BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA —&nbsp;A Republican state senator demanded answers Tuesday on deaths in Kansas’ foster system, asking if children are still slipping through the cracks after a 5-year-old girl was sexually assaulted and died last year after living in a homeless camp.

Sen. Molly Baumgardner, a member of the Senate committee that oversees public health and welfare, said she knew of two more foster care kids who had died this month, though she did not provide other details.

Baumgardner, R-Louisburg, asked Kansas Department for Children and Families secretary Laura Howard to give an estimate of how many foster children have died over the past year, as well as more details about the death of the 5-year-old, a case that sparked widespread outrage over system failures.&nbsp;

“When will we find out more information about the little five-year-old here in Topeka that was murdered, living in a tent home and that trail of contacted, not contacted, touched, not touched as far as with law enforcement or with DCF?” Baumgardner asked.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A department spokeswoman did not immediately respond to Reflector inquiry on the number of foster care deaths.&nbsp;

In October, the five-year-old was found at a gas station in southeast Topeka, sexually assaulted and with life-threatening injuries. She was taken to a local hospital for treatment but died shortly after. Her former neighbors said she had been living in a homeless camp at the time of her death, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/local/2023/10/05/zoey-felix-former-topeka-home-city-evergy-utilities-shut-off/71061637007/">Topeka Capital-Journal reported</a>.&nbsp;

The state’s child welfare agency received multiple reports asking the state to look into her case before her death. The Kansas Reflector obtained a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/10/18/kansas-dcf-received-nine-reports-including-allegations-of-drug-use-before-death-of-5-year-old/">summary of the reports</a>, showing five home visits and a phone call from department officials. The reports, which ranged from September 2022&nbsp; to little more than a month before her death, warned that the child wasn’t supervised, was living in a home without utilities and was around drugs, among other allegations.&nbsp;

Howard said she could not release many of the details publicly due to state statute, but said the agency has implemented policy changes such as requiring tighter time frames for workers to contact law enforcement if they aren’t able to reach families, along with supporting legislation that would allow more public release of data in cases such as these.&nbsp;

Beyond keeping children physically safe, other questions for the department focused on how to help them after they become young adults.&nbsp;Sen. Chase Blasi, R-Wichita, said he wanted to ensure youths leaving the system had adequate resources.&nbsp;

“What steps are we doing or can we do to ensure kids who are aging out of foster care don’t just go to the streets?” Blasi said. “Ultimately that is a very horrific thing to do in a first world country. I mean, I hope that something that’s not something we can do to help address that.”&nbsp;

Howard said there were housing partnerships and subsidies to help youths exiting the system, but her agency was working on the best ways to engage this population.&nbsp;

“How do we best support them in understanding that these resources that are available to them aren’t about trying to control them or keep them in a system or anything like that” Howard said.&nbsp; “This is about giving them the opportunity to be successful as they leave the system. And, again, we do have fairly robust supports, I think the issue is engagement.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706794589091.png" alt="Laura Howard, secretary of the Kansas Department for Children and Families, faced questions from state senators about the death last year of a 5-year-old girl. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Laura Howard, secretary of the Kansas Department for Children and Families, faced questions from state senators about the death last year of a 5-year-old girl. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA —&nbsp;A Republican state senator demanded answers Tuesday on deaths in Kansas’ foster system, asking if children are still slipping through the cracks after a 5-year-old girl was sexually assaulted and died last year after living in a homeless camp.Sen. Molly Baumgardner, a member of the Senate committee that oversees public health and welfare, said she knew of two more foster care kids who had died this month, though she did not provide other details.Baumgardner, R-Louisburg, asked Kansas Department for Children and Families secretary Laura Howard to give an estimate of how many foster children have died over the past year, as well as more details about the death of the 5-year-old, a case that sparked widespread outrage over system failures.&nbsp;“When will we find out more information about the little five-year-old here in Topeka that was murdered, living in a tent home and that trail of contacted, not contacted, touched, not touched as far as with law enforcement or with DCF?” Baumgardner asked.&nbsp;&nbsp;A department spokeswoman did not immediately respond to Reflector inquiry on the number of foster care deaths.&nbsp;In October, the five-year-old was found at a gas station in southeast Topeka, sexually assaulted and with life-threatening injuries. She was taken to a local hospital for treatment but died shortly after. Her former neighbors said she had been living in a homeless camp at the time of her death, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/local/2023/10/05/zoey-felix-former-topeka-home-city-evergy-utilities-shut-off/71061637007/">Topeka Capital-Journal reported</a>.&nbsp;The state’s child welfare agency received multiple reports asking the state to look into her case before her death. The Kansas Reflector obtained a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/10/18/kansas-dcf-received-nine-reports-including-allegations-of-drug-use-before-death-of-5-year-old/">summary of the reports</a>, showing five home visits and a phone call from department officials. The reports, which ranged from September 2022&nbsp; to little more than a month before her death, warned that the child wasn’t supervised, was living in a home without utilities and was around drugs, among other allegations.&nbsp;Howard said she could not release many of the details publicly due to state statute, but said the agency has implemented policy changes such as requiring tighter time frames for workers to contact law enforcement if they aren’t able to reach families, along with supporting legislation that would allow more public release of data in cases such as these.&nbsp;Beyond keeping children physically safe, other questions for the department focused on how to help them after they become young adults.&nbsp;Sen. Chase Blasi, R-Wichita, said he wanted to ensure youths leaving the system had adequate resources.&nbsp;“What steps are we doing or can we do to ensure kids who are aging out of foster care don’t just go to the streets?” Blasi said. “Ultimately that is a very horrific thing to do in a first world country. I mean, I hope that something that’s not something we can do to help address that.”&nbsp;Howard said there were housing partnerships and subsidies to help youths exiting the system, but her agency was working on the best ways to engage this population.&nbsp;“How do we best support them in understanding that these resources that are available to them aren’t about trying to control them or keep them in a system or anything like that” Howard said.&nbsp; “This is about giving them the opportunity to be successful as they leave the system. And, again, we do have fairly robust supports, I think the issue is engagement.”

Kansas DCF questioned on transparency, resources for youths aging out of system

CASS COUNTY — A driver involved in chase and crash with a child in the SUV near Kansas City has been formally charged.

According to the Cass County Sheriff, 45-year-old Jacob Rullman of St. Joseph has been charged with Resisting Arrest, a Class E Felony. Rullman also faces a first-degree charge for Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class D Felony. 

Just after 4:30p.m. Monday, deputies with the Cass County Sheriff's Office attempted to stop a vehicle traveling southbound on 7 Highway near Creighton, according to a media release.

  The vehicle failed to stop and a pursuit ensued.  The driver, later identified as Rullman, continued throughout the county until a tire deflation device was used near the area of 2 Highway and Kauffman. 

Rullman lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a nearby field.  As deputies were taking him into custody, they overheard the sounds of a small child from the backseat. 

 Deputies were able to quickly extract the child from the vehicle. Deputies transported Rullman to an undisclosed hospital for evaluation.  The child, who stated she was unharmed, was checked by EMS on scene and safely returned to her mother upon her arrival. 

He is being held at the Cass County Jail on a $200,000 cash only bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706755266322.png" alt="Rullman-photo Class Co." />
 <figcaption>Rullman-photo Class Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>CASS COUNTY — A driver involved in chase and crash with a child in the SUV near Kansas City has been formally charged.According to the Cass County Sheriff, 45-year-old Jacob Rullman of St. Joseph has been charged with Resisting Arrest, a Class E Felony. Rullman also faces a first-degree charge for Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class D Felony. Just after 4:30p.m. Monday, deputies with the Cass County Sheriff's Office attempted to stop a vehicle traveling southbound on 7 Highway near Creighton, according to a media release.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706620440631.png" alt="Photo Cass Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Cass Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure> The vehicle failed to stop and a pursuit ensued. The driver, later identified as Rullman, continued throughout the county until a tire deflation device was used near the area of 2 Highway and Kauffman. Rullman lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a nearby field. As deputies were taking him into custody, they overheard the sounds of a small child from the backseat. Deputies were able to quickly extract the child from the vehicle. Deputies transported Rullman to an undisclosed hospital for evaluation. The child, who stated she was unharmed, was checked by EMS on scene and safely returned to her mother upon her arrival. He is being held at the Cass County Jail on a $200,000 cash only bond.

Charges filed in KC-area pursuit crash with child in SUV

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House accomplished something unusual Wednesday in passing with broad, bipartisan support a roughly $79 billion tax cut package that would enhance the child tax credit for millions of lower-income families and boost three tax breaks for businesses, a combination that gives lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taxes-poll-high-mistrust-local-government-bad406b062041ea2d0626058cab5491b">coveted policy wins</a>.

Prospects for the measure becoming law are uncertain with the Senate still having to take it up, but for a House that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-santos-ukraine-border-mccarthy-speaker-johnson-dda73a13a198293803e386976cf3414d">has struggled</a>&nbsp;to get bills of consequence over the finish line, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tax-reform">tax legislation</a>&nbsp;could represent a rare breakthrough. The bill passed by a vote of 357-70.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., threw his support behind the bill on Wednesday morning. He spent part of the previous day meeting with GOP lawmakers who were concerned about particular features of the bill, namely the expanded child tax credit. Some were also unhappy that it failed to address the $10,000 cap on the total amount of property taxes or state or local taxes that consumers can deduct on their federal returns. Raising the cap is a top priority of lawmakers from the Republican members of the New York congressional delegation, whose victories in 2022 helped the GOP take the majority.

Johnson committed to moving a bill that addresses the cap, but there is no bill text yet and legislation would have to move through the House Rules Committee, which leaves the timing very much in flux. Athina Lawson, a spokeswoman for Johnson, said the speaker and the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., agreed to work with lawmakers to “find a path forward."

Johnson called the tax cut bill on the House floor important, bipartisan legislation that would revive “conservative pro-growth tax reform.” He also said it would bring an early end to a "wasteful COVID-era program" that has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-covid-business-tax-credit-fraud-congress-226ea420bdb2c3a06e135d47ca140a8d">plagued with fraud</a>. Moving up the deadline for claiming the employee retention tax credit is expected to largely offset the cost of the tax cuts in the legislation.

Johnson also emphasized the importance of the bill moving through the House Ways and Means Committee before coming to the full House for a vote, saying it was a good example of how Congress is supposed to work.

House Republicans were anxious to restore full, immediate deductions that businesses can take for the purchase of new equipment and machinery, and for domestic research and development expenses. They argue such investments grow the economy and incentivize American companies to keep their manufacturing facilities and operations in the United States. The bill also provides businesses more flexibility in determining how much borrowing can be deducted.

“Each of these policies will help American businesses grow, create jobs and sharpen their competitive advantage against China,” Smith said as debate began on the House floor.

Democrats focused on boosting the child tax credit. The tax credit is $2,000 per child, but not all of that is refundable. The bill would incrementally raise the amount of the credit available as a refund, increasing it to $1,800 for 2023 tax returns, $1,900 for the following year and $2,000 for 2025 tax returns. The bill also adjusts the topline credit amount to temporarily grow at the rate of inflation.

Households benefitting as a result of the changes in the child tax credit would see an average tax cut of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxvox/bipartisan-ctc-framework-would-help-lowest-income-quintiles">$680 in the first year</a>, according to estimates from the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.

Democrats pushed to restore the more&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-child-tax-credits-work-fa15590a2c60fc665ddc59ced78dacfe">generous tax credit</a>&nbsp;they passed in 2021 in President Joe Biden's first year in office with payments occurring on a monthly basis. The credit was $3,600 annually for children under age 6 and $3,000 for children ages 6 to 17. But most lawmakers were willing to take what gains they could get through the compromise bill.

“You know I’ve been told that a half a loaf is better than none,” said Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill. “This isn’t even half a loaf, but I’m going to vote for it because our families and businesses need help.”

“What’s in front of us tonight is pretty simple,” said Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass. “Sixteen million children will benefit from the improvement to the child tax credit. That’s a fact.”

But for some Democrats, it wasn’t enough.

“This bill provides billions of dollars in tax relief for the wealthy, pennies for the poor,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn. “Big corporations are richer than ever. There is no even split.”

And for some Republicans, it was too much. The chief critics of the expanded child tax credit likened it to “welfare.”

“What is a refundable tax credit? It’s welfare by a different name. We’re going to give cash payments, checks, to people who don’t even pay taxes,” said Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.

Rep. Drew Ferguson, R-Ga., chafed at that characterization, saying “we all believe on this side of the aisle that you should work in order to receive federal benefits. That is something that this bill does.”

While there were complaints about the tax bill from some of the most conservative and liberal members of the House, a significant majority from each party voted for it. Proponents are hoping the strong show of support will stir action in the Senate.

The bill keeps a threshold of a household having $2,500 in income to be eligible for refundable child tax credit payments.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House accomplished something unusual Wednesday in passing with broad, bipartisan support a roughly $79 billion tax cut package that would enhance the child tax credit for millions of lower-income families and boost three tax breaks for businesses, a combination that gives lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taxes-poll-high-mistrust-local-government-bad406b062041ea2d0626058cab5491b">coveted policy wins</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I just voted to pass major bipartisan tax cuts for KS families &amp; small businesses: 👩‍👧‍👦Expansion of the Child Tax Credit 👨‍🏭Support for local small businesses 🏘️Measures to enhance affordable housing These are provisions I&#39;ve long fought for. It&#39;s a big win for middle-class folks!&mdash; Sharice Davids (@sharicedavids) <a href="https://twitter.com/sharicedavids/status/1752870690749911214?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Prospects for the measure becoming law are uncertain with the Senate still having to take it up, but for a House that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-santos-ukraine-border-mccarthy-speaker-johnson-dda73a13a198293803e386976cf3414d">has struggled</a>&nbsp;to get bills of consequence over the finish line, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tax-reform">tax legislation</a>&nbsp;could represent a rare breakthrough. The bill passed by a vote of 357-70.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Tonight the House passed the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act by an overwhelming margin. Before the vote, I spoke on the House floor about the bill&#39;s critical R&amp;D provision needed by Kansas job creators and innovators. <a href="https://t.co/vrccKOrqwi">pic.twitter.com/vrccKOrqwi</a>&mdash; Rep. Ron Estes (@RepRonEstes) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepRonEstes/status/1752868113626882063?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., threw his support behind the bill on Wednesday morning. He spent part of the previous day meeting with GOP lawmakers who were concerned about particular features of the bill, namely the expanded child tax credit. Some were also unhappy that it failed to address the $10,000 cap on the total amount of property taxes or state or local taxes that consumers can deduct on their federal returns. Raising the cap is a top priority of lawmakers from the Republican members of the New York congressional delegation, whose victories in 2022 helped the GOP take the majority.Johnson committed to moving a bill that addresses the cap, but there is no bill text yet and legislation would have to move through the House Rules Committee, which leaves the timing very much in flux. Athina Lawson, a spokeswoman for Johnson, said the speaker and the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., agreed to work with lawmakers to “find a path forward."Johnson called the tax cut bill on the House floor important, bipartisan legislation that would revive “conservative pro-growth tax reform.” He also said it would bring an early end to a "wasteful COVID-era program" that has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-covid-business-tax-credit-fraud-congress-226ea420bdb2c3a06e135d47ca140a8d">plagued with fraud</a>. Moving up the deadline for claiming the employee retention tax credit is expected to largely offset the cost of the tax cuts in the legislation.Johnson also emphasized the importance of the bill moving through the House Ways and Means Committee before coming to the full House for a vote, saying it was a good example of how Congress is supposed to work.House Republicans were anxious to restore full, immediate deductions that businesses can take for the purchase of new equipment and machinery, and for domestic research and development expenses. They argue such investments grow the economy and incentivize American companies to keep their manufacturing facilities and operations in the United States. The bill also provides businesses more flexibility in determining how much borrowing can be deducted.“Each of these policies will help American businesses grow, create jobs and sharpen their competitive advantage against China,” Smith said as debate began on the House floor.Democrats focused on boosting the child tax credit. The tax credit is $2,000 per child, but not all of that is refundable. The bill would incrementally raise the amount of the credit available as a refund, increasing it to $1,800 for 2023 tax returns, $1,900 for the following year and $2,000 for 2025 tax returns. The bill also adjusts the topline credit amount to temporarily grow at the rate of inflation.Households benefitting as a result of the changes in the child tax credit would see an average tax cut of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxvox/bipartisan-ctc-framework-would-help-lowest-income-quintiles">$680 in the first year</a>, according to estimates from the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.Democrats pushed to restore the more&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-child-tax-credits-work-fa15590a2c60fc665ddc59ced78dacfe">generous tax credit</a>&nbsp;they passed in 2021 in President Joe Biden's first year in office with payments occurring on a monthly basis. The credit was $3,600 annually for children under age 6 and $3,000 for children ages 6 to 17. But most lawmakers were willing to take what gains they could get through the compromise bill.“You know I’ve been told that a half a loaf is better than none,” said Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill. “This isn’t even half a loaf, but I’m going to vote for it because our families and businesses need help.”“What’s in front of us tonight is pretty simple,” said Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass. “Sixteen million children will benefit from the improvement to the child tax credit. That’s a fact.”But for some Democrats, it wasn’t enough.“This bill provides billions of dollars in tax relief for the wealthy, pennies for the poor,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn. “Big corporations are richer than ever. There is no even split.”And for some Republicans, it was too much. The chief critics of the expanded child tax credit likened it to “welfare.”“What is a refundable tax credit? It’s welfare by a different name. We’re going to give cash payments, checks, to people who don’t even pay taxes,” said Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.Rep. Drew Ferguson, R-Ga., chafed at that characterization, saying “we all believe on this side of the aisle that you should work in order to receive federal benefits. That is something that this bill does.”While there were complaints about the tax bill from some of the most conservative and liberal members of the House, a significant majority from each party voted for it. Proponents are hoping the strong show of support will stir action in the Senate.The bill keeps a threshold of a household having $2,500 in income to be eligible for refundable child tax credit payments.

What's in the $79 billion tax cut bill that passed the US House

JERUSALEM —Attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels continue and U.S. forces continue to attempt to prevent them.

At 1:30 a.m., (Sanaa time) Thursday, U.S. Central Command forces conducted strikes against an Iranian-backed Houthi UAV ground control station and 10 Houthi one-way UAVs, according to a statement from the CENTCOM.

U.S. forces identified the UAV ground control station and one-way attack UAVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the U.S. Navy ships in the region.

U.S. Forces subsequently struck and destroyed the UAV ground control station and 10 one-way attack UAVs in self-defense. This action will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy vessels and merchant vessels.

At 8:30p.m. Wednesday, Iranian backed Houthi rebels fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-0controlled territory in Yemen toward the Gulf of Aden, according to the U.S. Central Command. The U.S. Carney successfully shot down the missile.&nbsp;

At 9:10p.m. Wednesday, the Carney shot down three Iranian UAVs in the vicinity. There were no injuries reported.

Earlier in the day Wednesday,&nbsp;USCENTCOM forces struck and destroyed a Houthi surface-to-air missile prepared to launch. U.S. forces identified the missile in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that it presented an imminent threat to U.S. aircraft.

Meanwhile, the United States on Wednesday attributed the drone attack that killed three U.S. service members in Jordan to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias, as President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-retaliation-iran-militia-drone-attack-1dda7fdb416f843b3a5cc84ea7b5f01c">weighs his options</a>&nbsp;to respond to the strike.

Iran threatened to “decisively respond” to any U.S. attack on the Islamic Republic after the U.S. said it held&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-jordan-dignified-transfer-dover-140000aa392fee8175616d8af813c0eb">Tehran responsible</a>. The U.S. has signaled it is preparing for retaliatory strikes in the Mideast in the wake of the Sunday drone attack that also wounded more than 40 troops at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-jordan-drone-attack-iran-tower-22-israel-hamas-war-0265beed527e3009a966c0531c08838e">Tower 22</a>, a secretive base in northeastern Jordan that’s been crucial to the American presence in neighboring Syria.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday the U.S. believes the attack was planned, resourced and facilitated by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group that includes the militant group Kataib Hezbollah. He said Biden “believes that it is important to respond in an appropriate way.”

He said Biden was continuing to weigh his options, but Kirby said “the first thing you see won’t be the last thing," adding it “won't be a one-off.”

Kirby dismissed a statement by Iraqi militia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iraq-airstrike-military-iran-d93d861feeef90cfeac3ba85f1f2f36d">Kataib Hezbollah</a>&nbsp;announcing “the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces in order to prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government.” He said the group can't be taken at face value, and he added, “they’re not the only group that has been attacking us.”

As of Wednesday, Kataib Hezbollah and other Iran-aligned militias had launched 166 attacks on U.S. military installations since Oct. 18, including 67 in Iraq, 98 in Syria and the one in Jordan, according to the U.S. military.

The U.S. has struck back at the militias a few times over the past three months. On Oct. 27,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-airstrikes-iran-revolutionary-guard-af3c7a0f069b8c8b08f6feaa0e165d6a">U.S. fighter jets struck</a>&nbsp;two weapons and ammunition storage sites in eastern Syria near Boukamal that were used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iranian-backed groups.

Also in Syria,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-iran-airstrikes-attack-bases-5be245a2927334ad0d78b8ec35fa55b7">fighter jets dropped bombs</a>&nbsp;on an IRGC weapons storage facility near Maysulun in Deir el-Zour on Nov. 8. And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-syria-airstrikes-iran-irgc-a84ed69e5b0ef6c9fa18656b72a9fda1">U.S. airstrikes targeted a training facility</a>&nbsp;and a safe house in the Bulbul district of Mayadin on Nov. 12.

On Dec. 26,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-kataib-hezbollah-drone-strike-us-military-injured-b4b4480e2cae6e7ad26e88eb625ab397">the U.S. launched strikes on three locations</a>&nbsp;in Iraq used by Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups, and on Jan. 23, the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-us-strikes-target-iran-militia-41a0435545bb620d806c1fbbe9bf1519">struck three sites in Iraq,</a>&nbsp;again targeting Kataib Hezbollah.

Any&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-retaliation-iran-militia-drone-attack-1dda7fdb416f843b3a5cc84ea7b5f01c">additional American strikes</a>&nbsp;could further inflame a region already roiled by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas</a>&nbsp;in the Gaza Strip. The war began with Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">attacking Israel on Oct. 7</a>, killing some 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostage. Since then, Israeli strikes have killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-15-2024-2092ae0d8a4f57aa969e661c4da5ed8a">more than 26,000 Palestinians</a>&nbsp;and displaced nearly 2 million others from their homes, arousing anger throughout the Muslim world.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697765298614.png" alt="U.S. Carney -photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Carney -photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM —Attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels continue and U.S. forces continue to attempt to prevent them.At 1:30 a.m., (Sanaa time) Thursday, U.S. Central Command forces conducted strikes against an Iranian-backed Houthi UAV ground control station and 10 Houthi one-way UAVs, according to a statement from the CENTCOM.U.S. forces identified the UAV ground control station and one-way attack UAVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the U.S. Navy ships in the region.U.S. Forces subsequently struck and destroyed the UAV ground control station and 10 one-way attack UAVs in self-defense. This action will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy vessels and merchant vessels.At 8:30p.m. Wednesday, Iranian backed Houthi rebels fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-0controlled territory in Yemen toward the Gulf of Aden, according to the U.S. Central Command. The U.S. Carney successfully shot down the missile.&nbsp;At 9:10p.m. Wednesday, the Carney shot down three Iranian UAVs in the vicinity. There were no injuries reported.Earlier in the day Wednesday,&nbsp;USCENTCOM forces struck and destroyed a Houthi surface-to-air missile prepared to launch. U.S. forces identified the missile in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that it presented an imminent threat to U.S. aircraft.Meanwhile, the United States on Wednesday attributed the drone attack that killed three U.S. service members in Jordan to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias, as President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-retaliation-iran-militia-drone-attack-1dda7fdb416f843b3a5cc84ea7b5f01c">weighs his options</a>&nbsp;to respond to the strike.Iran threatened to “decisively respond” to any U.S. attack on the Islamic Republic after the U.S. said it held&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-jordan-dignified-transfer-dover-140000aa392fee8175616d8af813c0eb">Tehran responsible</a>. The U.S. has signaled it is preparing for retaliatory strikes in the Mideast in the wake of the Sunday drone attack that also wounded more than 40 troops at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-jordan-drone-attack-iran-tower-22-israel-hamas-war-0265beed527e3009a966c0531c08838e">Tower 22</a>, a secretive base in northeastern Jordan that’s been crucial to the American presence in neighboring Syria.National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday the U.S. believes the attack was planned, resourced and facilitated by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group that includes the militant group Kataib Hezbollah. He said Biden “believes that it is important to respond in an appropriate way.”He said Biden was continuing to weigh his options, but Kirby said “the first thing you see won’t be the last thing," adding it “won't be a one-off.”Kirby dismissed a statement by Iraqi militia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iraq-airstrike-military-iran-d93d861feeef90cfeac3ba85f1f2f36d">Kataib Hezbollah</a>&nbsp;announcing “the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces in order to prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government.” He said the group can't be taken at face value, and he added, “they’re not the only group that has been attacking us.”As of Wednesday, Kataib Hezbollah and other Iran-aligned militias had launched 166 attacks on U.S. military installations since Oct. 18, including 67 in Iraq, 98 in Syria and the one in Jordan, according to the U.S. military.The U.S. has struck back at the militias a few times over the past three months. On Oct. 27,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-airstrikes-iran-revolutionary-guard-af3c7a0f069b8c8b08f6feaa0e165d6a">U.S. fighter jets struck</a>&nbsp;two weapons and ammunition storage sites in eastern Syria near Boukamal that were used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iranian-backed groups.Also in Syria,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-iran-airstrikes-attack-bases-5be245a2927334ad0d78b8ec35fa55b7">fighter jets dropped bombs</a>&nbsp;on an IRGC weapons storage facility near Maysulun in Deir el-Zour on Nov. 8. And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-syria-airstrikes-iran-irgc-a84ed69e5b0ef6c9fa18656b72a9fda1">U.S. airstrikes targeted a training facility</a>&nbsp;and a safe house in the Bulbul district of Mayadin on Nov. 12.On Dec. 26,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-kataib-hezbollah-drone-strike-us-military-injured-b4b4480e2cae6e7ad26e88eb625ab397">the U.S. launched strikes on three locations</a>&nbsp;in Iraq used by Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups, and on Jan. 23, the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-us-strikes-target-iran-militia-41a0435545bb620d806c1fbbe9bf1519">struck three sites in Iraq,</a>&nbsp;again targeting Kataib Hezbollah.Any&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-retaliation-iran-militia-drone-attack-1dda7fdb416f843b3a5cc84ea7b5f01c">additional American strikes</a>&nbsp;could further inflame a region already roiled by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas</a>&nbsp;in the Gaza Strip. The war began with Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">attacking Israel on Oct. 7</a>, killing some 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostage. Since then, Israeli strikes have killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-15-2024-2092ae0d8a4f57aa969e661c4da5ed8a">more than 26,000 Palestinians</a>&nbsp;and displaced nearly 2 million others from their homes, arousing anger throughout the Muslim world.

U.S. strikes rebel UAVs and ground control station

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City woman whose son was found deceased in November outside a Downtown high-rise has been charged in connection with the child's death, according to&nbsp; Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Corrinne O'Connor, 28,&nbsp; faces Endangering The Welfare of a Child in the 1st Degree.

According to court records, on Nov. 27, 2023, Kansas City police officers were dispatched to an alley behind a Downtown building and found a deceased 5-year-old boy.

The child had obviously fallen from a floor far above. Investigators observed an open window on the 17th floor. Officers found O'Connor inside the apartment, in front of the window.

An officer asked where her son was and she responded, to the effect, 'went out the window." The property manager told police that every window had "stops" to prevent the window from being opened beyond a few inches. Officers observed that it appeared that the "stops" had been removed on both sides of the window.

Jackson County Prosecutor Baker issued the following statement

I went to this scene to engage at the earliest possible moments of the investigation. The police investigative team have worked diligently on this investigation, ensuring our ability to file charges against the defendant for the harm to this child. While normally charges are announced quickly, all cases are not the same and investigations take multiple steps. In this case, my office filed charges on Dec. 14, 2023. The court issued an order sealing the case until the defendant could be taken into custody. That seal prevented us from even confirming that the case was reviewed and charged by prosecutors though we have continued to engage our resources on this crime.

Anytime a child is injured, the criminal justice system is expected to address harm. It is our hope that the judicial process will find appropriate outcomes for the harm caused.

This case was unsealed Tuesday after the defendant was taken into custody late last week. Prosecutors requested a $100,000 cash bond.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the death of a boy found in an alley in downtown Kansas City have identified him as 5-year-old&nbsp; Grayson&nbsp;O’Connor.

Surveillance footage confirms he fell from an apartment building on Monday. However, the circumstances surrounding how he fell is still under investigation, according to KCPD Captain Corey Carlisle.

Just after 11a.m. Monday officers were dispatched to 10th and Grand Avenue, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle.

First responders located the boy who was suffering from bodily trauma. EMS pronounced him dead at the scene.&nbsp;

Detectives are still working to decide if this was a homicide or child neglect/endangerment case.&nbsp; As of now it is being investigated as a suspicious death, according to Carlisle.

The boy's mother was transported to the hospital the day of the incident and is the subject of interest in the investigation.

Detectives are in contact with the prosecutor’s office and both are working diligently to present the best case for consideration of charges by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s office.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The child and his mother live at the apartment building, due to the ongoing investigation, police did not release the apartment number or floor.

It is believed the boy fell from the apartment window, the means of how that happened is still under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706649689677.png" alt="O'Connor-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>O'Connor-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City woman whose son was found deceased in November outside a Downtown high-rise has been charged in connection with the child's death, according to&nbsp; Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Corrinne O'Connor, 28,&nbsp; faces Endangering The Welfare of a Child in the 1st Degree.According to court records, on Nov. 27, 2023, Kansas City police officers were dispatched to an alley behind a Downtown building and found a deceased 5-year-old boy.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701352951835.png" alt="Grayson O'Connor -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Grayson O'Connor -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>The child had obviously fallen from a floor far above. Investigators observed an open window on the 17th floor. Officers found O'Connor inside the apartment, in front of the window.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701360695856.png" alt="First responders at the scene of the investigation in late November -photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the scene of the investigation in late November -photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>An officer asked where her son was and she responded, to the effect, 'went out the window." The property manager told police that every window had "stops" to prevent the window from being opened beyond a few inches. Officers observed that it appeared that the "stops" had been removed on both sides of the window.Jackson County Prosecutor Baker issued the following statementI went to this scene to engage at the earliest possible moments of the investigation. The police investigative team have worked diligently on this investigation, ensuring our ability to file charges against the defendant for the harm to this child. While normally charges are announced quickly, all cases are not the same and investigations take multiple steps. In this case, my office filed charges on Dec. 14, 2023. The court issued an order sealing the case until the defendant could be taken into custody. That seal prevented us from even confirming that the case was reviewed and charged by prosecutors though we have continued to engage our resources on this crime.Anytime a child is injured, the criminal justice system is expected to address harm. It is our hope that the judicial process will find appropriate outcomes for the harm caused.This case was unsealed Tuesday after the defendant was taken into custody late last week. Prosecutors requested a $100,000 cash bond.-------------------KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the death of a boy found in an alley in downtown Kansas City have identified him as 5-year-old&nbsp; Grayson&nbsp;O’Connor.Surveillance footage confirms he fell from an apartment building on Monday. However, the circumstances surrounding how he fell is still under investigation, according to KCPD Captain Corey Carlisle.Just after 11a.m. Monday officers were dispatched to 10th and Grand Avenue, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle.First responders located the boy who was suffering from bodily trauma. EMS pronounced him dead at the scene.&nbsp;Detectives are still working to decide if this was a homicide or child neglect/endangerment case.&nbsp; As of now it is being investigated as a suspicious death, according to Carlisle.The boy's mother was transported to the hospital the day of the incident and is the subject of interest in the investigation.Detectives are in contact with the prosecutor’s office and both are working diligently to present the best case for consideration of charges by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s office.&nbsp; &nbsp;The child and his mother live at the apartment building, due to the ongoing investigation, police did not release the apartment number or floor.It is believed the boy fell from the apartment window, the means of how that happened is still under investigation.

Mother charged after boy died in fall from KC apartment window

BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just before 3a.m. Jan. 28, sheriff's deputies investigated a suspicious vehicle at the Kickapoo Casino after hours, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

 Brown County Sheriff's K-9 Carla alerted on the vehicle.&nbsp; At the completion of the investigation, deputies arrested Dustin Barrett, 36, Oneida, on requested charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706648987280.png" alt="Barrett photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Barrett photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 3a.m. Jan. 28, sheriff's deputies investigated a suspicious vehicle at the Kickapoo Casino after hours, according to Sheriff John Merchant. Brown County Sheriff's K-9 Carla alerted on the vehicle.&nbsp; At the completion of the investigation, deputies arrested Dustin Barrett, 36, Oneida, on requested charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Sheriff's K9 helps make arrest outside Kansas casino after hours

WASHINGTON (AP) —Sexual predators. Addictive features. Suicide and eating disorders. Unrealistic beauty standards. Bullying. These are just some of the issues young people are dealing with on social media — and children's advocates and lawmakers say companies are not doing enough to protect them.

On Wednesday, the CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media companies went before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify as lawmakers and parents grow increasingly concerned about the effects of social media on young people’s lives.

The hearing began with recorded testimony from kids and parents who said they or their children were exploited on social media. Throughout the hours-long event, parents who lost children to suicide silently held up pictures of their dead kids.

"They’re responsible for many of the dangers our children face online,” U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, who chairs the committee, said in opening remarks. “Their design choices, their failures to adequately invest in trust and safety, their constant pursuit of engagement and profit over basic safety have all put our kids and grandkids at risk.”

In a heated question and answer session with Mark Zuckerberg, Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley asked the Meta CEO if he has personally compensated any of the victims and their families for what they have been through.

“I don't think so,” Zuckerberg replied.

“There's families of victims here,” Hawley said. “Would you like to apologize to them?”

Parents attending the hearing rose and held up pictures of their children. Zuckerberg stood as well, turning away from his microphone and the senators to address them directly.

“I’m sorry for everything you have all been through. No one should go through the things that your families have suffered,” he said, adding that Meta continues to invest and work on “industry-wide efforts” to protect children.

But time and time again, children’s advocates and parents have stressed that none of the companies are doing enough.

“Meta’s general approach is ‘trust us, we’ll do the right thing’, but how can we trust Meta? The way they talk about these issues feels like they are trying to gaslight the world, said Arturo Béjar, a former engineering director at the social media giant known for his expertise in curbing online harassment who recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/facebook-instagram-mark-zuckerberg-child-sexual-abuse-lawsuit-7257a60d768f59ce16a4d925b7ebfa40">testified before Congress</a>&nbsp;about child safety on Meta’s platforms. "Every parent I’ve met with a kid under 13 is afraid of when their kid is old enough to be in social media.”

Hawley continued to press Zuckerberg, asking if he'd take personal responsibility for the harms his company has caused. Zuckerberg stayed on message and repeated that Meta's job is to “build industry-leading tools” and empower parents.

South Carolina Sen. Lindsay Graham, the top Republican on the Judiciary panel, echoed Durbin's sentiments and said he's prepared to work with Democrats to solve the issue.

“After years of working on this issue with you and others, I’ve come to conclude the following: social media companies as they’re currently designed and operate are dangerous products," Graham said.

He told the executives their platforms have enriched lives but that it is time to deal with “the dark side.”

Beginning with Discord’s Jason Citron, the executives touted existing safety tools on their platforms and the work they’ve done with nonprofits and law enforcement to protect minors.

Snapchat had broken ranks ahead of the hearing and began backing a federal bill that would create a legal liability for apps and social platforms who recommend harmful content to minors. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel reiterated the company’s support on Wednesday and asked the industry to back the bill.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew</a>&nbsp;said TikTok is vigilant about enforcing its policy barring children under 13 from using the app. CEO Linda Yaccarino said X, formerly Twitter, doesn’t cater to children.

“We do not have a line of business dedicated to children,” Yaccarino said. She said the company will also support Stop CSAM Act, a federal bill that make it easier for victims of child exploitation to sue tech companies.

Yet child health advocates say social media companies have failed repeatedly to protect minors.

“When you’re faced with really important safety and privacy decisions, the revenue in the bottom line should not be the first factor that these companies are considering," said Zamaan Qureshi, co-chair of Design It For Us, a youth-led coalition advocating for safer social media. "These companies have had opportunities to do this before they failed to do that. So independent regulation needs to step in.”

Republican and Democratic senators came together in a rare show of agreement throughout the hearing, though it’s not yet clear if this will be enough to pass legislation such as the Kids Online Safety Act, proposed in 2022 by Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee.

Meta is being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/instagram-facebook-children-teens-harms-lawsuit-attorney-general-1805492a38f7cee111cbb865cc786c28">sued by dozens</a>&nbsp;of states that say it deliberately designs features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/facebook-instagram-mark-zuckerberg-child-sexual-abuse-lawsuit-7257a60d768f59ce16a4d925b7ebfa40">failed to protect them from online predators</a>.

New internal emails between Meta executives released by Blumenthal’s office show Nick Clegg, president of global affairs, and others asking Zuckerberg to hire more people to strengthen "wellbeing across the company” as concerns grew about effects on youth mental health.

“From a policy perspective, this work has become increasingly urgent over recent months. Politicians in the U.S., U.K., E.U. and Australia are publicly and privately expressing concerns about the impact of our products on young people’s mental health,” Clegg wrote in an August 2021 email.

The emails released by Blumenthal’s office don’t appear to include a response, if there was any, from Zuckerberg. In September 2021, The Wall Street Journal released the Facebook Files, its report based on internal documents from whistleblower&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-lifestyle-business-only-on-ap-media-e4f03d38243552e46a77d0d3f0d45e3b">Frances Haugen</a>, who later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/facebook-haugen-congress-testimony-1daac7a76ca7bf0b0802cc46e732b51b">testified</a>&nbsp;before the Senate.

Meta has beefed up its child safety features in recent weeks, announcing earlier this month that it will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/meta-facebook-instagram-teens-suicide-eating-disorders-83dce63d9beed0a3ad0c53240077099f">start hiding inappropriate content</a>&nbsp;from teenagers’ accounts on Instagram and Facebook, including posts about suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. It also restricted&nbsp;<a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2024/01/introducing-stricter-message-settings-for-teens-on-instagram-and-facebook/">minors' ability to receive messages</a>&nbsp;from anyone they don’t follow or aren’t connected to on Instagram and on Messenger and added new “nudges” to try to discourage teens from browsing Instagram videos or messages late at night. The nudges encourage kids to close the app, though it does not force them to do so.

Google's YouTube is notably missing from the list of companies called to the Senate Wednesday even though more kids use YouTube than any other platform, according to the Pew Research Center. Pew found that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teens-social-media-tiktok-snapchat-17e0ff4dec0f2744674cac4e7ae5b3ca">93% of U.S. teens</a>&nbsp;use YouTube, with TikTok a distant second at 63%.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706728323611.png" alt="The CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media companies went before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday -Photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>The CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media companies went before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday -Photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Sexual predators. Addictive features. Suicide and eating disorders. Unrealistic beauty standards. Bullying. These are just some of the issues young people are dealing with on social media — and children's advocates and lawmakers say companies are not doing enough to protect them.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: Hawley Convinces Facebook CEO Zuckerberg To Apologize To Victims Harmed &amp; Exploited By Platform <a href="https://t.co/tJwrQq3r9d">pic.twitter.com/tJwrQq3r9d</a>&mdash; Senator Hawley Press Office (@SenHawleyPress) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenHawleyPress/status/1752744174552486192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Wednesday, the CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media companies went before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify as lawmakers and parents grow increasingly concerned about the effects of social media on young people’s lives.The hearing began with recorded testimony from kids and parents who said they or their children were exploited on social media. Throughout the hours-long event, parents who lost children to suicide silently held up pictures of their dead kids.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenOssoff?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenOssoff</a>: &quot;Is your platform safe for kids?&quot; Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg: &quot;I believe it is.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/YPielvWcnY">pic.twitter.com/YPielvWcnY</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1752765263953490027?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>"They’re responsible for many of the dangers our children face online,” U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, who chairs the committee, said in opening remarks. “Their design choices, their failures to adequately invest in trust and safety, their constant pursuit of engagement and profit over basic safety have all put our kids and grandkids at risk.”In a heated question and answer session with Mark Zuckerberg, Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley asked the Meta CEO if he has personally compensated any of the victims and their families for what they have been through.“I don't think so,” Zuckerberg replied.“There's families of victims here,” Hawley said. “Would you like to apologize to them?”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706728521014.png" alt="During the hearing Missouri Senator Josh Hawley convinces Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to apologize to victims harmed, exploited by the platform" />
 <figcaption>During the hearing Missouri Senator Josh Hawley convinces Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to apologize to victims harmed, exploited by the platform</figcaption>
 </figure>Parents attending the hearing rose and held up pictures of their children. Zuckerberg stood as well, turning away from his microphone and the senators to address them directly.“I’m sorry for everything you have all been through. No one should go through the things that your families have suffered,” he said, adding that Meta continues to invest and work on “industry-wide efforts” to protect children.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Exchange between <a href="https://twitter.com/SenJohnKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenJohnKennedy</a> and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg &amp; Sen. Kennedy on algorithms, the truth &amp; harms of social media. At one point, Sen. Kennedy referred to it as cess pool of snark and creepy. <a href="https://t.co/3Rlik1pKPh">pic.twitter.com/3Rlik1pKPh</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1752763024560025616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But time and time again, children’s advocates and parents have stressed that none of the companies are doing enough.“Meta’s general approach is ‘trust us, we’ll do the right thing’, but how can we trust Meta? The way they talk about these issues feels like they are trying to gaslight the world, said Arturo Béjar, a former engineering director at the social media giant known for his expertise in curbing online harassment who recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/facebook-instagram-mark-zuckerberg-child-sexual-abuse-lawsuit-7257a60d768f59ce16a4d925b7ebfa40">testified before Congress</a>&nbsp;about child safety on Meta’s platforms. "Every parent I’ve met with a kid under 13 is afraid of when their kid is old enough to be in social media.”Hawley continued to press Zuckerberg, asking if he'd take personal responsibility for the harms his company has caused. Zuckerberg stayed on message and repeated that Meta's job is to “build industry-leading tools” and empower parents.“To make money,” Hawley cut in.South Carolina Sen. Lindsay Graham, the top Republican on the Judiciary panel, echoed Durbin's sentiments and said he's prepared to work with Democrats to solve the issue.“After years of working on this issue with you and others, I’ve come to conclude the following: social media companies as they’re currently designed and operate are dangerous products," Graham said.He told the executives their platforms have enriched lives but that it is time to deal with “the dark side.”Beginning with Discord’s Jason Citron, the executives touted existing safety tools on their platforms and the work they’ve done with nonprofits and law enforcement to protect minors.Snapchat had broken ranks ahead of the hearing and began backing a federal bill that would create a legal liability for apps and social platforms who recommend harmful content to minors. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel reiterated the company’s support on Wednesday and asked the industry to back the bill.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew</a>&nbsp;said TikTok is vigilant about enforcing its policy barring children under 13 from using the app. CEO Linda Yaccarino said X, formerly Twitter, doesn’t cater to children.“We do not have a line of business dedicated to children,” Yaccarino said. She said the company will also support Stop CSAM Act, a federal bill that make it easier for victims of child exploitation to sue tech companies.Yet child health advocates say social media companies have failed repeatedly to protect minors.“When you’re faced with really important safety and privacy decisions, the revenue in the bottom line should not be the first factor that these companies are considering," said Zamaan Qureshi, co-chair of Design It For Us, a youth-led coalition advocating for safer social media. "These companies have had opportunities to do this before they failed to do that. So independent regulation needs to step in.”Republican and Democratic senators came together in a rare show of agreement throughout the hearing, though it’s not yet clear if this will be enough to pass legislation such as the Kids Online Safety Act, proposed in 2022 by Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee.Meta is being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/instagram-facebook-children-teens-harms-lawsuit-attorney-general-1805492a38f7cee111cbb865cc786c28">sued by dozens</a>&nbsp;of states that say it deliberately designs features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/facebook-instagram-mark-zuckerberg-child-sexual-abuse-lawsuit-7257a60d768f59ce16a4d925b7ebfa40">failed to protect them from online predators</a>.New internal emails between Meta executives released by Blumenthal’s office show Nick Clegg, president of global affairs, and others asking Zuckerberg to hire more people to strengthen "wellbeing across the company” as concerns grew about effects on youth mental health.“From a policy perspective, this work has become increasingly urgent over recent months. Politicians in the U.S., U.K., E.U. and Australia are publicly and privately expressing concerns about the impact of our products on young people’s mental health,” Clegg wrote in an August 2021 email.The emails released by Blumenthal’s office don’t appear to include a response, if there was any, from Zuckerberg. In September 2021, The Wall Street Journal released the Facebook Files, its report based on internal documents from whistleblower&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-lifestyle-business-only-on-ap-media-e4f03d38243552e46a77d0d3f0d45e3b">Frances Haugen</a>, who later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/facebook-haugen-congress-testimony-1daac7a76ca7bf0b0802cc46e732b51b">testified</a>&nbsp;before the Senate.Meta has beefed up its child safety features in recent weeks, announcing earlier this month that it will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/meta-facebook-instagram-teens-suicide-eating-disorders-83dce63d9beed0a3ad0c53240077099f">start hiding inappropriate content</a>&nbsp;from teenagers’ accounts on Instagram and Facebook, including posts about suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. It also restricted&nbsp;<a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2024/01/introducing-stricter-message-settings-for-teens-on-instagram-and-facebook/">minors' ability to receive messages</a>&nbsp;from anyone they don’t follow or aren’t connected to on Instagram and on Messenger and added new “nudges” to try to discourage teens from browsing Instagram videos or messages late at night. The nudges encourage kids to close the app, though it does not force them to do so.Google's YouTube is notably missing from the list of companies called to the Senate Wednesday even though more kids use YouTube than any other platform, according to the Pew Research Center. Pew found that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teens-social-media-tiktok-snapchat-17e0ff4dec0f2744674cac4e7ae5b3ca">93% of U.S. teens</a>&nbsp;use YouTube, with TikTok a distant second at 63%.——

🎥 Facebook CEO apologizes to victims harmed, exploited by platform

WICHITA (AP)—Donations poured in Wednesday to replace a destroyed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jackie-robinson-baseball-statue-stolen-45c08bbbd29322c05e6136a67f687459">statue of Jackie Robinson</a>&nbsp;on what would have been the 105th birthday of the first player to break Major League Baseball’s color barrier.

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/replace-our-stolen-jackie-robinson-statue?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=facebook">Click here to visit </a>the GoFundMe page

Major League Baseball pledged support. And the total raised just through one online fundraiser surpassed $145,000, which is far in excess of the estimated $75,000 value of the bronze statue that was cut from its base&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jackie-robinson-baseball-statue-stolen-beea370b17079ad30092affe6aaea3c1">last week</a>&nbsp;at a park in Wichita, Kansas. Police are searching for those responsible.

Only the statue's feet were left at McAdams Park, where about 600 children play in a youth baseball league called League 42, which is named after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jackie-robinson">Robinson’</a>&nbsp;s uniform number with the Brooklyn Dodgers, with whom he broke the major leagues' color barrier in 1947.

Fire crews found burned remnants of the statue&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jackie-robinson-baseball-statue-stolen-45c08bbbd29322c05e6136a67f687459">Tuesday</a>&nbsp;while responding to a trash can fire at another park about 7 miles&nbsp; away. A truck believed to be used in the theft previously was found abandoned, and police said the theft was captured on surveillance video.

Bob Lutz, executive director of the Little League nonprofit that commissioned the sculpture, said Wednesday in a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/boblutz/status/1752820101751963668">message</a>&nbsp;on X, formerly Twitter, that the MLB commissioner’s office and 30 clubs had committed funding toward the cost of replacing the statue and providing other support.

Lutz had said earlier that the money raised also could enhance some of its programming and facilities. In April, the group opened the Leslie Rudd Learning Center, which includes an indoor baseball facility and a learning lab.

“We’re not just baseball,” Lutz said. “We have after school education, enrichment and tutoring.”

One of the largest donations is a $10,000 pledge from an anonymous former Major League Baseball player who won a World Series. Wichita police Chief Joe Sullivan, who announced the donation over the weekend, has urged anyone involved in the theft to surrender and vowed that arrests were imminent.

“The community, along with the business community and the nation as a whole, have demonstrated an incredible outpouring of support,” Sullivan said in a statement Wednesday. “This effort highlights the kindness of the people and their determination to rebuild what was taken away from our community.”

Lutz, whose friend, the artist John Parsons, made the statue before his death, said the mold is still viable and anticipated that a replacement can be erected within a matter of months.

“We value what it represents,” he said. “It’s important that our 600 kids understand what it represents. And, we make every effort to educate our kids about the role that Jackie Robinson played in life and civil rights, his life beyond sports. He’s the absolute best role model you could imagine.”

League 42 drew attention to Robinson’s birthday Wednesday in a Facebook&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/League42Wichita/posts/pfbid02Gv86VJpyipnGEvwggZ3M9TpJS7SFroC1NunVNGCGnnGWW1FUWm2Nic3kbNjXRQavl">post</a>, noting that “his legacy will hold up forever” and asking for donations.

Robinson played for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers, paving the way for generations of Black American ballplayers. He’s considered not only a sports legend but also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-entertainment-sports-los-angeles-baseball-d73b75a6965310bfd087c165e93dc0c6">a civil rights icon</a>. Robinson died in 1972.

Lutz said that the league appeals to “all kids, but especially to kids of color" and that the connection to Robinson resonated.

“We can’t imagine, being named League 42 without a Jackie Robinson statue in our park," he said. "It was a no-brainer when we went about trying to name our league. And the name League 42 came up. It was like lightning and struck. We knew we had our name.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706642235098.jpeg" alt="Jackie Robinson Statue-Courtesy GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Jackie Robinson Statue-Courtesy GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA (AP)—Donations poured in Wednesday to replace a destroyed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jackie-robinson-baseball-statue-stolen-45c08bbbd29322c05e6136a67f687459">statue of Jackie Robinson</a>&nbsp;on what would have been the 105th birthday of the first player to break Major League Baseball’s color barrier.<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/replace-our-stolen-jackie-robinson-statue?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=facebook">Click here to visit </a>the GoFundMe page<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">How about this? Amazing, huh? During this emotional week, we are proud to report some great news. <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MLB</a>, which has been in touch with <a href="https://twitter.com/League42ICT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@League42ICT</a> from the moment this tragedy became public, has formalized their support for our youth.&mdash; Bob Lutz (@boblutz) <a href="https://twitter.com/boblutz/status/1752820101751963668?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are grateful for their contribution to our mission of celebrating Jackie’s legacy through the youth of Wichita.&mdash; Bob Lutz (@boblutz) <a href="https://twitter.com/boblutz/status/1752820106000846870?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Major League Baseball pledged support. And the total raised just through one online fundraiser surpassed $145,000, which is far in excess of the estimated $75,000 value of the bronze statue that was cut from its base&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jackie-robinson-baseball-statue-stolen-beea370b17079ad30092affe6aaea3c1">last week</a>&nbsp;at a park in Wichita, Kansas. Police are searching for those responsible.Only the statue's feet were left at McAdams Park, where about 600 children play in a youth baseball league called League 42, which is named after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jackie-robinson">Robinson’</a>&nbsp;s uniform number with the Brooklyn Dodgers, with whom he broke the major leagues' color barrier in 1947.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706641737439.png" alt="photo courtesy KAKE" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy KAKE</figcaption>
 </figure>Fire crews found burned remnants of the statue&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jackie-robinson-baseball-statue-stolen-45c08bbbd29322c05e6136a67f687459">Tuesday</a>&nbsp;while responding to a trash can fire at another park about 7 miles&nbsp; away. A truck believed to be used in the theft previously was found abandoned, and police said the theft was captured on surveillance video.Bob Lutz, executive director of the Little League nonprofit that commissioned the sculpture, said Wednesday in a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/boblutz/status/1752820101751963668">message</a>&nbsp;on X, formerly Twitter, that the MLB commissioner’s office and 30 clubs had committed funding toward the cost of replacing the statue and providing other support.“Amazing, huh?” he said.Lutz had said earlier that the money raised also could enhance some of its programming and facilities. In April, the group opened the Leslie Rudd Learning Center, which includes an indoor baseball facility and a learning lab.“We’re not just baseball,” Lutz said. “We have after school education, enrichment and tutoring.”One of the largest donations is a $10,000 pledge from an anonymous former Major League Baseball player who won a World Series. Wichita police Chief Joe Sullivan, who announced the donation over the weekend, has urged anyone involved in the theft to surrender and vowed that arrests were imminent.“The community, along with the business community and the nation as a whole, have demonstrated an incredible outpouring of support,” Sullivan said in a statement Wednesday. “This effort highlights the kindness of the people and their determination to rebuild what was taken away from our community.”Lutz, whose friend, the artist John Parsons, made the statue before his death, said the mold is still viable and anticipated that a replacement can be erected within a matter of months.“We value what it represents,” he said. “It’s important that our 600 kids understand what it represents. And, we make every effort to educate our kids about the role that Jackie Robinson played in life and civil rights, his life beyond sports. He’s the absolute best role model you could imagine.”League 42 drew attention to Robinson’s birthday Wednesday in a Facebook&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/League42Wichita/posts/pfbid02Gv86VJpyipnGEvwggZ3M9TpJS7SFroC1NunVNGCGnnGWW1FUWm2Nic3kbNjXRQavl">post</a>, noting that “his legacy will hold up forever” and asking for donations.Robinson played for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers, paving the way for generations of Black American ballplayers. He’s considered not only a sports legend but also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-entertainment-sports-los-angeles-baseball-d73b75a6965310bfd087c165e93dc0c6">a civil rights icon</a>. Robinson died in 1972.Lutz said that the league appeals to “all kids, but especially to kids of color" and that the connection to Robinson resonated.“We can’t imagine, being named League 42 without a Jackie Robinson statue in our park," he said. "It was a no-brainer when we went about trying to name our league. And the name League 42 came up. It was like lightning and struck. We knew we had our name.”

MLB pledges funds to replace destroyed Jackie Robinson statue

By TONY GUERRERO&nbsp;Hays Post

A suspect facing charges in Colorado led the Kansas Highway Patrol in a chase Monday on Interstate 70. According to a Trego County Sherriff's Office Facebook&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=704713281836780&amp;set=a.243282714646508">post</a>, at about 5:19 p.m., the suspect's vehicle was located west of WaKeeney in Trego County.

A video from Jan. 29 allegedly depicts 30-year-old Thomas Allan Villarruel driving against oncoming traffic while being pursued by several police vehicles.

Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Tod Hileman said Villarruel was wanted for an alleged offense when an attempt to locate was broadcast at about 3:15 p.m."The vehicle matched the description of a suspect that was wanted out of Colorado for a domestic violence crime," Hileman said.

Villarruel was driving a 1993 Chevy C15 pickup when the Kansas Highway Patrol initiated a traffic stop at 5:59 p.m. The suspect immediately fled, Hileman said.

The vehicle crossed over the median into oncoming traffic, leading to a chase with officers.

"Troopers attempted to end the pursuit by pushing him into a guardrail, which they were successful in doing, but he was still able to drive down the highway," he said.

Villarruel continued westbound before crossing the median again and heading eastbound toward WaKeeney, according to the Facebook post.

The WaKeeney Police Department deployed stop sticks at the 127-mile marker, slowing the pursuit and allowing officers to disable the vehicle around the 129-mile marker.&nbsp;

"It's when the WaKeeney Police Department spiked his tires that a second Kansas Highway Patrol vehicle spun him out and ended the pursuit," Hileman said.

Willarruel was apprehended and taken into custody without any additional incidents, as reported by the Trego County Sheriff's Office.

Pending charges include fleeing and eluding law enforcement and engaging in reckless driving, Hileman said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706720164942.jpeg" alt="Photo Trego Co. Sherfiff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Trego Co. Sherfiff</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO&nbsp;Hays PostA suspect facing charges in Colorado led the Kansas Highway Patrol in a chase Monday on Interstate 70. According to a Trego County Sherriff's Office Facebook&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=704713281836780&amp;set=a.243282714646508">post</a>, at about 5:19 p.m., the suspect's vehicle was located west of WaKeeney in Trego County.A video from Jan. 29 allegedly depicts 30-year-old Thomas Allan Villarruel driving against oncoming traffic while being pursued by several police vehicles.Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Tod Hileman said Villarruel was wanted for an alleged offense when an attempt to locate was broadcast at about 3:15 p.m."The vehicle matched the description of a suspect that was wanted out of Colorado for a domestic violence crime," Hileman said.Villarruel was driving a 1993 Chevy C15 pickup when the Kansas Highway Patrol initiated a traffic stop at 5:59 p.m. The suspect immediately fled, Hileman said.The vehicle crossed over the median into oncoming traffic, leading to a chase with officers."Troopers attempted to end the pursuit by pushing him into a guardrail, which they were successful in doing, but he was still able to drive down the highway," he said.Villarruel continued westbound before crossing the median again and heading eastbound toward WaKeeney, according to the Facebook post.The WaKeeney Police Department deployed stop sticks at the 127-mile marker, slowing the pursuit and allowing officers to disable the vehicle around the 129-mile marker.&nbsp;"It's when the WaKeeney Police Department spiked his tires that a second Kansas Highway Patrol vehicle spun him out and ended the pursuit," Hileman said.Willarruel was apprehended and taken into custody without any additional incidents, as reported by the Trego County Sheriff's Office.Pending charges include fleeing and eluding law enforcement and engaging in reckless driving, Hileman said.

Wanted suspect captured  after chase, crash on I-70

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the weekend death of two Kansas teens have made three additional arrests including a 15-year-old from Garden City.

Just after 11:45p.m. January 26, the Wichita Police Department responded to reports of shots being fired in the area of 5200 E Kensington in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Around the same time, officers were dispatched to an area hospital for the report of two walk-in shooting victims. Emoni Shears, 14, and Jhiquez Roberts, 19, both of Wichita were later pronounced deceased at the hospital.

Detectives and patrol officers immediately began investigating this case and following up on leads. Later Saturday, police&nbsp;arrested a 14-year-old from Wichita on requested charges of felony murder and one count of juvenile in possession of a firearm.

Just after 4p.m. Tuesday, the Wichita Police Department Violent Crimes Team successfully located and apprehended an 18-year-old suspect in the case identified as Hayden Rydell Williams of Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County arrest report. He is being held on requested charges of First Degree murder and parole violations, <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=745809">according to online jail records.</a>

On Wednesday, police reported investigators successfully located and apprehended three additional suspects, a 16-year-old boy and 17-year-old boy both from Wichita and a 15-year-old boy from Garden City, according to Moses. They were arrested on requested charges of Felony Murder , according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.

According to police, if you possess information related to this case and have not yet spoken with investigators, please contact the Wichita Police Investigations Division at 316-268-4407. Anonymous tips can also besubmitted through Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111. Additionally, the See Something Say

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706389022620.png" alt="Police on the scene of the weekend investigation-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the weekend investigation-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the weekend death of two Kansas teens have made three additional arrests including a 15-year-old from Garden City.Just after 11:45p.m. January 26, the Wichita Police Department responded to reports of shots being fired in the area of 5200 E Kensington in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706626647886.png" alt="18-year-old Hayden Williams photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>18-year-old Hayden Williams photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Around the same time, officers were dispatched to an area hospital for the report of two walk-in shooting victims. Emoni Shears, 14, and Jhiquez Roberts, 19, both of Wichita were later pronounced deceased at the hospital.Detectives and patrol officers immediately began investigating this case and following up on leads. Later Saturday, police&nbsp;arrested a 14-year-old from Wichita on requested charges of felony murder and one count of juvenile in possession of a firearm.Just after 4p.m. Tuesday, the Wichita Police Department Violent Crimes Team successfully located and apprehended an 18-year-old suspect in the case identified as Hayden Rydell Williams of Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County arrest report. He is being held on requested charges of First Degree murder and parole violations, <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=745809">according to online jail records.</a>On Wednesday, police reported investigators successfully located and apprehended three additional suspects, a 16-year-old boy and 17-year-old boy both from Wichita and a 15-year-old boy from Garden City, according to Moses. They were arrested on requested charges of Felony Murder , according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.According to police, if you possess information related to this case and have not yet spoken with investigators, please contact the Wichita Police Investigations Division at 316-268-4407. Anonymous tips can also besubmitted through Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111. Additionally, the See Something Say

15-year-old from SW Kan. among 5 accused in double-homicide 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve indicated Wednesday that it's nearing a long-awaited shift toward cutting interest rates, a sign that its officials have grown confident that they're close to fully taming inflation. But the Fed also signaled that the first rate cut is likely months away.

The central bank kept its key rate unchanged at about 5.4%, a 22-year high. In a statement, it marked a policy shift by dropping previous wording that had said it was still considering further rate hikes.

Still, the Fed cautioned that it "does not expect it will be appropriate" to cut rates "until it has gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably" to its 2% target. That suggests that a rate reduction is unlikely at its next meeting in March.

"I don't think it's likely that the committee will reach a level of confidence by the time of the March meeting" to start cutting rates, Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference.

The overall changes to the Fed's statement Wednesday — compared with its last meeting in December — show that it has moved toward considering rate reductions while still maintaining flexibility. In December, the officials had signaled that they expected to carry out three quarter-point rate cuts in 2024. Yet they have said little about when those cuts might begin. Senior officials have stressed that the Fed will proceed cautiously.

The central bank's message — that it's edging closer to cutting rates but not planning to do so anytime soon — disappointed traders on Wall Street. Stock prices fell broadly after the statement was released and while Powell addressed reporters.

The change in the Fed's stance comes as the economy is showing surprising durability after a series of 11 rate hikes helped drastically slow inflation, which had hit a four-decade high 18 months ago. Over the past six months, prices have risen at an annual rate of just below 2%, consistent with the Fed's target level, according to its preferred inflation gauge. And growth remains healthy. In the final three months of last year, the economy expanded at a 3.3% annual rate, the government said last week.

The Fed is assessing inflation and the economy at a time when the intensifying presidential campaign is pivoting in no small part on voters' perceptions of President Joe Biden's economic stewardship. Republicans in Congress have attacked Biden over the high inflation that gripped the nation beginning in 2021 as the economy emerged from recession. But the latest economic data — ranging from steady consumer spending to solid job growth to the slowdown in inflation — has been bolstering consumer confidence.

At his news conference, Powell said the Fed welcomes signs of economic strength. But he said the policymakers are seeking further evidence of a sustained slowdown in inflation.

"We want to see strong growth and a strong labor market," the Fed chair said. "We're looking for inflation to come down, as it has been coming down for the last six months."

Most economists have said they expect the Fed to start cutting its benchmark rate in May or June. Rate cuts would eventually lead to lower borrowing costs for America's consumers and businesses, including for mortgages, auto loans and credit cards.

A year ago, many analysts were predicting that widespread layoffs and sharply higher unemployment would be needed to cool the economy and curb inflation. Yet job growth has been steady. The unemployment rate, at 3.7%, isn't far above a half-century low.

Labor costs are easing, too. On Wednesday, the government reported that pay and benefits for America's workers, which accelerated in 2022, grew in the final three months of 2023 at the slowest pace in 2 1/2 years.

The Fed appears on the verge of achieving a rare "soft landing," in which it manages to conquer high inflation without causing a recession. Should the pace of economic growth strengthen, though, it could complicate the challenge for the Fed. A much faster expansion, especially one fueled by rate cuts, could potentially re-ignite inflation.

On the other hand, any evidence that the economy is slowing appreciably would likely accelerate the Fed's timetable for rate cuts. And indeed, some cracks in the job market have begun to emerge and, if they worsen, could spur the Fed to cut rates quickly.

"If we saw an unexpected weakening in the labor market, that would certainly weigh on cutting sooner," Powell said at his news conference. "If we saw inflation being stickier or higher, it would argue for moving later."

Asked whether he thought the Fed has already achieved a soft landing, Powell suggested it would be premature to say so.

"We have a ways to go," he said. "Core inflation is still well above target on a 12-month basis. Certainly, I'm encouraged and we're encouraged by the progress, but we're not declaring victory at this point. We think we have a ways to go."

For several months, most of the nation's job growth has occurred in just a few sectors — health care, government and hotels, restaurants and entertainment. Any weakening in those areas of the economy could threaten hiring and the overall expansion.

A report Tuesday showed that the number of workers who quit in December reached its lowest level in three years. That suggested that fewer Americans are being recruited for new, higher-paying jobs or are willing to search for and take new positions. Though quits remain at a level consistent with a solid job market, they have fallen about one-third from their peak in mid-2022.

Still, the U.S. economy is outdoing its counterparts overseas. During the October-December quarter, the 20 countries that share the euro currency barely avoided a recession, posting essentially no growth. Still, as in the United States, unemployment is very low in the euro area, and inflation has slowed to a 2.9% annual rate. Though the European Central Bank could cut rates as soon as April, many economists think that might not happen until June.

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER&nbsp;WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve indicated Wednesday that it's nearing a long-awaited shift toward cutting interest rates, a sign that its officials have grown confident that they're close to fully taming inflation. But the Fed also signaled that the first rate cut is likely months away.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fed Chair Powell: &quot;We believe that our policy rate is likely at its peak for this tightening cycle and that if the economy evolves broadly as expected, it will likely be appropriate to begin dialing back policy restraint at some point this year.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FOMC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FOMC</a> <a href="https://t.co/yAfZAciDHG">pic.twitter.com/yAfZAciDHG</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1752782457072431479?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The central bank kept its key rate unchanged at about 5.4%, a 22-year high. In a statement, it marked a policy shift by dropping previous wording that had said it was still considering further rate hikes.Still, the Fed cautioned that it "does not expect it will be appropriate" to cut rates "until it has gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably" to its 2% target. That suggests that a rate reduction is unlikely at its next meeting in March."I don't think it's likely that the committee will reach a level of confidence by the time of the March meeting" to start cutting rates, Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference.The overall changes to the Fed's statement Wednesday — compared with its last meeting in December — show that it has moved toward considering rate reductions while still maintaining flexibility. In December, the officials had signaled that they expected to carry out three quarter-point rate cuts in 2024. Yet they have said little about when those cuts might begin. Senior officials have stressed that the Fed will proceed cautiously.The central bank's message — that it's edging closer to cutting rates but not planning to do so anytime soon — disappointed traders on Wall Street. Stock prices fell broadly after the statement was released and while Powell addressed reporters.The change in the Fed's stance comes as the economy is showing surprising durability after a series of 11 rate hikes helped drastically slow inflation, which had hit a four-decade high 18 months ago. Over the past six months, prices have risen at an annual rate of just below 2%, consistent with the Fed's target level, according to its preferred inflation gauge. And growth remains healthy. In the final three months of last year, the economy expanded at a 3.3% annual rate, the government said last week.The Fed is assessing inflation and the economy at a time when the intensifying presidential campaign is pivoting in no small part on voters' perceptions of President Joe Biden's economic stewardship. Republicans in Congress have attacked Biden over the high inflation that gripped the nation beginning in 2021 as the economy emerged from recession. But the latest economic data — ranging from steady consumer spending to solid job growth to the slowdown in inflation — has been bolstering consumer confidence.At his news conference, Powell said the Fed welcomes signs of economic strength. But he said the policymakers are seeking further evidence of a sustained slowdown in inflation."We want to see strong growth and a strong labor market," the Fed chair said. "We're looking for inflation to come down, as it has been coming down for the last six months."Most economists have said they expect the Fed to start cutting its benchmark rate in May or June. Rate cuts would eventually lead to lower borrowing costs for America's consumers and businesses, including for mortgages, auto loans and credit cards.A year ago, many analysts were predicting that widespread layoffs and sharply higher unemployment would be needed to cool the economy and curb inflation. Yet job growth has been steady. The unemployment rate, at 3.7%, isn't far above a half-century low.Labor costs are easing, too. On Wednesday, the government reported that pay and benefits for America's workers, which accelerated in 2022, grew in the final three months of 2023 at the slowest pace in 2 1/2 years.The Fed appears on the verge of achieving a rare "soft landing," in which it manages to conquer high inflation without causing a recession. Should the pace of economic growth strengthen, though, it could complicate the challenge for the Fed. A much faster expansion, especially one fueled by rate cuts, could potentially re-ignite inflation.On the other hand, any evidence that the economy is slowing appreciably would likely accelerate the Fed's timetable for rate cuts. And indeed, some cracks in the job market have begun to emerge and, if they worsen, could spur the Fed to cut rates quickly."If we saw an unexpected weakening in the labor market, that would certainly weigh on cutting sooner," Powell said at his news conference. "If we saw inflation being stickier or higher, it would argue for moving later."Asked whether he thought the Fed has already achieved a soft landing, Powell suggested it would be premature to say so."We have a ways to go," he said. "Core inflation is still well above target on a 12-month basis. Certainly, I'm encouraged and we're encouraged by the progress, but we're not declaring victory at this point. We think we have a ways to go."For several months, most of the nation's job growth has occurred in just a few sectors — health care, government and hotels, restaurants and entertainment. Any weakening in those areas of the economy could threaten hiring and the overall expansion.A report Tuesday showed that the number of workers who quit in December reached its lowest level in three years. That suggested that fewer Americans are being recruited for new, higher-paying jobs or are willing to search for and take new positions. Though quits remain at a level consistent with a solid job market, they have fallen about one-third from their peak in mid-2022.Still, the U.S. economy is outdoing its counterparts overseas. During the October-December quarter, the 20 countries that share the euro currency barely avoided a recession, posting essentially no growth. Still, as in the United States, unemployment is very low in the euro area, and inflation has slowed to a 2.9% annual rate. Though the European Central Bank could cut rates as soon as April, many economists think that might not happen until June.

Bad news for borrowers: Interest rate cuts still months away

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A grainy sonar image recorded by a private pilot has reinvigorated interest in one of the past century’s most alluring mysteries: What happened to Amelia Earhart when her plane vanished during her flight around the world in 1937?

Numerous expeditions have turned up nothing, only confirming that swaths of ocean floor held no trace of her twin-tailed monoplane. Tony Romeo now believes his new South Carolina-based sea exploration company captured an outline of the iconic American’s Lockheed 10-E Electra.

Archaeologists and explorers are hopeful. But whether the tousled-haired pilot's plane lies at the roughly 16,000-foot (4,800-meter) depth remains to be seen. And debates abound about the proper handling of whatever object is discovered.

Archivists are hopeful that Romeo’s Deep Sea Vision is close to solving the puzzle — if for no other reason than to return attention to Earhart’s accomplishments.

Regardless, the search is on for the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.

How did Deep Sea Vision detect the object that could be Earhart's plane?

Romeo wanted more of an adventure than his commercial real estate career. His father flew for Pan American Airlines, his brother is an Air Force pilot and he has a private pilot's license himself. Hailing from an “aviation family,” he'd long held interest in the Earhart mystery.

Romeo said he sold his real estate interests to fund last year's search and buy a $9 million underwater drone from a Norwegian company. The state-of-the-art technology is called the Hugin 6000 — a reference to its ability to break into the deepest layer of the ocean at 6,000 meters (19,700 feet).

A 16-person crew began a roughly 100-day search in September 2023, scanning over 5,200 square miles (13,468 square kilometers) of seafloor. They narrowed their probe to the area around Howland Island, a mid-Pacific atoll between Papua New Guinea and Hawaii.

But it wasn't until the team reviewed sonar data in December that they saw the fuzzy yellow outline of what resembles a plane.

“In the end, we came out with an image of a target that we believe very strongly is Amelia’s aircraft," Romeo told The Associated Press.

The next step is taking a camera underwater to better examine the unidentified object. If the visuals confirm the explorers' greatest hopes, Romeo said the goal would be to raise the long-lost Electra.

Ultimately, Romeo said his team undertook the costly adventure to “solve aviation's greatest unsolved mystery.” An open hatch could indicate that Earhart and her flight companion escaped after the initial impact, Romeo said, and a cockpit dial could lend insight into what, exactly, went wrong.

From alien abduction to Japanese execution, theories abound

Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, disappeared while flying from New Guinea to Howland Island as part of her attempt to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the globe. She had radioed that she was running low on fuel.

The Navy searched but found no trace. The U.S. government's official position has been that Earhart and Noonan went down with their plane.

Since then, theories have veered into the absurd, including abduction by aliens, or Earhart living in New Jersey under an alias. Others speculate that she and Noonan were executed by the Japanese or died as castaways on an island.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681316394958.jpeg" alt="photo courtesy Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum in Atchison Kansas&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum in Atchison Kansas&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A grainy sonar image recorded by a private pilot has reinvigorated interest in one of the past century’s most alluring mysteries: What happened to Amelia Earhart when her plane vanished during her flight around the world in 1937?Numerous expeditions have turned up nothing, only confirming that swaths of ocean floor held no trace of her twin-tailed monoplane. Tony Romeo now believes his new South Carolina-based sea exploration company captured an outline of the iconic American’s Lockheed 10-E Electra.Archaeologists and explorers are hopeful. But whether the tousled-haired pilot's plane lies at the roughly 16,000-foot (4,800-meter) depth remains to be seen. And debates abound about the proper handling of whatever object is discovered.Archivists are hopeful that Romeo’s Deep Sea Vision is close to solving the puzzle — if for no other reason than to return attention to Earhart’s accomplishments.Regardless, the search is on for the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.How did Deep Sea Vision detect the object that could be Earhart's plane?Romeo wanted more of an adventure than his commercial real estate career. His father flew for Pan American Airlines, his brother is an Air Force pilot and he has a private pilot's license himself. Hailing from an “aviation family,” he'd long held interest in the Earhart mystery.Romeo said he sold his real estate interests to fund last year's search and buy a $9 million underwater drone from a Norwegian company. The state-of-the-art technology is called the Hugin 6000 — a reference to its ability to break into the deepest layer of the ocean at 6,000 meters (19,700 feet).A 16-person crew began a roughly 100-day search in September 2023, scanning over 5,200 square miles (13,468 square kilometers) of seafloor. They narrowed their probe to the area around Howland Island, a mid-Pacific atoll between Papua New Guinea and Hawaii.But it wasn't until the team reviewed sonar data in December that they saw the fuzzy yellow outline of what resembles a plane.“In the end, we came out with an image of a target that we believe very strongly is Amelia’s aircraft," Romeo told The Associated Press.The next step is taking a camera underwater to better examine the unidentified object. If the visuals confirm the explorers' greatest hopes, Romeo said the goal would be to raise the long-lost Electra.Ultimately, Romeo said his team undertook the costly adventure to “solve aviation's greatest unsolved mystery.” An open hatch could indicate that Earhart and her flight companion escaped after the initial impact, Romeo said, and a cockpit dial could lend insight into what, exactly, went wrong.From alien abduction to Japanese execution, theories aboundEarhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, disappeared while flying from New Guinea to Howland Island as part of her attempt to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the globe. She had radioed that she was running low on fuel.The Navy searched but found no trace. The U.S. government's official position has been that Earhart and Noonan went down with their plane.Since then, theories have veered into the absurd, including abduction by aliens, or Earhart living in New Jersey under an alias. Others speculate that she and Noonan were executed by the Japanese or died as castaways on an island.“Amelia is America’s favorite missing person," Romeo said.‘We need to see more’Maritime archaeologist James Delgado said Romeo’s potential find would change the narrative, but “we need to see more.”“Let’s drop some cameras down there and take a look,” said Delgado, senior vice president of the archaeological firm SEARCH Inc.Delgado said Romeo's expedition employed world-class, cutting-edge technology that was once classified and is “revolutionizing our understanding of the deep ocean."But he said that Romeo’s team must provide “a forensic level of documentation” to prove it’s Earhart’s Lockheed. That could mean the patterns in the fuselage’s aluminum, the configuration of its tail and details from the cockpit.David Jourdan said his exploration company Nauticos searched in vain on three separate expeditions between 2002 and 2017, surveying an area of seafloor about the size of Connecticut.He would have expected to see straight wings and not swept wings, like the new sonar suggests, as well as engines. But that could be explained by damage to the aircraft or reflections distorting the image, he acknowledged.“It could be a plane. It certainly looks like a plane. It could be a geological feature that looks like a plane,” he said.Dorothy Cochrane, an aeronautics curator at the National Air and Space Museum, said Romeo's crew searched in the right place near Howland Island. That's where Earhart desperately sought a runway when she disappeared on the last leg of her flight.If the object really is the historic aircraft, the question for Cochrane will be whether it is safe to raise. How much of the machinery is still intact would be determined in part by how smoothly Earhart landed, she added.“That's where you have to really look at this image and say, ‘What have we got here?’” said Cochrane.What if Earhart’s Lockheed Electra has been found?If the fuzzy sonar images turn out to be the plane, international standards for underwater archaeology would strongly suggest the aircraft remain where it is, said Ole Varmer, a retired attorney with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and a senior fellow at The Ocean Foundation.Nonintrusive research can still be conducted to reveal why the plane possibly crashed, Varmer said.“You preserve as much of the story as you can,” Varmer said. “It’s not just the wreck. It’s where it is and its context on the seabed. That is part of the story as to how and why it got there. When you salvage it, you’re destroying part of the site, which can provide information.”Raising the plane and placing it in a museum would likely cost hundreds of millions of dollars, Varmer said. And while Romeo could conceivably make a salvage claim in the courts, the plane’s owner has the right to deny it.Earhart bought the Lockheed with money raised, at least in part, by the Purdue Research Foundation, according to a blog post by Purdue University in Indiana. And she planned to return the aircraft to the school.Romeo said the team believes the plane belongs in the Smithsonian. Acknowledging the “uncharted territory” of potential legal issues, he said his exploration company will "deal with those as they come up."