&nbsp;SALINE COUNTY—Police continue their investigation into the death of a baby in Salina.

On Tuesday, Salina Police Lt. Andrew Zeigler&nbsp; reported an autopsy indicated the need for additional investigation into the death of the 7-week-old boy who died July 28. Police initially indicated they were waiting for the results of the autopsy and forensic report on the death.

Salina Police are working with other law enforcement agencies on the case and will utilize an expert from Wichita to help determine how the child died.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest in the case but have identified all parties involved as part of the investigation.

&nbsp;SALINE COUNTY—Police continue their investigation into the death of a baby in Salina.On Tuesday, Salina Police Lt. Andrew Zeigler&nbsp; reported an autopsy indicated the need for additional investigation into the death of the 7-week-old boy who died July 28. Police initially indicated they were waiting for the results of the autopsy and forensic report on the death.Salina Police are working with other law enforcement agencies on the case and will utilize an expert from Wichita to help determine how the child died.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest in the case but have identified all parties involved as part of the investigation.

Police update investigation in death of baby in central Kansas

WASHINGTON, D.C. –&nbsp;Congressman Derek Schmidt announced he will cosponsor legislation to maintain food assistance for Kansans in need if the federal government shutdown continues, according to a media release from the office of the 2nd District Representative.

“This shutdown has been unnecessary from the beginning and hurts many Kansans,” Schmidt said. “It should not have happened, it has made reaching bipartisan agreement on many important funding priorities for the coming year harder not easier, and it needs to end. In my view, the right thing to do is to reopen the entire government and resume negotiations on full-year funding bills, but if a minority of U.S. Senators keeps refusing that approach then reopening critical parts of the government like food assistance is better than nothing at all.”

Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food assistance program is expected to run out after November 1 if the government remains shut. The bill Schmidt will cosponsor, H.R. 5822, would continue SNAP funding for Kansans in need.

More than a month ago, the House of Representatives voted to temporarily continue funding all government operations while bipartisan negotiations for full-year funding priorities continue. A bipartisan majority of U.S. Senators agrees with keeping the government open during negotiations, but a minority of senators has repeatedly refused and under Senate rules that minority is able to block funding bills.

Schmidt has voted in favor of every government-funding bill that has come to the House floor this year. On September 19, he voted for the clean, short-term continuing resolution to maintain government operations for seven more weeks while bipartisan negotiations on annual funding bills continue. He also voted for full-year funding for the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and Department of Veterans Affairs and other agencies including the Army Corps of Engineers when those funding bills came before the House of Representatives.

Since the shutdown began, Schmidt has cosponsored several targeted bills intended to resume funding for specific federal services. In addition to the SNAP funding bill he cosponsored today, Schmidt has cosponsored standalone legislation to pay U.S. troops (H.R. 5401) and air traffic controllers (H.R. 5455).

In the absence of congressional action, Schmidt has favored actions by the Trump Administration to reallocate funding within the limits of the law to meet urgent priorities. Actions by the administration so far include paying U.S. troops and law enforcement officers, temporarily extending funding for the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program, and reopening Farm Service Agency offices.

Schmidt also has cosponsored legislation to prevent future government shutdowns by continuing current funding levels whenever Congress allows annual appropriations to lapse (H.R. 5130 and H.R. 5552).

“This chaotic shutdown approach is no way to run the government of a great country,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt has also cosponsored a Constitutional Amendment that would prohibit Members of Congress from receiving pay during a government shutdown (H.J.Res. 128).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760987168428.png" alt="Rep. Derek Schmidt from a video on his social media page last week" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Derek Schmidt from a video on his social media page last week</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON, D.C. –&nbsp;Congressman Derek Schmidt announced he will cosponsor legislation to maintain food assistance for Kansans in need if the federal government shutdown continues, according to a media release from the office of the 2nd District Representative.“This shutdown has been unnecessary from the beginning and hurts many Kansans,” Schmidt said. “It should not have happened, it has made reaching bipartisan agreement on many important funding priorities for the coming year harder not easier, and it needs to end. In my view, the right thing to do is to reopen the entire government and resume negotiations on full-year funding bills, but if a minority of U.S. Senators keeps refusing that approach then reopening critical parts of the government like food assistance is better than nothing at all.”Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food assistance program is expected to run out after November 1 if the government remains shut. The bill Schmidt will cosponsor, H.R. 5822, would continue SNAP funding for Kansans in need.More than a month ago, the House of Representatives voted to temporarily continue funding all government operations while bipartisan negotiations for full-year funding priorities continue. A bipartisan majority of U.S. Senators agrees with keeping the government open during negotiations, but a minority of senators has repeatedly refused and under Senate rules that minority is able to block funding bills.Schmidt has voted in favor of every government-funding bill that has come to the House floor this year. On September 19, he voted for the clean, short-term continuing resolution to maintain government operations for seven more weeks while bipartisan negotiations on annual funding bills continue. He also voted for full-year funding for the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and Department of Veterans Affairs and other agencies including the Army Corps of Engineers when those funding bills came before the House of Representatives.Since the shutdown began, Schmidt has cosponsored several targeted bills intended to resume funding for specific federal services. In addition to the SNAP funding bill he cosponsored today, Schmidt has cosponsored standalone legislation to pay U.S. troops (H.R. 5401) and air traffic controllers (H.R. 5455).In the absence of congressional action, Schmidt has favored actions by the Trump Administration to reallocate funding within the limits of the law to meet urgent priorities. Actions by the administration so far include paying U.S. troops and law enforcement officers, temporarily extending funding for the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program, and reopening Farm Service Agency offices.Schmidt also has cosponsored legislation to prevent future government shutdowns by continuing current funding levels whenever Congress allows annual appropriations to lapse (H.R. 5130 and H.R. 5552).“This chaotic shutdown approach is no way to run the government of a great country,” Schmidt said.Schmidt has also cosponsored a Constitutional Amendment that would prohibit Members of Congress from receiving pay during a government shutdown (H.J.Res. 128).

Kan. Rep. calls for continuing food assistance during shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday that the U.S. military has carried out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-drug-boat-strike-ffb1b720fa018336316238463924b78a">strikes in the eastern Pacific Ocean</a>&nbsp;on four boats accused of carrying drugs, killing 14 people and leaving one survivor in the deadliest single day since the Trump administration began its divisive campaign against drug trafficking in the waters off South America.

It was the first time multiple strikes were announced in a single day as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">the pace of the attacks</a>&nbsp;has escalated. The nearly two-month campaign and U.S. military buildup have strained ties with allies in the region and opened speculation that the moves are aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dhs-plan-capture-maduro-pilot-planes-7915d5a0819ceb518a8ca2b47da8b2e5">ousting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro</a>, whom the U.S. has accused of narcoterrorism.

A statement provided by a Pentagon official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely discuss the operation, said the strikes were conducted Monday off the coast of Colombia.

Following one attack on a boat, the military spotted a person in the water clinging to some wreckage. The military passed the survivor’s precise location to the U.S. Coast Guard and a Mexican military aircraft that was operating in the area, the official said.

However, the Mexican navy says it is searching about 400 miles southwest of the Pacific city of Acapulco, suggesting the possibility that the strike may have taken place far away from Colombia and closer to Mexico’s coast. It wasn’t immediately clear exactly where the strike took place, and the Pentagon did not give more details.

Mexico is still conducting a search for the survivor and criticizes the strikes

Hegseth said Mexican search and rescue authorities “assumed responsibility for coordinating the rescue” of the sole survivor but didn’t say if that person was successfully rescued or would stay in Mexico’s custody or be handed over to the U.S.

Mexico's navy still was attempting a search and rescue operation, the military said in a statement Tuesday, a day after the strikes occurred. The American attacks drew renewed criticism from the regional ally.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said during her daily press conference that she asked the foreign affairs secretary and the navy to meet with the U.S. ambassador in Mexico to discuss the issue because “we do not agree with these attacks.”

“We want all international treaties to be respected,” she said.

The strikes also have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-colombia-petro-sanctions-drug-trafficking-1b6ead338ec266b3df40859db6ee2d8d">strained ties with other historic allies</a>&nbsp;like Colombia, a country whose intelligence is crucial to American anti-narcotics operations in the region. In an escalating clash between the Republican U.S. president and Colombia’s first leftist leader, the Trump administration imposed sanctions Friday on Colombian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gustavo-petro">Gustavo Petro</a>, his family and a member of his government over accusations of involvement in the global drug trade. Petro vehemently denies the allegations.

In a strike earlier this month with two survivors, the U.S. military rescued the pair and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-military-strikes-drugs-caribbean-ecuador-colombia-c1d4c025e1dfe21cc7ee67d7aa4e05bd">repatriated them to Colombia and Ecuador</a>. Authorities&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ecuador-strike-caribbean-trump-fentanyl-colombia-venezuela-0f8f1c004064857046398b388ddb8df5">released the Ecuadorian man</a>&nbsp;after prosecutors said they had no evidence he committed a crime in Ecuador.

Hegseth posted footage of the latest strikes to social media in which two boats can be seen moving through the water in separate clips. One is visibly laden with a large amount of parcels or bundles. Both then suddenly explode and are seen in flames.

The third strike appears to have been conducted on a pair of boats that were stationary in the water alongside each other. They appear to be largely empty, with at least two people seen moving before an explosion engulfs both boats.

Hegseth said “the four vessels were known by our intelligence apparatus, transiting along known narco-trafficking routes, and carrying narcotics.”

The Trump administration has shown no evidence to support its claims about the boats, their connection to drug cartels, or even the identity of the people killed in the strikes that began in early September and had been spaced weeks apart.

Fatalities rise as speculation swirls about the US campaign

The death toll from the 13 disclosed strikes has increased to at least 57 people. The Trump administration said several of the strikes have been off the coast of Venezuela or blamed them on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-caribbean-rubio-trump-tren-de-aragua-9e0dac7dee5a3fb14a16370508fc460d">Tren de Aragua gang</a>, which originated in a Venezuelan prison and has been declared a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S.

After the Pentagon announced Friday that it was dispatching an aircraft carrier to join&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-buildup-caribbean-venezuela-ships-troops-810f6181371f53536c723ea562c5277c">the eight warships and thousands of troops</a>&nbsp;already in the region, Maduro said the U.S. government was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-warship-maduro-uss-gerald-ford-21cc3ac03f755a657c0541667246c007">“fabricating” a war against him</a>.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rubio-gaza-ceasefire-colombia-venezuela-82eb1929a74955f2c9be1339602176dd">U.S. is taking part in a counterdrug operation</a>, while also accusing Maduro’s government of allowing and participating in the shipment of narcotics.

The U.S. military also flew a pair of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-maduro-supersonic-bombers-03b246ca6cf7ed9fa6d39e1f716b1754">supersonic heavy bombers up to the coast</a>&nbsp;of Venezuela.

President Donald Trump has said he has the “legal authority” to carry out the attacks on the alleged drug-carrying boats and suggested similar strikes could be done on land.

In his announcement of the latest strikes, Hegseth continued to draw parallels between the military’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e">actions against drug trafficking and the war on terrorism</a>&nbsp;following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

He claimed that cartels “have killed more Americans than Al-Qaeda, and they will be treated the same."

Trump has justified the strikes by asserting that the United States is engaged in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">an “armed conflict” with drug cartels</a>&nbsp;and proclaiming the criminal organizations to be unlawful combatants, relying on the same legal authority used by President George W. Bush’s administration for the war on terrorism.

Associated Press writers María Verza and Megan Janetsky in Mexico City contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the U.S. military carried out three strikes Monday in the waters of the Eastern Pacific against boats suspected of carrying drugs, killing 14 and leaving one survivor.

The announcement made on social media Tuesday, marks a continued escalation in the pace of the strikes, which began in early September spaced weeks apart. This was the first time multiple strikes were announced in a single day.

Hegseth said Mexican search and rescue authorities “assumed responsibility for coordinating the rescue” of the sole survivor but didn’t say if that person would stay in their custody or be handed over to the U.S.

In a strike earlier in October which had two survivors, the U.S. military rescued the pair and later repatriated them to Colombia and Ecuador.

Hegseth posted footage of the strikes to social media in which two boats can be seen moving at speed through the water. One is visibly laden with a large amount of parcels or bundles. Both then suddenly explode and are seen aflame.

The third strike appears to have been conducted on a pair of boats that were stationary in the water alongside each other. They appear to be largely empty with at least two people seen moving before an explosion engulfs both boats.

The death toll from the 13 disclosed strikes since early September is now at least 57 people.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday that the U.S. military has carried out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-drug-boat-strike-ffb1b720fa018336316238463924b78a">strikes in the eastern Pacific Ocean</a>&nbsp;on four boats accused of carrying drugs, killing 14 people and leaving one survivor in the deadliest single day since the Trump administration began its divisive campaign against drug trafficking in the waters off South America.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out three lethal kinetic strikes on four vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations (DTO) trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific. The four vessels were known by our intelligence… <a href="https://t.co/UhoFlZ3jPG">pic.twitter.com/UhoFlZ3jPG</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1983164355999883548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It was the first time multiple strikes were announced in a single day as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">the pace of the attacks</a>&nbsp;has escalated. The nearly two-month campaign and U.S. military buildup have strained ties with allies in the region and opened speculation that the moves are aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dhs-plan-capture-maduro-pilot-planes-7915d5a0819ceb518a8ca2b47da8b2e5">ousting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro</a>, whom the U.S. has accused of narcoterrorism.A statement provided by a Pentagon official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely discuss the operation, said the strikes were conducted Monday off the coast of Colombia.Following one attack on a boat, the military spotted a person in the water clinging to some wreckage. The military passed the survivor’s precise location to the U.S. Coast Guard and a Mexican military aircraft that was operating in the area, the official said.However, the Mexican navy says it is searching about 400 miles southwest of the Pacific city of Acapulco, suggesting the possibility that the strike may have taken place far away from Colombia and closer to Mexico’s coast. It wasn’t immediately clear exactly where the strike took place, and the Pentagon did not give more details.<h2>Mexico is still conducting a search for the survivor and criticizes the strikes</h2>Hegseth said Mexican search and rescue authorities “assumed responsibility for coordinating the rescue” of the sole survivor but didn’t say if that person was successfully rescued or would stay in Mexico’s custody or be handed over to the U.S.Mexico's navy still was attempting a search and rescue operation, the military said in a statement Tuesday, a day after the strikes occurred. The American attacks drew renewed criticism from the regional ally.Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said during her daily press conference that she asked the foreign affairs secretary and the navy to meet with the U.S. ambassador in Mexico to discuss the issue because “we do not agree with these attacks.”“We want all international treaties to be respected,” she said.The strikes also have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-colombia-petro-sanctions-drug-trafficking-1b6ead338ec266b3df40859db6ee2d8d">strained ties with other historic allies</a>&nbsp;like Colombia, a country whose intelligence is crucial to American anti-narcotics operations in the region. In an escalating clash between the Republican U.S. president and Colombia’s first leftist leader, the Trump administration imposed sanctions Friday on Colombian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gustavo-petro">Gustavo Petro</a>, his family and a member of his government over accusations of involvement in the global drug trade. Petro vehemently denies the allegations.In a strike earlier this month with two survivors, the U.S. military rescued the pair and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-military-strikes-drugs-caribbean-ecuador-colombia-c1d4c025e1dfe21cc7ee67d7aa4e05bd">repatriated them to Colombia and Ecuador</a>. Authorities&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ecuador-strike-caribbean-trump-fentanyl-colombia-venezuela-0f8f1c004064857046398b388ddb8df5">released the Ecuadorian man</a>&nbsp;after prosecutors said they had no evidence he committed a crime in Ecuador.Hegseth posted footage of the latest strikes to social media in which two boats can be seen moving through the water in separate clips. One is visibly laden with a large amount of parcels or bundles. Both then suddenly explode and are seen in flames.The third strike appears to have been conducted on a pair of boats that were stationary in the water alongside each other. They appear to be largely empty, with at least two people seen moving before an explosion engulfs both boats.Hegseth said “the four vessels were known by our intelligence apparatus, transiting along known narco-trafficking routes, and carrying narcotics.”The Trump administration has shown no evidence to support its claims about the boats, their connection to drug cartels, or even the identity of the people killed in the strikes that began in early September and had been spaced weeks apart.<h2>Fatalities rise as speculation swirls about the US campaign</h2>The death toll from the 13 disclosed strikes has increased to at least 57 people. The Trump administration said several of the strikes have been off the coast of Venezuela or blamed them on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-caribbean-rubio-trump-tren-de-aragua-9e0dac7dee5a3fb14a16370508fc460d">Tren de Aragua gang</a>, which originated in a Venezuelan prison and has been declared a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S.After the Pentagon announced Friday that it was dispatching an aircraft carrier to join&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-buildup-caribbean-venezuela-ships-troops-810f6181371f53536c723ea562c5277c">the eight warships and thousands of troops</a>&nbsp;already in the region, Maduro said the U.S. government was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-warship-maduro-uss-gerald-ford-21cc3ac03f755a657c0541667246c007">“fabricating” a war against him</a>.Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rubio-gaza-ceasefire-colombia-venezuela-82eb1929a74955f2c9be1339602176dd">U.S. is taking part in a counterdrug operation</a>, while also accusing Maduro’s government of allowing and participating in the shipment of narcotics.The U.S. military also flew a pair of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-maduro-supersonic-bombers-03b246ca6cf7ed9fa6d39e1f716b1754">supersonic heavy bombers up to the coast</a>&nbsp;of Venezuela.President Donald Trump has said he has the “legal authority” to carry out the attacks on the alleged drug-carrying boats and suggested similar strikes could be done on land.In his announcement of the latest strikes, Hegseth continued to draw parallels between the military’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e">actions against drug trafficking and the war on terrorism</a>&nbsp;following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.He claimed that cartels “have killed more Americans than Al-Qaeda, and they will be treated the same."Trump has justified the strikes by asserting that the United States is engaged in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">an “armed conflict” with drug cartels</a>&nbsp;and proclaiming the criminal organizations to be unlawful combatants, relying on the same legal authority used by President George W. Bush’s administration for the war on terrorism.___Associated Press writers María Verza and Megan Janetsky in Mexico City contributed to this report.-----------------------------WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the U.S. military carried out three strikes Monday in the waters of the Eastern Pacific against boats suspected of carrying drugs, killing 14 and leaving one survivor.The announcement made on social media Tuesday, marks a continued escalation in the pace of the strikes, which began in early September spaced weeks apart. This was the first time multiple strikes were announced in a single day.Hegseth said Mexican search and rescue authorities “assumed responsibility for coordinating the rescue” of the sole survivor but didn’t say if that person would stay in their custody or be handed over to the U.S.In a strike earlier in October which had two survivors, the U.S. military rescued the pair and later repatriated them to Colombia and Ecuador.Hegseth posted footage of the strikes to social media in which two boats can be seen moving at speed through the water. One is visibly laden with a large amount of parcels or bundles. Both then suddenly explode and are seen aflame.The third strike appears to have been conducted on a pair of boats that were stationary in the water alongside each other. They appear to be largely empty with at least two people seen moving before an explosion engulfs both boats.The death toll from the 13 disclosed strikes since early September is now at least 57 people.

🎥US military kills 14 in 4 more strikes on drug-running boats 

Rep. Sharice Davids joins five GOP Kansas peers to suspend compensation

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — All six members of the Kansas congressional delegation voluntarily put a halt to payment of their federal salaries during the ongoing government shutdown.

The latest to join the group, Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of the 3rd District, said Monday that she sent a letter to the chief administrative officer of the U.S. House requesting her paycheck be withheld until adoption of a bipartisan resolution to the impasse.

“Washington’s dysfunction is unacceptable, and Kansans have had enough,” Davids said. “I continue to urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come to the table to end this shutdown, and I will refuse to accept a paycheck until this shutdown is resolved.”

Other Kansans, all Republicans, also declined paychecks during the standoff: U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann of the 1st District, U.S. Rep. Derek Schmidt of the 2nd District and U.S. Rep. Ron Estes of the 4th District.

Members of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate earn $174,000 in annual salary, which amounts to $14,500 per month.

The U.S. House passed a bill that would keep the federal government open into November, but the Senate hasn’t been able to reach agreement on a funding measure.

Schmidt, who represents much of rural eastern Kansas, said “the whole situation is so unnecessary and very frustrating.”

He said the Senate had two options: One, pass the “clean, bipartisan” bill endorsed more than a month ago by the House. Or, the Senate could approve a different bill that could be voted on by the House.

Estes said failure of Congress to pass a temporary funding bill didn’t stop paychecks from going to lawmakers during a shutdown. He sent a letter weeks ago to U.S. House administrators with instructions to withhold his net pay until an appropriations agreement took effect.

Payton Fuller, a spokesperson for Marshall, said the GOP senator likewise “feels strongly that if federal workers and the military are required to work without pay, then it’s not right for him to be accepting a paycheck.”

In a recent interview, Marshall said a breakthrough could occur Nov. 1 because air traffic controllers and members of the military were due a paycheck. He said political pressure could be “the seminal moment that pushes us forward.”

The federal budget dispute also poses a threat to recipients of SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which delivers food aid to approximately 187,000 people in Kansas. It risks suspension of funding for WIC, the program for Women, Infants and Children that provides healthy food, breastfeeding support and nutrition education to about 50,000 Kansans.

Thousands of Kansans have been placed on furlough in October, but federal employees viewed as essential have been required to stay on the job without pay. Kansas is home to more than 25,000 federal employees and more than 21,000 active-duty members of the military

“My mom, an Army veteran, raised my brothers and me on her own,” Davids said. “If she had missed even one paycheck, it could’ve meant choosing between keeping the lights on or putting food on the table.”

She said an agreement by Congress to reopen the federal government should include a provision protecting families from rising health care costs when insurance tax credits expired later this year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761649665877.png" alt=" U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, said Oct. 27, 2025, that she voluntarily had her congressional paycheck withheld until resolution of the current federal government shutdown. All five Republican members of the Kansas delegation have done likewise. In this image, Davids speaks during an April 30, 2025, budget hearing in the U.S. House. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from U.S. House YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption> U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, said Oct. 27, 2025, that she voluntarily had her congressional paycheck withheld until resolution of the current federal government shutdown. All five Republican members of the Kansas delegation have done likewise. In this image, Davids speaks during an April 30, 2025, budget hearing in the U.S. House. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from U.S. House YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Rep. Sharice Davids joins five GOP Kansas peers to suspend compensation</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — All six members of the Kansas congressional delegation voluntarily put a halt to payment of their federal salaries during the ongoing government shutdown.The latest to join the group, Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of the 3rd District, said Monday that she sent a letter to the chief administrative officer of the U.S. House requesting her paycheck be withheld until adoption of a bipartisan resolution to the impasse.“Washington’s dysfunction is unacceptable, and Kansans have had enough,” Davids said. “I continue to urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come to the table to end this shutdown, and I will refuse to accept a paycheck until this shutdown is resolved.”Other Kansans, all Republicans, also declined paychecks during the standoff: U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann of the 1st District, U.S. Rep. Derek Schmidt of the 2nd District and U.S. Rep. Ron Estes of the 4th District.Members of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate earn $174,000 in annual salary, which amounts to $14,500 per month.The U.S. House passed a bill that would keep the federal government open into November, but the Senate hasn’t been able to reach agreement on a funding measure.Schmidt, who represents much of rural eastern Kansas, said “the whole situation is so unnecessary and very frustrating.”He said the Senate had two options: One, pass the “clean, bipartisan” bill endorsed more than a month ago by the House. Or, the Senate could approve a different bill that could be voted on by the House.Estes said failure of Congress to pass a temporary funding bill didn’t stop paychecks from going to lawmakers during a shutdown. He sent a letter weeks ago to U.S. House administrators with instructions to withhold his net pay until an appropriations agreement took effect.Payton Fuller, a spokesperson for Marshall, said the GOP senator likewise “feels strongly that if federal workers and the military are required to work without pay, then it’s not right for him to be accepting a paycheck.”In a recent interview, Marshall said a breakthrough could occur Nov. 1 because air traffic controllers and members of the military were due a paycheck. He said political pressure could be “the seminal moment that pushes us forward.”The federal budget dispute also poses a threat to recipients of SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which delivers food aid to approximately 187,000 people in Kansas. It risks suspension of funding for WIC, the program for Women, Infants and Children that provides healthy food, breastfeeding support and nutrition education to about 50,000 Kansans.Thousands of Kansans have been placed on furlough in October, but federal employees viewed as essential have been required to stay on the job without pay. Kansas is home to more than 25,000 federal employees and more than 21,000 active-duty members of the military“My mom, an Army veteran, raised my brothers and me on her own,” Davids said. “If she had missed even one paycheck, it could’ve meant choosing between keeping the lights on or putting food on the table.”She said an agreement by Congress to reopen the federal government should include a provision protecting families from rising health care costs when insurance tax credits expired later this year.

Entire Kansas congressional delegation voluntarily halts their paychecks amid shutdown

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The 22-year-old Utah man charged with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-suspect-things-to-know-dcde3f792f4d6636d44fb9f4fa53569c">killing Charlie Kirk</a>&nbsp;can appear in court wearing street clothes but must be physically restrained due to security concerns, a judge ruled Monday.

Attorneys for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-tyler-robinson-suspect-d893cc16fb0937d507283c710c551ef0">Tyler Robinson</a>&nbsp;argued images of him shackled and in jail clothing would spread widely in a case with extensive press coverage and public interest, which they said could prejudice future jurors.

Judge Tony Graf agreed to make some allowances to protect Robinson's presumption of innocence before a trial, agreeing that the case has drawn “extraordinary" public and media attention.

“Mr. Robinson shall be dressed as one who is presumed innocent,” Graf said during a virtual court hearing.

Utah prosecutors have charged Robinson with aggravated murder in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-conservative-activist-shot-546165a8151104e0938a5e085be1e8bd">Sept. 10 shooting</a>&nbsp;of the conservative activist on a Utah college campus. They plan to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-tyler-robinson-court-death-penalty-f541df08a936e06497ee2342296bc398">seek the death penalty</a>.

While Robinson has no prior criminal history, Graf said the charges he faces are extremely serious and present safety concerns in the courtroom. It's the court's highest priority to protect the attorneys, court staff and Robinson himself during what could be emotional hearings, Graf said before denying Robinson's request to appear without restraints. He did, however, prohibit members of the media from photographing or filming Robinson's restraints.

Robinson is accused of shooting Kirk — an ally of President Donald Trump who worked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-turning-point-trump-cf2a68e4303c5628299ffe383d09c1e9">steer young voters toward conservatism</a>&nbsp;— from a rooftop overlooking a crowded courtyard at Utah Valley University in Orem.

Robinson was arrested the following night when he showed up with his parents to turn himself in at his hometown sheriff’s office in southwest Utah, more than a three-hour drive from Orem.

As law enforcement agencies were scouring the state for the shooter, Washington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby said he received a phone call from a retired deputy saying he knew who killed Kirk. Robinson's family had reached out to the retired deputy, who they knew through their involvement with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mormonism">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints</a>, and worked with him to help negotiate a peaceful surrender.

“Part of the negotiation of getting him to bring himself in was that, that we would treat it as delicate and as soft as possible to make him feel comfortable to where he would show up at my office,” Brooksby said just after the arrest.

Prosecutors have since revealed incriminating text messages and DNA evidence that they say connect Robinson to the killing.

Robinson reportedly texted his romantic partner that he targeted Kirk because he “had enough of his hatred.”

Graf ordered Robinson to appear on Jan. 16 and Jan. 30 for his first in-person public hearings. He appeared Monday from jail on a blacked out screen and spoke only to confirm he was present.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757689066912.png" alt="Tyler Robinson-photo released by the Utah Governor's office" />
 <figcaption>Tyler Robinson-photo released by the Utah Governor's office</figcaption>
 </figure>SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The 22-year-old Utah man charged with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-suspect-things-to-know-dcde3f792f4d6636d44fb9f4fa53569c">killing Charlie Kirk</a>&nbsp;can appear in court wearing street clothes but must be physically restrained due to security concerns, a judge ruled Monday.Attorneys for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-tyler-robinson-suspect-d893cc16fb0937d507283c710c551ef0">Tyler Robinson</a>&nbsp;argued images of him shackled and in jail clothing would spread widely in a case with extensive press coverage and public interest, which they said could prejudice future jurors.Judge Tony Graf agreed to make some allowances to protect Robinson's presumption of innocence before a trial, agreeing that the case has drawn “extraordinary" public and media attention.“Mr. Robinson shall be dressed as one who is presumed innocent,” Graf said during a virtual court hearing.Utah prosecutors have charged Robinson with aggravated murder in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-conservative-activist-shot-546165a8151104e0938a5e085be1e8bd">Sept. 10 shooting</a>&nbsp;of the conservative activist on a Utah college campus. They plan to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-tyler-robinson-court-death-penalty-f541df08a936e06497ee2342296bc398">seek the death penalty</a>.While Robinson has no prior criminal history, Graf said the charges he faces are extremely serious and present safety concerns in the courtroom. It's the court's highest priority to protect the attorneys, court staff and Robinson himself during what could be emotional hearings, Graf said before denying Robinson's request to appear without restraints. He did, however, prohibit members of the media from photographing or filming Robinson's restraints.Robinson is accused of shooting Kirk — an ally of President Donald Trump who worked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-turning-point-trump-cf2a68e4303c5628299ffe383d09c1e9">steer young voters toward conservatism</a>&nbsp;— from a rooftop overlooking a crowded courtyard at Utah Valley University in Orem.Robinson was arrested the following night when he showed up with his parents to turn himself in at his hometown sheriff’s office in southwest Utah, more than a three-hour drive from Orem.As law enforcement agencies were scouring the state for the shooter, Washington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby said he received a phone call from a retired deputy saying he knew who killed Kirk. Robinson's family had reached out to the retired deputy, who they knew through their involvement with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mormonism">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints</a>, and worked with him to help negotiate a peaceful surrender.“Part of the negotiation of getting him to bring himself in was that, that we would treat it as delicate and as soft as possible to make him feel comfortable to where he would show up at my office,” Brooksby said just after the arrest.Prosecutors have since revealed incriminating text messages and DNA evidence that they say connect Robinson to the killing.Robinson reportedly texted his romantic partner that he targeted Kirk because he “had enough of his hatred.”Graf ordered Robinson to appear on Jan. 16 and Jan. 30 for his first in-person public hearings. He appeared Monday from jail on a blacked out screen and spoke only to confirm he was present.

Judge's decision gives alleged Charlie Kirk assassin a win 

FORT WORTH, Texas —On October 23, two police officers responded to a vehicular collision on Interstate 30 between Eastchase Parkway and Cooks Lane that resulted in the female driver and an infant child being ejected from the vehicle, according to a media release from Fort Worth&nbsp; Police.

The infant was pinned beneath the overturned vehicle and was unresponsive. Sergeant Nichols and Office Bounds with help from witnesses to the accident, were able to free the trapped infant.

Sergeant Nichols immediately began to perform CPR on the unconscious infant, eventually waking the child and keeping her alive until <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FortWorthFireDepartment?__cft__[0]=AZUvQtqMvBwYlX8BHgQ4ms3HUCYAdSY5DzQxM-EOAU1Fww6IVLGYtyy3VblQHVhpcSlmVMw37Kho9PLD-bQdFrecJA3ZSkBAZ1s7btwPgvzj-Zb4Ex12Uf_wdPJ0p9z3Co5I4m7MgXpoDiYx6mtZqSvnkXnr-VJvVYEI-kPm6uzigU7b1aMkpBODHcoNb8-gyFXpTqWrJvU_FnjBr2TBGhfi&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Fort Worth Fire Department</a> arrived on scene.

The woman and infant are in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery.

"We are beyond proud of the life saving actions performed by Sergeant Nichols and Officer Bounds for their bravery and quick response to this terrible scene. We are also grateful to the Fort Worth citizens who saw someone in danger and, without hesitation, assisted our officers."

FORT WORTH, Texas —On October 23, two police officers responded to a vehicular collision on Interstate 30 between Eastchase Parkway and Cooks Lane that resulted in the female driver and an infant child being ejected from the vehicle, according to a media release from Fort Worth&nbsp; Police.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F2567348986965281%2F&show_text=true&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="429" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The infant was pinned beneath the overturned vehicle and was unresponsive. Sergeant Nichols and Office Bounds with help from witnesses to the accident, were able to free the trapped infant. Sergeant Nichols immediately began to perform CPR on the unconscious infant, eventually waking the child and keeping her alive until <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FortWorthFireDepartment?__cft__[0]=AZUvQtqMvBwYlX8BHgQ4ms3HUCYAdSY5DzQxM-EOAU1Fww6IVLGYtyy3VblQHVhpcSlmVMw37Kho9PLD-bQdFrecJA3ZSkBAZ1s7btwPgvzj-Zb4Ex12Uf_wdPJ0p9z3Co5I4m7MgXpoDiYx6mtZqSvnkXnr-VJvVYEI-kPm6uzigU7b1aMkpBODHcoNb8-gyFXpTqWrJvU_FnjBr2TBGhfi&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Fort Worth Fire Department</a> arrived on scene. The woman and infant are in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery."We are beyond proud of the life saving actions performed by Sergeant Nichols and Officer Bounds for their bravery and quick response to this terrible scene. We are also grateful to the Fort Worth citizens who saw someone in danger and, without hesitation, assisted our officers."

🎥Police, bystanders rescue baby pinned under car after rollover crash

No progress has been made to end the government shutdown as it enters&nbsp; another week. 

On Monday Senate chaplain, Retired Rear-Admiral Barry Black prayed,&nbsp;"When our children and grandchildren want to know what we were doing&nbsp; in the 119th Congress during the famous shutdown may we not have to give these answers: I helped set new record for keeping government closed. No gold medals are given for breaking shutdown records"

No progress has been made to end the government shutdown as it enters&nbsp; another week. <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">&quot;When our children &amp; grandchildren want to know what we were doing 119th Congress during famous shutdown may we not have to give these answers: I helped set new record for keeping government closed ...No gold medals are given for breaking shutdown records&quot; - Senate chaplain Black <a href="https://t.co/5KHY8hfo8p">pic.twitter.com/5KHY8hfo8p</a>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1982887966813905311?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Monday Senate chaplain, Retired Rear-Admiral Barry Black prayed,&nbsp;"When our children and grandchildren want to know what we were doing&nbsp; in the 119th Congress during the famous shutdown may we not have to give these answers: I helped set new record for keeping government closed. No gold medals are given for breaking shutdown records"

🎥Senate chaplain prayer: No medals for breaking gov't shutdown records

TOKYO (AP) — President Donald Trump began one of his busiest days of his Asia trip on Tuesday by warmly greeting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-japan-takaichi-trade-ford-trucks-e7be33728c7c3fdb6c314780c8a9a533">the new Japanese prime minister</a>, and taking her with him as he spoke to U.S. troops aboard an aircraft carrier.

Although Trump is visiting one of America’s most steadfast allies in Asia, there’s no shortage of uncertainty while he’s there. Sanae Takaichi, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-prime-minister-takaichi-21224ba4c4429ffad1639e9fcc4abd4a">became the country’s first female prime minister</a>&nbsp;only days ago,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-takaichi-trump-us-china-asean-apec-29fc81ff026a1d4c257d1383b46d35f6">must solidify her relationship with Trump</a>&nbsp;while defending her country’s economic interests. Trump is trying to nail down $550 billion in Japanese investment as part of a trade agreement.

As Trump and Takaichi met on Tuesday, they shook hands and he paid her a compliment: “That’s a very strong handshake."

In return, Takaichi talked about watching the third game of the U.S. World Series before the event. She added that Japan would give Washington 250 cherry trees next year to honor America's 250th anniversary, as well as fireworks from Akita Prefecture for July 4 celebrations.

She used her early remarks to mention former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, her archconservative mentor who forged a strong bond with Trump during his first term through their shared interest of golf.

“As a matter of fact, Prime Minister Abe often told me about your dynamic diplomacy,” she said.

Trump called her role as Japan's first woman prime minister as a “big deal,” putting an emphasis on the U.S. commitment to Japan. While the president in the past has publicly scolded his foreign counterparts, he had nothing but praise for Takaichi.

“Anything I can do to help Japan, we will be there,” Trump said. “We are an ally at the strongest level.”

Takaichi is primed for a charm offensive, including a potential purchase of Ford F-150 trucks. Reporters arriving for the event were hustled past a gold-hued Ford F-150 as well as what appeared to be white American-made Toyota vehicles parked outside the Akasaka Palace, which is Tokyo's guest house for visiting foreign leaders.

Trump has often complained that Japan doesn’t buy American vehicles, which are often too wide to be practical on narrow Japanese streets.

The Japanese delegation also made the strategic choice to serve American beef and rice during a working lunch that was mixed with Japanese ingredients, at which the two leaders also discussed efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Takaichi also gave Trump a putter used by Abe, the former prime minister, and a golf bag signed by the professional golfer Hideki Matsuyama, according to a post on X by White House aide Margo Martin. They signed black “Japan is Back” baseball caps that resembled Trump’s own red “Make America Great Again” caps.

Agreements vow a ‘golden age’ for alliance and cooperation on critical minerals

Both leaders signed the implementation of an agreement for the “golden age” of their nations' alliance. When the document was held up after signing, it ran to less than one page and reaffirmed the earlier framework by which the U.S. would tax goods imported from Japan at 15% and the creation of a $550 billion fund for Japan to invest in the U.S.

Trump and Takaichi then signed a second agreement, this one laying out a U.S.-Japan framework for securing the supply of critical minerals and rare earths. That agreement suggested that some of the investment dollars would go to the development of rare earths needed for advanced technologies.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Takaichi would be nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. The two leaders also met with people whose family members were abducted by North Korea.

Trump talks to troops on US aircraft carrier

Although Trump has focused his foreign policy toward Asia around tariffs and trade, he also spoke aboard the USS George Washington, an aircraft carrier docked at an American naval base near Tokyo. The president brought Takaichi with him and she also spoke.

The president talked about individual units on the aircraft carrier, his political opponents, national security and the U.S. economy, saying that Takaichi had told him that Toyota would be investing $10 billion in auto plants in America.

Trump arrived in Tokyo on Monday, when he met with the emperor in a ceremonial visit. He was previously in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he participated in the annual summit of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/association-of-southeast-asian-nations">Association of Southeast Asian Nations</a>.

The gathering was an opportunity for Trump to celebrate an expanded ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, which skirmished along their disputed border earlier this year. Trump had pressured them to stop fighting by threatening to withhold trade agreements.

There were also signs that tensions between the U.S. and China were cooling off ahead of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-asia-trip-malaysia-japan-south-korea-890b52697f86c15e3e196c521d564449">planned meeting</a>&nbsp;between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which is expected to take place in South Korea later this week. Top negotiators from each country said a trade deal was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-asia-malaysia-china-japan-55a147dce68e6d8fa70c2b858249c7ec">coming together</a>, which could prevent a potentially damaging confrontation between the world’s two largest economies.

Details were scarce, and it was unclear how much any agreement would resolve long-standing issues, or if it would return the relationship to the status quo before recent confrontations. China has restructured the export of rare earth elements that are critical for high-tech manufacturing, and Trump responded by threatening tariffs that even he admits would be unsustainable.

Trump is scheduled to leave Wednesday for South Korea, which is hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761615314155.png" alt="Photo courtesy White House video" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>TOKYO (AP) — President Donald Trump began one of his busiest days of his Asia trip on Tuesday by warmly greeting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-japan-takaichi-trade-ford-trucks-e7be33728c7c3fdb6c314780c8a9a533">the new Japanese prime minister</a>, and taking her with him as he spoke to U.S. troops aboard an aircraft carrier.Although Trump is visiting one of America’s most steadfast allies in Asia, there’s no shortage of uncertainty while he’s there. Sanae Takaichi, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-prime-minister-takaichi-21224ba4c4429ffad1639e9fcc4abd4a">became the country’s first female prime minister</a>&nbsp;only days ago,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-takaichi-trump-us-china-asean-apec-29fc81ff026a1d4c257d1383b46d35f6">must solidify her relationship with Trump</a>&nbsp;while defending her country’s economic interests. Trump is trying to nail down $550 billion in Japanese investment as part of a trade agreement.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> arrives at Akasaka Palace and is greeted by the Prime Minister of Japan 🇺🇸🇯🇵 <a href="https://t.co/PTdTzvErbZ">pic.twitter.com/PTdTzvErbZ</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1982973115346120878?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Welcome ceremony at Akasaka Palace for President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a>! 🇺🇸🇯🇵 <a href="https://t.co/CLez54dOTt">pic.twitter.com/CLez54dOTt</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1982975243523334578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> to PM Takaichi: &quot;Shinzo Abe was a great friend of mine... He spoke so well of you, long before we met, and I&#39;m not surprised to see that you are now the Prime Minister — and he would be very happy to know that, and I congratulate you on behalf of the United States.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/2Gi4YZjuX9">pic.twitter.com/2Gi4YZjuX9</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1982977645550956780?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">PM Takaichi gifts President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> a golf bag signed by Hideki Matsuyama and Prime Minister Abe’s putter ❤️⛳️ <a href="https://t.co/YlaYnfr846">pic.twitter.com/YlaYnfr846</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1982993837921579232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump delivers a toast before lunch 🇺🇸🇯🇵 <a href="https://t.co/qkdeXav9oY">pic.twitter.com/qkdeXav9oY</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1982996429087093173?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> arrives to deliver remarks to U.S. troops aboard USS George Washington at Yokosuka Naval Base 🇺🇸🇯🇵 <a href="https://t.co/R4etKv4d7H">pic.twitter.com/R4etKv4d7H</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1983075951228436931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">GOD BLESS OUR NAVY! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/5kxIVsc7nj">pic.twitter.com/5kxIVsc7nj</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1983078481484238967?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

</div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Commander-in-Chief on the USS George Washington at Yokosuka Naval Base 🇺🇸🇯🇵 <a href="https://t.co/JmG5ABWaVX">pic.twitter.com/JmG5ABWaVX</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1983080910250528954?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Trump dance with our U.S. Navy in Japan! 😂🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/Gsm3XJT1ot">pic.twitter.com/Gsm3XJT1ot</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1983093838152335585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump meets with Mrs. Abe and is gifted a beautiful piece of art that she created with a message of PEACE for the Peacemaker ❤️🕊️ <a href="https://t.co/LWH3BMSoue">pic.twitter.com/LWH3BMSoue</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1983111640741752914?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Trump and Takaichi swap warm words</h2>As Trump and Takaichi met on Tuesday, they shook hands and he paid her a compliment: “That’s a very strong handshake."In return, Takaichi talked about watching the third game of the U.S. World Series before the event. She added that Japan would give Washington 250 cherry trees next year to honor America's 250th anniversary, as well as fireworks from Akita Prefecture for July 4 celebrations.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Japanese PM <a href="https://twitter.com/takaichi_sanae?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@takaichi_sanae</a> congratulates <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on securing peace around the world: &quot;Mr. President succeeded in securing a ceasefire deal between Thailand and Cambodia... also, the deal you have recently achieved in the Middle East is an unprecedented, historic achievement.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/sh6acTs7nV">pic.twitter.com/sh6acTs7nV</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1982976563898462638?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>She used her early remarks to mention former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, her archconservative mentor who forged a strong bond with Trump during his first term through their shared interest of golf.“As a matter of fact, Prime Minister Abe often told me about your dynamic diplomacy,” she said.Trump called her role as Japan's first woman prime minister as a “big deal,” putting an emphasis on the U.S. commitment to Japan. While the president in the past has publicly scolded his foreign counterparts, he had nothing but praise for Takaichi.“Anything I can do to help Japan, we will be there,” Trump said. “We are an ally at the strongest level.”Takaichi is primed for a charm offensive, including a potential purchase of Ford F-150 trucks. Reporters arriving for the event were hustled past a gold-hued Ford F-150 as well as what appeared to be white American-made Toyota vehicles parked outside the Akasaka Palace, which is Tokyo's guest house for visiting foreign leaders.Trump has often complained that Japan doesn’t buy American vehicles, which are often too wide to be practical on narrow Japanese streets.The Japanese delegation also made the strategic choice to serve American beef and rice during a working lunch that was mixed with Japanese ingredients, at which the two leaders also discussed efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.Takaichi also gave Trump a putter used by Abe, the former prime minister, and a golf bag signed by the professional golfer Hideki Matsuyama, according to a post on X by White House aide Margo Martin. They signed black “Japan is Back” baseball caps that resembled Trump’s own red “Make America Great Again” caps.<h2>Agreements vow a ‘golden age’ for alliance and cooperation on critical minerals</h2>Both leaders signed the implementation of an agreement for the “golden age” of their nations' alliance. When the document was held up after signing, it ran to less than one page and reaffirmed the earlier framework by which the U.S. would tax goods imported from Japan at 15% and the creation of a $550 billion fund for Japan to invest in the U.S.Trump and Takaichi then signed a second agreement, this one laying out a U.S.-Japan framework for securing the supply of critical minerals and rare earths. That agreement suggested that some of the investment dollars would go to the development of rare earths needed for advanced technologies.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Takaichi would be nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. The two leaders also met with people whose family members were abducted by North Korea.<h2>Trump talks to troops on US aircraft carrier</h2>Although Trump has focused his foreign policy toward Asia around tariffs and trade, he also spoke aboard the USS George Washington, an aircraft carrier docked at an American naval base near Tokyo. The president brought Takaichi with him and she also spoke.The president talked about individual units on the aircraft carrier, his political opponents, national security and the U.S. economy, saying that Takaichi had told him that Toyota would be investing $10 billion in auto plants in America.Trump arrived in Tokyo on Monday, when he met with the emperor in a ceremonial visit. He was previously in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he participated in the annual summit of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/association-of-southeast-asian-nations">Association of Southeast Asian Nations</a>.The gathering was an opportunity for Trump to celebrate an expanded ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, which skirmished along their disputed border earlier this year. Trump had pressured them to stop fighting by threatening to withhold trade agreements.There were also signs that tensions between the U.S. and China were cooling off ahead of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-asia-trip-malaysia-japan-south-korea-890b52697f86c15e3e196c521d564449">planned meeting</a>&nbsp;between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which is expected to take place in South Korea later this week. Top negotiators from each country said a trade deal was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-asia-malaysia-china-japan-55a147dce68e6d8fa70c2b858249c7ec">coming together</a>, which could prevent a potentially damaging confrontation between the world’s two largest economies.Details were scarce, and it was unclear how much any agreement would resolve long-standing issues, or if it would return the relationship to the status quo before recent confrontations. China has restructured the export of rare earth elements that are critical for high-tech manufacturing, and Trump responded by threatening tariffs that even he admits would be unsustainable.Trump is scheduled to leave Wednesday for South Korea, which is hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

Golf gift among highlights of Trump's visit with Japan's new prime minister

KANSAS CITY—The cause of a fire at a hotel in Kansas City is under investigation.

Just afater 11:30p.m. Sunday, crews responded to a reported fire at 401 Ward PKWY at the Intercontinental Hotel, 401 Ward Parkway in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

 Crews reported smoke showing from the multi-story hotel on arrival. They were alerted to a fire in the loading dock area where a faulty air handler had ignited a pile of trash and debris. Companies were able to quickly get the fire under control that was being held in check by the sprinkler system. 

The majority of the occupants were able to shelter in place, while a few on the lower floors were evacuated until the smoke could be eliminated. No injuries were reported.

KANSAS CITY—The cause of a fire at a hotel in Kansas City is under investigation.Just afater 11:30p.m. Sunday, crews responded to a reported fire at 401 Ward PKWY at the Intercontinental Hotel, 401 Ward Parkway in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. Crews reported smoke showing from the multi-story hotel on arrival. They were alerted to a fire in the loading dock area where a faulty air handler had ignited a pile of trash and debris. Companies were able to quickly get the fire under control that was being held in check by the sprinkler system. The majority of the occupants were able to shelter in place, while a few on the lower floors were evacuated until the smoke could be eliminated. No injuries were reported.

Lower floors evacuated after fire in multi-story Kansas City hotel

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces charges for a fatal shooting that occurred in June.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2746/Sipple-REDACT-COMP">William E. Sipple</a>, 40,&nbsp; is charged with one count of 2nd Degree Murder, one count of Armed Criminal Action, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, according to Jckson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2745/Sipple-REDACT-PC">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to Truman Road and Prospect Avenue on June 15 regarding a shooting and located the victim suffering from apparent trauma. After additional investigation, it was determined the actual shooting occurred in a parking lot near 19th and Vine Street. On June 30, the victim was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;

Based on surveillance footage and witness reports, a disturbance broke out in a parking lot near 19th and Vine. A black Chevrolet truck drove up to the parking lot and stopped near the disturbance. Shots were fired and the victim was struck. The shooter was later identified as the Sipple.

He is being held on a $300,000 cash-only bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761337850847.png" alt="Sipple photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Sipple photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces charges for a fatal shooting that occurred in June.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2746/Sipple-REDACT-COMP">William E. Sipple</a>, 40,&nbsp; is charged with one count of 2nd Degree Murder, one count of Armed Criminal Action, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, according to Jckson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2745/Sipple-REDACT-PC">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to Truman Road and Prospect Avenue on June 15 regarding a shooting and located the victim suffering from apparent trauma. After additional investigation, it was determined the actual shooting occurred in a parking lot near 19th and Vine Street. On June 30, the victim was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;Based on surveillance footage and witness reports, a disturbance broke out in a parking lot near 19th and Vine. A black Chevrolet truck drove up to the parking lot and stopped near the disturbance. Shots were fired and the victim was struck. The shooter was later identified as the Sipple.He is being held on a $300,000 cash-only bond.&nbsp;

Man accused in deadly Kansas City parking lot killing 

TOPEKA — The president of the Kansas Senate said Monday a sufficient number of Senate Republicans signed a petition to call a special session of the Legislature to consider new congressional district boundaries to improve odds of defeating Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids.

Senate President Ty Masterson, who is seeking the GOP nomination for governor, said the minimum 27 signatures, or a two-thirds majority of the Senate, had been achieved. Republicans hold a 31-9 advantage over Democrats in the chamber.

“The Kansas Senate Republican caucus has secured the signatures needed to exceed the constitutional threshold, demonstrating strong support for this call for a special session,” Masterson said. “This threshold having been met marks a critical step toward convening the session, pending the necessary two-thirds approval from the House of Representatives.”

To complete requirements in the Kansas Constitution for calling a special session, GOP leaders in the House need to obtain 84 signatures on its petition. In the House, the GOP possesses an 88-37 edge over Democrats.

Despite sending a letter to House Republicans lobbying for support of a special session, House Speaker Dan Hawkins has not announced he landed commitments from enough GOP peers. A spokesperson for Hawkins didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about Masterson’s statement.

President Donald Trump, seeking to maintain GOP control of the U.S. House, urged Republican-led states to engage in mid-decade gerrymandering of U.S. House seats to prevent Democrats from winning a majority in November 2026.

Typically, redistricting in Kansas has been done every decade based on population shifts documented in the Census. In Kansas, that timeline meant mapping wouldn’t ordinarily be done again until 2032.

The objective of redistricting in Kansas in 2025 would be to distribute moderate voters of Johnson County into two or three congressional districts that would more likely be represented by Republicans.

Currently, Davids serves all of Johnson County, the southern half of Wyandotte County and all of Anderson, Franklin and Miami counties.

Davids won reelection to her 3rd District seat in 2022 and 2024 despite previous modification to her district to favor Republican nominees.

In response to debate about a special session, Davids raised the possibility of running for U.S. Senate next year against U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican.

One redistricting prize available to Republicans would be a Trump endorsement in the governor’s race. Former Gov. Jeff Colyer, Secretary of State Scott Schwab, Masterson and others competing for the nomination and would covet an alliance with the president.

“We’re sending a clear message: We’re ready to get it done. We look forward to working our agenda to make Kansas and America great again,” Masterson said in his statement about the GOP Senate petition.

In addition to redistricting, Republican legislative leaders said a November special session could include consideration of bills on transgender rights and property taxes.

On Oct. 13, the GOP-controlled Legislative Coordinating Council approved spending up to $460,000 on a special session.

“It is clear that Republicans are not focused on the kitchen table issues that Kansans care about,” said Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes.

Gov. Laura Kelly said she was opposed to mid-decade redistricting because that work would rely on outdated population counts from 2020. She urged the Legislature to conduct public hearings before voting on a new congressional map. In addition, she said the Kansas Supreme Court could find new maps unconstitutional.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643147273216.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The president of the Kansas Senate said Monday a sufficient number of Senate Republicans signed a petition to call a special session of the Legislature to consider new congressional district boundaries to improve odds of defeating Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids.Senate President Ty Masterson, who is seeking the GOP nomination for governor, said the minimum 27 signatures, or a two-thirds majority of the Senate, had been achieved. Republicans hold a 31-9 advantage over Democrats in the chamber.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761597779503.png" alt=" Senate President Ty Masterson said Oct. 27, 2025, there are enough Senate Republicans signers of a petition to call a special session of the Legislature to consider new congressional district maps. The Kansas House is still working to secure a two-thirds majority on its petition. In this image from March 26, 2025, Masterson presides in the Kansas Senate. (Photo by Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Senate President Ty Masterson said Oct. 27, 2025, there are enough Senate Republicans signers of a petition to call a special session of the Legislature to consider new congressional district maps. The Kansas House is still working to secure a two-thirds majority on its petition. In this image from March 26, 2025, Masterson presides in the Kansas Senate. (Photo by Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“The Kansas Senate Republican caucus has secured the signatures needed to exceed the constitutional threshold, demonstrating strong support for this call for a special session,” Masterson said. “This threshold having been met marks a critical step toward convening the session, pending the necessary two-thirds approval from the House of Representatives.”To complete requirements in the Kansas Constitution for calling a special session, GOP leaders in the House need to obtain 84 signatures on its petition. In the House, the GOP possesses an 88-37 edge over Democrats.Despite sending a letter to House Republicans lobbying for support of a special session, House Speaker Dan Hawkins has not announced he landed commitments from enough GOP peers. A spokesperson for Hawkins didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about Masterson’s statement.President Donald Trump, seeking to maintain GOP control of the U.S. House, urged Republican-led states to engage in mid-decade gerrymandering of U.S. House seats to prevent Democrats from winning a majority in November 2026.Typically, redistricting in Kansas has been done every decade based on population shifts documented in the Census. In Kansas, that timeline meant mapping wouldn’t ordinarily be done again until 2032.The objective of redistricting in Kansas in 2025 would be to distribute moderate voters of Johnson County into two or three congressional districts that would more likely be represented by Republicans.Currently, Davids serves all of Johnson County, the southern half of Wyandotte County and all of Anderson, Franklin and Miami counties.Davids won reelection to her 3rd District seat in 2022 and 2024 despite previous modification to her district to favor Republican nominees.In response to debate about a special session, Davids raised the possibility of running for U.S. Senate next year against U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican.One redistricting prize available to Republicans would be a Trump endorsement in the governor’s race. Former Gov. Jeff Colyer, Secretary of State Scott Schwab, Masterson and others competing for the nomination and would covet an alliance with the president.“We’re sending a clear message: We’re ready to get it done. We look forward to working our agenda to make Kansas and America great again,” Masterson said in his statement about the GOP Senate petition.In addition to redistricting, Republican legislative leaders said a November special session could include consideration of bills on transgender rights and property taxes.On Oct. 13, the GOP-controlled Legislative Coordinating Council approved spending up to $460,000 on a special session.“It is clear that Republicans are not focused on the kitchen table issues that Kansans care about,” said Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes.Gov. Laura Kelly said she was opposed to mid-decade redistricting because that work would rely on outdated population counts from 2020. She urged the Legislature to conduct public hearings before voting on a new congressional map. In addition, she said the Kansas Supreme Court could find new maps unconstitutional.

Kansas Senate secures GOP petition signatures to call special legislative session

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks climbed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-oil-trump-china-31729fdccb6e7b1b65cd754caddea885">more records</a>&nbsp;on Monday ahead of a week packed with potentially market-moving events for Wall Street.

The S&amp;P 500 rose 1.2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 337 points, or 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 1.9%. Each of the trio set an all-time high for a second straight day.

Stocks also rallied in Asia ahead of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-asia-malaysia-china-japan-55a147dce68e6d8fa70c2b858249c7ec">meeting on Thursday</a>&nbsp;between the heads of the United States and China. The hope is that the talks could clear&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-united-states-trump-xi-timeline-tariffs-adc2c2c00f13d8dcd4ecc92251b11533">rising tensions</a>&nbsp;between the world’s two largest economies and allow the global economy to keep motoring.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-10-27-2025#0000019a-24c7-d24d-adbe-ade768930000">Bessent said</a>&nbsp;there’s “a framework” for U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to discuss at their meeting, while Trump said, “We feel good” about working things out with China.

That’s just one of many things that will need to go right this week in order for the U.S. stock market’s tremendous, record-breaking rally to continue. The S&amp;P 500 has shot up a stunning 38% since hitting a low in April, when worries about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">Trump’s tariffs</a>&nbsp;on China and other countries were at their peak. Besides hopes for easing trade tensions, the rally has also been built on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-market-rates-records-shutdown-earnings-ai-251fefd075ac658ce498c9d1953efc70">expectations for several more things</a>&nbsp;to happen.

One is that the Federal Reserve will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-trump-2d05401d7c9cb2393925f494aac71d89">keep cutting interest rates</a>&nbsp;in order to give the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-economy-unemployment-trump-firing-f686eab61f7d6b702ca10b12b0250498">slowing job</a>&nbsp;market a boost. The Fed’s next announcement on interest rates is due on Wednesday, and the nearly unanimous expectation among traders is that it will cut the federal funds rate by a quarter of a percentage point at a second straight meeting.

It’s not a certainty though, because the Fed has also warned it may have to change course if inflation accelerates beyond its still-high level. That’s because low interest rates can make inflation worse.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-inflation-trump-prices-economy-wall-street-fed-consumers-280a2fd30de3bb44bd87cd0248082322">latest monthly report on inflation</a>&nbsp;came in slightly better than economists expected, raising hopes, but it may be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-shutdown-no-report-70a0e2773445ded8a7239c4899fc410c">final update for a while</a>&nbsp;if the U.S. government’s shutdown continues. That could cloud the forecast for cuts to rates to continue.

Besides lower interest rates, another expectation that’s propped up stock prices is the forecast that U.S. companies will continue to deliver solid growth in profits.

Keurig Dr Pepper climbed 7.6% Monday after reporting profit for the latest quarter that matched analysts’ expectations. The company behind Canada Dry and Green Mountain coffee said it benefited from higher prices for K-Cup products, among other things

Some of Wall Street’s most influential stocks are set to report their results this week, including Alphabet, Meta Platforms and Microsoft on Wednesday, and Amazon and Apple on Thursday. They’ll need to deliver big growth and justify big spending underway in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial-intelligence technology</a>.

Worries have been climbing that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-bubble-warnings-bank-of-england-imf-b15e54f6d06992371ee39b27f4e6da3a">AI may be in the midst of a bubble</a>, similar to the dot-com bonanza that ended up bursting in 2000. Nvidia’s stock is up 42.6% for the year so far, for example, and Qualcomm soared 11.1% Monday after unveiling AI products for data centers.

Announcements of mergers and buyouts also helped move stocks on Monday. Cadence Bank rose 4.4% after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/huntington-bancshares-cadence-df0f6d09cbf8fc5c0048a41d743b6741">Huntington Bancshares said it would buy the bank</a>&nbsp;with locations across Texas and the South for $7.4 billion in stock. Huntington fell 2.7%.

Avidity Biosciences leaped 42.4% after Novartis agreed to buy the biopharmaceutical company based in San Diego for $12 billion, after Avidity spins off its early-stage precision cardiology programs.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 83.47 points to 6,875.16. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 337.47 to 47,544.59, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 432.59 to 23,637.46.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose modestly in Europe following bigger gains in Asia.

Stocks climbed 1.2% in Shanghai and 1% in Hong Kong. They rose even more in Tokyo, where the Nikkei 225 jumped 2.5%, and in Seoul, where South Korea’s Kospi rallied 2.6%.

The Nikkei 225 topped the 50,000 level for the first time as opinion polls show Japan’s newly installed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-prime-minister-takaichi-21224ba4c4429ffad1639e9fcc4abd4a">Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi</a>&nbsp;enjoying high levels of public support for her market-friendly policies. Takaichi favors raising spending on defense, which has boosted prices of stocks in major defense contractors, such as Kawasaki Heavy Industries, which jumped 9% Monday.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 3.99% from 4.02% late Friday.

All the optimism flowing through financial markets helped knock down the price of gold. The metal’s price has stalled after it nearly touched $4,400 per ounce last week, when it set its latest record. It briefly dropped below $4,000 Monday, but it’s still up more than 50% for the year so far.

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks climbed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-oil-trump-china-31729fdccb6e7b1b65cd754caddea885">more records</a>&nbsp;on Monday ahead of a week packed with potentially market-moving events for Wall Street.The S&amp;P 500 rose 1.2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 337 points, or 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 1.9%. Each of the trio set an all-time high for a second straight day.Stocks also rallied in Asia ahead of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-asia-malaysia-china-japan-55a147dce68e6d8fa70c2b858249c7ec">meeting on Thursday</a>&nbsp;between the heads of the United States and China. The hope is that the talks could clear&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-united-states-trump-xi-timeline-tariffs-adc2c2c00f13d8dcd4ecc92251b11533">rising tensions</a>&nbsp;between the world’s two largest economies and allow the global economy to keep motoring.U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-10-27-2025#0000019a-24c7-d24d-adbe-ade768930000">Bessent said</a>&nbsp;there’s “a framework” for U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to discuss at their meeting, while Trump said, “We feel good” about working things out with China.That’s just one of many things that will need to go right this week in order for the U.S. stock market’s tremendous, record-breaking rally to continue. The S&amp;P 500 has shot up a stunning 38% since hitting a low in April, when worries about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">Trump’s tariffs</a>&nbsp;on China and other countries were at their peak. Besides hopes for easing trade tensions, the rally has also been built on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-market-rates-records-shutdown-earnings-ai-251fefd075ac658ce498c9d1953efc70">expectations for several more things</a>&nbsp;to happen.One is that the Federal Reserve will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-trump-2d05401d7c9cb2393925f494aac71d89">keep cutting interest rates</a>&nbsp;in order to give the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-economy-unemployment-trump-firing-f686eab61f7d6b702ca10b12b0250498">slowing job</a>&nbsp;market a boost. The Fed’s next announcement on interest rates is due on Wednesday, and the nearly unanimous expectation among traders is that it will cut the federal funds rate by a quarter of a percentage point at a second straight meeting.It’s not a certainty though, because the Fed has also warned it may have to change course if inflation accelerates beyond its still-high level. That’s because low interest rates can make inflation worse.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-inflation-trump-prices-economy-wall-street-fed-consumers-280a2fd30de3bb44bd87cd0248082322">latest monthly report on inflation</a>&nbsp;came in slightly better than economists expected, raising hopes, but it may be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-shutdown-no-report-70a0e2773445ded8a7239c4899fc410c">final update for a while</a>&nbsp;if the U.S. government’s shutdown continues. That could cloud the forecast for cuts to rates to continue.Besides lower interest rates, another expectation that’s propped up stock prices is the forecast that U.S. companies will continue to deliver solid growth in profits.Keurig Dr Pepper climbed 7.6% Monday after reporting profit for the latest quarter that matched analysts’ expectations. The company behind Canada Dry and Green Mountain coffee said it benefited from higher prices for K-Cup products, among other thingsSome of Wall Street’s most influential stocks are set to report their results this week, including Alphabet, Meta Platforms and Microsoft on Wednesday, and Amazon and Apple on Thursday. They’ll need to deliver big growth and justify big spending underway in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial-intelligence technology</a>.Worries have been climbing that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-bubble-warnings-bank-of-england-imf-b15e54f6d06992371ee39b27f4e6da3a">AI may be in the midst of a bubble</a>, similar to the dot-com bonanza that ended up bursting in 2000. Nvidia’s stock is up 42.6% for the year so far, for example, and Qualcomm soared 11.1% Monday after unveiling AI products for data centers.Announcements of mergers and buyouts also helped move stocks on Monday. Cadence Bank rose 4.4% after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/huntington-bancshares-cadence-df0f6d09cbf8fc5c0048a41d743b6741">Huntington Bancshares said it would buy the bank</a>&nbsp;with locations across Texas and the South for $7.4 billion in stock. Huntington fell 2.7%.Avidity Biosciences leaped 42.4% after Novartis agreed to buy the biopharmaceutical company based in San Diego for $12 billion, after Avidity spins off its early-stage precision cardiology programs.All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 83.47 points to 6,875.16. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 337.47 to 47,544.59, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 432.59 to 23,637.46.In stock markets abroad, indexes rose modestly in Europe following bigger gains in Asia.Stocks climbed 1.2% in Shanghai and 1% in Hong Kong. They rose even more in Tokyo, where the Nikkei 225 jumped 2.5%, and in Seoul, where South Korea’s Kospi rallied 2.6%.The Nikkei 225 topped the 50,000 level for the first time as opinion polls show Japan’s newly installed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-prime-minister-takaichi-21224ba4c4429ffad1639e9fcc4abd4a">Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi</a>&nbsp;enjoying high levels of public support for her market-friendly policies. Takaichi favors raising spending on defense, which has boosted prices of stocks in major defense contractors, such as Kawasaki Heavy Industries, which jumped 9% Monday.In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 3.99% from 4.02% late Friday.All the optimism flowing through financial markets helped knock down the price of gold. The metal’s price has stalled after it nearly touched $4,400 per ounce last week, when it set its latest record. It briefly dropped below $4,000 Monday, but it’s still up more than 50% for the year so far.___

Wall Street rallies to more records as price of gold slumps

The Mega Millions® jackpot surges past $700 million for only the ninth time in the game’s history for the next drawing on Tuesday, October 28, according to the game's web site.

 The estimated prize is now an impressive $714 million ($334.1 million cash) after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Friday night – the white balls 11, 18, 31, 51 and 56, plus the gold Mega Ball 24. 

The jackpot has been growing since it was last won at $348 million in Virginia on June 27.If won next Tuesday, it would be the second-largest Mega Millions jackpot ever won in the month of October. 

Almost exactly seven years ago, the game’s first-ever billion-dollar jackpot was won in South Carolina, on October 23, 2018; that prize of $1.537 billion remains the second-largest Mega Millions prize ever awarded. 

In the October 24 drawing, there were 482,430 winning tickets across all prize tiers, for total nationide winnings of more than $11.7 million. One ticket, sold in Connecticut, matched the five white balls to win the second-tier prize; with the 2X multiplier, it is worth $2 million. 

Twelve tickets matched four white balls plus the Mega Ball to win the game’s third-tier prize: seven at 2X for $20,000 (two in Arizona and one each in California, Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee and Texas), two at 3X for $30,000 (Michigan and Virginia), one at 4X for $40,000 (Missouri) and two at 5X for $50,000 (Massachusetts and Michigan).&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.megamillions.com/Winning-Numbers.aspx">&nbsp;Click here for complete drawing result</a>s.

<a href="https://www.megamillions.com/Winning-Numbers.aspx"></a>&nbsp;In the 34 drawings in this jackpot run to date, there have been more than 10 million winning tickets at all levels, with prizes worth more than $240.9 million. They include 17 second-tier prizes: Eight with the 2X multiplier (Arizona, California, Connecticut, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia), seven with the 3X multiplier (two in California and one each in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey and New York), and one each at 4X and 5X (both in California).&nbsp;

There have also been 230 third-tier winning tickets so far in this run, ranging from $20,000 to $100,000. These third-tier prizes were won in 38 different jurisdictions across the country: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

&nbsp;Before the June 27 Virginia jackpot win at $348 million, other jackpots awarded this year were in Ohio ($112 million on April 18), Illinois ($349 million on March 25), and Arizona ($112 million on January 17).About Mega MillionsMega Millions is the only lottery game that has produced seven jackpot wins exceeding $1 billion each – all in different states. South Carolina was the first in 2018, followed by Michigan in 2021, Illinois in 2022, Maine and Florida in 2023, and New Jersey and California in 2024. The Florida prize on August 8, 2023, is the game’s current record jackpot at $1.602 billion.<a href="https://www.megamillions.com/About/Jackpot-History.aspx">See the complete Mega Millions jackpot history.</a>Tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Tickets are $5 each and include a randomly assigned multiplier, multiplying the base prize levels by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X or 10X. Half of the proceeds from the sale of each Mega Millions ticket remains in the state where the ticket was sold, where the money supports designated good causes and retailer commissions.Drawings are conducted at 11 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta, Georgia. The overall odds of winning any Mega Millions prize are 1 in 23; the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 290,472,336.The Top Mega Millions Jackpots:AmountDateWinning Tickets$1.602 billion8/8/20231-FL$1.537 billion10/23/20181-SC$1.348 billion1/13/20231-ME$1.337 billion7/29/20221-IL$1.269 billion12/27/20241-CA$1.128 billion3/26/20241-NJ$1.050 billion1/22/20211-MI$810 million9/10/20241-TX$714 million (est)10/28/2025?$656 million&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3/30/2012&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3-IL, KS, MD

The Mega Millions® jackpot surges past $700 million for only the ninth time in the game’s history for the next drawing on Tuesday, October 28, according to the game's web site. The estimated prize is now an impressive $714 million ($334.1 million cash) after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Friday night – the white balls 11, 18, 31, 51 and 56, plus the gold Mega Ball 24. The jackpot has been growing since it was last won at $348 million in Virginia on June 27.If won next Tuesday, it would be the second-largest Mega Millions jackpot ever won in the month of October. Almost exactly seven years ago, the game’s first-ever billion-dollar jackpot was won in South Carolina, on October 23, 2018; that prize of $1.537 billion remains the second-largest Mega Millions prize ever awarded. In the October 24 drawing, there were 482,430 winning tickets across all prize tiers, for total nationide winnings of more than $11.7 million. One ticket, sold in Connecticut, matched the five white balls to win the second-tier prize; with the 2X multiplier, it is worth $2 million. Twelve tickets matched four white balls plus the Mega Ball to win the game’s third-tier prize: seven at 2X for $20,000 (two in Arizona and one each in California, Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee and Texas), two at 3X for $30,000 (Michigan and Virginia), one at 4X for $40,000 (Missouri) and two at 5X for $50,000 (Massachusetts and Michigan).&nbsp;<a href="https://www.megamillions.com/Winning-Numbers.aspx">&nbsp;Click here for complete drawing result</a>s.<a href="https://www.megamillions.com/Winning-Numbers.aspx"></a>&nbsp;In the 34 drawings in this jackpot run to date, there have been more than 10 million winning tickets at all levels, with prizes worth more than $240.9 million. They include 17 second-tier prizes: Eight with the 2X multiplier (Arizona, California, Connecticut, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia), seven with the 3X multiplier (two in California and one each in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey and New York), and one each at 4X and 5X (both in California).&nbsp;There have also been 230 third-tier winning tickets so far in this run, ranging from $20,000 to $100,000. These third-tier prizes were won in 38 different jurisdictions across the country: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.&nbsp;Before the June 27 Virginia jackpot win at $348 million, other jackpots awarded this year were in Ohio ($112 million on April 18), Illinois ($349 million on March 25), and Arizona ($112 million on January 17).About Mega MillionsMega Millions is the only lottery game that has produced seven jackpot wins exceeding $1 billion each – all in different states. South Carolina was the first in 2018, followed by Michigan in 2021, Illinois in 2022, Maine and Florida in 2023, and New Jersey and California in 2024. The Florida prize on August 8, 2023, is the game’s current record jackpot at $1.602 billion.<a href="https://www.megamillions.com/About/Jackpot-History.aspx">See the complete Mega Millions jackpot history.</a>Tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets are $5 each and include a randomly assigned multiplier, multiplying the base prize levels by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X or 10X. Half of the proceeds from the sale of each Mega Millions ticket remains in the state where the ticket was sold, where the money supports designated good causes and retailer commissions.Drawings are conducted at 11 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta, Georgia. The overall odds of winning any Mega Millions prize are 1 in 23; the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 290,472,336.The Top Mega Millions Jackpots:AmountDateWinning Tickets$1.602 billion8/8/20231-FL$1.537 billion10/23/20181-SC$1.348 billion1/13/20231-ME$1.337 billion7/29/20221-IL$1.269 billion12/27/20241-CA$1.128 billion3/26/20241-NJ$1.050 billion1/22/20211-MI$810 million9/10/20241-TX$714 million (est)10/28/2025?$656 million&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3/30/2012&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3-IL, KS, MD

Mega Millions jackpot surges past $700 million for only 9th time

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 — While Kansas remains one of the last states in the nation without legalized medical or recreational marijuana, THC-infused drinks have evaded scrutiny from officials.

The question of the legality of the drinks came up Thursday at a meeting of a joint legislative committee on security.

Robert Stuart, executive officer for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, explained to lawmakers that while marijuana is illegal in Kansas, THC-infused beverages are considered hemp products and allowed under the 2018 federal Farm Bill, which legalized cannabis plants containing no more than 0.3% of a plant’s weight in tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. Products created using hemp are commonly advertised as Delta 9 items, and they can have a weaker effect than marijuana because of their lower THC content.

Rep. Pat Proctor, a Republican from Leavenworth, asked Stuart: “Should we be outlawing it?”

Yes, Stuart said, and he wagered the KBI’s position would be the same.

“If it’s intoxicating, it’s damaging,” he said.

THC drinks are restricted to adults over the age of 21, same as alcoholic beverages.

“You hear all sorts of social arguments and all sorts of different ways of thinking about it,” Stuart said, “but it would be much clearer for any of those distributors, any of those dealers, for any member of the public, to say, OK, this is what’s clearly illegal and clearly what’s not.”

Blurred lines make it difficult for retailers to comply with state laws, for consumers to know the products they purchase are safe and for law enforcement to conduct criminal investigations, Stuart said.

Kansas City, Missouri-based brewer Boulevard Brewing Company announced this month a THC-infused version of its signature Quirk seltzer, which will be called “Berry Jane.” It will be available in two dosages. One containing 5 mg THC and another containing 10 mg, differentiated by a darker can. They are expected to be sold in Kansas and Missouri next month.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761319700813.png" alt=" Drinks advertised as THC- and cannabis-infused on the shelves of a Rapid City, South Dakota store in July 2024. (Photo by Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight)" />
 <figcaption> Drinks advertised as THC- and cannabis-infused on the shelves of a Rapid City, South Dakota store in July 2024. (Photo by Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight)</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 — While Kansas remains one of the last states in the nation without legalized medical or recreational marijuana, THC-infused drinks have evaded scrutiny from officials.The question of the legality of the drinks came up Thursday at a meeting of a joint legislative committee on security.Robert Stuart, executive officer for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, explained to lawmakers that while marijuana is illegal in Kansas, THC-infused beverages are considered hemp products and allowed under the 2018 federal Farm Bill, which legalized cannabis plants containing no more than 0.3% of a plant’s weight in tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. Products created using hemp are commonly advertised as Delta 9 items, and they can have a weaker effect than marijuana because of their lower THC content.Rep. Pat Proctor, a Republican from Leavenworth, asked Stuart: “Should we be outlawing it?”Yes, Stuart said, and he wagered the KBI’s position would be the same.“If it’s intoxicating, it’s damaging,” he said.THC drinks are restricted to adults over the age of 21, same as alcoholic beverages.“You hear all sorts of social arguments and all sorts of different ways of thinking about it,” Stuart said, “but it would be much clearer for any of those distributors, any of those dealers, for any member of the public, to say, OK, this is what’s clearly illegal and clearly what’s not.”Blurred lines make it difficult for retailers to comply with state laws, for consumers to know the products they purchase are safe and for law enforcement to conduct criminal investigations, Stuart said.Kansas City, Missouri-based brewer Boulevard Brewing Company announced this month a THC-infused version of its signature Quirk seltzer, which will be called “Berry Jane.” It will be available in two dosages. One containing 5 mg THC and another containing 10 mg, differentiated by a darker can. They are expected to be sold in Kansas and Missouri next month.The KBI&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/10/01/kansas-officials-crack-down-on-brazen-sales-of-marijuana-and-thc-products-with-statewide-raids/">celebrated a major crackdown</a>&nbsp;on THC products earlier this month, raiding 10 storefronts in six cities across the state. KBI director Tony Mattivi said the products were harming Kansas children.The Kansas House passed a bill legalizing marijuana in 2021, and a special committee crafted recommendations for the Legislature last year, but Republicans have blocked the legislation from progressing. It could come up during the next session, ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial election.