KANSAS CITY (AP) —The Powerball jackpot has grown to an estimated $1 billion for Saturday night’s drawing after lottery officials said no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Wednesday night.

The U.S. has seen more than a dozen lottery jackpot prizes exceed $1 billion since 2016. Here is a look at the largest U.S. jackpots won and the places where the winning tickets were sold:

1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022. The winning ticket was sold at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sacramento-california-los-angeles-business-0a72f926487b51b7a6d60451679f8c76">Los Angeles-area gas station</a>.

2. $1.787 billion, Powerball, Sept. 6, 2025. The winning tickets were sold&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-drawing-winner-4261a3909c9e01dacc0869c50030e198">in Missouri and Texas.</a>

3. $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023. The winning ticket was sold at a liquor store in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-california-6ad701f4a9ebb4df7a3afe8ecee2eb30">tiny California mountain town</a>.

4. $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023. The winning ticket was sold at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mega-millions-jackpot-claimed-florida-8c86594edcd16cdcda7521059ef7c7ed">supermarket in Neptune Beach, Florida</a>.

5. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016. The winning tickets were sold at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-e22dde0b7ace4c87b230b84be827a0fe">Los Angeles-area convenience store</a>, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/article60951392.html" target="_blank">Florida supermarket</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-4c8a00811ae84fa49fe25a4035a51fc4">Tennessee grocery store</a>.

6. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018. The winning ticket was sold at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6ef692a129b049a8bbf9eb4e77a8b91e">South Carolina convenience store</a>.

7. $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023. The winning ticket was sold at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-lottery-identity-lawsuit-8cc884a8b0b3e3cbc14629b4d8e2b180">Maine gas station</a>.

8. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022. The winning ticket was sold at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lotteries-iowa-e986a2da15c75b1e2228499ea90a6530">Chicago-area gas station</a>.

9. $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024. The winning ticket was sold at an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/portland-powerball-winner-00883e00b4d510a51ade35cffa3f3336">Oregon convenience store</a>.

KANSAS CITY (AP) —The Powerball jackpot has grown to an estimated $1 billion for Saturday night’s drawing after lottery officials said no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Wednesday night.The U.S. has seen more than a dozen lottery jackpot prizes exceed $1 billion since 2016. Here is a look at the largest U.S. jackpots won and the places where the winning tickets were sold:1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022. The winning ticket was sold at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sacramento-california-los-angeles-business-0a72f926487b51b7a6d60451679f8c76">Los Angeles-area gas station</a>.2. $1.787 billion, Powerball, Sept. 6, 2025. The winning tickets were sold&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-drawing-winner-4261a3909c9e01dacc0869c50030e198">in Missouri and Texas.</a>3. $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023. The winning ticket was sold at a liquor store in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-california-6ad701f4a9ebb4df7a3afe8ecee2eb30">tiny California mountain town</a>.4. $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023. The winning ticket was sold at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mega-millions-jackpot-claimed-florida-8c86594edcd16cdcda7521059ef7c7ed">supermarket in Neptune Beach, Florida</a>.5. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016. The winning tickets were sold at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-e22dde0b7ace4c87b230b84be827a0fe">Los Angeles-area convenience store</a>, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/article60951392.html" target="_blank">Florida supermarket</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-4c8a00811ae84fa49fe25a4035a51fc4">Tennessee grocery store</a>.6. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018. The winning ticket was sold at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6ef692a129b049a8bbf9eb4e77a8b91e">South Carolina convenience store</a>.7. $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023. The winning ticket was sold at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-lottery-identity-lawsuit-8cc884a8b0b3e3cbc14629b4d8e2b180">Maine gas station</a>.8. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022. The winning ticket was sold at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lotteries-iowa-e986a2da15c75b1e2228499ea90a6530">Chicago-area gas station</a>.9. $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024. The winning ticket was sold at an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/portland-powerball-winner-00883e00b4d510a51ade35cffa3f3336">Oregon convenience store</a>.

Powerball jackpot grows to $1 billion prize for Saturday drawing

SEDGWICK COUNTY— A man convicted&nbsp; of killing two people in a parking garage in&nbsp;Old Town in Wichita was scheduled to learn his fate Wednesday.

A sentencing hearing for 21-year-old Zachary Ramirez in the deaths of&nbsp;20-year-old Josephina Lerma-Dominguez and 21-year-old Bryan Lara-Hernandez both of Wichita was continued,&nbsp; according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office.&nbsp; Ramirez is due back in court January 15.

In April of 2024, a jury found him guilty&nbsp;&nbsp;on two counts of first-degree murder, two alternative counts of second-degree murder, criminal discharge of a weapon, aggravated battery and two counts of battery, according to the district attorney's office.

Just before&nbsp; 4a.m. July 27, 2023, police responded to the 300 block of North Moore after a a street sweeper operator saw two gunshot victims in a vehicle in a parking garage in Wichita's Old Town and called 911, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

EMS&nbsp; arrived on the scene and attempted life-saving measures Lerma-Dominguez and Lara-Hernandez died at the scene.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765453931236.png" alt="Police at the scene of the investigation in 2023-courtesy KWCH&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the investigation in 2023-courtesy KWCH&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— A man convicted&nbsp; of killing two people in a parking garage in&nbsp;Old Town in Wichita was scheduled to learn his fate Wednesday.A sentencing hearing for 21-year-old Zachary Ramirez in the deaths of&nbsp;20-year-old Josephina Lerma-Dominguez and 21-year-old Bryan Lara-Hernandez both of Wichita was continued,&nbsp; according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office.&nbsp; Ramirez is due back in court January 15.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690507120194.png" alt="Ramirez photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Ramirez photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>In April of 2024, a jury found him guilty&nbsp;&nbsp;on two counts of first-degree murder, two alternative counts of second-degree murder, criminal discharge of a weapon, aggravated battery and two counts of battery, according to the district attorney's office.Just before&nbsp; 4a.m. July 27, 2023, police responded to the 300 block of North Moore after a a street sweeper operator saw two gunshot victims in a vehicle in a parking garage in Wichita's Old Town and called 911, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.EMS&nbsp; arrived on the scene and attempted life-saving measures Lerma-Dominguez and Lara-Hernandez died at the scene.&nbsp;

Sentencing delayd for killing Kan. couple in parking garage

WASHINGTON (AP) —Spc. Sarah Beckstrom was laid to rest with full military honors Tuesday at the West Virginia National Cemetery in Grafton, Gov. Patrick Morrisey said in a news release.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-shooting-victims-west-virginia-washington-b070b093743b016ce32005f800087873">Beckstrom and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe</a>&nbsp;were ambushed as they patrolled a subway station three blocks from the White House on Nov. 26.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-shooting-white-house-afghan-national-138fbe6872d7ac30b20973783b39002c">Beckstrom died from her injuries</a>&nbsp;the next day.

Wolfe’s family expects he will be in acute care for another few weeks, the governor said.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lakanwal-national-guard-shooting-suspect-afghan-5e5e9567d95a5d0ef806b714bb3ee3b7">29-year-old Afghan national</a>&nbsp;who was also shot during the confrontation, has been charged with murder. He has pleaded not guilty.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764267373071.png" alt="Sarah Beckstrom photo released by the Dept. of Justice" />
 <figcaption>Sarah Beckstrom photo released by the Dept. of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Spc. Sarah Beckstrom was laid to rest with full military honors Tuesday at the West Virginia National Cemetery in Grafton, Gov. Patrick Morrisey said in a news release.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-shooting-victims-west-virginia-washington-b070b093743b016ce32005f800087873">Beckstrom and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe</a>&nbsp;were ambushed as they patrolled a subway station three blocks from the White House on Nov. 26.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-shooting-white-house-afghan-national-138fbe6872d7ac30b20973783b39002c">Beckstrom died from her injuries</a>&nbsp;the next day.Wolfe’s family expects he will be in acute care for another few weeks, the governor said.Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lakanwal-national-guard-shooting-suspect-afghan-5e5e9567d95a5d0ef806b714bb3ee3b7">29-year-old Afghan national</a>&nbsp;who was also shot during the confrontation, has been charged with murder. He has pleaded not guilty.

Private funeral held for National Guard member shot in DC

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;announced Wednesday that his long-promised “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investor-visas-trump-immigration-eb5-gold-cards-cdb943dd1633bc234bb715fa20914e05">gold card</a>&nbsp;” was officially going on sale, offering legal status and an eventual pathway to U.S. citizenship for individuals paying $1 million and corporations ponying up twice that per foreign-born employee.

A website accepting applications went live as Trump revealed the start of the program while surrounded by business leaders in the White House’s Roosevelt Room. It is meant to replace EB-5 visas, which Congress created in 1990 to generate foreign investment and had been available to people who spend about $1 million on a company that employs at least 10 people.

Trump sees the new version as a way for the U.S. to attract and retain top talent, all while generating revenue for federal coffers. He’s been promoting the gold card program for months, and once suggested that each card would cost $5 million, though he more recently revised that to the $1 million and $2 million pricing scheme.

The president said all funds taken in as part of the program will “go to the U.S. government” and predicted that billions would flow into an account run by the Treasury Department “where we can do things positive for the country.”

The new program is actually a green card, effectively offering permanent legal residency with the chance for citizenship.

“Basically, it’s a green card but much better,” Trump said. “Much more powerful, a much stronger path.”

The president made no mention of requirements for job creation for applying corporations or on overall caps on the program, which exist under the current EB-5 program. Instead, he said he’d heard complaints from business leaders who had been unable to recruit outstanding graduates from U.S. universities because they were from other countries and lacked permission to stay.

“You can’t hire people from the best colleges because you don’t know whether or not you can keep the person,” Trump said.

Trump has built his political career around clamping down on the U.S.-Mexico border and championing hard-line immigration policies. His second administration spent its first 10-plus months launching&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-veterans-mass-deportation-5aa133955c5d378ac59da991b4ff5693">mass deportation pushes</a>&nbsp;and sweeping immigration crackdowns that have targeted cities including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-immigration-stops-los-angeles-trump-57cc1f85ceafda0f11052b326c8b7173">Los Angeles</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlotte-immigration-arrests-new-orleans-trump-dc93314147e67a7642a429b228676766">Charlotte</a>.

But he’s also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maga-foreign-workers-training-americans-4eef9dbcbff4f4447105f52f50e33a9c">drawn criticism</a>&nbsp;from leading voices of his “Make America Great Again” movement for repeatedly suggesting that skilled immigrants should be allowed into the U.S. — something the gold card program could facilitate.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the program will include $15,000 for applicant vetting and that the thorough process used to scrutinize backgrounds would ”make sure these people absolutely qualify to be in America.” Companies will be able to receive multiple cards, but will be limited to one individual per card, he said.

Lutnick also said the current green card holders earn less money than the average American, and that Trump wanted to change that.

“So, same visas, but now just full of the best people,” Lutnick said.

Investors’ visas are common around the world, with dozens of countries offering versions of “golden visas” to wealthy individuals, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Malta, Australia, Canada and Italy.

Trump said the program means the U.S. is “getting somebody great coming into our country because we think these will be some tremendous people” and singled out top U.S. college graduates from China, India and France as among those who will possibly be receiving gold cards.

“The companies are going to be very happy,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758369495841.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;announced Wednesday that his long-promised “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investor-visas-trump-immigration-eb5-gold-cards-cdb943dd1633bc234bb715fa20914e05">gold card</a>&nbsp;” was officially going on sale, offering legal status and an eventual pathway to U.S. citizenship for individuals paying $1 million and corporations ponying up twice that per foreign-born employee.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Very excitingly for me and for the country, we&#39;ve just launched the Trump Gold Card... all funds go to the United States Government. It could be a tremendous amount of money... It&#39;s somewhat like a green card, but with big advantages over a green card.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/QOq70LZsve">https://t.co/QOq70LZsve</a> <a href="https://t.co/NkzWikGIDf">pic.twitter.com/NkzWikGIDf</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998849049802453299?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A website accepting applications went live as Trump revealed the start of the program while surrounded by business leaders in the White House’s Roosevelt Room. It is meant to replace EB-5 visas, which Congress created in 1990 to generate foreign investment and had been available to people who spend about $1 million on a company that employs at least 10 people.Trump sees the new version as a way for the U.S. to attract and retain top talent, all while generating revenue for federal coffers. He’s been promoting the gold card program for months, and once suggested that each card would cost $5 million, though he more recently revised that to the $1 million and $2 million pricing scheme.The president said all funds taken in as part of the program will “go to the U.S. government” and predicted that billions would flow into an account run by the Treasury Department “where we can do things positive for the country.”The new program is actually a green card, effectively offering permanent legal residency with the chance for citizenship.“Basically, it’s a green card but much better,” Trump said. “Much more powerful, a much stronger path.”The president made no mention of requirements for job creation for applying corporations or on overall caps on the program, which exist under the current EB-5 program. Instead, he said he’d heard complaints from business leaders who had been unable to recruit outstanding graduates from U.S. universities because they were from other countries and lacked permission to stay.“You can’t hire people from the best colleges because you don’t know whether or not you can keep the person,” Trump said.Trump has built his political career around clamping down on the U.S.-Mexico border and championing hard-line immigration policies. His second administration spent its first 10-plus months launching&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-veterans-mass-deportation-5aa133955c5d378ac59da991b4ff5693">mass deportation pushes</a>&nbsp;and sweeping immigration crackdowns that have targeted cities including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-immigration-stops-los-angeles-trump-57cc1f85ceafda0f11052b326c8b7173">Los Angeles</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlotte-immigration-arrests-new-orleans-trump-dc93314147e67a7642a429b228676766">Charlotte</a>.But he’s also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maga-foreign-workers-training-americans-4eef9dbcbff4f4447105f52f50e33a9c">drawn criticism</a>&nbsp;from leading voices of his “Make America Great Again” movement for repeatedly suggesting that skilled immigrants should be allowed into the U.S. — something the gold card program could facilitate.Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the program will include $15,000 for applicant vetting and that the thorough process used to scrutinize backgrounds would ”make sure these people absolutely qualify to be in America.” Companies will be able to receive multiple cards, but will be limited to one individual per card, he said.Lutnick also said the current green card holders earn less money than the average American, and that Trump wanted to change that.“So, same visas, but now just full of the best people,” Lutnick said.Investors’ visas are common around the world, with dozens of countries offering versions of “golden visas” to wealthy individuals, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Malta, Australia, Canada and Italy.Trump said the program means the U.S. is “getting somebody great coming into our country because we think these will be some tremendous people” and singled out top U.S. college graduates from China, India and France as among those who will possibly be receiving gold cards.“The companies are going to be very happy,” he said.

Trump's $1 million 'gold card' immigration visa is now on sale

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Kansas Senate’s first piece of proposed legislation for 2026 seeks to honor Charlie Kirk.

The Republican resolution proposes establishing “Charlie Kirk Free Speech Day” on Oct. 14, the late right-wing political activist’s birthday. Kirk was shot and killed in September while speaking at a Utah college campus.

The Senate’s resolution is rooted in “honoring the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk.” It describes his legacy as an example of the importance of free speech, the First Amendment and civil debate. The resolution also condemns Kirk’s killing and extends condolences to his family.

“We encourage Kansans to celebrate each Charlie Kirk Free Speech Day by exercising their freedom of speech and engaging in civil discourse to honor the memory of Charlie Kirk,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/scr1615_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">legislation</a>&nbsp;reads.

It has the support of all 31 Republican Senators.

And it is the only bill in the Senate that has been filed ahead of the 2026 legislative session, which begins in January. Three bills have been prefiled in the House.

Rep. Bill Rhiley, a Wellington Republican, proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2409/" target="_blank">House Bill 2409</a>, which would shift school start dates after Labor Day.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2410/" target="_blank">House Bill 2410</a>, proposed by Salina Republican Rep. Steven Howe, allows public library districts to withdraw from a regional library system by petitioning the state library board.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2411/" target="_blank">House Bill 2411</a>&nbsp;proposes a remedy for teacher shortages that reduces the amount of time retired teachers must wait following their retirement before a school district can hire them for certain positions. Rep. Kevin Schwertfeger, a Turon Republican, put forth the bill.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757541376269.png" alt="&nbsp;Founder and executive director of Turning Point USA Charlie Kirk -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Founder and executive director of Turning Point USA Charlie Kirk -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas Senate’s first piece of proposed legislation for 2026 seeks to honor Charlie Kirk.The Republican resolution proposes establishing “Charlie Kirk Free Speech Day” on Oct. 14, the late right-wing political activist’s birthday. Kirk was shot and killed in September while speaking at a Utah college campus.The Senate’s resolution is rooted in “honoring the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk.” It describes his legacy as an example of the importance of free speech, the First Amendment and civil debate. The resolution also condemns Kirk’s killing and extends condolences to his family.“We encourage Kansans to celebrate each Charlie Kirk Free Speech Day by exercising their freedom of speech and engaging in civil discourse to honor the memory of Charlie Kirk,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/scr1615_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">legislation</a>&nbsp;reads.It has the support of all 31 Republican Senators.And it is the only bill in the Senate that has been filed ahead of the 2026 legislative session, which begins in January. Three bills have been prefiled in the House.Rep. Bill Rhiley, a Wellington Republican, proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2409/" target="_blank">House Bill 2409</a>, which would shift school start dates after Labor Day.<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2410/" target="_blank">House Bill 2410</a>, proposed by Salina Republican Rep. Steven Howe, allows public library districts to withdraw from a regional library system by petitioning the state library board.<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2411/" target="_blank">House Bill 2411</a>&nbsp;proposes a remedy for teacher shortages that reduces the amount of time retired teachers must wait following their retirement before a school district can hire them for certain positions. Rep. Kevin Schwertfeger, a Turon Republican, put forth the bill.

Proposed ‘Charlie Kirk Free Speech Day’ among first bills filed ahead of Kan. 2026 session

NEW YORK (AP) — The “Architects of AI” were named Time magazine's person of the year for 2025 on Thursday.

The magazine cited 2025 as the year when the potential of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;“roared into view" with no turning back.

“For delivering the age of thinking machines, for wowing and worrying humanity, for transforming the present and transcending the possible, the Architects of AI are TIME’s 2025 Person of the Year,” Time said in a social media post.

The magazine was deliberate in selecting people — the “individuals who imagined, designed, and built AI” — rather than the technology itself, though there would have been some precedent for that.

“We’ve named not just individuals but also groups, more women than our founders could have imagined (though still not enough), and, on rare occasions, a concept: the endangered earth, in 1988, or the personal computer, in 1982,” wrote Sam Jacobs, the editor-in-chief, in an explanation of the choice. “The drama surrounding the selection of the PC over Apple’s Steve Jobs later became the stuff of books and a movie.”

It made sense for Time to anoint AI because 2025 was the year that it shifted from “a novel technology explored by early adopters to one where a critical mass of consumers see it as part of their mainstream lives,” Thomas Husson, principal analyst at research firm Forrester, said by email.

AI was a leading contender for the top slot, according to prediction markets, along with tech CEOs Jensen Huang of Nvidia and Sam Altman of OpenAI. Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope whose election this year followed the death of Pope Francis, was also considered a contender, with President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani topping lists as well.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-stock-exchange-time-nyse-bell-ringing-91a59ff0f4ce77c0c6f87e55a38c6c75">Trump was named the 2024</a>&nbsp;person of the year by the magazine after his winning his second bid for the White House, succeeding Taylor Swift, who was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-time-person-of-year-2023-6c8ce1275db4cc326fe6ac94ea20bace">2023 person of the year</a>.

The magazine's selection dates from 1927, when its editors have picked the person they say most shaped headlines over the previous 12 months.

NEW YORK (AP) — The “Architects of AI” were named Time magazine's person of the year for 2025 on Thursday.The magazine cited 2025 as the year when the potential of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;“roared into view" with no turning back.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">2025 was the year when artificial intelligence’s full potential roared into view, and when it became clear that there will be no turning back. For delivering the age of thinking machines, for wowing and worrying humanity, for transforming the present and transcending the… <a href="https://t.co/mEIKRiZfLo">pic.twitter.com/mEIKRiZfLo</a>&mdash; TIME (@TIME) <a href="https://twitter.com/TIME/status/1999097617633189955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“For delivering the age of thinking machines, for wowing and worrying humanity, for transforming the present and transcending the possible, the Architects of AI are TIME’s 2025 Person of the Year,” Time said in a social media post.The magazine was deliberate in selecting people — the “individuals who imagined, designed, and built AI” — rather than the technology itself, though there would have been some precedent for that.“We’ve named not just individuals but also groups, more women than our founders could have imagined (though still not enough), and, on rare occasions, a concept: the endangered earth, in 1988, or the personal computer, in 1982,” wrote Sam Jacobs, the editor-in-chief, in an explanation of the choice. “The drama surrounding the selection of the PC over Apple’s Steve Jobs later became the stuff of books and a movie.”It made sense for Time to anoint AI because 2025 was the year that it shifted from “a novel technology explored by early adopters to one where a critical mass of consumers see it as part of their mainstream lives,” Thomas Husson, principal analyst at research firm Forrester, said by email.AI was a leading contender for the top slot, according to prediction markets, along with tech CEOs Jensen Huang of Nvidia and Sam Altman of OpenAI. Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope whose election this year followed the death of Pope Francis, was also considered a contender, with President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani topping lists as well.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-stock-exchange-time-nyse-bell-ringing-91a59ff0f4ce77c0c6f87e55a38c6c75">Trump was named the 2024</a>&nbsp;person of the year by the magazine after his winning his second bid for the White House, succeeding Taylor Swift, who was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-time-person-of-year-2023-6c8ce1275db4cc326fe6ac94ea20bace">2023 person of the year</a>.The magazine's selection dates from 1927, when its editors have picked the person they say most shaped headlines over the previous 12 months.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765461116980.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>

Time magazine reveals unusual person of the year for 2025

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating a multi-state theft from Walmart stores and have made an arrest.

Just after 4p.m. Dec. 8, police were notified by another law enforcement agency about two suspects possibly heading towards the Walmart in Harrisonville, Missouri, approximately 39 miles south of Kansas City, according to a media release from the police department.

The suspects had reportedly been involved with an ongoing shoplifting scam from various Walmarts across the United States. The suspects were located by officers and placed under arrest for receiving stolen property. 

The suspects have allegedly stolen over $58,000 worth of merchandise in the last 6 months from Walmarts in at least four different states. 

Both suspects, who are not residents of the state of Missouri, were charged with Receiving Stolen Property (D Felony) and are currently being held at the Cass County jail.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating a multi-state theft from Walmart stores and have made an arrest.Just after 4p.m. Dec. 8, police were notified by another law enforcement agency about two suspects possibly heading towards the Walmart in Harrisonville, Missouri, approximately 39 miles south of Kansas City, according to a media release from the police department.The suspects had reportedly been involved with an ongoing shoplifting scam from various Walmarts across the United States. The suspects were located by officers and placed under arrest for receiving stolen property. The suspects have allegedly stolen over $58,000 worth of merchandise in the last 6 months from Walmarts in at least four different states. Both suspects, who are not residents of the state of Missouri, were charged with Receiving Stolen Property (D Felony) and are currently being held at the Cass County jail.

Suspects arrested in $58,000 multi-state Walmart theft

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is hitting the Kansas City metro, Lawrence and surrounding areas hard right now, according to a media release from Operation Wildlife.

The organization reports fielding 15 or more calls per day with birds -mostly waterfowl - ducks, geese etc. exhibiting symptoms.

Symptoms include:-Neurological impairment: Birds may lack coordination, appear confused or disoriented, have tremors, seizures, or have a twisted neck.

Difficulty breathing: open mouth, wheezing-Nasal discharge, coughing, or sneezing: Birds may have blood-tinged discharge

Sudden death: Without any prior signs of illness 

Swelling: Of the eyelids, head-Other symptoms: Birds may stumble or fall down, have diarrhea, have a hunched appearance, or have ruffled feathers and die within a few hours or a day of intake.

Birds with HPAI may have additional injuries such as a broken leg or broken wing, sustained from falling from the sky from exhaustion during flight.

HPAI is not treatable and is a fatal disease for the bird.

Birds with this disease need to be humanely euthanized and properly disposed of to limit spread of disease.

HPAI is highly contagious to other birds, felines, and potentially to humans and other species. If you come across a bird you suspect is affected contact Operation Wildlife by email opwildlife@aol.com or 785-542-3625 and they can advise you on how to proceed.

In SOME cities, animal control is assisting by dispatching the bird in the field and removing it for cremation. For residents of cities that do not provide this service, Operation Wildlife are able to assist with euthanasia and cremation. The organization asks that you make a donation to help them offset these costs.

 It’s important to note that Operation Wildlife operates like a veterinary clinic, run by volunteers and funded by donations so we ARE NOT able to report out to pick these birds up. If you are bringing a sick bird to Operation Wildlife for these services please notify them ahead of time and do not bring the bird into the facility. They will meet you out on the driveway so as not to expose the birds in their care.

<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.htmld">Click here for more </a>information from the CDC.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765451927513.png" alt="Photo Operation Wildlife" />
 <figcaption>Photo Operation Wildlife</figcaption>
 </figure>Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is hitting the Kansas City metro, Lawrence and surrounding areas hard right now, according to a media release from Operation Wildlife.The organization reports fielding 15 or more calls per day with birds -mostly waterfowl - ducks, geese etc. exhibiting symptoms.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733747978622.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Symptoms include:-Neurological impairment: Birds may lack coordination, appear confused or disoriented, have tremors, seizures, or have a twisted neck.Difficulty breathing: open mouth, wheezing-Nasal discharge, coughing, or sneezing: Birds may have blood-tinged dischargeSudden death: Without any prior signs of illness Swelling: Of the eyelids, head-Other symptoms: Birds may stumble or fall down, have diarrhea, have a hunched appearance, or have ruffled feathers and die within a few hours or a day of intake.Birds with HPAI may have additional injuries such as a broken leg or broken wing, sustained from falling from the sky from exhaustion during flight.HPAI is not treatable and is a fatal disease for the bird.Birds with this disease need to be humanely euthanized and properly disposed of to limit spread of disease.HPAI is highly contagious to other birds, felines, and potentially to humans and other species. If you come across a bird you suspect is affected contact Operation Wildlife by email opwildlife@aol.com or 785-542-3625 and they can advise you on how to proceed.In SOME cities, animal control is assisting by dispatching the bird in the field and removing it for cremation. For residents of cities that do not provide this service, Operation Wildlife are able to assist with euthanasia and cremation. The organization asks that you make a donation to help them offset these costs. It’s important to note that Operation Wildlife operates like a veterinary clinic, run by volunteers and funded by donations so we ARE NOT able to report out to pick these birds up. If you are bringing a sick bird to Operation Wildlife for these services please notify them ahead of time and do not bring the bird into the facility. They will meet you out on the driveway so as not to expose the birds in their care.<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.htmld">Click here for more </a>information from the CDC.

Operation Wildlife warns deadly bird flu spreading in portions of Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Wednesday that the United States has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">tensions mount</a>&nbsp;with the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

Using U.S. forces to take control of a merchant ship is incredibly unusual and marks the Trump administration’s latest push to increase pressure on Maduro, who has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f">charged with narcoterrorism</a>&nbsp;in the United States. The U.S. has built up the largest military presence in the region in decades and launched a series of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-pentagon-drug-boats-pacific-35a60ce3bc018e5f66c18b2d18b49c35">deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. The campaign is facing growing scrutiny from Congress.

“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized, actually,” Trump told reporters at the White House, later adding that "it was seized for a very good reason.”

Trump did not offer additional details. When asked what would happen to the oil aboard the tanker, Trump said, “Well, we keep it, I guess.”

The seizure was led by the U.S. Coast Guard and supported by the Navy, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The official added that it was conducted under U.S. law enforcement authority.

The Coast Guard members were taken to the oil tanker by helicopter from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, the official said. The Ford is in the Caribbean Sea after arriving last month in a major show of force, joining a fleet of other warships.

<a href="https://x.com/agpambondi/status/1998875795151024337?s=46">Video posted to social media</a>&nbsp;by Attorney General Pam Bondi shows people fast-roping from one of the helicopters involved in the operation as it hovers just feet from the deck.

The Coast Guard members can be seen later in the video moving throughout the superstructure of the ship with their weapons drawn.

Bondi wrote that “for multiple years, the oil tanker has been sanctioned by the United States due to its involvement in an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations.”

Half of ship's oil is tied to Cuban importer

The U.S. official identified the seized tanker as the Skipper.

The ship departed Venezuela around Dec. 2 with about 2 million barrels of heavy crude, roughly half of it belonging to a Cuban state-run oil importer, according to documents from the state-owned company Petróleos de Venezuela S.A., commonly known as PDVSA, that were provided on the condition of anonymity because the person did not have permission to share them.

The Skipper was previously known as the M/T Adisa, according to ship tracking data. The Adisa was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2022 over accusations of belonging to a sophisticated network of shadow tankers that smuggled crude oil on behalf of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group.

The network was reportedly run by a Switzerland-based Ukrainian oil trader, the U.S. Treasury Departmeny said at the time.

Hitting Venezuela's sanctioned oil business

Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves and produces about 1 million barrels a day.

PDVSA is the backbone of the country’s economy. Its reliance on intermediaries increased in 2020, when the first Trump administration expanded its maximum-pressure campaign on Venezuela with sanctions that threaten to lock out of the U.S. economy any individual or company that does business with Maduro’s government. Longtime allies Russia and Iran, both also sanctioned, have helped Venezuela skirt restrictions.

The transactions usually involve a complex network of shadowy intermediaries. Many are shell companies, registered in jurisdictions known for secrecy. The buyers deploy so-called ghost tankers that hide their location and hand off their valuable cargoes in the middle of the ocean before they reach their final destination.

Maduro did not address the seizure during a speech before a ruling-party organized demonstration in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital. But he told supporters that the country is “prepared to break the teeth of the North American empire if necessary.”

Maduro, flanked by senior officials, said only the ruling party can “guarantee peace, stability, and the harmonious development of Venezuela, South America and the Caribbean.”

Maduro has insisted the real purpose of the U.S. military operations is to force him from office.

Democrat says the move is about ‘regime change’

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the U.S. seizing the oil tanker cast doubt on the administration’s stated reasons for the military buildup and boat strikes.

“This shows that their whole cover story — that this is about interdicting drugs — is a big lie,” the senator said. “This is just one more piece of evidence that this is really about regime change — by force.”

The seizure comes a day after the U.S. military&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-us-military-trump-fa18-fighter-jets-06fd7cdc5ac26e7a46165431b95508b0">flew a pair of fighter jets</a>&nbsp;over the Gulf of Venezuela in what appeared to be the closest that warplanes had come to the South American country’s airspace. Trump has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-maduro-colombia-petro-boats-559a73dbfcbdc9245494f441be1aad39">land attacks are coming soon</a>&nbsp;but has not offered more details.

The Trump administration is facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-pete-hegseth-venezuela-9f46a5f074b5b3c979ee41082949b196">increasing scrutiny from lawmakers</a>&nbsp;over the boat strike campaign, which has killed at least 87 people in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-petro-colombia-drugs-us-aid-c3955b2ce351737119920741178e0567">22 known strikes</a>&nbsp;since early September, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-strike-video-footage-boat-caribbean-3cf2ca9cbe4523978e935b99c2979caa">a follow-up strike that killed two survivors</a>&nbsp;clinging to the wreckage of a boat after the first hit.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-survivors-hegseth-72b0a498ca08615b2589c772a1d9e642">Some legal experts and Democrats say</a>&nbsp;that action may have violated the laws governing the use of deadly military force.

Lawmakers are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/defense-bill-ndaa-boat-strikes-video-152bef4ad429ae2c62937daeea2235a4">demanding to get unedited video</a>&nbsp;from the strikes, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told congressional leaders at a classified briefing Tuesday that he was still weighing whether to release it.

The Coast Guard referred a request for comment about the tanker seizure to the White House.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765413532331.png" alt="Image from the AG's video" />
 <figcaption>Image from the AG's video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Wednesday that the United States has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">tensions mount</a>&nbsp;with the government of President Nicolás Maduro.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Coast Guard, with support from the Department of War, executed a seizure warrant for a crude oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran. For multiple… <a href="https://t.co/dNr0oAGl5x">pic.twitter.com/dNr0oAGl5x</a>&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1998875795151024337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Using U.S. forces to take control of a merchant ship is incredibly unusual and marks the Trump administration’s latest push to increase pressure on Maduro, who has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f">charged with narcoterrorism</a>&nbsp;in the United States. The U.S. has built up the largest military presence in the region in decades and launched a series of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-pentagon-drug-boats-pacific-35a60ce3bc018e5f66c18b2d18b49c35">deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. The campaign is facing growing scrutiny from Congress.“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized, actually,” Trump told reporters at the White House, later adding that "it was seized for a very good reason.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump: “As you probably know, we just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela — a large tanker, very large.” <a href="https://t.co/I51NenxoIP">pic.twitter.com/I51NenxoIP</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998852863817064906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">🚨 Q: What happens to the oil on the tanker you seized near Venezuela? PRESIDENT TRUMP: We keep the oil, I guess! 🤣 Q: Where does it go? TRUMP: You&#39;re a good news man. Just get a helicopter and go follow the tanker! He is the best 😭😭 <a href="https://t.co/Dp9duwUxT7">pic.twitter.com/Dp9duwUxT7</a>&mdash; Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1998860261915242721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump did not offer additional details. When asked what would happen to the oil aboard the tanker, Trump said, “Well, we keep it, I guess.”The seizure was led by the U.S. Coast Guard and supported by the Navy, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The official added that it was conducted under U.S. law enforcement authority.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765413070566.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Storming the oil tanker</h2>The Coast Guard members were taken to the oil tanker by helicopter from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, the official said. The Ford is in the Caribbean Sea after arriving last month in a major show of force, joining a fleet of other warships.<a href="https://x.com/agpambondi/status/1998875795151024337?s=46">Video posted to social media</a>&nbsp;by Attorney General Pam Bondi shows people fast-roping from one of the helicopters involved in the operation as it hovers just feet from the deck.The Coast Guard members can be seen later in the video moving throughout the superstructure of the ship with their weapons drawn.Bondi wrote that “for multiple years, the oil tanker has been sanctioned by the United States due to its involvement in an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations.”<h2>Half of ship's oil is tied to Cuban importer</h2>The U.S. official identified the seized tanker as the Skipper.The ship departed Venezuela around Dec. 2 with about 2 million barrels of heavy crude, roughly half of it belonging to a Cuban state-run oil importer, according to documents from the state-owned company Petróleos de Venezuela S.A., commonly known as PDVSA, that were provided on the condition of anonymity because the person did not have permission to share them.The Skipper was previously known as the M/T Adisa, according to ship tracking data. The Adisa was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2022 over accusations of belonging to a sophisticated network of shadow tankers that smuggled crude oil on behalf of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group.The network was reportedly run by a Switzerland-based Ukrainian oil trader, the U.S. Treasury Departmeny said at the time.<h2>Hitting Venezuela's sanctioned oil business</h2>Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves and produces about 1 million barrels a day.PDVSA is the backbone of the country’s economy. Its reliance on intermediaries increased in 2020, when the first Trump administration expanded its maximum-pressure campaign on Venezuela with sanctions that threaten to lock out of the U.S. economy any individual or company that does business with Maduro’s government. Longtime allies Russia and Iran, both also sanctioned, have helped Venezuela skirt restrictions.The transactions usually involve a complex network of shadowy intermediaries. Many are shell companies, registered in jurisdictions known for secrecy. The buyers deploy so-called ghost tankers that hide their location and hand off their valuable cargoes in the middle of the ocean before they reach their final destination.Maduro did not address the seizure during a speech before a ruling-party organized demonstration in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital. But he told supporters that the country is “prepared to break the teeth of the North American empire if necessary.”Maduro, flanked by senior officials, said only the ruling party can “guarantee peace, stability, and the harmonious development of Venezuela, South America and the Caribbean.”Maduro has insisted the real purpose of the U.S. military operations is to force him from office.<h2>Democrat says the move is about ‘regime change’</h2>Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the U.S. seizing the oil tanker cast doubt on the administration’s stated reasons for the military buildup and boat strikes.“This shows that their whole cover story — that this is about interdicting drugs — is a big lie,” the senator said. “This is just one more piece of evidence that this is really about regime change — by force.”The seizure comes a day after the U.S. military&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-us-military-trump-fa18-fighter-jets-06fd7cdc5ac26e7a46165431b95508b0">flew a pair of fighter jets</a>&nbsp;over the Gulf of Venezuela in what appeared to be the closest that warplanes had come to the South American country’s airspace. Trump has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-maduro-colombia-petro-boats-559a73dbfcbdc9245494f441be1aad39">land attacks are coming soon</a>&nbsp;but has not offered more details.The Trump administration is facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-pete-hegseth-venezuela-9f46a5f074b5b3c979ee41082949b196">increasing scrutiny from lawmakers</a>&nbsp;over the boat strike campaign, which has killed at least 87 people in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-petro-colombia-drugs-us-aid-c3955b2ce351737119920741178e0567">22 known strikes</a>&nbsp;since early September, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-strike-video-footage-boat-caribbean-3cf2ca9cbe4523978e935b99c2979caa">a follow-up strike that killed two survivors</a>&nbsp;clinging to the wreckage of a boat after the first hit.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-survivors-hegseth-72b0a498ca08615b2589c772a1d9e642">Some legal experts and Democrats say</a>&nbsp;that action may have violated the laws governing the use of deadly military force.Lawmakers are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/defense-bill-ndaa-boat-strikes-video-152bef4ad429ae2c62937daeea2235a4">demanding to get unedited video</a>&nbsp;from the strikes, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told congressional leaders at a classified briefing Tuesday that he was still weighing whether to release it.The Coast Guard referred a request for comment about the tanker seizure to the White House.

🎥Video shows US commandos storm oil tanker off Venezuela coast

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement are&nbsp;&nbsp;still looking for a driver who crashed into a van then a house, and took off on foot leaving three people injured in Lawrence, according to a media release.

The crash happened about 11:30 Tuesday night near 9th and Missouri. It appears the driver of a Volkswagen Jetta was heading north on Missouri Street, ran a stop sign and hit a van traveling east on 9th. 

 The impact sent the car into the porch of a nearby home. The driver took off and the passenger of that car ended up being transferred to an area trauma center with severe injuries. 

The two people in the van were also taken to the hospital but their injuries weren’t severe.

Officers conducted an extensive search of the area including launching a drone to help look for the driver of the Jetta, but were unable to locate him&nbsp; The homeowner was not home at the time of the crash. No one was injured there.&nbsp;

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement are&nbsp;&nbsp;still looking for a driver who crashed into a van then a house, and took off on foot leaving three people injured in Lawrence, according to a media release.The crash happened about 11:30 Tuesday night near 9th and Missouri. It appears the driver of a Volkswagen Jetta was heading north on Missouri Street, ran a stop sign and hit a van traveling east on 9th. The impact sent the car into the porch of a nearby home. The driver took off and the passenger of that car ended up being transferred to an area trauma center with severe injuries. The two people in the van were also taken to the hospital but their injuries weren’t severe.Officers conducted an extensive search of the area including launching a drone to help look for the driver of the Jetta, but were unable to locate him&nbsp; The homeowner was not home at the time of the crash. No one was injured there.&nbsp;

Police: Kansas driver fled after crash into van, house

JOHNSON COUNTY, Mo. —A suspect is in custody following an investigation into the online possession of child sexual abuse material.

In October, the Western Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children (WMICAC) Task Force received a cyber tip that prompted a joint investigation involving police, according to a media release from the Warrensburg Police Department.

 Detectives went to a residence in the corporate city limits of Warrensburg to contact their suspect identified as 20-year-old Noah Mclean Rogers.

Police took Rogers into custody on a warrant on requested charged of Possession of Child Pornography and Promotion of Child Pornography.

The court has set a bond at $75,000 cash only. Rogers is currently being held in the Johnson County Jail pending further legal proceedings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765330158669.png" alt="Rogers photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Rogers photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY, Mo. —A suspect is in custody following an investigation into the online possession of child sexual abuse material.In October, the Western Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children (WMICAC) Task Force received a cyber tip that prompted a joint investigation involving police, according to a media release from the Warrensburg Police Department. Detectives went to a residence in the corporate city limits of Warrensburg to contact their suspect identified as 20-year-old Noah Mclean Rogers.Police took Rogers into custody on a warrant on requested charged of Possession of Child Pornography and Promotion of Child Pornography.The court has set a bond at $75,000 cash only. Rogers is currently being held in the Johnson County Jail pending further legal proceedings.

Tip led to arrest for online possession of child sexual abuse material

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted to pass a sweeping defense policy bill Wednesday that authorizes $900 billion in military programs, including a pay raise for troops and an overhaul of how the Department of Defense buys weapons.

The bill's passage on a 312-112 vote comes at a time of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-hegseth-boat-strikes-e68621ec48c7886215359c0110d6d9ca">increasing friction</a>&nbsp;between the Republican-controlled Congress and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;administration over the management of the military. All four members of the Kansas Congressional Delegation voted in favor of the bill.

The annual National Defense Authorization Act typically gains bipartisan backing, and the White House has signaled “strong support” for the must-pass legislation, saying it is in line with Trump's national security agenda. Yet tucked into the over-3,000-page bill are several measures that push back against the Department of Defense, including a demand for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-strikes-boats-drugs-caribbean-hegseth-congress-93c513e28f38688f5582150c7675c072">more information on boat strikes</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean and support for allies in Europe, such as Ukraine.

Overall, the sweeping bill calls for a 3.8% pay raise for many military members as well as housing and facility improvements on military bases. It also strikes a compromise between the political parties — cutting climate and diversity efforts in line with Trump's agenda, while also boosting congressional oversight of the Pentagon and repealing several old war authorizations. Still, hard-line conservatives said they were frustrated that the bill does not do more to cut U.S. commitments overseas.

“We need a ready, capable and lethal fighting force because the threats to our nation, especially those from China, are more complex and challenging than at any point in the last 40 years,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, the GOP chair of the House Armed Services Committee.

Lawmakers overseeing the military said the bill would change how the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-hegseth-weapons-purchases-6f9326c2bad4355541d1a02b54d899db">Pentagon buys weapons</a>, with an emphasis on speed after years of delay by the defense industry. It's also a key priority for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the armed services panel, called the bill “the most ambitious swing at acquisition reform that we’ve taken.”

Still, Smith lamented that the bill does not do as much as Democrats would like to rein in the Trump administration but called it “a step in the right direction towards reasserting the authority of Congress.”

“The biggest concern I have is that the Pentagon, being run by Secretary Hegseth and by President Trump, is simply not accountable to Congress or accountable to the law,” he said.

The legislation next heads to the Senate, where leaders are working to pass the bill before lawmakers depart Washington for a holiday break.

Several senators on both sides of the aisle have criticized the bill for not doing enough to restrict military flights over Washington. They had pushed for reforms after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-aircraft-crash-9d79051a9e535bd855df5a4e5553b2e9">midair collision</a>&nbsp;this year between an Army helicopter and a jetliner killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft near Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport. The National Transportation Safety Board and families of the victims have also voiced opposition to that section of the bill, raising concerns that it would make the airspace more dangerous.

Here's what the defense bill does as it makes its way through Congress.

Boat strike videos and congressional oversight

Lawmakers included a provision that would cut Hegseth's travel budget by a quarter until the Pentagon provides Congress with unedited video of the strikes against alleged drug boats near Venezuela. Lawmakers are asserting their oversight role after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-drug-cartels-military-timeline-91e242e5c56eec39b6b7d72bf55dbd2d">Sept. 2 strike</a>&nbsp;where the U.S. military fired on two survivors who were holding on to a boat that had partially been destroyed.

The bill also demands that Hegseth allow Congress to review the orders for the strikes.

Trump's ongoing support for Ukraine and other allies in Eastern Europe has been under doubt over the last year, but lawmakers included several positions meant to keep up U.S. support for countering Russian aggression in the region.

The defense bill requires the Pentagon to keep at least 76,000 troops and major equipment stationed in Europe unless NATO allies are consulted and there is a determination that such a withdrawal is in U.S. interests. Around 80,000 to 100,000 U.S. troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-eastern-flank-us-troops-drawdown-russia-40a1c731a866ce84d5c7721fe12c380e">are usually present</a>&nbsp;on European soil. It also authorizes $400 million for each of the next two years to manufacture weapons to be sent to Ukraine.

Additionally, there is a provision to keep U.S. troops stationed in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/south-korea">South Korea</a>, setting the minimum requirement at 28,500.

Cuts to climate and diversity initiatives

The bill makes $1.6 billion in cuts to climate change-related spending, the House Armed Services Committee said. U.S. military assessments have long found that climate change is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-joe-biden-business-lloyd-austin-a5c79e8a005c7c4db8a61cf0e6a4267a">threat to national security</a>, with bases being pummeled by hurricanes or routinely flooded.

The bill also would save $40 million by repealing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-culture-pentagon-hegseth-dei-tansgender-4c5f94c1235d29240b22677e3d66f0ed">diversity, equity and inclusion</a>&nbsp;offices, programs and trainings, the committee said. The position of chief diversity officer would be cut, for example.

Congress is putting an official end to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-invasion-war-timeline-saddam-hussein-50828061c98e410063753045179bdcfb">war in Iraq</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-war-powers-iraq-trump-a6bc311c0b0890022cb818550758c94e">repealing the authorization</a>&nbsp;for the 2003 invasion. Supporters in both the House and Senate say the repeal is crucial to prevent future abuses and to reinforce that Iraq is now a strategic partner of the U.S.

The 2002 resolution has been rarely used in recent years. But the first Trump administration cited it as part of its legal justification for a 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassim Suleimani.

Congress would permanently remove U.S. sanctions put on Syria after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-sanctions-trump-treasury-state-2ed65c895905e2e7bc385098a6ab1301">Trump administration temporarily lifted many penalties</a>.

Lawmakers imposed economically crippling sanctions on the country in 2019 to punish former leader Bashar Assad for human rights abuses during the nearly 14-year civil war. After Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa led a successful insurgency to depose Assad, he is seeking to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-anniversary-assad-fall-a22746c8b8351b02d77cb62a6260c87e">rebuild his nation’s economy</a>.

Advocates of a permanent repeal have said international companies are unlikely to invest in projects needed for the country’s reconstruction as long as there is a threat of sanctions returning.

Democrats criticized Johnson for stripping a provision from the bill to expand coverage of in vitro fertilization for active duty personnel. An&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2296/text">earlier version</a>&nbsp;covered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ivf-vitro-fertilization-trump-executive-order-65972cc1b10151bf1a0d9390fe5754d9">the medical procedure, known as IVF</a>, which helps people facing infertility have children.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757124469009.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted to pass a sweeping defense policy bill Wednesday that authorizes $900 billion in military programs, including a pay raise for troops and an overhaul of how the Department of Defense buys weapons.The bill's passage on a 312-112 vote comes at a time of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-hegseth-boat-strikes-e68621ec48c7886215359c0110d6d9ca">increasing friction</a>&nbsp;between the Republican-controlled Congress and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;administration over the management of the military. All four members of the Kansas Congressional Delegation voted in favor of the bill.The annual National Defense Authorization Act typically gains bipartisan backing, and the White House has signaled “strong support” for the must-pass legislation, saying it is in line with Trump's national security agenda. Yet tucked into the over-3,000-page bill are several measures that push back against the Department of Defense, including a demand for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-strikes-boats-drugs-caribbean-hegseth-congress-93c513e28f38688f5582150c7675c072">more information on boat strikes</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean and support for allies in Europe, such as Ukraine.Overall, the sweeping bill calls for a 3.8% pay raise for many military members as well as housing and facility improvements on military bases. It also strikes a compromise between the political parties — cutting climate and diversity efforts in line with Trump's agenda, while also boosting congressional oversight of the Pentagon and repealing several old war authorizations. Still, hard-line conservatives said they were frustrated that the bill does not do more to cut U.S. commitments overseas.“We need a ready, capable and lethal fighting force because the threats to our nation, especially those from China, are more complex and challenging than at any point in the last 40 years,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, the GOP chair of the House Armed Services Committee.Lawmakers overseeing the military said the bill would change how the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-hegseth-weapons-purchases-6f9326c2bad4355541d1a02b54d899db">Pentagon buys weapons</a>, with an emphasis on speed after years of delay by the defense industry. It's also a key priority for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the armed services panel, called the bill “the most ambitious swing at acquisition reform that we’ve taken.”Still, Smith lamented that the bill does not do as much as Democrats would like to rein in the Trump administration but called it “a step in the right direction towards reasserting the authority of Congress.”“The biggest concern I have is that the Pentagon, being run by Secretary Hegseth and by President Trump, is simply not accountable to Congress or accountable to the law,” he said.The legislation next heads to the Senate, where leaders are working to pass the bill before lawmakers depart Washington for a holiday break.Several senators on both sides of the aisle have criticized the bill for not doing enough to restrict military flights over Washington. They had pushed for reforms after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-aircraft-crash-9d79051a9e535bd855df5a4e5553b2e9">midair collision</a>&nbsp;this year between an Army helicopter and a jetliner killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft near Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport. The National Transportation Safety Board and families of the victims have also voiced opposition to that section of the bill, raising concerns that it would make the airspace more dangerous.Here's what the defense bill does as it makes its way through Congress.<h2>Boat strike videos and congressional oversight</h2>Lawmakers included a provision that would cut Hegseth's travel budget by a quarter until the Pentagon provides Congress with unedited video of the strikes against alleged drug boats near Venezuela. Lawmakers are asserting their oversight role after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-drug-cartels-military-timeline-91e242e5c56eec39b6b7d72bf55dbd2d">Sept. 2 strike</a>&nbsp;where the U.S. military fired on two survivors who were holding on to a boat that had partially been destroyed.The bill also demands that Hegseth allow Congress to review the orders for the strikes.<h2>Reaffirm commitments to Europe and Korea</h2>Trump's ongoing support for Ukraine and other allies in Eastern Europe has been under doubt over the last year, but lawmakers included several positions meant to keep up U.S. support for countering Russian aggression in the region.The defense bill requires the Pentagon to keep at least 76,000 troops and major equipment stationed in Europe unless NATO allies are consulted and there is a determination that such a withdrawal is in U.S. interests. Around 80,000 to 100,000 U.S. troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-eastern-flank-us-troops-drawdown-russia-40a1c731a866ce84d5c7721fe12c380e">are usually present</a>&nbsp;on European soil. It also authorizes $400 million for each of the next two years to manufacture weapons to be sent to Ukraine.Additionally, there is a provision to keep U.S. troops stationed in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/south-korea">South Korea</a>, setting the minimum requirement at 28,500.<h2>Cuts to climate and diversity initiatives</h2>The bill makes $1.6 billion in cuts to climate change-related spending, the House Armed Services Committee said. U.S. military assessments have long found that climate change is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-joe-biden-business-lloyd-austin-a5c79e8a005c7c4db8a61cf0e6a4267a">threat to national security</a>, with bases being pummeled by hurricanes or routinely flooded.The bill also would save $40 million by repealing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-culture-pentagon-hegseth-dei-tansgender-4c5f94c1235d29240b22677e3d66f0ed">diversity, equity and inclusion</a>&nbsp;offices, programs and trainings, the committee said. The position of chief diversity officer would be cut, for example.<h2>Iraq War resolution repeal</h2>Congress is putting an official end to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-invasion-war-timeline-saddam-hussein-50828061c98e410063753045179bdcfb">war in Iraq</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-war-powers-iraq-trump-a6bc311c0b0890022cb818550758c94e">repealing the authorization</a>&nbsp;for the 2003 invasion. Supporters in both the House and Senate say the repeal is crucial to prevent future abuses and to reinforce that Iraq is now a strategic partner of the U.S.The 2002 resolution has been rarely used in recent years. But the first Trump administration cited it as part of its legal justification for a 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassim Suleimani.<h2>Lifting final Syria sanctions</h2>Congress would permanently remove U.S. sanctions put on Syria after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-sanctions-trump-treasury-state-2ed65c895905e2e7bc385098a6ab1301">Trump administration temporarily lifted many penalties</a>.Lawmakers imposed economically crippling sanctions on the country in 2019 to punish former leader Bashar Assad for human rights abuses during the nearly 14-year civil war. After Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa led a successful insurgency to depose Assad, he is seeking to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-anniversary-assad-fall-a22746c8b8351b02d77cb62a6260c87e">rebuild his nation’s economy</a>.Advocates of a permanent repeal have said international companies are unlikely to invest in projects needed for the country’s reconstruction as long as there is a threat of sanctions returning.<h2>Lack of IVF coverage</h2>Democrats criticized Johnson for stripping a provision from the bill to expand coverage of in vitro fertilization for active duty personnel. An&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2296/text">earlier version</a>&nbsp;covered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ivf-vitro-fertilization-trump-executive-order-65972cc1b10151bf1a0d9390fe5754d9">the medical procedure, known as IVF</a>, which helps people facing infertility have children.

Kan. lawmakers help House pass $900 billion defense policy bill

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

Just before 4:30p.m. Tuesday&nbsp;an officer on patrol observed a vehicle stopped in the southbound driving lane in the 400 block River Road in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

 Stephen Oswalt, 62, was in the driver’s seat and appeared to be sleeping or passed out. During the investigation at the scene he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He was taken to the County Jail and is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765378514283.png" alt="Oswalt photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Oswalt photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 4:30p.m. Tuesday&nbsp;an officer on patrol observed a vehicle stopped in the southbound driving lane in the 400 block River Road in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. Stephen Oswalt, 62, was in the driver’s seat and appeared to be sleeping or passed out. During the investigation at the scene he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He was taken to the County Jail and is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;

Suspect was passed out in vehicle in driving lane of Kan. highway

RILEY COUNTY — Law enforcement are investigating a hit-and-run incident involving a police vehicle in Manhattan.

Just before 3 a.m. on Dec. 10 in the 1600 block of Fair Lane, victims including&nbsp;a 37-year-old man, a 42-year-old man, a 41-year-old man and D &amp; I Rentals reported two suspects attempted to strike two officers with their 2014 Chevy Silverado before reversing and driving into an occupied patrol unit during a traffic stop, according to the Riley County Police Department Activity Report.

The suspects are wanted for allegedly fleeing or attempting to elude, aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, interference with a law enforcement officer, aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer, reckless driving, criminal damage to property, possession of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute, possession of paraphernalia and possession of marijuana, according to the RCPD.

The suspects, identified as two 41-year-old men and a 42-year-old woman&nbsp; fled the scene. Anyone with information, contact RCPD or the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers. Using the Crime Stoppers service can allow you remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward up to $1,000

RILEY COUNTY — Law enforcement are investigating a hit-and-run incident involving a police vehicle in Manhattan.Just before 3 a.m. on Dec. 10 in the 1600 block of Fair Lane, victims including&nbsp;a 37-year-old man, a 42-year-old man, a 41-year-old man and D &amp; I Rentals reported two suspects attempted to strike two officers with their 2014 Chevy Silverado before reversing and driving into an occupied patrol unit during a traffic stop, according to the Riley County Police Department Activity Report.The suspects are wanted for allegedly fleeing or attempting to elude, aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, interference with a law enforcement officer, aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer, reckless driving, criminal damage to property, possession of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute, possession of paraphernalia and possession of marijuana, according to the RCPD.The suspects, identified as two 41-year-old men and a 42-year-old woman&nbsp; fled the scene. Anyone with information, contact RCPD or the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers. Using the Crime Stoppers service can allow you remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward up to $1,000

3 wanted for hit-and-run crash into Kan. police vehicle

NEW YORK (AP) — Secret grand jury transcripts from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case</a>&nbsp;can be made public, a judge ruled Wednesday, joining two other judges in granting the Justice Department’s requests to unseal material from investigations into the late financier’s sexual abuse.

U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman reversed his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-epstein-c148333f2618c92c0b9a87784c45a416">earlier decision to keep the material under wraps</a>, citing a new law that requires the government to open its files on Epstein and his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-ghislaine-maxwell-fa2c504a6dfe30ce1686b857a4123b7b">longtime confidant Ghislaine Maxwell</a>. The judge previously cautioned that the 70 or so pages of grand jury materials slated for release are hardly revelatory.

On Tuesday, a different Manhattan federal judge ordered the release of records from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-sex-trafficking-case-records-8e3985dd977cb94ef41b9581115ef61b">Maxwell’s 2021 sex trafficking case</a>. Last week, a judge in Florida approved the unsealing of transcripts from an abandoned&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-florida-bd036cbe2fa4e98d27aa473fd6daa3bd">Epstein federal grand jury investigation in the 2000s</a>.

The Justice Department asked the judges to lift secrecy orders after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-release-justice-department-32cbc21a6ae8189dccd00455dc83d2be">Epstein Files Transparency Act</a>, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump last month, created a narrow exception to rules that normally keep grand jury proceedings confidential.

The law requires that the Justice Department disclose Epstein-related records to the public by Dec. 19.

Questions about the government’s Epstein files have dominated the first year of Trump’s second term, with pressure on the Republican intensifying after he reneged on a campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-conspiracies-97200cfab77572a36bc9ab25841a8833">promise to release the files</a>. His administration released some material, most of it already public, disappointing critics and some allies.

Epstein, a millionaire money manager known for socializing with celebrities, politicians, billionaires and the academic elite,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-suicide-department-of-justice-investigation-50c229b7953096f0301bfa1e7f0b7703">killed himself in jail</a>&nbsp;a month after his 2019 arrest. Maxwell was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-convicted-jeffrey-epstein-trial-verdict-63a71a2825eab41184a79e37bb967e90">convicted in 2021</a>&nbsp;by a federal jury of sex trafficking for helping recruit some of Epstein’s underage victims and participating in some of the abuse. She is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-sentencing-aeac127f9cc3811d975ce8e10d171260">serving a 20-year prison sentence</a>.

In court filings, the Justice Department informed Berman that the only witness to testify before the Epstein grand jury was an FBI agent who, the judge noted, “had no direct knowledge of the facts of the case and whose testimony was mostly hearsay.”

The agent testified over two days, on June 18, 2019, and July 2, 2019. The rest of the grand jury presentation consisted of a PowerPoint slideshow and a call log. The July 2 session, which ended with grand jurors voting to indict Epstein. Both of those will also remain sealed, Berman ruled.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704330351229.png" alt="Jeffrey Epstein- New York Sex Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Jeffrey Epstein- New York Sex Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Secret grand jury transcripts from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case</a>&nbsp;can be made public, a judge ruled Wednesday, joining two other judges in granting the Justice Department’s requests to unseal material from investigations into the late financier’s sexual abuse.U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman reversed his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-epstein-c148333f2618c92c0b9a87784c45a416">earlier decision to keep the material under wraps</a>, citing a new law that requires the government to open its files on Epstein and his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-ghislaine-maxwell-fa2c504a6dfe30ce1686b857a4123b7b">longtime confidant Ghislaine Maxwell</a>. The judge previously cautioned that the 70 or so pages of grand jury materials slated for release are hardly revelatory.On Tuesday, a different Manhattan federal judge ordered the release of records from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-sex-trafficking-case-records-8e3985dd977cb94ef41b9581115ef61b">Maxwell’s 2021 sex trafficking case</a>. Last week, a judge in Florida approved the unsealing of transcripts from an abandoned&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-florida-bd036cbe2fa4e98d27aa473fd6daa3bd">Epstein federal grand jury investigation in the 2000s</a>.The Justice Department asked the judges to lift secrecy orders after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-release-justice-department-32cbc21a6ae8189dccd00455dc83d2be">Epstein Files Transparency Act</a>, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump last month, created a narrow exception to rules that normally keep grand jury proceedings confidential.The law requires that the Justice Department disclose Epstein-related records to the public by Dec. 19.Questions about the government’s Epstein files have dominated the first year of Trump’s second term, with pressure on the Republican intensifying after he reneged on a campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-conspiracies-97200cfab77572a36bc9ab25841a8833">promise to release the files</a>. His administration released some material, most of it already public, disappointing critics and some allies.Epstein, a millionaire money manager known for socializing with celebrities, politicians, billionaires and the academic elite,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-suicide-department-of-justice-investigation-50c229b7953096f0301bfa1e7f0b7703">killed himself in jail</a>&nbsp;a month after his 2019 arrest. Maxwell was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-convicted-jeffrey-epstein-trial-verdict-63a71a2825eab41184a79e37bb967e90">convicted in 2021</a>&nbsp;by a federal jury of sex trafficking for helping recruit some of Epstein’s underage victims and participating in some of the abuse. She is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-sentencing-aeac127f9cc3811d975ce8e10d171260">serving a 20-year prison sentence</a>.In court filings, the Justice Department informed Berman that the only witness to testify before the Epstein grand jury was an FBI agent who, the judge noted, “had no direct knowledge of the facts of the case and whose testimony was mostly hearsay.”The agent testified over two days, on June 18, 2019, and July 2, 2019. The rest of the grand jury presentation consisted of a PowerPoint slideshow and a call log. The July 2 session, which ended with grand jurors voting to indict Epstein. Both of those will also remain sealed, Berman ruled.

Judge: DOJ can make public secret Epstein grand jury transcripts

Using U.S. forces to seize an oil tanker is incredibly unusual and marks the Trump administration’s latest push to increase pressure on Maduro, who has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f">charged with narcoterrorism</a>&nbsp;in the United States. The U.S. has built up the largest military presence in the region in decades and launched a series of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-pentagon-drug-boats-pacific-35a60ce3bc018e5f66c18b2d18b49c35">deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. The campaign is facing growing scrutiny from Congress.

Trump said “other things are happening,” but did not offer additional details, saying he would speak more about it later. When asked what would happen to the oil aboard the tanker, Trump said, “Well, we keep it, I guess.”

The seizure was led by the U.S. Coast Guard and supported by the Navy, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The official added that the seizure was conducted under U.S. law enforcement authority.

Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves and produces about 1 million barrels a day. Locked out of global oil markets by U.S. sanctions, the state-owned oil company sells most of its output at a steep discount to refiners in China.

The transactions usually involve a complex network of shadowy intermediaries, as sanctions have scared away more established traders. Many are shell companies, registered in jurisdictions known for secrecy. The buyers deploy so-called ghost tankers that hide their location and hand off their valuable cargoes in the middle of the ocean before they reach their final destination.

Maduro previously has insisted the real purpose of the U.S. military operations is to force him from office.

During past negotiations, among the concessions the U.S. has made to Maduro was approval for oil giant Chevron Corp. to resume pumping and exporting Venezuelan oil. The corporation’s activities in the South American country resulted in a financial lifeline for Maduro’s government.

Lawmakers are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/defense-bill-ndaa-boat-strikes-video-152bef4ad429ae2c62937daeea2235a4">demanding to get unedited video</a>&nbsp;from the strikes, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told congressional leaders Tuesday he was still weighing whether to release it. Hegseth provided a classified briefing for congressional leaders alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

It was not immediately clear Wednesday who owned the tanker or what national flag it was sailing under. The Coast Guard referred a request for comment to the White House.

Associated Press writer Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Wednesday that the United States has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">tensions mount</a>&nbsp;with the government of President Nicolás Maduro.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump: “As you probably know, we just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela — a large tanker, very large.” <a href="https://t.co/I51NenxoIP">pic.twitter.com/I51NenxoIP</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998852863817064906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">🚨 Q: What happens to the oil on the tanker you seized near Venezuela? PRESIDENT TRUMP: We keep the oil, I guess! 🤣 Q: Where does it go? TRUMP: You&#39;re a good news man. Just get a helicopter and go follow the tanker! He is the best 😭😭 <a href="https://t.co/Dp9duwUxT7">pic.twitter.com/Dp9duwUxT7</a>&mdash; Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1998860261915242721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Using U.S. forces to seize an oil tanker is incredibly unusual and marks the Trump administration’s latest push to increase pressure on Maduro, who has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f">charged with narcoterrorism</a>&nbsp;in the United States. The U.S. has built up the largest military presence in the region in decades and launched a series of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-pentagon-drug-boats-pacific-35a60ce3bc018e5f66c18b2d18b49c35">deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. The campaign is facing growing scrutiny from Congress.“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized, actually,” Trump told reporters at the White House, later adding that "it was seized for a very good reason.”Trump said “other things are happening,” but did not offer additional details, saying he would speak more about it later. When asked what would happen to the oil aboard the tanker, Trump said, “Well, we keep it, I guess.”The seizure was led by the U.S. Coast Guard and supported by the Navy, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The official added that the seizure was conducted under U.S. law enforcement authority.Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves and produces about 1 million barrels a day. Locked out of global oil markets by U.S. sanctions, the state-owned oil company sells most of its output at a steep discount to refiners in China.The transactions usually involve a complex network of shadowy intermediaries, as sanctions have scared away more established traders. Many are shell companies, registered in jurisdictions known for secrecy. The buyers deploy so-called ghost tankers that hide their location and hand off their valuable cargoes in the middle of the ocean before they reach their final destination.Maduro did not address the seizure during a speech before a ruling-party organized demonstration in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital. But he told supporters that the country is “prepared to break the teeth of the North American empire if necessary.”Maduro, flanked by senior officials, said only the ruling party can “guarantee peace, stability, and the harmonious development of Venezuela, South America and the Caribbean.”Maduro previously has insisted the real purpose of the U.S. military operations is to force him from office.During past negotiations, among the concessions the U.S. has made to Maduro was approval for oil giant Chevron Corp. to resume pumping and exporting Venezuelan oil. The corporation’s activities in the South American country resulted in a financial lifeline for Maduro’s government.The seizure comes a day after the U.S. military&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-us-military-trump-fa18-fighter-jets-06fd7cdc5ac26e7a46165431b95508b0">flew a pair of fighter jets</a>&nbsp;over the Gulf of Venezuela in what appeared to be the closest that warplanes had come to the South American country’s airspace. Trump has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-maduro-colombia-petro-boats-559a73dbfcbdc9245494f441be1aad39">land attacks are coming soon</a>&nbsp;but has not offered more details.The Trump administration is facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-pete-hegseth-venezuela-9f46a5f074b5b3c979ee41082949b196">increasing scrutiny from lawmakers</a>&nbsp;over the boat strike campaign, which has killed at least 87 people in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-petro-colombia-drugs-us-aid-c3955b2ce351737119920741178e0567">22 known strikes</a>&nbsp;since early September, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-strike-video-footage-boat-caribbean-3cf2ca9cbe4523978e935b99c2979caa">a follow-up strike that killed two survivors</a>&nbsp;clinging to the wreckage of a boat after the first hit.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-survivors-hegseth-72b0a498ca08615b2589c772a1d9e642">Some legal experts and Democrats say</a>&nbsp;that action may have violated the laws governing the use of deadly military force.Lawmakers are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/defense-bill-ndaa-boat-strikes-video-152bef4ad429ae2c62937daeea2235a4">demanding to get unedited video</a>&nbsp;from the strikes, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told congressional leaders Tuesday he was still weighing whether to release it. Hegseth provided a classified briefing for congressional leaders alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.It was not immediately clear Wednesday who owned the tanker or what national flag it was sailing under. The Coast Guard referred a request for comment to the White House.___Associated Press writer Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report.

🎥Trump: US has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve reduced its key interest rate by a quarter-point for the third time in a row Wednesday but signaled that it may leave rates unchanged in the coming months.

Chair Jerome Powell signaled at a news conference that the Fed would likely hold off on further rate cuts in the coming months while it evaluated the health of the economy. And in a set of quarterly economic projections, Fed officials signaled they expect to lower rates just once next year.

Wednesday's cut reduced the rate to about 3.6%, the lowest it has been in nearly three years. Lower rates from the Fed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-rate-cut-finances-credit-cards-auto-loans-mortgages-jobs-28c665ed26bcd1652abb299cf87145f8">can bring down borrowing costs</a>&nbsp;for mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards over time, though market forces can also affect those rates.

Fed officials “will carefully evaluate the incoming data," Powell said, adding that the Fed is “well positioned to wait to see how the economy evolves.” The chair also said that the Fed’s key rate was close to a level that neither restricts nor stimulates the economy.

Three Fed officials dissented from the move, the most dissents in six years and a sign of deep divisions on a committee that traditionally works by consensus. Two officials voted to keep the Fed's rate unchanged, while Stephen Miran, whom Trump appointed in September, voted for a half point cut.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve reduced its key interest rate by a quarter-point for the third time in a row Wednesday but signaled that it may leave rates unchanged in the coming months.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fed Chair Powell: &quot;In support of our goals and in light of the balance of risks to employment and inflation, today the Federal Open Market Committee decided to lower our policy interest rate by a quarter percentage point.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FOMC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FOMC</a> <a href="https://t.co/4Zmc94R3s4">pic.twitter.com/4Zmc94R3s4</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998839255318278321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Chair Jerome Powell signaled at a news conference that the Fed would likely hold off on further rate cuts in the coming months while it evaluated the health of the economy. And in a set of quarterly economic projections, Fed officials signaled they expect to lower rates just once next year.Wednesday's cut reduced the rate to about 3.6%, the lowest it has been in nearly three years. Lower rates from the Fed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-rate-cut-finances-credit-cards-auto-loans-mortgages-jobs-28c665ed26bcd1652abb299cf87145f8">can bring down borrowing costs</a>&nbsp;for mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards over time, though market forces can also affect those rates.Fed officials “will carefully evaluate the incoming data," Powell said, adding that the Fed is “well positioned to wait to see how the economy evolves.” The chair also said that the Fed’s key rate was close to a level that neither restricts nor stimulates the economy.Three Fed officials dissented from the move, the most dissents in six years and a sign of deep divisions on a committee that traditionally works by consensus. Two officials voted to keep the Fed's rate unchanged, while Stephen Miran, whom Trump appointed in September, voted for a half point cut.December’s meeting could usher in a more contentious period for the Fed. Officials are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-8a0060c2f52f884ed3489450a66619b8">split</a>&nbsp;between those who support reducing rates to bolster hiring and those who’d prefer to keep rates unchanged because inflation remains above the central bank’s 2% target. Unless inflation shows clear signs of coming fully under control, or unemployment worsens, those divisions will likely remain.“What you see is some people feel we should stop here and we’re in the right place and should wait, and some people think we should cut more next year,” Powell said. He did rule out a rate hike next year.Trump on Wednesday criticized the cut as too small, and said he would have preferred “at least double.” The president could name a new Fed chair as soon as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-bessent-26f23d4bbccd2476e913c0e675fbffdc">later this month</a>&nbsp;to replace Powell when his term ends in May. Trump’s new chair is likely to push for sharper rate cuts than many officials may support.Stocks jumped in response to the Fed's move, in part because some Wall Street investors expected Powell to be more forceful in shutting down the possibility of future cuts. The broad S&amp;P 500 stock index&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/financial-markets-fed-interest-rates-inflation-27ae743a2289c9870b0be4d2ddd6589a">rose 0.7%</a>&nbsp;and closed near an all-time high reached in October.Powell was also optimistic about the economy's growth next year, and said that consumer spending remains resilient while companies are still investing in artificial intelligence infrastructure. He also suggested growing worker efficiency could boost growth as well.A stark sign of the Fed’s divisions was the wide range of cuts that the 19 members of the Fed’s rate-setting committee penciled in for 2026. Seven projected no cuts next year, while eight forecast that the central bank would implement two or more reductions. Four supported just one. Only 12 out of 19 members vote on rate decisions.The Fed met against the backdrop of elevated inflation that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-12-9-2025">frustrated</a>&nbsp;many Americans, with prices higher for groceries, rents, and utilities. Consumer prices have jumped 25% in the five years since COVID.“We hear loud and clear how people are experiencing really high costs," Powell said Wednesday. "A lot of that isn’t the current rate of inflation, a lot of that is imbedded high costs due to higher inflations in 2022-2023.”In a delayed report last week, the government said the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge remained high in September, with both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-spending-eaa913f6df77db354019d0d22a4b01fe">overall and core prices rising 2.8%</a>&nbsp;from a year earlier. That is far below the spikes in inflation three years ago but still painful for many households after the big run-up since 2020.The Fed typically keeps its key rate elevated to combat inflation, while it often reduces borrowing costs when unemployment worsens to spur more spending and hiring.Adding to the Fed's challenges, job gains have slowed sharply this year and the unemployment rate has risen for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-tariff-bf603d63e13d6dc1083e9a6616c7ffee">three straight months</a>&nbsp;to 4.4%. While that is still a low rate historically, it is the highest in four years. Layoffs are also muted, so far, as part of what many economists call a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-economy-c48fd84dfaa71eee962feb3a88fd8575">“low hire, low fire”</a>&nbsp;job market.Still, Powell said the committee reduced borrowing costs out of concern that the job market is even weaker than it appears. While government data shows that the economy has added just 40,000 jobs a month since April, Powell said that figure could be revised lower by as much as 60,000, which would mean employers have actually been shedding an average of 20,000 jobs a month since the spring.“It’s a labor market that seems to have significant downside risks," Powell told reporters. "People care about that. That’s their jobs.”At the same time, Powell noted that there are signs inflation is continuing to cool. Tariffs have made many goods more expensive, but that could peak early next year, he said, while the cost of services — hotel rooms, entertainment, and restaurant meals — has been flat.“If you get away from tariffs, inflation is in the low 2s," Powell said, near the Fed's target.The lack of economic data since the government shutdown ended Nov. 13 has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-trump-federal-reserve-fabecefa501709184895bf73b3dc698a">contributed</a>&nbsp;to the divisions at the Fed. But when Fed officials next meet in late January, they’ll have up to three months of backlogged reports to consider. If those figures show that the job market has worsened, the Fed could reduce rates again in January.By contrast, if hiring has stabilized while inflation remains elevated, they may hold off on additional cuts for several months.Powell will preside over only three more Fed meetings before he steps down. He was asked about his legacy.“I really want to turn this job over to whoever replaces me with the economy in really good shape,” he said. "I want inflation to be under control, coming back down to 2%, and I want the labor market to be strong.”