Protesters attack presidential palace in Cairo

State television reports security forces were clearing the area in front of the palace Protesters hurl Molotov cocktails and rocks; security forces respond with tear gas Egypt has been embroiled in violence since last week Protesters, security forces battle outside Egyptian presidential palace

Cairo (CNN) -- A fire erupted at the entrance of Egypt's presidential palace Friday night as protesters hurled Molotov cocktails and rocks in a battle with security forces, who responded with tear gas and water cannon.

Egypt has been rocked by violence since last week's two-year anniversary of its 2011 revolution. Protesters have fumed over the slow pace of change and recent edicts by President Mohammed Morsy, who imposed a 30-day curfew on areas engulfed by violence.

READ: Egyptian secular, Islamist groups meet to try to end conflict

State television reported that security forces were clearing the area in front of the palace as rioting continued.

.cnnArticleGalleryNav{border:1px solid #000;cursor:pointer;float:left;height:25px;text-align:center;width:25px} .cnnArticleGalleryNavOn{background-color:#C03;border:1px solid #000;float:left;height:25px;text-align:center;width:20px} .cnnArticleGalleryNavDisabled{background-color:#222;border:1px solid #000;color:#666;float:left;height:25px;text-align:center;width:25px} .cnnArticleExpandableTarget{background-color:#000;display:none;position:absolute} .cnnArticlePhotoContainer{height:122px;width:214px} .cnnArticleBoxImage{cursor:pointer;height:122px;padding-top:0;width:214px} .cnnArticleGalleryCaptionControl{background-color:#000;color:#FFF} .cnnArticleGalleryCaptionControlText{cursor:pointer;float:right;font-size:10px;padding:3px 10px 3px 3px} .cnnArticleGalleryPhotoContainer cite{background:none repeat scroll 0 0 #000;bottom:48px;color:#FFF;height:auto;left:420px;opacity:.7;position:absolute;width:200px;padding:10px} .cnnArticleGalleryClose{background-color:#fff;display:block;text-align:right} .cnnArticleGalleryCloseButton{cursor:pointer} .cnnArticleGalleryNavPrevNext span{background-color:#444;color:#CCC;cursor:pointer;float:left;height:23px;text-align:center;width:26px;padding:4px 0 0} .cnnArticleGalleryNavPrevNextDisabled span{background-color:#444;color:#666;float:left;height:23px;text-align:center;width:25px;padding:4px 0 0} .cnnVerticalGalleryPhoto{padding-right:68px;width:270px;margin:0 auto} .cnnGalleryContainer{float:left;clear:left;margin:0 0 20px;padding:0 0 0 10px} The entrance of Egypt's presidential palace in Cairo is in flames Friday, February 1, as protesters battle security forces. Egypt has been embroiled in violence after a series of events last week. There were protests on the two-year anniversary of the uprising against Hosni Mubarak's former regime and deadly clashes after a judge sentenced 21 people to death over a 2012 soccer riot. A protester faces off against riot police during clashes near Cairo's Tahrir Square on Wednesday, January 30. A police officer fires a tear gas canister during clashes with protesters near Tahrir Square on January 30. Police in plainclothes detain a youth suspected of being a member of the Black Bloc opposition group during a demonstration on January 30 in Cairo. A protester sprays water into the eyes of a man after his exposure to tear gas during clashes with police near Cairo's Tahrir Square on Tuesday, January 29. The lobby of Cairo's Semiramis InterContinental Hotel is full of debris on January 29 after protesters stormed the entrance. An Egyptian man takes part in a rally in Port Said on January 29. Protests in Port Said and nearby cities along the Suez Canal are symbolic because that region was among the first where the Mubarak regime lost control during the 2011 unrest, analysts say. Mourners carry the coffins of six people killed in clashes after the soccer riot ruling in Port Said on Monday, January 28. Rage exploded when a judge sentenced to death 21 residents of Port Said for roles in a deadly 2012 soccer riot. Egyptians walk past destroyed cars in Port Said on January 28 following the funeral of those killed in clashes. A riot police officer clashes with a protester near Cairo's Tahrir Square on January 28. A protester throws a tear gas canister toward riot police in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Sunday, January 27. Egyptian policemen and relatives on January 27 gather upon the arrival of the coffins of their colleagues killed in the violence one day earlier in Cairo. A protester throws a rock toward opposing demonstrators on January 27 in Cairo. Egyptian protesters throw stones toward riot police on January 27 in Tahrir Square. An Egyptian protester runs with a live tear gas canister toward Egyptian riot police on Saturday, January 26, in Cairo. Egyptian fans of Al-Ahly football club celebrate outside the club's headquarters in Cairo on January 26. Egyptian fans of Al-Ahly football club celebrate outside the club's headquarters in Cairo on January 26. Egyptian protesters stand by the burning door of a school building on January 26, in Cairo. An Egyptian protester carries an injured boy away from clashes with Egyptian riot police on January 26, in Cairo. Egyptians climb over a fence at the Al-Ahly home stadium on January 26 in Cairo. An Egyptian fan of Al-Ahly football club fires celebratory shots in the air and lights a flare as club supporters celebrate outside its headquarters in Cairo on January 26. A protester throws a rock at riot police on January 26, in Cairo. A fan of Al-Ahly football club lights a flare as club supporters celebrate on January 26 in Cairo. Al-Ahly football club supporters celebrate outside the club's headquarters in Cairo on January 26. Al-Ahly football club supporters celebrate on January 26. Smoke billows from a burning vehicle set on fire by Egyptian protesters outside the Port Said prison on January 26. Egyptians react after the sentencing in Port Said on January 26. An Al-Ahly soccer fan swings a live flare above his head on January 26 in Cairo. An Egyptian protester tries to carry an injured man away from clashes with riot police on January 26, in Cairo. Egyptian fans of Al-Ahly football club rally outside the club's headquarters in Cairo on January 26. An Egyptian protester runs away from a cloud of tear gas fired by Egyptian riot police on January 26, in Cairo. Relatives of victims killed during the 2012 Port Said soccer game react after the verdict of the court, at a courthouse in Cairo, on January 26. Relatives and friends of Egyptian protesters who were killed in Suez during clashes with riot police Friday, load a body onto an ambulance outside the morgue in Suez on January 26. A fan of Al-Ahly football club lights a flare as club supporters celebrate outside its headquarters in Cairo on January 26. Two protesters stand on top of a piece of furniture while riot police watch from a nearby rooftop in Cairo. A protester throws a rock at riot police in Cairo. An Egyptian protester walks through a cloud of tear gas fired by Egyptian riot police. An "Ahly-Ultra" soccer fan holds a smoke flare above his head in Cairo. A protester walks through a damaged school building. A protester removes the net from a basketball goal in a Cairo schoolyard. Protesters and football fans clash with riot police near Egypt's interior ministry. Protesters and fans of Al-Masry football club take part in a demonstration in front of the prison in Port Said. Egyptian protesters and fans of Al-Masry football club wave their club colors as they take part in a demonstration in front of the prison in the Egyptian Suez Canal city of Port Said on Friday, January 25, calling for the prisoners who are suspected of killing 74 fans of Al-Ahly club during a football match in February 2012 not to be transferred to Cairo to attend their trial. A judge sentenced 21 people to death for their roles in the riot last year. Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest Egypt unstable after days of protest HIDE CAPTION << < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 > >> Photos: Egypt unstable after days of protest Police, protesters clash in Cairo

"The continued attacks suggest a real breakdown in central power, we're coming close to that," said Steven Cook, a Council on Foreign Relations senior fellow. "... None of the political forces have control over the people in the streets."

A rash of political and economic discontent mixed with anarchists as both Morsy and opposition groups vowed to keep their supporters off the streets in an effort to avoid further bloodshed.

Earlier this week, anti-government protesters ignored Morsy's curfew in cities along the Suez Canal and clashed with police and troops, raising more questions about the stability of the Middle East's most populous nation.

Outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in an interview with CNN this week, echoed concerns about what a collapse of the Egyptian state could mean for the broader region.

"I think that would lead to incredible chaos and violence on a scale that would be devastating," she said Tuesday at the State Department. "There has to be some understanding by the new government that the aspirations that the people were expressing during the revolution in Egypt have to be taken seriously."

Friday's protests are the latest in the seesaw struggle between Egypt's first democratically elected president and dissidents who say his tenure is a throwback to past dictatorships, particularly the reign of President Hosni Mubarak, toppled in the popular revolt two years ago.

Could Egypt fall apart?

Dozens of deaths have resulted, prompting Navi Pillay, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, to denounce the violence and call for dialogue among all parties.

She said Morsy's state of emergency declaration should be governed by the rule of law, in line with international standards, and urged him to listen to the demands of demonstrators and take action to deal with problems in the judicial system.

'Terrorist blast' hits U.S. Embassy compound in Turkey

Officials identify the bomber as a member of a radical leftist terror group The blast occurred at a checkpoint on the embassy's perimeter, U.S. official says No Americans are among the wounded, a senior U.S. official says The suicide bomber also died, police say

Are you there? Send us your photos and videos, but please stay safe.

(CNN) -- Tension is high in Turkey after a suicide bombing at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara carried out by a person officials identified as a member of a radical leftist group.

The blast killed a Turkish security guard in addition to the bomber, authorities say.

Istanbul police identified the bomber as Ecevit Shanli, a member of DHKP-C, a Marxist Leninist terror group.

Hasan Selim Ozertem, a security expert at the International Strategic Research Organization in Ankara, said the attack could be related to arrests of a number of DHKP-C members two weeks ago.

Fatal blast near U.S. Embassy in Turkey

Since the beginning of January, 85 members of the group have been arrested, he said, adding that Turkish police have been closely focusing on the group over the past five years. The DHKP-C was established in the 1970s.

Ozertem said that one plausible theory is the group is trying to send a message to Turkish authorities by attacking the U.S. Embassy because the building is near the Turkish parliament.

DHKP-C has a track record as a "subcontractor" group for other militant outfits but it is also believed to have relationships with states in the region such as Syria and Iran, Ozertem said. The group also has a relationship with the PKK, the Kurdistan Workers Party, which has been warring with the Turkish government for some time.

Ozertem said that the attack could be linked to negotiations between PKK and Turkish government, or that Syria or Iran could be involved considering the recent deployment of Patriot missiles in Turkey as a defense against possible missiles from Syria. He said he is unaware of any direct link between DHKP-C and al Qaeda.

At the chaotic scene at the embassy, there were conflicting accounts concerning how many were wounded.

Ankara police and health officials said two were injured, while Ankara Gov. Aladdin Yuksel said one person was hurt.

Coats: U.S. under threat around world

A senior U.S. official said no Americans were wounded.

Earlier Friday, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said that a "terrorist blast" happened at 1:13 p.m. at a checkpoint on the perimeter of the embassy.

"We are working closely with the Turkish national police to make a full assessment of the damage and the casualties, and to begin an investigation," she said.

Images from CNN sister network CNN Turk showed a hole in what appeared to be a building that is part of the outer gate of the embassy compound, which is in very well-protected area of Ankara near the Turkish parliament building.

The gated complex includes blast doors, reinforced windows and a series of metal detectors that visitors must navigate before reaching embassy offices.

The blast happened on the same day that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is leaving her job. Sen. John Kerry will fill that role amid widespread discussion at the department over security at its global posts following last year's attack on the U.S. post in Benghazi, Libya.

Republican Rep. Ed Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued a statement saying that the bombing Friday is "yet another stark reminder of the constant terrorist threat against U.S. facilities, personnel and interests abroad."

.cnn_strycntntlft > .map-canvas { width: 640px; height: 360px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .cnn_strylftcntnt > .map-canvas { width: 416px; height: 234px; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .map-canvas .minimap .nm_crimg, .map-canvas .minimap .nm_crnode { display: none !important; } Map: U.S. Embassy, Ankara

"Coming after Benghazi, it underscores the need for a comprehensive review of security at our diplomatic posts," his statement said. "The committee stands ready to assist the State Department in protecting our diplomats."

Are you there? Send us your photos and videos, but please stay safe.

Vice President Joe Biden, in Europe to discuss issues such as the Syria conflict, spoke to reporters along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said she is "very sad that there was an assault on the U.S. Embassy in Ankara. ... I want to send my condolences to everyone involved."

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius also condemned the attack and sent condolences.

Biden said he appreciated the sympathy. "I don't have much detail to tell, but it was characterized by our mission as a terrorist attack on our embassy in Ankara," he said. "To the best of our knowledge, there were some injured. ... We don't have the details yet."

Turkish Prime Minster Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the blast was an attack "against the peace and welfare of our country."

Turkey has seen numerous acts of political violence in the past from groups such as leftist anarchists, Kurdish separatists, Islamists and al Qaeda. Turkey has also backed rebels in neighboring Syria, and some violence from that conflict has spilled over the border.

The explosion occurred as about 400 U.S. military personnel are moving Patriot missile defense equipment to a Turkish base as part of an effort to defend the country from possible attack from Syria. The first battery became operational last Saturday in the city of Adana, NATO said, and more equipment arrived Wednesday in the port city of Iskenderun.

The British Embassy in Ankara strongly urged citizens to avoid areas around the U.S. Embassy.

The U.S. Embassy posted a message on its website thanking "the Turkish government, the media, and members of the public for their expressions of solidarity and outrage over the incident."

While the U.S. Embassy in Ankara has not seen this kind of incident in decades, in 2008 three police officers died in a shootout with assailants outside the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul.

Three attackers also died in the incident, which the U.S. ambassador at the time called "an obvious act of terrorism."

One of the attackers in that incident was believed to have trained with al Qaeda in Pakistan's Waziristan region.

Read more at CNN Turk.

Bomber hits U.S. Embassy compound in Turkey

NEW: Conflicting accounts of number wounded; authorities agree one person died NEW: The blast occurred at a checkpoint on the embassy's perimeter, U.S. official says No Americans are among the injured, a senior U.S. official says The suicide bomber also died, police say

Are you there? Send us your photos and videos, but please stay safe.

(CNN) -- One person died Friday in an apparent suicide bombing at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, police said.

"We can confirm a terrorist blast at a checkpoint on the perimeter of our embassy compound in Ankara, Turkey, at 1:13 p.m. local time," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said. "We are working closely with the Turkish national police to make a full assessment of the damage and the casualties, and to begin an investigation. We will share more information as it becomes available."

Ankara police and health officials said two others were injured in the blast. However, Ankara Gov. Aladdin Yuksel said only one person was wounded in addition to the fatality. The suicide bomber also died, authorities said.

Coats: U.S. under threat around world

A senior U.S. official said no Americans were among the wounded. The bomb killed a Turkish security guard, the official said.

Images from CNN sister network CNN Turk showed a hole in what appeared to be a building that is part of the outer gate of the embassy compound, which is in very well-protected area of Ankara near the Turkish parliament building. The gate complex includes blast doors, reinforced windows and a series of metal detectors that visitors must navigate before reaching embassy offices.

The blast happened on the same that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is leaving the job. Sen. John Kerry will fill that role.

Are you there? Send us your photos and videos, but please stay safe.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the explosion.

However, Turkey has seen numerous acts of political violence in the past from groups such as leftist anarchists, Kurdish separatists, Islamists and al Qaeda. Turkey has also backed rebels in neighboring Syria, and some violence from that conflict has spilled over into Turkey.

.cnn_strycntntlft > .map-canvas { width: 640px; height: 360px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .cnn_strylftcntnt > .map-canvas { width: 416px; height: 234px; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .map-canvas .minimap .nm_crimg, .map-canvas .minimap .nm_crnode { display: none !important; } Map: U.S. Embassy, Ankara

The explosion also occurred as about 400 U.S. military personnel are moving Patriot missile defense batteries to a Turkish military base as part of an effort to defend the country from possible attack from Syria. The batteries arrived on January 30 in the port city of Iskenderun.

The British Embassy in Ankara strongly urged citizens to avoid areas around the U.S. Embassy.

The U.S. Embassy posted a message on its website thanking "the Turkish Government, the media, and members of the public for their expressions of solidarity and outrage over the incident."

While the U.S. Embassy in Ankara has not seen this kind of incident in decades, in 2008, three police officers died in a shootout with assailants outside the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul.

Three attackers also died in the incident, which the U.S. ambassador at the time called "an obvious act of terrorism."

One of the attackers in that incident was believed to have trained with al Qaeda in Pakistan's Waziristan region.

Read more at CNN Turk.

At least 25 killed in Mexico office blast, dozens injured

NEW: 25 people were killed and more than 100 are injured, interior minister says The explosion collapsed two floors of an office building, paramedics say Rescuers have pulled a survivor from the rubble, Mexico's president says Crews are searching for people trapped in the building

Lea este artículo en español/Read this article in Spanish

Mexico City (CNN) -- An explosion rocked the offices of Mexico's state oil company Thursday, killing at least 25 people and injuring 101, Mexico's interior minister said.

Dozens of people were trapped in the building after the explosion, Foro TV reported. It was unclear how many of them had been pulled to safety, or whether anyone remained stuck inside late Thursday, Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong told reporters.

More than five hours after the blast, rescuers had pulled at least one survivor from the rubble, Mexico's president said in a Twitter post.

Crews were still searching Thursday night for people who could be trapped in the Pemex office complex, which includes one of the city's tallest skyscrapers.

Watch: Office explosion rocks Mexico City

.cnnArticleGalleryNav{border:1px solid #000;cursor:pointer;float:left;height:25px;text-align:center;width:25px} .cnnArticleGalleryNavOn{background-color:#C03;border:1px solid #000;float:left;height:25px;text-align:center;width:20px} .cnnArticleGalleryNavDisabled{background-color:#222;border:1px solid #000;color:#666;float:left;height:25px;text-align:center;width:25px} .cnnArticleExpandableTarget{background-color:#000;display:none;position:absolute} .cnnArticlePhotoContainer{height:122px;width:214px} .cnnArticleBoxImage{cursor:pointer;height:122px;padding-top:0;width:214px} .cnnArticleGalleryCaptionControl{background-color:#000;color:#FFF} .cnnArticleGalleryCaptionControlText{cursor:pointer;float:right;font-size:10px;padding:3px 10px 3px 3px} .cnnArticleGalleryPhotoContainer cite{background:none repeat scroll 0 0 #000;bottom:48px;color:#FFF;height:auto;left:420px;opacity:.7;position:absolute;width:200px;padding:10px} .cnnArticleGalleryClose{background-color:#fff;display:block;text-align:right} .cnnArticleGalleryCloseButton{cursor:pointer} .cnnArticleGalleryNavPrevNext span{background-color:#444;color:#CCC;cursor:pointer;float:left;height:23px;text-align:center;width:26px;padding:4px 0 0} .cnnArticleGalleryNavPrevNextDisabled span{background-color:#444;color:#666;float:left;height:23px;text-align:center;width:25px;padding:4px 0 0} .cnnVerticalGalleryPhoto{padding-right:68px;width:270px;margin:0 auto} .cnnGalleryContainer{float:left;clear:left;margin:0 0 20px;padding:0 0 0 10px} Police officers and rescue workers respond to the headquarters of state-owned Mexican oil giant Pemex in Mexico City where a blast killed at least 14 and injured more than 100 on Thursday, January 31. Black smoke billows from the 54-story skyscraper as rescue workers rush to free people trapped in the rubble. Damaged windows from the blast rise several stories high. Onlookers look up at the headquarters of the Pemex building in Mexico City. An injured man is helped by others at the site of the blast. A woman receives medical attention on a stretcher after the explosion. A man at the scene of the blast is helped using a rolling chair near the scene of the explosion. Explosion hits Mexican state oil company Pemex Explosion hits Mexican state oil Pemex Explosion hits Mexican state oil Pemex Explosion hits Mexican state oil Pemex Explosion hits Mexican state oil Pemex Explosion hits Mexican state oil Pemex Explosion hits Mexican state oil Pemex HIDE CAPTION << < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 > >> Explosion hits Mexican state oil Pemex

The explosion occurred in a basement and collapsed two floors of a building adjacent to the well-known tower, said Carlos Javier Rodriguez Jurado, one of the first paramedics to arrive at the scene.

The explosion tore through the building "from the inside out," he said, and rescuers found many people trapped. Six hours after the explosion, Rodriguez said people were likely still stuck in the rubble.

It was unclear what caused the blast, and Mexico's attorney general's office is investigating, Pemex said in a statement.

A large plume of smoke rose near the building after the explosion around 4 p.m. Thursday, and emergency crews swarmed the scene.

"People were screaming. ... You could see pieces of the wall falling to the ground," said Joaquin Borrell Valenzuela, an attorney for the Pemex comptroller's office, who was in a courtyard outside the building at the time of the blast.

Paramedics quickly arrived and started pulling bodies from the rubble.

Are you there? Send us your photos, videos.

"Entering the building, we smelled a strong odor of gas," said Christopher Rangel, a paramedic and firefighter.

Outside the building, frantic family members searched for loved ones, and shaken witnesses described the explosion.

Mario Guzman said he was on the 10th floor of the tower when he felt "a very strong blow."

"We felt like the whole building was going to collapse," he told CNNMexico.

Images from the scene showed emergency rescue teams carrying people on stretchers. Authorities said helicopters carried some of the wounded to hospitals.

At least 14 people were hospitalized with injuries, and two of them were in serious condition, the state-run Notimex news agency reported.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto surveyed the damage Thursday night, along with Osorio Chong and Mexico City's mayor.

Pena Nieto cautioned against speculating over what caused the blast, and said authorities would be closely investigating.

Thousands of people work at the Pemex headquarters, which includes a 54-story building that is nearly 700 feet tall.

The explosion occurred in an annex building just to the east of the tower, Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Meade said.

Officials evacuated the complex and operations will cease there until further notice, the company said.

The state oil company's director, who was on a business trip in South Korea this week, said in a Twitter post that he would return to Mexico immediately.

"We will get to the bottom of the causes in close coordination with the authorities," Pemex Director General Emilio Lozoya Austin said. "At this time, attending to the injured is the priority."

Federal troops and rescue dogs were aiding in search efforts late Thursday night.

As they combed through the rubble, a Pemex executive's cell phone rang, Rangel said.

A man on the other end of the line said he was still trapped, and started to describe his location to rescuers.

"Unfortunately, we lost communication with him," Rangel said.

When they called back, his phone didn't ring.

Third day in bunker for child hostage

NEW: Talks with the suspect continue, and there's no sign the boy is harmed, a sheriff says A man took a boy he didn't know off a bus, after shooting its driver, officials say He took the kindergartener into a 4-foot deep underground bunker, officials add Sheriff says investigators have no reason to believe boy has been harmed

Midland City, Alabama (CNN) -- Somewhere underneath this red southeastern Alabama dirt is a little boy.

A kindergartner, snatched from the safety of his school bus by a gunman and stashed in an underground bunker;

A boy who needs daily medication;

A child that this Bible Belt community of 2,300 is praying for.

Many details have been released about the man suspected to be the boy's abductor:

How he was supposed to have been in court to face charges that he'd shot at his neighbors over a minor property dispute;

Neighbors: Bunker suspect is strange Bus driver shot; students 'in shock' What Alabama suspect's bunker looks like

How he boarded a stopped school bus Tuesday and shot dead the bus driver;

How he worked on the bunker in the middle of the night for more than a year.

But many questions remained in Midland City on Thursday:

What's in the bunker beside the man and the boy?

How are they keeping warm when temperatures have dipped into the 30s in the area?

Is the boy safe?

And why, of all people, him?

The driver

The gunman stormed into the school bus Tuesday afternoon and demanded that the driver hand him a child.

Charles Poland was fatally shot in Alabama on Tuesday.

The driver, 66-year-old Charles Poland Jr., was a gentle Bible-reading man who could not stand to discipline the children on his bus because it hurt his heart, the Dothan Eagle newspaper reported.

When he refused the demand, police said, the gunman shot him several times as 22 horrified children scrambled for cover.

But the man was able to grab the boy and drag him to his underground bunker.

And the standoff began.

The suspect

Authorities have not released the name of the man they suspect to be the gunman. But neighbors and news outlets around Midland City identified him as Jimmy Lee Dykes, 65, a Vietnam veteran and a retired truck driver.

Neighbor Jimmy Davis told CNN that Dykes began digging a hole on his property soon after he moved in down the road from him.

Davis, who works a night shift, said Dykes worked on his bunker in the middle of the night -- every other night, between 2 and 3 a.m., for a year and a half.

He was friendly and welcoming and told Davis the hole would be a storm shelter.

Now, the bunker Dykes dug is four feet deep, and Dykes has been known to stay there for up to eight days, said James Arrington, police chief in Pinckard, Alabama.

It wasn't clear what supplies were in the bunker Thursday, Arrington said.

Tim Byrd, chief investigator with the Dale County Sheriff's Office, told the Southern Poverty Law Center's Hatewatch that Dykes was a "survivalist type" with "anti-America" views.

"His friends and his neighbors stated that he did not trust the government, that he was a Vietnam vet, and that he had PTSD," Byrd told the civil rights group. "He was standoffish, didn't socialize or have any contact with anybody."

The court date

On Wednesday, the day after the standoff began, Dykes was supposed to appear in court to answer to charges that he'd shot at Davis during a December argument over the dirt road that separated their homes.

Davis was moving out when his truck -- hauling a trailer -- dug ruts into the dirt speed bump that Dykes had built up across the road.

Dykes "got mad about what he saw" and stood by the side of the road, yelling and cursing, said Davis' mother, Claudia.

He then ran to his van, got a pistol and fired two shots at the truck, the Davises said.

Fortunately, no one was hurt, including Claudia Davis' 6-month-old daughter, who was inside.

The Wednesday court date in nearby Ozark was for menacing, a misdemeanor that carries a penalty of up to six months in jail.

Another neighbor, Ronda Wilbur, said Dykes beat her dog to death with a lead pipe and then bragged to her husband about it.

"He made it very clear that any animals or people that came onto his property would be killed," she said.

Wilbur said she complained to animal control authorities and thought that this would stop the behavior.

"He just got increasingly more bizarre," Wilbur said.

The boy

Very little information has been released about the boy.

Police and school officials have said the child is 6, but a state representative in close contact with the family said he is 5 and will turn 6 in two weeks.

One thing is for certain: the kindergartner didn't know Dykes, State Rep. Steve Clouse said.

Through a 60-foot-long PVC pipe that extends into the bunker, authorities have pleaded with the suspect to let the boy go -- to no avail.

The man agreed to let police send down coloring books, crayons and the prescription medicine the little boy desperately needs for Asperger's syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

But nothing else has changed.

As the standoff dragged into Thursday, the boy's parents were doing their best to hold it together.

They were "holding on by a thread," Clouse said.

The scene

On Thursday, dozens of law enforcement vehicles clogged the dead-end dirt road that leads to Dykes' house. They were from local police, the FBI, even the federal Homeland Security department.

Authorities evacuated neighbors. Officials closed schools in three nearby districts for the week.

With little movement, police have been reluctant to share much with the media.

Authorities called off a planned news conference late Wednesday night, saying there was nothing new to report. Early Thursday morning, Dale County Sheriff Wally Olson gave reporters a similar message, but said officers and volunteers trying to resolve the situation were holding up well.

Late Thursday night, Olson addressed reporters again. And again, the information he provided was limited, even as he repeatedly thanked the gathered media for their efforts and patience.

"Negotiators continue to communicate with the suspect," Olson said, "and there's no reason to believe the child has been harmed."

A reporter asked what the community could do to help.

"Pray," the sheriff said.

"Pray."