reporting by ​Sri Hari N S in Bengaluru and Bhanvi Satija in London; Editing ​by Vijay Kishore, Nivedita Bhattacharjee and Barbara Lewis)

Pro Football Hall of FamerWarren Sappis no longer on the coaching staff atColoradounder head coachDeion Sandersafter spending two seasons in Boulder as a high-profile, lower-rung assistant coach.

Sapp, 53, never had served as a full-time coach before he joined Sanders' staff in 2024, first as agraduate assistant coachand then as pass rush coordinator. But he said he loved his new role. It's not clear why he's taking his mohawk out of town.

"Warren Sapp has resigned from the CU football coaching staff to pursue other opportunities," Colorado's athletic department said in a statement Feb. 26. "CU Athletics thanks Warren for his contributions to our football program over the last two seasons and for his commitment to our student-athletes."

COACH PRIME SPEAKS:Deion Sanders weighs in on BAFTA show racial slur controversy

Sapp is one of several recent coaching staff departures for the Buffaloes on defense, including defensive line coach Domata Peko, who left to join the staff of the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers. Defensive coordinatorRobert Livingston also leftto join the staff of the NFL's Denver Broncos, leaving a void that was filled by Chris Marve, who already was on staff as the team's new linebackers coach.

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The Buffs led the Big 12 Conference in quarterback sacks in 2024 with 39 but regressed in 2025 with only 13, which dropped them to a tie for 14thout of 16 teams in the league.

Sappearned $150,000 at Colorado in his first yearat Colorado, working an entry-level coaching job before getting paid $156,000 in his second year. His prospective hiring at Colorado in 2024raised concerns among domestic violence survivor advocatesin Colorado because of his previous history. But Colorado released a statement then noting that athletic director Rick George "personally met with Warren to clearly articulate the department's standards and expectations, to which he acknowledged and agreed."

Last year, Colorado had three Pro Football Hall of Famers on staff, including Sanders, Sapp and Marshall Faulk. But now it's down to one (Sanders) afterFaulk also left to take the head coaching job at Southern in Louisiana.

Colorado opens thespring practice seasonMarch 2 with 15 practices through April 11. It will be the fourth spring season in Boulder under Sanders, whose team last year finished 3-9 in 2025 after a 9-4 season in 2024 and a 4-8 season in 2023.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer@Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenboer@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Warren Sapp parts ways with coach Deion Sanders at Colorado

Five U.S. World Cup candidates playing across Europe's top five leagues will fall well short of winning a domestic championship this season.

But as those campaigns hit the homestretch, culminating in May before attention turns to this summer's World Cup, the group remains in the chase for continental trophies.

Only one current USMNT player has appeared in — let alone won — a Champions League final.Christian Pulisicwas a sub in Chelsea's 2021 triumph over Manchester City. His AC Milan team didn't qualify for European competition this season.

With the knockout playoffs complete this week, highlighted by an extraordinary night in northwest Italy involvingWeston McKennieand his ousted Juventus side, Friday's draws will determine the Round-of-16 pairings in theUEFA Champions League, second-tier Europa League and third-level Conference League.

The remaining USMNT contenders

Champions League

• Atalanta midfielder Yunus Musah

• Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Malik Tillman

• Atlético Madrid midfielder Johnny Cardoso

Europa League

• Olympique Lyonnais midfielder Tanner Tessmann

Conference League

• Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards

Regardless of how the Champions League draw plays out, Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen will face a massive challenge: One will play Barcelona, the other Bayern Munich. Atlético Madrid will await Tottenham Hotspur or Liverpool.

In addition to the national team regulars,Diego Kochen, a U.S. under-21 national team goalkeeper, is a backup for Barcelona, which will take on Paris Saint-Germain or Newcastle. He has attended a senior national team camp but, without U.S. or Barcelona first-team appearances, is not in the World Cup mix.

The two legs will take place March 10-11 and 17-18.

Olympique Lyonnais, the Europa League's top seed after the initial stage, received a playoff bye and will face French rival Lille or Spain's Celta Vigo on March 12 and 19.

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Crystal Palace, which knocked out Zrinjski Mostar on Thursday on a 3-1 aggregate, will clash with Mainz (Germany) or Larnaca (Cyprus) on March 12 and 19. Richards played every minute of the two legs against the Bosnian opponent.

Aside from McKennie, U.S. regulars with clubs that failed to advance in either of the previous two Champions League stages includedTim Weah(Olympique Marseille),Folarin Balogun(Monaco) andSergiño DestandRicardo Pepi(PSV Eindhoven).

On Thursday, despite a 1-0 victory at Stuttgart,Auston Trustyand Celtic were ousted from the Europa League on a 4-2 aggregate.

The elimination of Juventus and Monaco this week ended terrific campaigns by McKennie and Balogun, respectively.

McKennie started all 10 matches, scoring four goals, including a three-game streak between November and January. On Wednesday, his 82nd-minute header while his team was down to 10 men capped a three-goal aggregate comeback that forced extra time before Türkiye's Galatasaray prevailed.

Balogun, the U.S. team's first-choice striker, also had a three-game scoring streak this winter, then recorded two goals against Paris Saint-Germain last week in the first leg of their two-game playoff. PSG advanced Wednesday on a 5-4 aggregate.

Atlético Madrid reached the Round of 16 by routing Club Brugge 4-1 on Tuesday for a 7-4 advantage. Cardoso snapped a 1-1 draw early in the second half with his first goal in all competitions for the Spanish club.

Should Atlético go the distance, Cardoso would return to a continental final; last year, he started for Real Betis in the Conference League championship loss to Chelsea.

Tillman missed Leverkusen's 0-0 draw with Olympiacos on Tuesday with an ankle injury — his team advanced on the strength of a 2-0 away win last week — while Musah remained a bench warmer for Atalanta, which routed Borussia Dortmund 4-1 to overturn a 2-0 loss in the opener. In his first season with the Italian team, Musah has started two Champions League matches and subbed into four others.