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Audi said Friday that Wheatley, who took charge ofwhat was then the Sauber teamin April 2025, was leaving "with immediate effect for personal reasons," and suggested there's more change to come.

Mattia Binotto, a former Ferrari and Sauber team principal who was in charge of the transformation into the Audi works team, including building its own engines, will now replace Wheatley as well ahead of next week's Japanese Grand Prix.

"The team's future structure will be fully defined at a later stage, as the organization continues to adapt to the evolving environment of Formula One," Audi said in a statement.

The announcement came a day after media outlets, including the BBC, reported that Aston Martin had approached Wheatley about a potential move.

Any move to Aston Martin would reunite Wheatley with former colleague Adrian Newey, the Formula 1 car-design great who took on team principal duties in what's been a woeful start to 2026 for the team.

Newey and Wheatley previously worked together at Red Bull when it was F1's dominant team.

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Aston Martin owner and executive chairman Lawrence Stroll issued a statement Friday which didn't name Wheatley but expressed confidence in Newey in his role as "managing technical partner", and said the team doesn't follow "the traditional team principal role that you see elsewhere."

Stroll added: "We are regularly approached by senior executives of other teams who wish to join Aston Martin Aramco, but in keeping with our policy, we do not comment on rumor or speculation."

Aston Martin has lacked pace at the start of a new engine partnership with Honda and struggled with vibrations which damage the car's battery and affect the drivers.

Fernando Alonso retired from last week's Chinese Grand Prix because of "discomfort" caused by the vibrations, the team said, and Newey previously warned of the risk ofnerve damage.

Audi has had reliability issues of its own with two failures to start races, but showed stronger pace with a ninth-place finish for Gabriel Bortoleto at the season-openingAustralian Grand Prix.

AP auto racing:https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Emma Hayes' hiring before the 2024 Olympics fulfilled that goal, putting her in the neighborhood of Gregg Berhalter's contract.

But when Berhalter was fired that summer and the USSF urgently turned to a high-profile coach for the2026 World Cupon home ground, the salary proportions reverted.

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According to theUSSF's most recent tax filing, posted this week, Mauricio Pochettino is making almost six times more than Hayes. Because both were hired months into 2024, the tax data does not show their salaries. Annualized, though, the numbers come out to $6,040,600 in base salary for Pochettino and $1,116,835 for Hayes.

Pochettino, whose contract runs through this summer's World Cup, is reportedly thethird-highest paid men's national team coach, behind England's Thomas Tuchel and Brazil's Carlo Ancelotti.

Not all the money covering Pochettino's salary is coming from the USSF's coffers, however. Hedge-fund billionaire Ken Griffin and other individuals and sponsors are helping bankroll the contract, though specific amounts have not been disclosed.

Hayes, whose deal runs through the 2027 World Cup, is believed to be the highest-paid women's national team coach in the sport. She earns more than twice her predecessor, Vlatko Andonovski.

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Because of Berhalter's firing and Pochettino's hiring, the non-profit USSF spent almost $7 million on men's head coaches in 2024.

Per the tax filing, Berhalter received almost $700,000 in base salary, $325,000 in unspecified "bonus and incentive compensation," plus about $750,000 in what's believed to be severance after being fired with two years left on his contract.

In his first national team job after guiding clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, Pochettino made about $2.5 million in U.S. base salary for five months' work and received another $2.5 million in "bonus and incentive compensation" (believed to be a signing bonus).

Hayes made almost $750,000 in eight months of base salary, plus $725,000 in combined bonuses, incentives and other compensation. Within three months of taking the helm, Hayes guided the U.S. to the Olympic gold medal in Paris.

Twila Kilgore, interim head coach before Hayes' arrival and Olympic assistant, made almost $500,000 overall.

Proportionally, the Pochettino-Hayes gap is not the largest in USSF history: About 10 years ago, Jurgen Klinsmann made about 10 times more than Jill Ellis, who ended up winning two World Cup trophies.

The U.S. Olympic women's team also made out well for its success and other annual benchmarks. Per tax data, they took home about $900,000 apiece in 2024.

USSF sporting director Matt Crocker, who was hired in April 2023, and CEO JT Batson made $659,000 each in base salary and $1.017 million and $917,000 overall, respectively. David Wright, the chief commercial officer, received $469,000 base and $883,000 overall.

Konate was targeted after Wednesday'sChampions League victory against Galatasaraywhen he was involved in an incident that led to opposition striker Victor Osimhen sustaining a fractured arm.

Liverpool condemned the abuse as "dehumanising, cowardly and rooted in hate." It called on social media companies to do more to stamp it out.

"Our players are not targets. They are human beings. The abuse that continues to be directed at players, often hidden behind anonymous accounts, is a stain on the game and on the platforms that allow it to persist," the club said in a statement.

Liverpool said social media companies had the power and technology to prevent abuse.

"Allowing racist hatred to spread unchecked is a choice – and it is one that continues to harm players, families and communities across the game."

Liverpool said it was supporting Konate and working with authorities to try to identify those responsible for the abuse.

Last monthfour Premier League players were targetedwith racist abuse online over the same weekend.

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Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana, Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri and Wolverhampton striker Tolu Arokodare shared images of messages they were sent on Instagram. Sunderland winger Romaine Mundle was also subjected to "vile online racist abuse,"his club said in a statement.

Kick It Out, a British-based anti-discrimination charity, repeated its calls for platforms to do more to address the problem that persists in elite soccer.

At the last Women's European Championship, England defender Jess Carter revealed she had been subject to racial abuse online.

"The current situation cannot be allowed to continue. It must be confronted, challenged and eradicated – not tomorrow, but now," Liverpool said.

James Robson is athttps://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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

The roughly 30-minute Zoom meeting came on March 7, followingan incidentinvolving Paul and her on-again-off-again partner, Dakota Mortensen. Aspokesperson for the Draper Police Department in Utahsaid earlier this week that there is an open "domestic assault investigation" regarding Paul and Mortensen from February.

During the call, stars from "Mormon Wives" voiced concerns over thefuture of their careers, the show's brand and the allegations surrounding Paul and Mortensen. They also brought up alleged abuse involving Paul, who has three children, one who she shares with Mortensen.

In 2023, Paul was charged with assault, criminal mischief and domestic violence in the presence of a child, according to Salt Lake County sheriff's records. The arrest stemmed from allegations of a separate domestic violence dispute with Mortensen in 2023, which was part of the storyline in Season One of "Mormon Wives." Court records indicate that Paul pleaded guilty in abeyance to an aggravated assault charge in August 2025, and the other four charges were dismissed with prejudice.

One cast member said they did not feel comfortable filming as long as Paul is being investigated.

"It's a dangerous situation, it's a sad situation, and we don't know how to navigate it, because Taylor is our friend," the cast member said to ABC brass at the virtual meeting.

According to a source with knowledge of the situation, "the purpose of the March 7 zoom was to tell 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' cast that we care about their safety, and they should not feel pressured to do press or film the show."

"The production company engaged a seasoned law firm to conduct an investigation of the competing and conflicting allegations that Taylor and Dakota had toward one another," the source added, "and it would have been inappropriate to engage in a dialogue regarding an ongoing investigation."

There were three Disney executives at the meeting in March, including Rob Mills, the executive vice president of unscripted and alternative entertainment at Walt Disney Television, the person who shared the recording said.

Cast members gave accounts of Paul's alleged behavior at the meeting, according to the audio. Mills said on the call, "I don't know a lot, nor do I want to know too much."

Mills could not speak about the investigation, the source with knowledge of the situation said.

"This is not me putting my head in the sand, but it's not me — you know, I don't want to inquire, because I don't know what that does," Mills later said.

Several cast members repeatedly referenced "distressing" and "upsetting" video recordings of Paul's alleged conduct, but did not detail the contents of them or play them on the call.

A cast member called it "concerning" that no one at Disney or Hulu seemed to want to know what is in the videos.

Hulu executives visited Utah to see "Mormon Wives" film during Season Five, and while there they "witnessed" discussions of domestic violence,NBC News previously reported.

On Thursday,TMZ published a videothat appears to be recorded by Mortensen and shows Paul pushing and kicking Mortensen as he repeatedly asks her to stop, saying, "let me go."

The recording, which does not capture what led up to the interaction, reportedly shows an incident for which Paul was arrested in 2023, according to TMZ.

Paul is also seen throwing three barstools at Mortensen. Shortly after the stool is thrown, her daughter, who was nearby on the sofa during the fight, can be heard crying.

"This is called physical abuse," Mortensen said in the video. When Paul begins hurling the stools at Mortensen, he can be heard saying, "Your daughter is right here."

The video ismentioned in the 2023 indictment against Paul, which notes that Mortensen had "redness and swelling around his eyes, swelling on his elbow, scratches on his fingers, and a laceration on his neck" from the incident. The indictment also notes that in the video, Paul's daughter is struck in the head while she was lying on the couch.

NBC News has not independently verified theTMZ videoand has not viewed the original full video.

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A spokesperson for Paul told NBC News on Thursday, after TMZ released the video, that the recording is the "latest installment of [Mortensen's] never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child."

At the meeting, one cast member asked Mills if he's "aware she's hurt a child?" He replied, "I don't think for us getting into it is right."

At the meeting, Mills stressed that the company is "never going to hide anything that is wrong for the sake of business."

He encouraged cast members to speak out about their concerns on the show, but declined to promise that what they said wouldn't be cut in edits.

The cast also expressed concern that Paul got paid more than them, which Mills denied.

Ultimately, the cast agreed to pause filming for "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" until legal action plays out, according to the audio recording.

Paul was set to take the spotlight as lead of ABC's "The Bachelorette" this season, but the networkpulled the plug onThursday.

"In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of 'The Bachelorette' at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family," Disney said in its statement regarding the decision.

There are no current public allegations against Mortensen.

Following news of the cancellation, a spokesperson for Paul said she's "gaining strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm."

"There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives," the spokesperson said. "Taylor has remained silent out of fear of further abuse, retaliation, and public shaming. She is currently exploring all of her options, seeking support, and preparing to own and share her story."

Mills did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

Representatives for Disney declined to provide additional statements on the matter.

Several authorities have been reviewing the allegations.

The West Jordan Police Department in Utah confirmed to NBC News on Wednesday that the department received a domestic violence allegation via phone call involving Paul, but declined to give details about the allegation or any potential charges. They also did not know the exact date or time of the reported incident.

A police department spokesperson said detectives are working on establishing the facts of the case.

The Draper Police Department in Utah told People earlier this week that there is an open "domestic assault investigation" regarding Paul and Mortensen and that "allegations have been made in both directions." The police spokesperson said that "contact was made with involved parties on [Feb] 24th and 25th."

Reached by NBC News on Monday, the police department declined to confirm the reports of a domestic dispute, saying its practice is "not to release details related to active investigations."

On Thursday, Mortensen, through his attorney, filed for a protective order against Paul. The filing was sent back for a correction and an amended petition, Salt Lake County District Court records show.

During the meeting, Mills suggested "staying close" with the cast as the investigation unfolds to continue the conversation about the future of "Mormon Wives."

"I want this to continue, and I want everyone to continue really being successful, both with this show and and beyond it," Mills told those on the call, "But I think really, just navigating through this thing and taking care of each other is the most important thing right now."

NASA Artemis Moonshot

If the latest repairs work and everything else goes NASA's way, theSpace Launch Systemcould blast off as early as April 1 from Florida's Kennedy Space Center. The Artemis II crew went into quarantine this week in Houston.

The 322-foot (98-meter) rocket began the slow 4-mile (6.4-kilometer) trek in the middle of the night, transported atop a massive crawler used since the 1960s Apollo era. It was expected to take 12 hours. The trip was held up for several hours by high wind.

The three Americans and one Canadian will zip around the moon in their capsule and then come straight home without stopping. Their mission should have been completed by now, but hydrogen fuel leaks and clogged helium lines forced two months of delay.

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While technicians plugged the leaks at the pad, the helium issue could only be fixed in the Vehicle Assembly Building, forcing NASA to roll the rocket back at the end of February.

The last time NASA sent astronauts to the moon was during Apollo 17 in 1972. The new Artemis program aims for a two-person landing in 2028.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Following the United States and Israel's initial attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, U.S. bases in the Middle East came under heavy fire from Iranian missiles and drones, killing seven U.S. soldiers stationed in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Six soldiers were later killed in an air tanker crash in Iraq, and at least 200 have been wounded across the Middle East.

Threats to U.S. troops have not been confined to the war zone. Bases on American soil have shut down in response to reports of active shooters, suspicious packages and other unidentified threats. Since the war began, a growing number of military bases in the continental United States clamped down on security, banning visitors and ordering service members to change out of uniform when they leave the premises.

See how Middle Eastern countries are caught in the crossfire of the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran.
Bahrain
Smoke rises in the sky after blasts were heard in Manama, Bahrain, Feb. 28, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Syria
Syrian children stand on the wreckage of an Iranian rocket that was reportedly intercepted by Israeli forces in the southern countryside of Quneitra, near the Golan Heights, close to the town of Ghadir al-Bustan.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Iraq
A plume of smoke rises near Erbil International Airport in Erbil on March 1, 2026. Loud explosions were heard early on March 1 near Erbil airport, which hosts US-led coalition troops in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, an AFP journalist said.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Iraq
Members and officers from the Iraqi Interior Ministry's Explosives Directorate inspect the fuel tank of a rocket that landed in a rural village in the Siyahi area near the city of Hilla in the central Babil province on March 1, 2026. Iraq, which has recently regained a sense of stability but has long been a proxy battleground between the U.S. and Iran, warned that it did not want to be dragged into the war that started on Feb. 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Qatar
A prayer appealing to God for protection is projected on the dome of al-Hazm shopping mall in Doha on March 1, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Qatar
Motorists drive past a plume of smoke rising from a reported Iranian strike in the industrial district of Doha on March 1, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bahrain
A building that was damaged by an Iranian drone attack, after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Manama, Bahrain, March 1, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Saudi Arabia
The empty terminal at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh is pictured on March 1, 2026. Global airlines cancelled flights across the Middle East after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, plunging the region into a new conflict. In Saudi Arabia, Iranian missiles targeting Riyadh's international airport and the Prince Sultan Airbase, which houses U.S. military personnel, were intercepted, a Gulf source briefed on the matter told AFP.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> United Arab Emirates
A food delivery bike drive close to a plume of smoke rising from the Zayed Port following a reported Iranian strike in Abu Dhabi on March 1, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> United Arab Emirates
An oil tanker is pictured offshore in Dubai on March 1, 2026. Attacks have damaged tankers, and many ship owners, oil majors and trading houses suspended crude oil, fuel and liquefied natural gas shipments via the Strait of Hormuz.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Oman
Smoke billows from an oil tanker under U.S. sanctions, that was hit off Oman's Musandam peninsula, in this screen grab from a video obtained by Reuters on March 1, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Kuwait
Smoke rises from a reported Iranian strike in the area where the U.S. Embassy is located in Kuwait City on March 2, 2026. Black smoke was seen rising from the U.S. embassy in Kuwait City on March 2 after the latest volley of Iranian strikes, an AFP correspondent saw,

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Saudi Arabia
A satellite image shows efforts to control a fire as smoke rises in the Ras Tanura oil refinery in Saudi Arabia after a drone attack, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia March 2, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Turkey
People make their way after crossing from Iran into Turkey at the Kapikoy Border Gate in eastern Van province,Turkey, March 2, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> United Arab Emirates
Delivery persons ride motorcycles along a road as a tall smoke plume billows following an explosion in the Fujairah industrial zone on March 3, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> United Arab Emirates
Pieces of missiles and drones recovered after Iran's strikes are displayed during a press briefing by the UAE government held in Abu Dhabi on March 3, 2026. Iran stepped up its attacks on economic targets and US missions across the Middle East on March 3, as the US president warned it was "too late" for the Islamic republic to seek talks to escape the war. As drones and missiles crashed into oil facilities and U.S. embassies in the Gulf, Washington's ally Israel bombarded targets in Iran and pushed troops deeper into Lebanon to battle the Tehran-backed militia Hezbollah.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Lebanon
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut on March 3, 2026. The Israeli military issued new evacuation orders for dozens of locations in Lebanon on March 3, including warning residents in two southern Beirut neighbourhoods to stay away from several buildings ahead of an imminent operation.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Lebanon
Emergency personnel work at the site of an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 3, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Lebanon
Rescuers gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the Jamaa Islamiya offices in the southern Lebanese coastal city of Sidon on March 3, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> United Arab Emirates
Tankers are seen off the coast of the Fujairah, as Iran vows to close the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, March 3, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

See how the Iran war's fallout is hitting the Middle East

See how Middle Eastern countries are caught in the crossfire of thewar launched by the United States and Israel against Iran.BahrainSmoke rises in the sky after blasts were heard in Manama, Bahrain, Feb. 28, 2026.

Fatal shooting, suspicious packages at US bases

On March 16, areportof a suspicious package near an entrance gate at Tampa's MacDill Air Force Base, the headquarters of U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, prompted a gate closure. The FBI's Tampa office laterstatedthat "possible energetic materials" were found inside the package. MacDillissueda shelter-in-place order two days later on March 18, citing an unidentified targeted "threat."CENTCOM is the military branch leading operations in the Iran war. It's unclear if the threats were related.

On March 17, officials at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in southern New Jersey said that "suspicious packages"were foundon the base, prompting a lockdown. They later determined the packages did not pose a threat.

Reports of an active shooter sent Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexicointo lockdownthat same day. A military veteran was killed and an active-duty service member was injured, according tonews reports.

It's not clear if any of these incidents were linked to the war in the Middle East. Local authorities said investigations are ongoing. But a handful of separate U.S. attacks since the war began, including a shooting at a Virginia Reserve Officers' Training Corps class, are being investigated as terrorism. Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, a class instructor, was killed on March 12 whena man who'd served time in prisonfor colluding with the Islamic State allegedly opened fire on an ROTC class at Old Dominion University in Norfolk.

Uniforms banned for soldiers off base

Military installations have tightened security, banning service members from wearing their uniforms off base in some locations. Fort Huachuca, an Army base in Arizona where more than 5,600 service members are stationed, received an order on March 13 prohibiting soldiers from wearing uniforms away from the base "to ensure force protection efforts align with current global events," according to a copy of the order obtained by USA TODAY.

"This prohibition applies to all off-post activities, including but not limited to dining, shopping, and appointments," according to the order.

The Army's Combined Arms Command issued a similar order to its members the same day, according to spokesperson Lt. Col. Bryen Freigo. The order is "a prudent and proactive measure intended to reduce their visibility and is not in response to any specific or credible threat," he told USA TODAY in an email.

The Pentagon referred questions about these bans to U.S. Northern Command, which said there was no across-the-board ban at U.S. bases.

A temporary ban was also issued Feb. 28 at Shaw Air Force Base, east of Columbia, South Carolina, saying that military members were "no longer authorized" to wear uniforms off base. The baserescindedthe policy on March 15.

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The Navy declined to say whether it had banned the use of uniforms off base but said it was "implementing additional force protection measures," including changes to uniform policies in specific situations, "to reduce the vulnerability of our personnel," according to an emailed statement. The day the war started, Naval Support Activity Annapolis, across the river from the U.S. Naval Academy in Maryland, announced increased security at its entrance gates and halted all public visits "as a result of current world events," according to a Facebookpost.

Recent US-based attacks connected to Middle East conflict

At least two other attacks in recent weeks reportedly had connections to the ongoing war in the Middle East.

A gunman who police said killed two people and injured more than a dozen others at a bar in Austin on March 1was wearing an Iranian flag shirt, according to videos and photos shared online.

Less than two weeks later, police said Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, 41, slammed his truck into a Michigan synagogue and exchanged fire with police before he was killed. According to local leaders in Dearborn Heights,Ghazali's family membersin Lebanon had been killed days earlier in Israeli attacks that have blanketed the country and killed hundreds in another front of the Iran war.

Uniform bans common in recent US wars

Steve Gabavics, a retired Army colonel who served for decades in the military police, estimated that threats to bases have increased by 10% to 15% as a result of the Iran war.

It's nothing new for the military to clamp down on security at bases or installations in response to U.S. wars abroad, including restricting service members from wearing uniforms off base, according to Gabavics. "I've seen it every time we've had a major international conflict," he said.

More:How much is the Iran war costing taxpayers? Here's what estimates show

Gabavics, who commanded military police across the Military District of Washington, said during his time in the role, there may have been dozens of sleeper cells tied to Iran scattered across the Washington, DC, region, and around a hundred across the country.

But the greater threat to service members, he said, likely stems from "lone wolf" attackers inspired by ideology.

Last November, two uniformed National Guard soldiers on patrol were shot blocks from the White House. Sarah Beckstrom, a 20-year-old from Summersville, West Virginia, was killed, and another soldier suffered serious wounds. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan man arrested andchargedin the shooting, had worked with violent,CIA-backed "zero units"during the U.S. occupation of his country.

Service members in uniform do "create a target," Gabavics said. "We're trying to prevent having an easy target for somebody who does want to do something like this."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Some soldiers prohibited from wearing uniforms off base amid Iran war

South Korea Fire

The National Fire Agency said 24 were seriously hurt in a blaze likely caused by an explosion. Officials could not immediately confirm whether any of the injured were in life-threatening condition. Nam Deuk-woo, fire chief of the city's Daedeok district, said authorities were searching for at least 14 other people believed to have been inside the facility when the fire broke out.

Videos and photos from the scene showed thick gray smoke billowing from the complex and some workers jumping from a building.

The fire was reported at about 1:18 p.m. Nam said the cause was not immediately known, but the blaze appeared to have spread rapidly, with witnesses reporting an explosion.

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He said the fire destroyed a factory building that firefighters were unable to enter because of concerns it could collapse. Efforts focused on preventing the blaze from spreading to an adjacent facility and removing chemicals from the site. The agency said the facility contained about 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of highly reactive chemicals.

Some people were injured when they jumped from the building to escape, while others suffered from smoke inhalation, Nam said. Police were tracking mobile phone signals of the 14 people still unaccounted-for.

More than 500 firefighters, police and other emergency personnel were deployed, along with about 120 vehicles, evacuation aircraft and equipment, including an unmanned water cannon vehicle and two firefighting robots used in areas difficult for crews to access.

President Lee Jae Myung called for the full mobilization of personnel and equipment to contain the fire and support rescue operations.