WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday proposed setting U.S. military spending at $1.5 trillion in 2027, citing “troubled and dangerous times.”

Trump called for the massive surge in spending days after he ordered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/us-trump-updates-01-07-2026">U.S. military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;and spirit him out of the country to face drug trafficking charges in the United States. U.S. forces continue to mass in the Caribbean Sea.

The 2026 military budget is set&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/defense-bill-congress-trump-dd67d203accfb65b7604072ebb5da153">at $901 billion.</a>

Trump in recent days has also called for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-greenland-trump-russia-deterrence-threat-07d6c18ed968c25736eca2c25d935edb">taking over the Danish territory of Greenland</a>&nbsp;for national security reasons and has suggested he’s open to carrying out military operations in Colombia. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ominously warned that longtime adversary Cuba “is in trouble.”

“This will allow us to build the ‘Dream Military’ that we have long been entitled to and, more importantly, that will keep us SAFE and SECURE, regardless of foe,” Trump said in a posting on Truth Social announcing his proposal.

The military just received a large boost of some $175 billion in the GOP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-republican-trump-tax-bill-f65be44e1050431a601320197322551b">“big, beautiful bill”</a>&nbsp;of tax breaks and spending reductions that Trump signed into law last year.

Insisting on more funding for the Pentagon is almost certain to run into resistance from Democrats who work to maintain parity between changes in defense and non-defense spending. But it’s also sure to draw objections from the GOP’s deficit hawks who have pushed back against larger military spending.

But Trump said he feels comfortable surging spending on the military because of increased revenue created by his administration through tariffs imposed on friends and foes around the globe since his return to office.

The U.S. government collected gross revenues of $288.5 billion last year from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-trade-economy-3096dec0bb6bc49f3b965f64fce70bfa">tariffs</a>&nbsp;and other excise taxes, up from $98.3 billion in 2024, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. That’s a meaningful increase in revenues from taxing imports. But it’s not enough to cover the various promises made by Trump, who has said the tariffs can also cover dividends to taxpayers, pay down the national debt and, now, cover increased spending on the military.

Meanwhile, Trump on Wednesday also threatened to cut off Pentagon purchases from Raytheon, one of the biggest U.S. defense contractors, if the company did not end the practice of stock buybacks and invest more profits into building out its weapons manufacturing capacity.

“Either Raytheon steps up, and starts investing in more upfront Investment like Plants and Equipment, or they will no longer be doing business with Department of War,” Trump said on social media. “Also, if Raytheon wants further business with the United States Government, under no circumstances will they be allowed to do any additional Stock Buybacks, where they have spent Tens of Billions of Dollars, until they are able to get their act together.”

The threat came as the president issued an executive order calling on the Pentagon to begin a review to spot defense contractors who are underperforming on fulfilling contracts and insufficiently investing in building manufacturing but are still engaging in stock buybacks or distributing dividends to shareholders.

The order also calls for the Pentagon to take steps to ensure future contracts with any new or existing defense contractor contain a provision prohibiting stock buybacks during a period of underperformance on U.S. government contracts. The order also calls for the Pentagon to stipulate in future contracts that executive incentive compensation is not tied to short-term financial metrics.

Trump in recent months has repeatedly complained broadly that defense companies have been woefully behind on deliveries of critical weaponry, yet continue to mete out dividends and stock buybacks to investors and offering eye-popping salaries to top executives.

The criticism of Raytheon, however, was the most pointed to date of a particular contractor.

The company is responsible for making some of the military’s most widely used and notable missiles, including the Tomahawk cruise missile, the shoulder-launched Javelin and Stinger missiles, and the Sidewinder air-to-air missile.

Raytheon also owns Pratt and Whitney, a company that is responsible for manufacturing a host of jet engines that power aircraft for all the military branches, including the newest F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

On Wall Street, shares of defense contractors fell, with Northrop Grumman dropping 5.5%, Lockheed Martin declining 4.8% and RTX Corp., the parent company of Raytheon, slipping 2.5%.

Raytheon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday proposed setting U.S. military spending at $1.5 trillion in 2027, citing “troubled and dangerous times.”Trump called for the massive surge in spending days after he ordered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/us-trump-updates-01-07-2026">U.S. military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;and spirit him out of the country to face drug trafficking charges in the United States. U.S. forces continue to mass in the Caribbean Sea.The 2026 military budget is set&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/defense-bill-congress-trump-dd67d203accfb65b7604072ebb5da153">at $901 billion.</a>Trump in recent days has also called for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-greenland-trump-russia-deterrence-threat-07d6c18ed968c25736eca2c25d935edb">taking over the Danish territory of Greenland</a>&nbsp;for national security reasons and has suggested he’s open to carrying out military operations in Colombia. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ominously warned that longtime adversary Cuba “is in trouble.”“This will allow us to build the ‘Dream Military’ that we have long been entitled to and, more importantly, that will keep us SAFE and SECURE, regardless of foe,” Trump said in a posting on Truth Social announcing his proposal.The military just received a large boost of some $175 billion in the GOP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-republican-trump-tax-bill-f65be44e1050431a601320197322551b">“big, beautiful bill”</a>&nbsp;of tax breaks and spending reductions that Trump signed into law last year.Insisting on more funding for the Pentagon is almost certain to run into resistance from Democrats who work to maintain parity between changes in defense and non-defense spending. But it’s also sure to draw objections from the GOP’s deficit hawks who have pushed back against larger military spending.But Trump said he feels comfortable surging spending on the military because of increased revenue created by his administration through tariffs imposed on friends and foes around the globe since his return to office.The U.S. government collected gross revenues of $288.5 billion last year from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-trade-economy-3096dec0bb6bc49f3b965f64fce70bfa">tariffs</a>&nbsp;and other excise taxes, up from $98.3 billion in 2024, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. That’s a meaningful increase in revenues from taxing imports. But it’s not enough to cover the various promises made by Trump, who has said the tariffs can also cover dividends to taxpayers, pay down the national debt and, now, cover increased spending on the military.Meanwhile, Trump on Wednesday also threatened to cut off Pentagon purchases from Raytheon, one of the biggest U.S. defense contractors, if the company did not end the practice of stock buybacks and invest more profits into building out its weapons manufacturing capacity.“Either Raytheon steps up, and starts investing in more upfront Investment like Plants and Equipment, or they will no longer be doing business with Department of War,” Trump said on social media. “Also, if Raytheon wants further business with the United States Government, under no circumstances will they be allowed to do any additional Stock Buybacks, where they have spent Tens of Billions of Dollars, until they are able to get their act together.”The threat came as the president issued an executive order calling on the Pentagon to begin a review to spot defense contractors who are underperforming on fulfilling contracts and insufficiently investing in building manufacturing but are still engaging in stock buybacks or distributing dividends to shareholders.The order also calls for the Pentagon to take steps to ensure future contracts with any new or existing defense contractor contain a provision prohibiting stock buybacks during a period of underperformance on U.S. government contracts. The order also calls for the Pentagon to stipulate in future contracts that executive incentive compensation is not tied to short-term financial metrics.Trump in recent months has repeatedly complained broadly that defense companies have been woefully behind on deliveries of critical weaponry, yet continue to mete out dividends and stock buybacks to investors and offering eye-popping salaries to top executives.The criticism of Raytheon, however, was the most pointed to date of a particular contractor.The company is responsible for making some of the military’s most widely used and notable missiles, including the Tomahawk cruise missile, the shoulder-launched Javelin and Stinger missiles, and the Sidewinder air-to-air missile.Raytheon also owns Pratt and Whitney, a company that is responsible for manufacturing a host of jet engines that power aircraft for all the military branches, including the newest F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.On Wall Street, shares of defense contractors fell, with Northrop Grumman dropping 5.5%, Lockheed Martin declining 4.8% and RTX Corp., the parent company of Raytheon, slipping 2.5%.Raytheon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.—

Dangerous times: Trump proposes massive increase in defense spending

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a remarkable rebuke of Republican leadership, the House passed legislation Thursday, 230-196, that would extend&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/%E2%80%9CNo%20matter%20the%20issue,%20if%20the%20House%20puts%20forward%20relatively%20strong,%20bipartisan%20support,%20it%20makes%20it%20easier%20for%20the%20senators%20to%20get%20there.%E2%80%9D">expired health care subsidies</a>&nbsp;for those who get coverage through the Affordable Care Act as renegade GOP lawmakers joined essentially all Democrats in voting for the measure.

Forcing the issue to a vote came about after a handful of Republicans signed on to a so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-aca-speaker-johnson-1087a9f64168d66b2acf9082af16c253">“discharge petition”</a>&nbsp;to unlock debate, bypassing objections from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">House Speaker Mike Johnson</a>. The bill now goes to the Senate, where pressure is building for a similar bipartisan compromise.

Together, the rare political coalitions are rushing to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-vote-affordable-care-act-obamacare-6ffc1ea9f878c6b3da995589ef8a012c">resolve the standoff</a>&nbsp;over the enhanced tax credits that were put in place during the COVID-19 crisis but expired late last year after no agreement was reached during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/trump-signs-government-funding-bill-ending-shutdown-after-record-43-day-disruption-ap-explains-6f25ef5b692c418cbed5bbdb26b796d7">government shutdown</a>.

“The affordability crisis is not a ‘hoax,’ it is very real — despite what Donald Trump has had to say,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, invoking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-affordability-pennsylvania-speech-6a7884b814f448ab6b17b9d924a356ba">the president's remarks</a>.

“Democrats made clear before the government was shut down that we were in this affordability fight until we win this affordability fight,” he said. “Today we have an opportunity to take a meaningful step forward.”

Ahead of voting, the nonpartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbo-big-beautiful-bill-trump-republican-deficit-debt-d432b67a965790e4a26de46ea8db1266">Congressional Budget Office</a>&nbsp;estimated that the bill, which would provide a three-year extension of the subsidy, would increase the nation's deficit by about $80.6 billion over the decade. At the same time, it would increase the number of people with health insurance by 100,000 this year, 3 million in 2027, 4 million in 2028 and 1.1 million in 2029, the CBO said.

Growing support for extending ACA subsidies

Johnson, R-La., worked for months to prevent this situation. His office argued Thursday that the federal health care funding from the COVID-19 era is ripe with fraud, pointing to an investigation in Minnesota, and urged a no vote.

On the floor, Republicans argued that the subsidies as structured have contributed to fraud and that the chamber should be focused on lowering health insurance costs for the broader population.

“Only 7% of the population relies on Obamacare marketplace plans. This chamber should be about helping 100% of Americans,” said Rep. Jason Smith, the Republican chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

While the momentum from the vote shows the growing support for the tax breaks that have helped some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/affordable-care-act-enrollment-subsidies-health-90ad8b27a6693c5aa03a9ca841048479">22 million Americans</a>&nbsp;have access to health insurance, the Senate would be under no requirement to take up the House bill.

Instead, a small group of senators from both parties has been working on an alternative plan that could find support in both chambers and become law. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said that for any plan to find support in his chamber, it will need to have income limits to ensure that the financial aid is focused on those who most need the help. He and other Republicans also want to ensure that beneficiaries would have to at least pay a nominal amount for their coverage.

Finally, Thune said there would need to be some expansion of health savings accounts, which allow people to save money and withdraw it tax-free as long as the money is spent on qualified medical expenses.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who is part of the negotiations on reforms and subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, said there is agreement on addressing fraud in health care.

“We recognize that we have millions of people in this country who are going to lose — are losing, have lost — their health insurance because they can’t afford the premiums,” Shaheen said. “And so we’re trying to see if we can’t get to some agreement that’s going to help, and the sooner we can do that, the better.”

Trump has pushed Republicans to send money directly to Americans for health savings accounts so they can bypass the federal government and handle insurance on their own. Democrats largely reject this idea as insufficient for covering the high costs of health care.

The action by Republicans to force a vote has been an affront to Johnson and his leadership team, who essentially lost control of what comes to the House floor as the Republican lawmakers joined Democrats for the workaround.

After last year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/trump-signs-government-funding-bill-ending-shutdown-after-record-43-day-disruption-ap-explains-6f25ef5b692c418cbed5bbdb26b796d7">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;failed to resolve the issue, Johnson had discussed allowing more politically vulnerable GOP lawmakers a chance to vote on another health care bill that would temporarily extend the subsidies while also adding changes.

But after days of discussions, Johnson and the GOP leadership sided with the more conservative wing, which has assailed the subsidies as propping up ACA, which they consider a failed government program. He offered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-house-health-care-plan-obamacare-subsidies-208b30670d0486c8d27ceb59c59003e0">modest proposal of health care reforms</a>&nbsp;that was approved, but has stalled.

It was then that rank-and-file lawmakers took matters into their own hands, as many of their constituents faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-aca-speaker-johnson-1087a9f64168d66b2acf9082af16c253">soaring health insurance premiums</a>&nbsp;beginning this month.

Republican Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, Robert Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie, all from Pennsylvania, and Mike Lawler of New York, signed the Democrats’ petition, pushing it to the magic number of 218 needed to force a House vote. All four represent key swing districts whose races will help determine which party takes charge of the House next year.

Trump encourages GOP to take on health care issue

What started as a long shot effort by Democrats to offer a discharge petition has become a political vindication of the Democrats’ government shutdown strategy as they fought to preserve the health care funds.

Democrats are making clear that the higher health insurance costs many Americans are facing will be a political centerpiece of their efforts to retake the majority in the House and Senate in the fall elections.

Trump, during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-house-republicans-meeting-kennedy-center-ad8705ea228a8a4591567fb51f87edb3">lengthy speech</a>&nbsp;this week to House GOP lawmakers, encouraged his party to take control of the health care debate — an issue that has stymied Republicans since he tried, and failed, to repeal Obamacare during his first term.

Associated Press writer Matt Brown contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767912685915.png" alt="House Speaker Mike Johnson during a Thursday news conference -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Mike Johnson during a Thursday news conference -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — In a remarkable rebuke of Republican leadership, the House passed legislation Thursday, 230-196, that would extend&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/%E2%80%9CNo%20matter%20the%20issue,%20if%20the%20House%20puts%20forward%20relatively%20strong,%20bipartisan%20support,%20it%20makes%20it%20easier%20for%20the%20senators%20to%20get%20there.%E2%80%9D">expired health care subsidies</a>&nbsp;for those who get coverage through the Affordable Care Act as renegade GOP lawmakers joined essentially all Democrats in voting for the measure.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepJeffries?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepJeffries</a> on House Voting to Pass ACA Subsidies 3-year extension bill: “The people&#39;s house has just delivered a decisive victory for the American people ... The cynics said it was impossible to do but where I&#39;m from, difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week.” <a href="https://t.co/wSHz2XSEt0">pic.twitter.com/wSHz2XSEt0</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2009395112497815792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Forcing the issue to a vote came about after a handful of Republicans signed on to a so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-aca-speaker-johnson-1087a9f64168d66b2acf9082af16c253">“discharge petition”</a>&nbsp;to unlock debate, bypassing objections from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">House Speaker Mike Johnson</a>. The bill now goes to the Senate, where pressure is building for a similar bipartisan compromise.Together, the rare political coalitions are rushing to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-vote-affordable-care-act-obamacare-6ffc1ea9f878c6b3da995589ef8a012c">resolve the standoff</a>&nbsp;over the enhanced tax credits that were put in place during the COVID-19 crisis but expired late last year after no agreement was reached during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/trump-signs-government-funding-bill-ending-shutdown-after-record-43-day-disruption-ap-explains-6f25ef5b692c418cbed5bbdb26b796d7">government shutdown</a>.“The affordability crisis is not a ‘hoax,’ it is very real — despite what Donald Trump has had to say,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, invoking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-affordability-pennsylvania-speech-6a7884b814f448ab6b17b9d924a356ba">the president's remarks</a>.“Democrats made clear before the government was shut down that we were in this affordability fight until we win this affordability fight,” he said. “Today we have an opportunity to take a meaningful step forward.”Ahead of voting, the nonpartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbo-big-beautiful-bill-trump-republican-deficit-debt-d432b67a965790e4a26de46ea8db1266">Congressional Budget Office</a>&nbsp;estimated that the bill, which would provide a three-year extension of the subsidy, would increase the nation's deficit by about $80.6 billion over the decade. At the same time, it would increase the number of people with health insurance by 100,000 this year, 3 million in 2027, 4 million in 2028 and 1.1 million in 2029, the CBO said.<h2>Growing support for extending ACA subsidies</h2>Johnson, R-La., worked for months to prevent this situation. His office argued Thursday that the federal health care funding from the COVID-19 era is ripe with fraud, pointing to an investigation in Minnesota, and urged a no vote.On the floor, Republicans argued that the subsidies as structured have contributed to fraud and that the chamber should be focused on lowering health insurance costs for the broader population.“Only 7% of the population relies on Obamacare marketplace plans. This chamber should be about helping 100% of Americans,” said Rep. Jason Smith, the Republican chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.While the momentum from the vote shows the growing support for the tax breaks that have helped some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/affordable-care-act-enrollment-subsidies-health-90ad8b27a6693c5aa03a9ca841048479">22 million Americans</a>&nbsp;have access to health insurance, the Senate would be under no requirement to take up the House bill.Instead, a small group of senators from both parties has been working on an alternative plan that could find support in both chambers and become law. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said that for any plan to find support in his chamber, it will need to have income limits to ensure that the financial aid is focused on those who most need the help. He and other Republicans also want to ensure that beneficiaries would have to at least pay a nominal amount for their coverage.Finally, Thune said there would need to be some expansion of health savings accounts, which allow people to save money and withdraw it tax-free as long as the money is spent on qualified medical expenses.Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who is part of the negotiations on reforms and subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, said there is agreement on addressing fraud in health care.“We recognize that we have millions of people in this country who are going to lose — are losing, have lost — their health insurance because they can’t afford the premiums,” Shaheen said. “And so we’re trying to see if we can’t get to some agreement that’s going to help, and the sooner we can do that, the better.”Trump has pushed Republicans to send money directly to Americans for health savings accounts so they can bypass the federal government and handle insurance on their own. Democrats largely reject this idea as insufficient for covering the high costs of health care.<h2>Republicans go around their leaders</h2>The action by Republicans to force a vote has been an affront to Johnson and his leadership team, who essentially lost control of what comes to the House floor as the Republican lawmakers joined Democrats for the workaround.After last year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/trump-signs-government-funding-bill-ending-shutdown-after-record-43-day-disruption-ap-explains-6f25ef5b692c418cbed5bbdb26b796d7">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;failed to resolve the issue, Johnson had discussed allowing more politically vulnerable GOP lawmakers a chance to vote on another health care bill that would temporarily extend the subsidies while also adding changes.But after days of discussions, Johnson and the GOP leadership sided with the more conservative wing, which has assailed the subsidies as propping up ACA, which they consider a failed government program. He offered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-house-health-care-plan-obamacare-subsidies-208b30670d0486c8d27ceb59c59003e0">modest proposal of health care reforms</a>&nbsp;that was approved, but has stalled.It was then that rank-and-file lawmakers took matters into their own hands, as many of their constituents faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-aca-speaker-johnson-1087a9f64168d66b2acf9082af16c253">soaring health insurance premiums</a>&nbsp;beginning this month.Republican Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, Robert Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie, all from Pennsylvania, and Mike Lawler of New York, signed the Democrats’ petition, pushing it to the magic number of 218 needed to force a House vote. All four represent key swing districts whose races will help determine which party takes charge of the House next year.<h2>Trump encourages GOP to take on health care issue</h2>What started as a long shot effort by Democrats to offer a discharge petition has become a political vindication of the Democrats’ government shutdown strategy as they fought to preserve the health care funds.Democrats are making clear that the higher health insurance costs many Americans are facing will be a political centerpiece of their efforts to retake the majority in the House and Senate in the fall elections.Trump, during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-house-republicans-meeting-kennedy-center-ad8705ea228a8a4591567fb51f87edb3">lengthy speech</a>&nbsp;this week to House GOP lawmakers, encouraged his party to take control of the health care debate — an issue that has stymied Republicans since he tried, and failed, to repeal Obamacare during his first term.___Associated Press writer Matt Brown contributed to this report.

House approves 3-year extension of expired health care subsidies

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged road rage shooting in Kansas City have identified the man who died as 32-year-old Keithlin Royster, according to KCPD Officer Alanya Gonzalez

Just before 11:30a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a shooting on southbound 71 Highway and Blue River Road.

First responders located a vehicle stopped on the side of the highway and a woman asking for help. At that time, officers observed Royster unresponsive inside of the vehicle suffering from apparent gunshot trauma. EMS responded to the scene and pronounce him deceased at that scene.

Preliminary information indicates this may be a road rage incident. It is believed two unidentified men were occupying an unknown vehicle when shots were fired, striking the victim. It is not currently known where the start of the altercation began, and where exactly the shooting occurred. 

A subject of interest turned himself in to police late Wednesday regarding this incident and he was questioned by detectives for further investigation. Detectives are not currently seeking any additional suspects, and the case has been presented to prosecutors for consideration of applicable charges, according to Gonzalez.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767817392964.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged road rage shooting in Kansas City have identified the man who died as 32-year-old Keithlin Royster, according to KCPD Officer Alanya GonzalezJust before 11:30a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a shooting on southbound 71 Highway and Blue River Road.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767817154645.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>First responders located a vehicle stopped on the side of the highway and a woman asking for help. At that time, officers observed Royster unresponsive inside of the vehicle suffering from apparent gunshot trauma. EMS responded to the scene and pronounce him deceased at that scene.Preliminary information indicates this may be a road rage incident. It is believed two unidentified men were occupying an unknown vehicle when shots were fired, striking the victim. It is not currently known where the start of the altercation began, and where exactly the shooting occurred. A subject of interest turned himself in to police late Wednesday regarding this incident and he was questioned by detectives for further investigation. Detectives are not currently seeking any additional suspects, and the case has been presented to prosecutors for consideration of applicable charges, according to Gonzalez.

Police: Suspect in deadly KC road-rage killing turns himself in

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jan. 26 marks the official start date of the 2026 tax filing season, when the IRS will begin accepting and processing 2025 tax returns. April 15 is the filing deadline to avoid penalties and interest.

Tax season is the annual period when taxpayers prepare and submit their income tax returns for the previous calendar year to the IRS and most U.S. citizens and permanent residents need to file a tax return if they make more than a certain amount of money for the year.

Tax experts, including the IRS’ independent watchdog, have warned that this year’s filing season could be hampered by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-doge-layoffs-tax-season-0659e4b439400bf66023273f6a532fa0">loss of tens of thousands of tax collection workers</a>&nbsp;who left the agency through planned layoffs and buyouts spurred by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-irs-bessent-bisignano-e58cfaf2c88299e728d9783c8f5476fa">named to the new role in October</a>, said “the IRS workforce remains vigilant and dedicated to their mission to serve the American taxpaying public. At the same time, IRS information systems have been updated to incorporate the new tax laws and are ready to efficiently and effectively process taxpayer returns during the filing season.”

Bisignano is also commissioner of the Social Security Administration.

The IRS will also be responsible for implementing major provisions of Republicans’&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/one-big-beautiful-bill-provisions" target="_blank">tax and spending package</a>&nbsp;signed into law last summer. Several provisions in the law retroactively affect the 2025 tax year, likely leading to more questions from taxpayers and requiring the IRS to update tax forms.

“President Trump is committed to the taxpayers of this country and improving upon the successful tax filing season in 2025,” said acting IRS Commissioner Scott Bessent in a news release. “I am confident in our ability to deliver results and drive growth for businesses and consumers alike.”

The IRS expects to receive roughly 164 million individual income tax returns this year, which is on par with what it received last year.

The average refund amount was $3,167, according to IRS data. Bessent has said on several occasions that the effects of Republican tax law will result in bigger tax refunds in 2026.

The latest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-season-irs-audits-watchdog-report-fb5a1ecec7424362e34e9502270f1e21">National Taxpayer Advocate report</a>&nbsp;to Congress published in June states that the IRS workforce has fallen from 102,113 workers at the end of the Biden administration to 75,702. The IRS website does not include the latest employment numbers on the agency’s workforce.

IRS employees involved in last year’s tax season were not allowed to accept a buyout offer from the Trump administration until after the taxpayer filing deadline of April 15, 2025.

The June&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/" target="_blank">National Taxpayer Advocate</a>&nbsp;report to Congress warned that the 2026 season could be rocky.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jan. 26 marks the official start date of the 2026 tax filing season, when the IRS will begin accepting and processing 2025 tax returns. April 15 is the filing deadline to avoid penalties and interest.Tax season is the annual period when taxpayers prepare and submit their income tax returns for the previous calendar year to the IRS and most U.S. citizens and permanent residents need to file a tax return if they make more than a certain amount of money for the year.Tax experts, including the IRS’ independent watchdog, have warned that this year’s filing season could be hampered by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-doge-layoffs-tax-season-0659e4b439400bf66023273f6a532fa0">loss of tens of thousands of tax collection workers</a>&nbsp;who left the agency through planned layoffs and buyouts spurred by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-irs-bessent-bisignano-e58cfaf2c88299e728d9783c8f5476fa">named to the new role in October</a>, said “the IRS workforce remains vigilant and dedicated to their mission to serve the American taxpaying public. At the same time, IRS information systems have been updated to incorporate the new tax laws and are ready to efficiently and effectively process taxpayer returns during the filing season.”Bisignano is also commissioner of the Social Security Administration.The IRS will also be responsible for implementing major provisions of Republicans’&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/one-big-beautiful-bill-provisions" target="_blank">tax and spending package</a>&nbsp;signed into law last summer. Several provisions in the law retroactively affect the 2025 tax year, likely leading to more questions from taxpayers and requiring the IRS to update tax forms.“President Trump is committed to the taxpayers of this country and improving upon the successful tax filing season in 2025,” said acting IRS Commissioner Scott Bessent in a news release. “I am confident in our ability to deliver results and drive growth for businesses and consumers alike.”The IRS expects to receive roughly 164 million individual income tax returns this year, which is on par with what it received last year.The average refund amount was $3,167, according to IRS data. Bessent has said on several occasions that the effects of Republican tax law will result in bigger tax refunds in 2026.The latest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-season-irs-audits-watchdog-report-fb5a1ecec7424362e34e9502270f1e21">National Taxpayer Advocate report</a>&nbsp;to Congress published in June states that the IRS workforce has fallen from 102,113 workers at the end of the Biden administration to 75,702. The IRS website does not include the latest employment numbers on the agency’s workforce.IRS employees involved in last year’s tax season were not allowed to accept a buyout offer from the Trump administration until after the taxpayer filing deadline of April 15, 2025.The June&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/" target="_blank">National Taxpayer Advocate</a>&nbsp;report to Congress warned that the 2026 season could be rocky.

IRS announces when they will begin accepting 2025 tax returns

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Senate has advanced a resolution that would limit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump’s</a>&nbsp;ability to conduct further&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/venezuela">attacks against Venezuela</a>, sounding a note of disapproval for the president’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-european-union-greenland-denmark-rubio-frederiksen-4d18970667b130d293ccaf4c0d55c300">expanding ambitions</a>&nbsp;in the Western Hemisphere.

Democrats and five Republicans voted to advance the war powers resolution on a 52-47 vote tally and ensure a later vote for final passage. Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted against the resolution.

It has virtually no chance of becoming law because Trump would have to sign it if it were to pass the House, but it’s still a significant gesture that shows unease among some Republicans after the U.S. military seized Venezuelan President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-capture-trump-attack-military-ceb21da088f0a06b1813e66922def9a3">Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;in a surprise nighttime raid.

Two Republicans flip on Venezuela war powers resolution vote

The Senate is voting on a resolution that would limit Trump’s ability to conduct further attacks against Venezuela, and the vote tally is looking to be razor-thin.

Two Republicans who previously voted against similar resolutions — Sens. Todd Young of Indiana and Susan Collins of Maine — are now voting for the resolution. It’s still not clear what the final vote outcome would be.

A majority vote would set up a later vote on passage for the resolution. It still has virtually no chance of becoming law because Trump would have to sign it, but the vote outcome showed how some Republicans are uneasy with the Trump administration’s military action against Venezuela.

Some Republicans insist on congressional approval for war

Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close Trump ally, said on Air Force One on Sunday that he’s comfortable with Trump taking over other countries — including Greenland — without congressional approval. “The commander in chief is the commander in chief. They can use military force,” Graham said.

But some others are voicing opposition. Asked whether he’d support putting troops on the ground in Venezuela, Thom Tillis of North Carolina responded: “Not without congressional authorization.”

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, an outspoken proponent of war powers resolutions, acknowledged that Maduro is seen as a “bad guy” and “a socialist and an autocrat.” But, Paul added, “The question is about who has the power to take the country to war?”

Paul said Republicans discussed Trump’s plans for Greenland at their Wednesday luncheon and he heard “zero support” for taking military action to seize it.

Sen. Tim Kaine: ‘It’s time for Congress to assert its control over military action of this kind’

“It’s time to get this out of secrecy and put it in the light,” the Virginia Democrat said after forcing a Thursday Senate vote on a resolution that would limit Trump’s ability to strike Venezuela militarily again.

Kaine said a resolution on Greenland would soon be filed, in addition to Cuba, Mexico, Colombia and Nigeria.

Republican leaders have said they had no advance notification of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-presidential-palace-blowtorches-7969152ae48510003fe9cbde92f3c102">raid early morning Saturday</a>&nbsp;to seize Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, but they’ve backed Trump, and mostly expressed satisfaction this week as top administration officials provided classified briefings on the operation.

“I think the president has demonstrated at least already a very strong commitment to peace through strength, especially in this hemisphere,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. “I think Venezuela got that message loudly and clearly.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767893848066.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran arriving to vote against the resolution-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran arriving to vote against the resolution-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The Senate has advanced a resolution that would limit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump’s</a>&nbsp;ability to conduct further&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/venezuela">attacks against Venezuela</a>, sounding a note of disapproval for the president’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-european-union-greenland-denmark-rubio-frederiksen-4d18970667b130d293ccaf4c0d55c300">expanding ambitions</a>&nbsp;in the Western Hemisphere.Democrats and five Republicans voted to advance the war powers resolution on a 52-47 vote tally and ensure a later vote for final passage. Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted against the resolution.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/V7DVNISEau">pic.twitter.com/V7DVNISEau</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2009321883444089212?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It has virtually no chance of becoming law because Trump would have to sign it if it were to pass the House, but it’s still a significant gesture that shows unease among some Republicans after the U.S. military seized Venezuelan President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-capture-trump-attack-military-ceb21da088f0a06b1813e66922def9a3">Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;in a surprise nighttime raid.<h2>Two Republicans flip on Venezuela war powers resolution vote</h2>The Senate is voting on a resolution that would limit Trump’s ability to conduct further attacks against Venezuela, and the vote tally is looking to be razor-thin.Two Republicans who previously voted against similar resolutions — Sens. Todd Young of Indiana and Susan Collins of Maine — are now voting for the resolution. It’s still not clear what the final vote outcome would be.A majority vote would set up a later vote on passage for the resolution. It still has virtually no chance of becoming law because Trump would have to sign it, but the vote outcome showed how some Republicans are uneasy with the Trump administration’s military action against Venezuela.<h2>Some Republicans insist on congressional approval for war</h2>Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close Trump ally, said on Air Force One on Sunday that he’s comfortable with Trump taking over other countries — including Greenland — without congressional approval. “The commander in chief is the commander in chief. They can use military force,” Graham said.But some others are voicing opposition. Asked whether he’d support putting troops on the ground in Venezuela, Thom Tillis of North Carolina responded: “Not without congressional authorization.”Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, an outspoken proponent of war powers resolutions, acknowledged that Maduro is seen as a “bad guy” and “a socialist and an autocrat.” But, Paul added, “The question is about who has the power to take the country to war?”Paul said Republicans discussed Trump’s plans for Greenland at their Wednesday luncheon and he heard “zero support” for taking military action to seize it.<h2>Sen. Tim Kaine: ‘It’s time for Congress to assert its control over military action of this kind’</h2>“It’s time to get this out of secrecy and put it in the light,” the Virginia Democrat said after forcing a Thursday Senate vote on a resolution that would limit Trump’s ability to strike Venezuela militarily again.Kaine said a resolution on Greenland would soon be filed, in addition to Cuba, Mexico, Colombia and Nigeria.Republican leaders have said they had no advance notification of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-presidential-palace-blowtorches-7969152ae48510003fe9cbde92f3c102">raid early morning Saturday</a>&nbsp;to seize Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, but they’ve backed Trump, and mostly expressed satisfaction this week as top administration officials provided classified briefings on the operation.“I think the president has demonstrated at least already a very strong commitment to peace through strength, especially in this hemisphere,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. “I think Venezuela got that message loudly and clearly.”

Moran, Marshall vote no on resolution to limit Trump’s ability to attack Venezuela

NEW YORK (AP) — NASA canceled its first spacewalk of the year and may&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-nasa-astronauts-d90068c27fff2ed2438d1776e0632443">bring its crew</a>&nbsp;back early from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-spacex-contract-international-space-station-339c0b8313073fdf4d9fe22056f3d51c">International Space Station</a>&nbsp;due to an onboard medical issue.

The spacewalk was supposed to happen on Thursday, but was postponed because of an unspecified medical concern with an astronaut, who was not identified, the space agency said.

NASA said the crew member is now stable, but it's “actively evaluating all options” including an early end to the mission.

“Safely conducting our missions is our highest priority,” said NASA spokesperson Cheryl Warner in a statement.

The U.S.-Japanese-Russian crew of four have been at the orbiting lab since August after launching from Florida.

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.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767890774557.png" alt="The International Space Station is pictured from the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft during a fly around of the orbiting lab that took place following its undocking from the Harmony module’s space-facing port on Nov. 8, 2021. ESA / NASA / T. Pesquet" />
 <figcaption>The International Space Station is pictured from the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft during a fly around of the orbiting lab that took place following its undocking from the Harmony module’s space-facing port on Nov. 8, 2021. ESA / NASA / T. Pesquet</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — NASA canceled its first spacewalk of the year and may&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-nasa-astronauts-d90068c27fff2ed2438d1776e0632443">bring its crew</a>&nbsp;back early from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-spacex-contract-international-space-station-339c0b8313073fdf4d9fe22056f3d51c">International Space Station</a>&nbsp;due to an onboard medical issue.The spacewalk was supposed to happen on Thursday, but was postponed because of an unspecified medical concern with an astronaut, who was not identified, the space agency said.NASA said the crew member is now stable, but it's “actively evaluating all options” including an early end to the mission.“Safely conducting our missions is our highest priority,” said NASA spokesperson Cheryl Warner in a statement.The U.S.-Japanese-Russian crew of four have been at the orbiting lab since August after launching from Florida.___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.

NASA facing medical emergency on International Space Station

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jonel-aleccia">JONEL ALECCIA</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://apnews.com/article/usda-hhs-dietary-guidelines-d6a9c6f0554f279497acb5714b3032b9"></a>Associated Press<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usda-hhs-dietary-guidelines-d6a9c6f0554f279497acb5714b3032b9"></a>&nbsp;

Americans should eat more whole foods and protein, fewer highly processed foods and less added sugar, according to the latest edition of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usda-hhs-dietary-guidelines-d6a9c6f0554f279497acb5714b3032b9">federal nutrition advice</a>&nbsp;released Wednesday by the Trump administration.

Health Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins issued the 2025-2030 U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn.realfood.gov/DGA.pdf" target="_blank">Dietary Guidelines for Americans</a>, which offer updated recommendations for a healthy diet and provide the foundation for federal nutrition programs and policies. They come as Kennedy has for months stressed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-kennedy-food-pyramid-dietary-guidelines-eb08465c99512d224112ff6c95d24a32">overhauling the U.S. food supply</a>&nbsp;as part of his Make America Healthy Again agenda.

The guidelines emphasize consumption of fresh vegetables, whole grains and dairy products, long advised as part of a healthy eating plan. Officials released a new graphic depicting an inverted version of the long-abandoned food pyramid, with protein, dairy, healthy fats and fruits and vegetables at the top and whole grains at the bottom.

But they also take a new stance on “highly processed” foods, and refined carbohydrates, urging consumers to avoid “packaged, prepared, ready-to-eat or other foods that are salty or sweet, such as chips, cookies and candy.” That’s a different term for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ultraprocessed-foods-healthy-diet-0501eb985016149541e6cc727e55dfea">ultraprocessed foods</a>, the tasty, energy-dense products that make up&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/americans-get-more-than-half-their-calories-from-ultra-processed-foods-cdc-report-says/" target="_blank">more than half the calories</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. diet and have been linked to chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity.

The new guidance backs away from revoking long-standing advice to limit saturated fats, despite signals from Kennedy and Food and Drug Commissioner Marty Makary that the administration would push for more consumption of animal fats to end the “war” on saturated fats.

Instead, the document suggests that Americans should choose whole-food sources of saturated fat — such as meat, whole-fat dairy or avocados — while continuing to limit saturated fat consumption to no more than 10% of daily calories. The guidance says “other options can include butter or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/seed-oil-beef-tallow-kennedy-4fdf0f30134277fd6dd20b4ede789295">beef tallow</a>,” despite previous recommendations to avoid those fats.

The dietary guidelines, required by law to be updated every five years, provide a template for a healthy diet. But in a country where more than half of adults have a diet-related chronic disease, few Americans actually follow the guidance, research shows.

The new recommendations drew praise from some prominent nutrition and medical experts.

“There should be broad agreement that eating more whole foods and reducing highly processed carbohydrates is a major advance in how we approach diet and health,” said Dr. David Kessler, a former FDA commissioner who has written books about diet and nutrition and has sent a petition to the FDA to remove key ingredients in ultraprocessed foods.

“The guidelines affirm that food is medicine and offer clear direction patients and physicians can use to improve health,” said Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, president of the American Medical Association.

Other experts were relieved that the guidelines didn’t go against decades of nutrition evidence linking saturated fat to heart disease, but they were critical of the guidelines’ focus on meat and dairy as a primary source of protein instead of plant-based sources.

“Overall, if people eat the way these are recommended, they will be eating more calories, not less,” said Marion Nestle, a nutritionist and food policy expert who advised previous editions of the guidance.

The new document is just 10 pages, upholding Kennedy’s pledge to create a simple, understandable guideline. Previous editions of the dietary guidelines have grown over the years, from a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2019-05/1980%20DGA.pdf" target="_blank">19-page pamphlet</a>&nbsp;in 1980 to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans-2020-2025.pdf" target="_blank">164-page document</a>&nbsp;issued in 2020, which included a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/DGA_2020-2025_ExecutiveSummary_English.pdf" target="_blank">four-page executive summary</a>.

The guidance will have the most profound effect on the federally funded National School Lunch Program, which is required to follow the guidelines to feed nearly 30 million U.S. children on a typical school day.

The Agriculture Department will have to translate the recommendations into specific requirements for school meals, a process that can take years, said Diane Pratt-Heavner, spokesperson for the School Nutrition Association. The latest school nutrition standards were proposed in 2023 but won’t be fully implemented until 2027, she noted.

Science advisers didn’t make ultraprocessed food recommendations

The new guidelines skip the advice of a 20-member panel of nutrition experts, who met for nearly two years to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usda-hhs-dietary-guidelines-d6a9c6f0554f279497acb5714b3032b9">review the latest scientific evidence</a>&nbsp;on diet and health.

That panel didn’t make recommendations about ultraprocessed food. Although a host of studies have shown links between ultraprocessed foods and poor health outcomes, the nutrition experts had concerns with the quality of the research and the certainty that those foods, and not other factors, were causing the problems.

The recommendations on highly processed foods drew cautiously positive reactions. The FDA and the Agriculture Department are already working on a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/25/2025-14089/ultra-processed-foods-request-for-information" target="_blank">definition of ultraprocessed foods</a>, but it’s expected to take time.

Not all highly processed foods are unhealthy, said Dr. David Ludwig, an endocrinologist and researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital.

“I think the focus should be on highly processed carbohydrates,” he said, noting that processing of protein or fats can be benign or even helpful.

The guidelines made a few other notable changes, including a call to potentially double protein consumption.

The previous recommended dietary allowance called for 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight — about 54 grams daily for a 150-pound person. The new recommendation is 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. An average American man consumes about 100 grams of protein per day, or about twice the previously recommended limit.

Makary said the new advice supersedes protein guidance that was based on the “bare minimum” required for health.

Ludwig also noted that the earlier recommendation was the minimum amount needed to prevent protein deficiency and said higher amounts of protein might be beneficial.

“A moderate increase in protein to help displace the processed carbohydrates makes sense,” he said.

Officials with the American Heart Association, however, called for more research on protein consumption and the best sources for optimal health.

“Pending that research, we encourage consumers to prioritize plant-based proteins, seafood and lean meats and to limit high-fat animal products including red meat, butter, lard and tallow, which are linked to increased cardiovascular risk,” the group said in a statement.

The guidelines advise avoiding or sharply limiting added sugars or non-nutritive sweeteners, saying “no amount” is considered part of a healthy diet.

No one meal should contain more than 10 grams of added sugars, or about 2 teaspoons, the new guidelines say.

Previous federal guidelines recommended limiting added sugars to less than 10% of daily calories for people older than 2, but to aim for less. That’s about 12 teaspoons a day in a 2,000-calorie daily diet. Children younger than 2 should have no added sugars at all, the older guidance said.

In general, most Americans consume about 17 teaspoons of added sugars per day, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The new guidelines roll back previous recommendations to limit alcohol to one drink or less per day for women and two drinks or less per day for men.

Instead, the guidance advises Americans to “consume less alcohol for better health.” They also say that alcohol should be avoided by pregnant women, people recovering from alcohol use disorder and those who are unable to control the amount they drink.

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jonel-aleccia">JONEL ALECCIA</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://apnews.com/article/usda-hhs-dietary-guidelines-d6a9c6f0554f279497acb5714b3032b9"></a>Associated Press<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usda-hhs-dietary-guidelines-d6a9c6f0554f279497acb5714b3032b9"></a>&nbsp;Americans should eat more whole foods and protein, fewer highly processed foods and less added sugar, according to the latest edition of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usda-hhs-dietary-guidelines-d6a9c6f0554f279497acb5714b3032b9">federal nutrition advice</a>&nbsp;released Wednesday by the Trump administration.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecRollins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRollins</a> on new dietary guidelines &quot;Eat real food that is the main message of the new dietary guidelines for Americans 2025 - 2030 which encourage households and schools to prioritize whole nutrient dense foods …whether they are fresh frozen canned or dried.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/sTjyrrBhvB">pic.twitter.com/sTjyrrBhvB</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2008952598808723951?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecKennedy</a> on new 2025-2030 dietary guidelines: &quot;Protein and healthy fats are essential and were wrongly discouraged in prior dietary guidelines. We are ending the war on saturated fats…Today our government declares war on added sugar.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/hAdbbLYJaq">pic.twitter.com/hAdbbLYJaq</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2008952210026008779?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Health Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins issued the 2025-2030 U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn.realfood.gov/DGA.pdf" target="_blank">Dietary Guidelines for Americans</a>, which offer updated recommendations for a healthy diet and provide the foundation for federal nutrition programs and policies. They come as Kennedy has for months stressed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-kennedy-food-pyramid-dietary-guidelines-eb08465c99512d224112ff6c95d24a32">overhauling the U.S. food supply</a>&nbsp;as part of his Make America Healthy Again agenda.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/vNe7oMQgrE">https://t.co/vNe7oMQgrE</a>&mdash; HHS (@HHSGov) <a href="https://twitter.com/HHSGov/status/2008938453447102892?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/vNe7oMQgrE">https://t.co/vNe7oMQgrE</a>&mdash; HHS (@HHSGov) <a href="https://twitter.com/HHSGov/status/2008938453447102892?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The guidelines emphasize consumption of fresh vegetables, whole grains and dairy products, long advised as part of a healthy eating plan. Officials released a new graphic depicting an inverted version of the long-abandoned food pyramid, with protein, dairy, healthy fats and fruits and vegetables at the top and whole grains at the bottom.But they also take a new stance on “highly processed” foods, and refined carbohydrates, urging consumers to avoid “packaged, prepared, ready-to-eat or other foods that are salty or sweet, such as chips, cookies and candy.” That’s a different term for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ultraprocessed-foods-healthy-diet-0501eb985016149541e6cc727e55dfea">ultraprocessed foods</a>, the tasty, energy-dense products that make up&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/americans-get-more-than-half-their-calories-from-ultra-processed-foods-cdc-report-says/" target="_blank">more than half the calories</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. diet and have been linked to chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity.The new guidance backs away from revoking long-standing advice to limit saturated fats, despite signals from Kennedy and Food and Drug Commissioner Marty Makary that the administration would push for more consumption of animal fats to end the “war” on saturated fats.Instead, the document suggests that Americans should choose whole-food sources of saturated fat — such as meat, whole-fat dairy or avocados — while continuing to limit saturated fat consumption to no more than 10% of daily calories. The guidance says “other options can include butter or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/seed-oil-beef-tallow-kennedy-4fdf0f30134277fd6dd20b4ede789295">beef tallow</a>,” despite previous recommendations to avoid those fats.<h2>Guidelines were due for an update</h2>The dietary guidelines, required by law to be updated every five years, provide a template for a healthy diet. But in a country where more than half of adults have a diet-related chronic disease, few Americans actually follow the guidance, research shows.The new recommendations drew praise from some prominent nutrition and medical experts.“There should be broad agreement that eating more whole foods and reducing highly processed carbohydrates is a major advance in how we approach diet and health,” said Dr. David Kessler, a former FDA commissioner who has written books about diet and nutrition and has sent a petition to the FDA to remove key ingredients in ultraprocessed foods.“The guidelines affirm that food is medicine and offer clear direction patients and physicians can use to improve health,” said Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, president of the American Medical Association.Other experts were relieved that the guidelines didn’t go against decades of nutrition evidence linking saturated fat to heart disease, but they were critical of the guidelines’ focus on meat and dairy as a primary source of protein instead of plant-based sources.“Overall, if people eat the way these are recommended, they will be eating more calories, not less,” said Marion Nestle, a nutritionist and food policy expert who advised previous editions of the guidance.The new document is just 10 pages, upholding Kennedy’s pledge to create a simple, understandable guideline. Previous editions of the dietary guidelines have grown over the years, from a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2019-05/1980%20DGA.pdf" target="_blank">19-page pamphlet</a>&nbsp;in 1980 to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans-2020-2025.pdf" target="_blank">164-page document</a>&nbsp;issued in 2020, which included a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/DGA_2020-2025_ExecutiveSummary_English.pdf" target="_blank">four-page executive summary</a>.The guidance will have the most profound effect on the federally funded National School Lunch Program, which is required to follow the guidelines to feed nearly 30 million U.S. children on a typical school day.The Agriculture Department will have to translate the recommendations into specific requirements for school meals, a process that can take years, said Diane Pratt-Heavner, spokesperson for the School Nutrition Association. The latest school nutrition standards were proposed in 2023 but won’t be fully implemented until 2027, she noted.<h2>Science advisers didn’t make ultraprocessed food recommendations</h2>The new guidelines skip the advice of a 20-member panel of nutrition experts, who met for nearly two years to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usda-hhs-dietary-guidelines-d6a9c6f0554f279497acb5714b3032b9">review the latest scientific evidence</a>&nbsp;on diet and health.That panel didn’t make recommendations about ultraprocessed food. Although a host of studies have shown links between ultraprocessed foods and poor health outcomes, the nutrition experts had concerns with the quality of the research and the certainty that those foods, and not other factors, were causing the problems.The recommendations on highly processed foods drew cautiously positive reactions. The FDA and the Agriculture Department are already working on a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/25/2025-14089/ultra-processed-foods-request-for-information" target="_blank">definition of ultraprocessed foods</a>, but it’s expected to take time.Not all highly processed foods are unhealthy, said Dr. David Ludwig, an endocrinologist and researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital.“I think the focus should be on highly processed carbohydrates,” he said, noting that processing of protein or fats can be benign or even helpful.<h2>More protein recommended</h2>The guidelines made a few other notable changes, including a call to potentially double protein consumption.The previous recommended dietary allowance called for 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight — about 54 grams daily for a 150-pound person. The new recommendation is 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. An average American man consumes about 100 grams of protein per day, or about twice the previously recommended limit.Makary said the new advice supersedes protein guidance that was based on the “bare minimum” required for health.Ludwig also noted that the earlier recommendation was the minimum amount needed to prevent protein deficiency and said higher amounts of protein might be beneficial.“A moderate increase in protein to help displace the processed carbohydrates makes sense,” he said.Officials with the American Heart Association, however, called for more research on protein consumption and the best sources for optimal health.“Pending that research, we encourage consumers to prioritize plant-based proteins, seafood and lean meats and to limit high-fat animal products including red meat, butter, lard and tallow, which are linked to increased cardiovascular risk,” the group said in a statement.<h2>Avoid added sugars</h2>The guidelines advise avoiding or sharply limiting added sugars or non-nutritive sweeteners, saying “no amount” is considered part of a healthy diet.No one meal should contain more than 10 grams of added sugars, or about 2 teaspoons, the new guidelines say.Previous federal guidelines recommended limiting added sugars to less than 10% of daily calories for people older than 2, but to aim for less. That’s about 12 teaspoons a day in a 2,000-calorie daily diet. Children younger than 2 should have no added sugars at all, the older guidance said.In general, most Americans consume about 17 teaspoons of added sugars per day, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.<h2>Alcohol limits removed</h2>The new guidelines roll back previous recommendations to limit alcohol to one drink or less per day for women and two drinks or less per day for men.Instead, the guidance advises Americans to “consume less alcohol for better health.” They also say that alcohol should be avoided by pregnant women, people recovering from alcohol use disorder and those who are unable to control the amount they drink.___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.

See the new U.S.  dietary guidelines: More protein, less grains

WASHINGTON (AP) — The woman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-enforcement-shooting-crackdown-surge-173e00fa7388054e98c3b5b9417c1e5a">shot and killed</a>&nbsp;by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis on Wednesday was Renee Nicole Macklin Good, a 37-year-old mother of three who had recently moved to Minnesota.

She was a U.S. citizen born in Colorado and appears to never have been charged with anything involving law enforcement beyond a traffic ticket.

In social media accounts, Macklin Good described herself as a “poet and writer and wife and mom.” She said she was currently “experiencing Minneapolis,” displaying a pride flag emoji on her Instagram account. A profile picture posted to Pinterest shows her smiling and holding a young child against her cheek, along with posts about tattoos, hairstyles and home decorating.

Her ex-husband, who asked not to be named out of concern for the safety of their children, said Macklin Good had just dropped off her 6-year-old son at school Wednesday and was driving home with her current partner when they encountered a group of ICE agents on a snowy street in Minneapolis, where they had moved last year from Kansas City, Missouri.

(The video of the incident contains profanity and maybe offensive to some)

Video taken by bystanders posted to social media shows an officer approaching her car, demanding she open the door and grabbing the handle. When she begins to pull forward, a different ICE officer standing in front of the vehicle pulls his weapon and immediately fires at least two shots into the vehicle at close range.

In another video taken after the shooting, a distraught woman is seen sitting near the vehicle, wailing, “That’s my wife, I don’t know what to do!”

Calls and messages to Macklin Good’s current partner received no response.

Trump administration officials painted Macklin Good as a domestic terrorist who had attempted to ram federal agents with her car. Her ex-husband said she was no activist and that he had never known her to participate in a protest of any kind.

He described her as a devoted Christian who took part in youth mission trips to Northern Ireland when she was younger. She loved to sing, participating in a chorus in high school and studying vocal performance in college.

She studied creative writing at Old Dominion University in Virginia and won a prize in 2020 for one of her works, according to a post on the school’s English department Facebook page. She also hosted a podcast with her second husband, who died in 2023.

Macklin Good had a daughter and her son from her first marriage, who are now ages 15 and 12. Her 6-year-old son was from her second marriage.

Her ex-husband said she had primarily been a stay-at-home mom in recent years but had previously worked as a dental assistant and at a credit union.

Donna Ganger, her mother, told the Minnesota Star Tribune the family was notified of the death late Wednesday morning.

“Renee was one of the kindest people I’ve ever known,” Ganger told the newspaper. “She was extremely compassionate. She’s taken care of people all her life. She was loving, forgiving and affectionate. She was an amazing human being.”

Ganger did not respond to calls or messages from the AP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767879206786.png" alt="People protest as law enforcement officers attend to the scene of the shooting involving federal law enforcement agents, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, in Minneapolis. Image from AP video" />
 <figcaption>People protest as law enforcement officers attend to the scene of the shooting involving federal law enforcement agents, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, in Minneapolis. Image from AP video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The woman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-enforcement-shooting-crackdown-surge-173e00fa7388054e98c3b5b9417c1e5a">shot and killed</a>&nbsp;by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis on Wednesday was Renee Nicole Macklin Good, a 37-year-old mother of three who had recently moved to Minnesota.She was a U.S. citizen born in Colorado and appears to never have been charged with anything involving law enforcement beyond a traffic ticket.In social media accounts, Macklin Good described herself as a “poet and writer and wife and mom.” She said she was currently “experiencing Minneapolis,” displaying a pride flag emoji on her Instagram account. A profile picture posted to Pinterest shows her smiling and holding a young child against her cheek, along with posts about tattoos, hairstyles and home decorating.Her ex-husband, who asked not to be named out of concern for the safety of their children, said Macklin Good had just dropped off her 6-year-old son at school Wednesday and was driving home with her current partner when they encountered a group of ICE agents on a snowy street in Minneapolis, where they had moved last year from Kansas City, Missouri.(The video of the incident contains profanity and maybe offensive to some)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K9CJY5p0xz4?si=oveThoFUpbN5Kckn&amp;start=1" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We’ve been warning for weeks that the Trump Administration’s dangerous, sensationalized operations are a threat to public safety. <a href="https://t.co/edueGHqBJy">pic.twitter.com/edueGHqBJy</a>&mdash; Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovTimWalz/status/2009034989569036323?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sec_Noem</a> details the self-defense shooting in Minneapolis: “She then proceeded to weaponize her vehicle… The ICE officer, fearing for his life, and the other officers around him… fired defensive shots. He used his training to save his own life and that of his colleagues.” <a href="https://t.co/8QdTXT992u">pic.twitter.com/8QdTXT992u</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2009050499912233353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Video taken by bystanders posted to social media shows an officer approaching her car, demanding she open the door and grabbing the handle. When she begins to pull forward, a different ICE officer standing in front of the vehicle pulls his weapon and immediately fires at least two shots into the vehicle at close range.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, in an act of domestic terrorism, an anti-ICE rioter weaponized her vehicle against law enforcement. Our officer relied on his training and saved his own life, as well as the lives of his fellow officers. Sanctuary politicians have created an environment that encourages… <a href="https://t.co/OGZUkdbr3R">pic.twitter.com/OGZUkdbr3R</a>&mdash; Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/2009058387418562922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In another video taken after the shooting, a distraught woman is seen sitting near the vehicle, wailing, “That’s my wife, I don’t know what to do!”Calls and messages to Macklin Good’s current partner received no response.Trump administration officials painted Macklin Good as a domestic terrorist who had attempted to ram federal agents with her car. Her ex-husband said she was no activist and that he had never known her to participate in a protest of any kind.He described her as a devoted Christian who took part in youth mission trips to Northern Ireland when she was younger. She loved to sing, participating in a chorus in high school and studying vocal performance in college.She studied creative writing at Old Dominion University in Virginia and won a prize in 2020 for one of her works, according to a post on the school’s English department Facebook page. She also hosted a podcast with her second husband, who died in 2023.Macklin Good had a daughter and her son from her first marriage, who are now ages 15 and 12. Her 6-year-old son was from her second marriage.Her ex-husband said she had primarily been a stay-at-home mom in recent years but had previously worked as a dental assistant and at a credit union.Donna Ganger, her mother, told the Minnesota Star Tribune the family was notified of the death late Wednesday morning.“Renee was one of the kindest people I’ve ever known,” Ganger told the newspaper. “She was extremely compassionate. She’s taken care of people all her life. She was loving, forgiving and affectionate. She was an amazing human being.”Ganger did not respond to calls or messages from the AP.___Mustian reported from New York.

Woman killed by ICE agent was mother who had moved from Kansas City to Minneapolis

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs said in a statement Wednesday night that they were aware of domestic violence allegations made in a series of social media posts by a former girlfriend of wide receiver Rashee Rice and had been in communication with the NFL.

The Chiefs did not mention Rice by name in their statement and said they would have “no further comment at this time.”

Dacoda Nichole Jones also did not mention Rice by name when she posted a series of photos on Instagram earlier in the day that appeared to show signs of physical abuse. Jones did say the person involved was the father of her children, and the woman has two children with Rice, whom the Chiefs selected in the second round of the 2023 draft.

No police reports were available in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kansas, where Jones alleges the abuse occurred.

Rice missed the first six games this season following an NFL suspension for his role in causing a crash on a Dallas highway that left multiple people injured during the 2024 offseason. Rice was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years' probation after pleading guilty to third-degree felony charges of collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury.

Rice finished with 53 catches for 571 yards and five touchdowns as Kansas City went 6-11 and missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712017870514.png" alt="Rice photo courtesy Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Rice photo courtesy Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs said in a statement Wednesday night that they were aware of domestic violence allegations made in a series of social media posts by a former girlfriend of wide receiver Rashee Rice and had been in communication with the NFL.The Chiefs did not mention Rice by name in their statement and said they would have “no further comment at this time.”Dacoda Nichole Jones also did not mention Rice by name when she posted a series of photos on Instagram earlier in the day that appeared to show signs of physical abuse. Jones did say the person involved was the father of her children, and the woman has two children with Rice, whom the Chiefs selected in the second round of the 2023 draft.No police reports were available in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kansas, where Jones alleges the abuse occurred.Rice missed the first six games this season following an NFL suspension for his role in causing a crash on a Dallas highway that left multiple people injured during the 2024 offseason. Rice was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years' probation after pleading guilty to third-degree felony charges of collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury.Rice finished with 53 catches for 571 yards and five touchdowns as Kansas City went 6-11 and missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

Chiefs aware of domestic violence allegations directed toward Rashee Rice

WASHINGTON (AP)— United States Senators doubt President Trump is seriously considering invading Greenland.

White House adviser Stephen Miller has boasted on CNN this week that “nobody is going to fight the U.S. militarily” for Greenland.

After a classified Capitol Hill briefing Wednesday with administration officials, some senators expressed doubts that the president is seriously considering invading the resource-rich country.

“To invade Greenland and attack its sovereignty, a federal NATO country, would be weapons-grade stupid,” said Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana.

“President Trump is not weapons-grade stupid, nor is Marco Rubio,” the secretary of state.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, said Trump is “fixated on Greenland” but “doesn’t want to go to war.”

Trump has ordered multiple military actions in his second presidency, most recently deposing Nicolas Maduro as Venezuela’s president. But Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, said it’s “apples and oranges” to use Trump’s Venezuela approach to Greenland. “As far as I know,” he said, “there is no drug cartel leader that’s under indictment in Greenland.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767822913070.png" alt="Greenland -google map" />
 <figcaption>Greenland -google map</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP)— United States Senators doubt President Trump is seriously considering invading Greenland.White House adviser Stephen Miller has boasted on CNN this week that “nobody is going to fight the U.S. militarily” for Greenland.After a classified Capitol Hill briefing Wednesday with administration officials, some senators expressed doubts that the president is seriously considering invading the resource-rich country.“To invade Greenland and attack its sovereignty, a federal NATO country, would be weapons-grade stupid,” said Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana.“President Trump is not weapons-grade stupid, nor is Marco Rubio,” the secretary of state.Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, said Trump is “fixated on Greenland” but “doesn’t want to go to war.”Trump has ordered multiple military actions in his second presidency, most recently deposing Nicolas Maduro as Venezuela’s president. But Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, said it’s “apples and oranges” to use Trump’s Venezuela approach to Greenland. “As far as I know,” he said, “there is no drug cartel leader that’s under indictment in Greenland.

Kan. U.S. Senator on the Venezuela approach to acquire Greenland

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man convicted of a violent attack in the fall of 2020, on a teen, later identified as his girlfriend, is going to prison,

Judgw William Wooley sentencd 24-year-old Dominic Thomas to 180 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

 In November of 2024, a jury convicted Thomas, who was 19 at the time of the crime, of attempted first-degree murder.

Just after 10 p.m. on Sept. 21, 2020 police responded to an assault report at a home in the 3900 block of North Litchfield in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson

Upon arrival, officers contacted a 17-year-old girl who was visibly shaken and wet. The investigation revealed 19-year-old Dominic Thomas and the victim were talking near a pond at 37th Street North and Sullivan when a disturbance occurred.

During the disturbance, Thomas battered the girl, drug her to a nearby pond and held her head under the water. Thomas then released her and fled. Officers later located Thomas, and he was arrested without further incident.&nbsp; He has been held in the Sedgwick County Jail since July of 2024, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765505981091.png" alt="Thomas photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Thomas photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man convicted of a violent attack in the fall of 2020, on a teen, later identified as his girlfriend, is going to prison,Judgw William Wooley sentencd 24-year-old Dominic Thomas to 180 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. In November of 2024, a jury convicted Thomas, who was 19 at the time of the crime, of attempted first-degree murder.Just after 10 p.m. on Sept. 21, 2020 police responded to an assault report at a home in the 3900 block of North Litchfield in Wichita, according to officer Charley DavidsonUpon arrival, officers contacted a 17-year-old girl who was visibly shaken and wet. The investigation revealed 19-year-old Dominic Thomas and the victim were talking near a pond at 37th Street North and Sullivan when a disturbance occurred.During the disturbance, Thomas battered the girl, drug her to a nearby pond and held her head under the water. Thomas then released her and fled. Officers later located Thomas, and he was arrested without further incident.&nbsp; He has been held in the Sedgwick County Jail since July of 2024, according to online jail records.

Prison for Kan. man who tried to drown pregnant girlfriend

WASHINGTON (AP) — Overpowering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Speaker Mike Johnson,</a>&nbsp;a bipartisan coalition in the House voted Wednesday to push forward a measure that would revive an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/%E2%80%9CNo%20matter%20the%20issue,%20if%20the%20House%20puts%20forward%20relatively%20strong,%20bipartisan%20support,%20it%20makes%20it%20easier%20for%20the%20senators%20to%20get%20there.%E2%80%9D" target="_blank">enhanced pandemic-era subsidy</a>&nbsp;that lowered health insurance costs for roughly 22 million people, but that had expired last month.

The tally of 221-205 was a key test before passage of the bill, which is expected Thursday. Kansas Democrat Congress woman Sharice Davids voted with the majority. Republican members of the Kansas delegation voted against the bill.

The successful test came about because four GOP centrist lawmakers joined with Democrats in signing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-aca-speaker-johnson-1087a9f64168d66b2acf9082af16c253">so-called discharge petition</a>&nbsp;to force the vote. After last year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/trump-signs-government-funding-bill-ending-shutdown-after-record-43-day-disruption-ap-explains-6f25ef5b692c418cbed5bbdb26b796d7">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;failed to resolve the issue, they said doing nothing was not an option as many of their constituents faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-aca-speaker-johnson-1087a9f64168d66b2acf9082af16c253">soaring health insurance premiums</a>&nbsp;beginning this month.

Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, one of the Republicans who crossed party lines to back the Democratic proposal, portrayed it as a vehicle senators could use to reach a compromise.

“No matter the issue, if the House puts forward relatively strong, bipartisan support, it makes it easier for the senators to get there,” Lawler said.

In the end, nine Republicans joined Democrats to advance the measure.

If ultimately successful in the House this week, the voting would show there is bipartisan support for a proposed three-year extension of the tax credits that are available for those who buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The action of forcing a vote has been an affront to Johnson and GOP leaders, who essentially lost control of their House majority as the renegade lawmakers joined Democrats for the workaround.

But the Senate is under no requirement to take up the bill.

Instead, a small group of members from both parties is working on an alternative plan that could find support in both chambers and become law. One proposal would be to shorten the extension of the subsidy to two years and make changes to the program.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said any plan passing muster in the Senate will need to have income limits to ensure that it’s focused on those who most need the help and that beneficiaries would have to at least pay a nominal amount for their coverage.

That way, he said, “insurance companies can’t game the system and auto-enroll people.” Finally, Thune said there would need to be some expansion of health savings accounts, which allow people to save money and withdraw it tax-free as long as the money is spent on qualified medical expenses.

It’s unclear whether the negotiations will yield a bill that the Senate will take up. Democrats are making clear that the higher health insurance costs many Americans are facing will be a political centerpiece of their efforts to retake the majority in the House and Senate in the fall elections.

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who led his party’s effort to push the health care issue forward, particularly challenged Republicans in competitive congressional districts to join if they really wanted to prevent steep premium increases for their constituents. Before Wednesday’s vote, he called on colleagues to “address the health care crisis in this country and make sure that tens of millions of people have the ability to go see a doctor when they need one.”

Republican Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, Robert Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie, all from Pennsylvania, and Lawler signed the Democrats’ petition, pushing it to the magic number of 218 needed to force a House vote. All four represent key swing districts whose races will help determine which party takes charge of the House next year.

Johnson, R-La., had discussed allowing more politically vulnerable GOP lawmakers a chance to vote on bills that would temporarily extend the subsidies while also adding changes such as income caps for beneficiaries. But after days of discussions, the leadership sided with the more conservative wing of the party’s conference, which has assailed the subsidies as propping up a failed program.

Lawmakers turn to discharge petitions to show support for an action and potentially force a vote on the House floor, but they are rarely successful. This session of Congress has proven an exception.

A vote requiring the Department of Justice to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-congress-trump-house-297a66ce48bd2a67c571bc643e32ef71">release the Jeffrey Epstein files</a>, for instance, occurred after Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced a petition on the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The signature effort was backed by all House Democrats and four Republicans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764040197249.png" alt="Photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Overpowering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Speaker Mike Johnson,</a>&nbsp;a bipartisan coalition in the House voted Wednesday to push forward a measure that would revive an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/%E2%80%9CNo%20matter%20the%20issue,%20if%20the%20House%20puts%20forward%20relatively%20strong,%20bipartisan%20support,%20it%20makes%20it%20easier%20for%20the%20senators%20to%20get%20there.%E2%80%9D" target="_blank">enhanced pandemic-era subsidy</a>&nbsp;that lowered health insurance costs for roughly 22 million people, but that had expired last month.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">🚨 BREAKING: The US House just voted to ADVANCE Democrats&#39; bill to give billions to Big, Rich Health Insurance through Obamacare, 221-205 NINE REPUBLICANS joined Democrats to make this happen, betraying President Trump. UNBELIEVABLE. Here are their names: Brian Fitzpatrick… <a href="https://t.co/jxrhYu3qJH">pic.twitter.com/jxrhYu3qJH</a>&mdash; Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2009034369915105352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The tally of 221-205 was a key test before passage of the bill, which is expected Thursday. Kansas Democrat Congress woman Sharice Davids voted with the majority. Republican members of the Kansas delegation voted against the bill.The successful test came about because four GOP centrist lawmakers joined with Democrats in signing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-aca-speaker-johnson-1087a9f64168d66b2acf9082af16c253">so-called discharge petition</a>&nbsp;to force the vote. After last year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/trump-signs-government-funding-bill-ending-shutdown-after-record-43-day-disruption-ap-explains-6f25ef5b692c418cbed5bbdb26b796d7">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;failed to resolve the issue, they said doing nothing was not an option as many of their constituents faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-aca-speaker-johnson-1087a9f64168d66b2acf9082af16c253">soaring health insurance premiums</a>&nbsp;beginning this month.Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, one of the Republicans who crossed party lines to back the Democratic proposal, portrayed it as a vehicle senators could use to reach a compromise.“No matter the issue, if the House puts forward relatively strong, bipartisan support, it makes it easier for the senators to get there,” Lawler said.In the end, nine Republicans joined Democrats to advance the measure.<h2>Republicans go around their leaders</h2>If ultimately successful in the House this week, the voting would show there is bipartisan support for a proposed three-year extension of the tax credits that are available for those who buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The action of forcing a vote has been an affront to Johnson and GOP leaders, who essentially lost control of their House majority as the renegade lawmakers joined Democrats for the workaround.But the Senate is under no requirement to take up the bill.Instead, a small group of members from both parties is working on an alternative plan that could find support in both chambers and become law. One proposal would be to shorten the extension of the subsidy to two years and make changes to the program.Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said any plan passing muster in the Senate will need to have income limits to ensure that it’s focused on those who most need the help and that beneficiaries would have to at least pay a nominal amount for their coverage.That way, he said, “insurance companies can’t game the system and auto-enroll people.” Finally, Thune said there would need to be some expansion of health savings accounts, which allow people to save money and withdraw it tax-free as long as the money is spent on qualified medical expenses.<h2>Democrats are pressing the issue</h2>It’s unclear whether the negotiations will yield a bill that the Senate will take up. Democrats are making clear that the higher health insurance costs many Americans are facing will be a political centerpiece of their efforts to retake the majority in the House and Senate in the fall elections.Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who led his party’s effort to push the health care issue forward, particularly challenged Republicans in competitive congressional districts to join if they really wanted to prevent steep premium increases for their constituents. Before Wednesday’s vote, he called on colleagues to “address the health care crisis in this country and make sure that tens of millions of people have the ability to go see a doctor when they need one.”Republican Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, Robert Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie, all from Pennsylvania, and Lawler signed the Democrats’ petition, pushing it to the magic number of 218 needed to force a House vote. All four represent key swing districts whose races will help determine which party takes charge of the House next year.Johnson, R-La., had discussed allowing more politically vulnerable GOP lawmakers a chance to vote on bills that would temporarily extend the subsidies while also adding changes such as income caps for beneficiaries. But after days of discussions, the leadership sided with the more conservative wing of the party’s conference, which has assailed the subsidies as propping up a failed program.Lawmakers turn to discharge petitions to show support for an action and potentially force a vote on the House floor, but they are rarely successful. This session of Congress has proven an exception.A vote requiring the Department of Justice to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-congress-trump-house-297a66ce48bd2a67c571bc643e32ef71">release the Jeffrey Epstein files</a>, for instance, occurred after Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced a petition on the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The signature effort was backed by all House Democrats and four Republicans.

Kan. lawmaker helps House advance effort to reinstate healthcare subsidies

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas man for an alleged&nbsp;violent threats toward an elementary school staff member and police dispatcher in Salina.

Just after 12:30p.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp; were dispatched to Sunset Elementary School, 1510 West Republic Avenue in Salina, after a man identified as 39-year-old Chad Everett allegedly threatened a school staff member, according to Salina&nbsp;Police Captain Jim Feldman.

Everett called the school and made contact with a 29-year old male staff member and made a complaint about a parent.

Throughout the call, Everett suddenly became irate with the staff member and voiced threats of physical violence towards him. According to Feldman, there is no evidence of the staff member saying anything that would have angered Everett.

Afterwards, officers were contacted by the school and began to locate Everett as they arrived to his house. However, officers were unable to find him.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767818380249.png" alt="Everett-photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Everett-photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas man for an alleged&nbsp;violent threats toward an elementary school staff member and police dispatcher in Salina.Just after 12:30p.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp; were dispatched to Sunset Elementary School, 1510 West Republic Avenue in Salina, after a man identified as 39-year-old Chad Everett allegedly threatened a school staff member, according to Salina&nbsp;Police Captain Jim Feldman.Everett called the school and made contact with a 29-year old male staff member and made a complaint about a parent.Throughout the call, Everett suddenly became irate with the staff member and voiced threats of physical violence towards him. According to Feldman, there is no evidence of the staff member saying anything that would have angered Everett.Afterwards, officers were contacted by the school and began to locate Everett as they arrived to his house. However, officers were unable to find him.Everett then called Salina Police and spoke with a dispatcher. As the dispatcher was trying to get Everett connected with an officer, Everett became angry and threatened to attack the dispatcher.Everett also voiced racial slurs at the dispatcher during the call, according to Feldman.At approximately 9:00 pm, officers responded to a home in west Salina where Everett was located and taken into custody.As they were placing him in a police vehicle, Everett reportedly kicked the door and struck an officer. He was then booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of Criminal Threat, Harassment by Telecommunication Device and Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer.Police also determined that Everett was under the influence of alcohol, according to Feldman.