SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating one of several weekend homicides in Wichita have made an arrest after a standoff.

The Sedgwick County Fugitive Warrant Section deputies located the suspect identified according to county booking records as James R. Standefer on Monday afternoon at an apartment complex in the 7100 block of W. Shade Lane in Wichita, according to a social media report from the sheriff's office.

As a precaution, deputies briefly evacuated or sheltered residents in the complex.&nbsp; The SWAT team was called to the complex. After a short standoff, Standefer surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody at 5:40 p.m.

Just before 3 a.m. Sunday, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received an automated crash detection alert from a mobile device in the area in the 7700 Block of South Broadway near Haysville, according to Sheriff's Department spokesman Branden Stitt.

 Haysville Police officers, along with Sedgwick County EMS and Fire District 1, responded and located an SUV that had crashed into a tree.

Inside the vehicle, first responders found 43-year-old Jesse Dean Rau of Haysville suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, where he later died. A female passenger sustained minor injuries from the crash.

Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives believe at least three individuals were inside the SUV when a disturbance occurred, during which Rau was shot by another occupant.

 The SUV then left the roadway and struck a tree. The suspected shooter, believed to be Stadefer ran from the scene. He remains jailed on requested charges of first degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757414371485.png" alt="Police on the scene of the standoff - photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the standoff - photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating one of several weekend homicides in Wichita have made an arrest after a standoff.The Sedgwick County Fugitive Warrant Section deputies located the suspect identified according to county booking records as James R. Standefer on Monday afternoon at an apartment complex in the 7100 block of W. Shade Lane in Wichita, according to a social media report from the sheriff's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757419911292.png" alt="STANDEFER-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>STANDEFER-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>As a precaution, deputies briefly evacuated or sheltered residents in the complex.&nbsp; The SWAT team was called to the complex. After a short standoff, Standefer surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody at 5:40 p.m.Just before 3 a.m. Sunday, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received an automated crash detection alert from a mobile device in the area in the 7700 Block of South Broadway near Haysville, according to Sheriff's Department spokesman Branden Stitt. Haysville Police officers, along with Sedgwick County EMS and Fire District 1, responded and located an SUV that had crashed into a tree.Inside the vehicle, first responders found 43-year-old Jesse Dean Rau of Haysville suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, where he later died. A female passenger sustained minor injuries from the crash.Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives believe at least three individuals were inside the SUV when a disturbance occurred, during which Rau was shot by another occupant. The SUV then left the roadway and struck a tree. The suspected shooter, believed to be Stadefer ran from the scene. He remains jailed on requested charges of first degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon.

Homicide arrest: Kan. man in SUV crash found with gunshot wound

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump says new guidance on school prayer is expected soon.

The president made the announcement Monday during remarks at a meeting of the White House Religious Liberty Commission. He said the Education Department will issue new guidance “protecting the right to prayer in our public schools.”

Public schools have been barred from leading students in classroom prayer since 1962, when the Supreme Court said it violated the First Amendment. But the Education Department has long promoted guidance saying students can pray together during lunch and other free times.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/897f550e2d5b809acaeffdf489aa62c9">issued revised guidance</a>&nbsp;on the topic in 2020 that largely mirrored what was already on the books. Former President Joe Biden’s administration made minor changes in 2023, saying schools can take “reasonable steps” to ensure students aren’t pressured to participate in prayer.

During his campaign in 2023, Trump said he would support “bringing back prayer to our schools.

Trump administration announces ‘America Prays’ initiative

During the president’s speech, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner detailed plans to infuse prayer with celebrations of the United States’ 250th anniversary next year.

He said the “America Prays” initiative would try to get 1 million people a week to pray for the country.

“This about the miracles that would take place over the next year,” Turner said.

When Turner finished, Trump finished his speech and said “we will never apologize for our faith.”

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump says new guidance on school prayer is expected soon.The president made the announcement Monday during remarks at a meeting of the White House Religious Liberty Commission. He said the Education Department will issue new guidance “protecting the right to prayer in our public schools.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The power of prayer is real and wonders can be done in the name of the Lord. Join me in praying for this nation — for healing, for revitalization, for opportunity, and that we remain the greatest country the world has ever known. <a href="https://t.co/p5Xbe9XC8u">pic.twitter.com/p5Xbe9XC8u</a>&mdash; Scott Turner (@SecretaryTurner) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecretaryTurner/status/1965080001193381907?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Under the previous administration, religious liberties were under attack. Thank you, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> for your leadership and for the creation of this Religious Liberty Commission that will work to right the wrongs of the past four years. <a href="https://t.co/gr5jIigBai">pic.twitter.com/gr5jIigBai</a>&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1965085591097294882?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Public schools have been barred from leading students in classroom prayer since 1962, when the Supreme Court said it violated the First Amendment. But the Education Department has long promoted guidance saying students can pray together during lunch and other free times.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/897f550e2d5b809acaeffdf489aa62c9">issued revised guidance</a>&nbsp;on the topic in 2020 that largely mirrored what was already on the books. Former President Joe Biden’s administration made minor changes in 2023, saying schools can take “reasonable steps” to ensure students aren’t pressured to participate in prayer.During his campaign in 2023, Trump said he would support “bringing back prayer to our schools.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757357291035.png" alt="President Trump and&nbsp;Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner-image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>President Trump and&nbsp;Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner-image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Trump administration announces ‘America Prays’ initiative</h2>During the president’s speech, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner detailed plans to infuse prayer with celebrations of the United States’ 250th anniversary next year.He said the “America Prays” initiative would try to get 1 million people a week to pray for the country.“This about the miracles that would take place over the next year,” Turner said.When Turner finished, Trump finished his speech and said “we will never apologize for our faith.”

President Trump: New guidance on school prayer expected soon

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's Republican-led House turned aside Democratic objections Tuesday and passed a plan backed by President Donald Trump to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymander-missouri-trump-626f4e64b5686c0dd22112bb8a9d641f">redraw the state's congressional districts</a>&nbsp;so that Republicans could win almost all of them.

The rare mid-decade redistricting plan, which now heads to the state Senate, is aimed at bolstering Republicans' national prospects in next year’s U.S. House elections. It comes after a similar move by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-texas-redistricting-trump-map-congress-b6222dd39c494c9ab48beafabc66dc35">Republican-led Texas</a>&nbsp;and a counter-offensive in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-texas-redistricting-congressional-map-4c22e21d5d4022d33a257045693b6fd4">Democratic-led California</a>, which still needs voter approval.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-trump-missouri-texas-california-b1c16a00f07c8df117c2f5b685542085">Other states</a>, including Republican-led Indiana and Florida and Democratic-led Maryland and New York, could follow with their own revisions in what's emerging as a national redistricting battle.

U.S. House districts were redrawn across the country after the 2020 census to account for population changes. The current redistricting push is being done for partisan advantage, a process known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gerrymandering-texas-congress-redistricting-0c751f48a7757fc11214472944670413">gerrymandering</a>.

“This is cheating,” said state Rep. Yolonda Fountain Henderson, one of many Democrats who denounced the measure. "It’s like when President Trump says, we jump.”

Trump wants to retain a congressional majority to advance his agenda. But historically, the party opposing the president has gained seats in the midterm elections, as Democrats did during Trump's first term and then proceeded to impeach him.

Missouri lawmakers are meeting in a two-prong special session called by Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe.

The House on Tuesday also passed a measure that — if approved by the Senate and statewide voters — would make it harder to pass citizen-led initiatives amending the state constitution by requiring a majority vote from each congressional district instead of a simple statewide majority. That comes after Missouri's initiative process has been used in recent years to win voter approval of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-rights-ban-missouri-sick-leave-c4f7beb07e7b3de64f3e2460bcb539c0">amendments on abortion rights</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-marijuana-industry-donors-d97a216994afd9933d0f733b3def6742">marijuana legalization</a>&nbsp;and Medicaid expansion.

Revised Missouri map could help Republicans gain a House seat

Missouri's redistricting plan would give Republicans an improved chance to win seven of the state's eight U.S. House seats, which is one more than they currently hold.

The plan targets a Kansas City district held by Democratic U.S. Emanuel Cleaver by stretching it eastward into Republican-heavy rural areas and reducing the number of Black and minority voters in the district. Other parts of Kansas City would be added to two predominantly rural districts represented by Republicans.

Cleaver, who turns 81 in October, is a Methodist pastor who served as Kansas City's first Black mayor from 1991-1999 and won election to the U.S. House in 2004. He asserted that Republicans are creating an atmosphere of “intimidation” and “division” and pledged to challenge the new map in court.

"It’s one of those moments that, frankly, I never thought I would experience,” Cleaver said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.

Although the primary Kansas City district would expand significantly, the state's congressional districts overall would be more compact — and competitive — under the revised map, Republican lawmakers said. Kehoe has defended the revised map as a means of amplifying conservative voices in Congress.

It's "a congressional map that will better represent Missouri in Washington, D.C.,” said sponsoring state Rep. Dirk Deaton, a Republican.

Some Republicans join Democrats in opposing new districts

The Missouri House passed the revised districts on a 90-65 vote. Thirteen Republicans, including House Speaker Jon Patterson of suburban Kansas City, joined Democrats in voting against the revised map. But only a couple spoke against it during two days of debate.

“Using our raw political power to tilt the playing field to our side, regardless of the party, is wrong,” Republican state Rep. Bryant Wolfin said.

Leading up to the House vote, three Democratic state lawmakers staged a sit-in in House chamber for several days and nights to protest that the special session began while most members were absent. Former Vice President Kamala Harris ordered pizza and chicken wings delivered to them in a show of support.

Republicans are “bending a knee to Donald Trump and pushing through these racist, gerrymandered districts,” said Rep. Ray Reed, of St. Louis, one of those who slept in the chamber.

The Missouri NAACP has sued seeking to invalidate the special session. The state lawsuit asserts there is no extraordinary circumstance to justify the session and that the state constitution prohibits redistricting without new census data or a ruling invalidating the current districts.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, who took office Monday, said she doesn't think there is any constitutional prohibition on mid-decade redistricting.

Associated Press writer Heather Hollingsworth contributed from Kansas City, Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757444658128.png" alt="Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors / Map by Anna Sago " />
 <figcaption>Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors / Map by Anna Sago </figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's Republican-led House turned aside Democratic objections Tuesday and passed a plan backed by President Donald Trump to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymander-missouri-trump-626f4e64b5686c0dd22112bb8a9d641f">redraw the state's congressional districts</a>&nbsp;so that Republicans could win almost all of them.The rare mid-decade redistricting plan, which now heads to the state Senate, is aimed at bolstering Republicans' national prospects in next year’s U.S. House elections. It comes after a similar move by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-texas-redistricting-trump-map-congress-b6222dd39c494c9ab48beafabc66dc35">Republican-led Texas</a>&nbsp;and a counter-offensive in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-texas-redistricting-congressional-map-4c22e21d5d4022d33a257045693b6fd4">Democratic-led California</a>, which still needs voter approval.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-trump-missouri-texas-california-b1c16a00f07c8df117c2f5b685542085">Other states</a>, including Republican-led Indiana and Florida and Democratic-led Maryland and New York, could follow with their own revisions in what's emerging as a national redistricting battle.U.S. House districts were redrawn across the country after the 2020 census to account for population changes. The current redistricting push is being done for partisan advantage, a process known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gerrymandering-texas-congress-redistricting-0c751f48a7757fc11214472944670413">gerrymandering</a>.“This is cheating,” said state Rep. Yolonda Fountain Henderson, one of many Democrats who denounced the measure. "It’s like when President Trump says, we jump.”Trump wants to retain a congressional majority to advance his agenda. But historically, the party opposing the president has gained seats in the midterm elections, as Democrats did during Trump's first term and then proceeded to impeach him.Missouri lawmakers are meeting in a two-prong special session called by Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe.The House on Tuesday also passed a measure that — if approved by the Senate and statewide voters — would make it harder to pass citizen-led initiatives amending the state constitution by requiring a majority vote from each congressional district instead of a simple statewide majority. That comes after Missouri's initiative process has been used in recent years to win voter approval of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-rights-ban-missouri-sick-leave-c4f7beb07e7b3de64f3e2460bcb539c0">amendments on abortion rights</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-marijuana-industry-donors-d97a216994afd9933d0f733b3def6742">marijuana legalization</a>&nbsp;and Medicaid expansion.<h2>Revised Missouri map could help Republicans gain a House seat</h2>Missouri's redistricting plan would give Republicans an improved chance to win seven of the state's eight U.S. House seats, which is one more than they currently hold.The plan targets a Kansas City district held by Democratic U.S. Emanuel Cleaver by stretching it eastward into Republican-heavy rural areas and reducing the number of Black and minority voters in the district. Other parts of Kansas City would be added to two predominantly rural districts represented by Republicans.Cleaver, who turns 81 in October, is a Methodist pastor who served as Kansas City's first Black mayor from 1991-1999 and won election to the U.S. House in 2004. He asserted that Republicans are creating an atmosphere of “intimidation” and “division” and pledged to challenge the new map in court."It’s one of those moments that, frankly, I never thought I would experience,” Cleaver said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.Although the primary Kansas City district would expand significantly, the state's congressional districts overall would be more compact — and competitive — under the revised map, Republican lawmakers said. Kehoe has defended the revised map as a means of amplifying conservative voices in Congress.It's "a congressional map that will better represent Missouri in Washington, D.C.,” said sponsoring state Rep. Dirk Deaton, a Republican.<h2>Some Republicans join Democrats in opposing new districts</h2>The Missouri House passed the revised districts on a 90-65 vote. Thirteen Republicans, including House Speaker Jon Patterson of suburban Kansas City, joined Democrats in voting against the revised map. But only a couple spoke against it during two days of debate.“Using our raw political power to tilt the playing field to our side, regardless of the party, is wrong,” Republican state Rep. Bryant Wolfin said.Leading up to the House vote, three Democratic state lawmakers staged a sit-in in House chamber for several days and nights to protest that the special session began while most members were absent. Former Vice President Kamala Harris ordered pizza and chicken wings delivered to them in a show of support.Republicans are “bending a knee to Donald Trump and pushing through these racist, gerrymandered districts,” said Rep. Ray Reed, of St. Louis, one of those who slept in the chamber.The Missouri NAACP has sued seeking to invalidate the special session. The state lawsuit asserts there is no extraordinary circumstance to justify the session and that the state constitution prohibits redistricting without new census data or a ruling invalidating the current districts.Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, who took office Monday, said she doesn't think there is any constitutional prohibition on mid-decade redistricting.___Associated Press writer Heather Hollingsworth contributed from Kansas City, Missouri.

Missouri Republicans advance  plan to redraw US House districts

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel launched a strike targeting Hamas' leadership in Qatar on Tuesday as they considered a U.S. proposal for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip</a>. The strike on the territory of a U.S. ally marked a stunning escalation and risked upending talks aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-09-08-2025-e91a0c8d415b489d5a8da42501cfc366">winding down the war</a>&nbsp;and freeing hostages.

Qatar, an energy-rich U.S. ally hosting thousands of American troops, has served as a key mediator between Israel and Hamas for several years, even before the war. It condemned what it referred to as a “flagrant violation of all international laws and norms" as smoke rose over its capital, Doha.

It was not immediately clear if anyone was hurt in the strike. Hamas has survived numerous assassinations of top leaders and is still intact in Gaza, despite having suffered major blows since the outbreak of the war triggered by its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

The future of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-offensive-gaza-city-ceasefire-2521a7370ab1cd32cbf28943cc8d542e">the long-stalled ceasefire talks</a>&nbsp;was more uncertain, as Israel gears up for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-gaza-offensive-netanyahu-explainer-614c49ba068155488e67731fdabafce4">a major offensive aimed at taking over Gaza City</a>. That escalation has been met with heavy international condemnation and opposition within Israel from those who fear it will doom the remaining hostages.

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack, saying "all parties must work towards achieving a permanent ceasefire, not destroying it.”

Israel had long threatened Hamas in Qatar

Israel has long threatened to strike Hamas leaders wherever they are. While it has often welcomed Qatar's role as a mediator, alongside Egypt, it has also accused the Gulf nation of not putting enough pressure on the group.

In contrast to previous Israeli operations against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-ismail-haniyeh-killed-tehran-hamas-2d16ae7ed668b954ac0e7a53eaf92671">senior militants abroad</a>, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to publicly claim the strike, saying: “Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it and Israel takes full responsibility."

He said the decision was taken Monday after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-jerusalem-shooting-a71a30ef7eaeb7a350acc1ca42e0424d">a shooting attack in Jerusalem</a>&nbsp;that killed six people and an attack on Israeli forces in Gaza that killed four soldiers.

In a statement after the strike on Doha, which didn't specifically name Qatar, Israel's military said Hamas' leaders were “directly responsible for the brutal October 7th massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel.”

The military said it used “precise munitions and additional intelligence” in the strike, without elaborating. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss details beyond the statement, confirmed the strike targeted Hamas.

Qatar condemned what it referred to as a “cowardly Israeli attack” on Hamas’ political headquarters in Doha. Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari called it a “flagrant violation of all international laws and norms" and said Qatar “will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior.”

The U.S. Embassy in Qatar said that it had instituted a shelter-in-place order for its facilities.

Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was giving his “last warning” to Hamas regarding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-offensive-gaza-city-ceasefire-2521a7370ab1cd32cbf28943cc8d542e">a possible ceasefire</a>, as the U.S. advanced a new proposal that Arab officials said included the immediate release of all the hostages.

A senior Hamas official called it a “humiliating surrender document,” but the militant group said it would discuss the proposal and respond within days.

An Egyptian official said the strike came when a meeting by Hamas officials over the talks had been scheduled for the site. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, because he wasn’t authorized to talk to reporters.

The proposal, presented by Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, calls for a negotiated end of the war and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza once the hostages are released and a ceasefire is established. That's according to Egyptian and Hamas officials familiar with the talks, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door discussions.

Hamas has said it will only release the remaining 48 hostages, around 20 of them believed to be alive, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Netanyahu has rejected those terms, saying the war will continue until all the hostages are returned and Hamas has been disarmed, with Israel maintaining open-ended security control over Gaza.

Mediators had previously focused on brokering a temporary ceasefire and the release of some hostages, with the two sides then holding talks on a more permanent truce. Witkoff walked away from those talks in July, after which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-ceasefire-hostages-talks-trump-f3d4c2e92fa59452954e799a75705861">Hamas accepted a proposal</a>&nbsp;that the mediators said was almost identical to an earlier one that Israel had approved.

The war in Gaza has already left Israel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/genocide-scholars-israel-gaza-war-9b24a48075b1d150b9bba8a8ae911cd2">increasingly isolated internationally</a>, with even many of its Western allies calling for it to end the war and do more to address the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-famine-hunger-israel-ceasefire-a5f88e20db2a5c4f754117de9bdada69">parts of which are experiencing famine</a>.

Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the United Arab Emirates' foreign minister, expressed “full solidarity with our dear Qatar" shortly after the attack.

The United Arab Emirates&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-09-03-2025-15a7856a92d4663527598e46dd91b789">recently warned Israel</a>&nbsp;that any move to annex the occupied West Bank would threatened the Abraham Accords, a landmark agreement brokered by Trump during his first term in which the two nations normalized relations.

Trump hopes to expand those accords to include regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia, but those prospects have dimmed as the war has ground on.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman described the strike as a “criminal act and a flagrant violation of international law" in a phone call with Qatar's ruler.

Josef Federman reported from Jerusalem. Samy Magdy contributed to this report from Cairo.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel launched a strike targeting Hamas' leadership in Qatar on Tuesday as they considered a U.S. proposal for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip</a>. The strike on the territory of a U.S. ally marked a stunning escalation and risked upending talks aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-09-08-2025-e91a0c8d415b489d5a8da42501cfc366">winding down the war</a>&nbsp;and freeing hostages.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/MZisrmnBLr">pic.twitter.com/MZisrmnBLr</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1965511067700003049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We have seen reports of missile strikes occurring in Doha. The U.S. Embassy has instituted a shelter-in-place order for their facilities. U.S. citizens are advised to shelter-in-place and monitor <a href="https://twitter.com/USEmbassyDoha?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USEmbassyDoha</a> social media for updates.&mdash; U.S. Embassy in Qatar (@USEmbassyDoha) <a href="https://twitter.com/USEmbassyDoha/status/1965410250707935632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Qatar, an energy-rich U.S. ally hosting thousands of American troops, has served as a key mediator between Israel and Hamas for several years, even before the war. It condemned what it referred to as a “flagrant violation of all international laws and norms" as smoke rose over its capital, Doha.It was not immediately clear if anyone was hurt in the strike. Hamas has survived numerous assassinations of top leaders and is still intact in Gaza, despite having suffered major blows since the outbreak of the war triggered by its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.The future of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-offensive-gaza-city-ceasefire-2521a7370ab1cd32cbf28943cc8d542e">the long-stalled ceasefire talks</a>&nbsp;was more uncertain, as Israel gears up for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-gaza-offensive-netanyahu-explainer-614c49ba068155488e67731fdabafce4">a major offensive aimed at taking over Gaza City</a>. That escalation has been met with heavy international condemnation and opposition within Israel from those who fear it will doom the remaining hostages.U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack, saying "all parties must work towards achieving a permanent ceasefire, not destroying it.”<h2>Israel had long threatened Hamas in Qatar</h2>Israel has long threatened to strike Hamas leaders wherever they are. While it has often welcomed Qatar's role as a mediator, alongside Egypt, it has also accused the Gulf nation of not putting enough pressure on the group.In contrast to previous Israeli operations against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-ismail-haniyeh-killed-tehran-hamas-2d16ae7ed668b954ac0e7a53eaf92671">senior militants abroad</a>, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to publicly claim the strike, saying: “Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it and Israel takes full responsibility."He said the decision was taken Monday after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-jerusalem-shooting-a71a30ef7eaeb7a350acc1ca42e0424d">a shooting attack in Jerusalem</a>&nbsp;that killed six people and an attack on Israeli forces in Gaza that killed four soldiers.In a statement after the strike on Doha, which didn't specifically name Qatar, Israel's military said Hamas' leaders were “directly responsible for the brutal October 7th massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel.”The military said it used “precise munitions and additional intelligence” in the strike, without elaborating. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss details beyond the statement, confirmed the strike targeted Hamas.Qatar condemned what it referred to as a “cowardly Israeli attack” on Hamas’ political headquarters in Doha. Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari called it a “flagrant violation of all international laws and norms" and said Qatar “will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior.”The U.S. Embassy in Qatar said that it had instituted a shelter-in-place order for its facilities.<h2>Ceasefire negotiations in question</h2>Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was giving his “last warning” to Hamas regarding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-offensive-gaza-city-ceasefire-2521a7370ab1cd32cbf28943cc8d542e">a possible ceasefire</a>, as the U.S. advanced a new proposal that Arab officials said included the immediate release of all the hostages.A senior Hamas official called it a “humiliating surrender document,” but the militant group said it would discuss the proposal and respond within days.An Egyptian official said the strike came when a meeting by Hamas officials over the talks had been scheduled for the site. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, because he wasn’t authorized to talk to reporters.The proposal, presented by Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, calls for a negotiated end of the war and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza once the hostages are released and a ceasefire is established. That's according to Egyptian and Hamas officials familiar with the talks, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door discussions.Hamas has said it will only release the remaining 48 hostages, around 20 of them believed to be alive, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Netanyahu has rejected those terms, saying the war will continue until all the hostages are returned and Hamas has been disarmed, with Israel maintaining open-ended security control over Gaza.Mediators had previously focused on brokering a temporary ceasefire and the release of some hostages, with the two sides then holding talks on a more permanent truce. Witkoff walked away from those talks in July, after which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-ceasefire-hostages-talks-trump-f3d4c2e92fa59452954e799a75705861">Hamas accepted a proposal</a>&nbsp;that the mediators said was almost identical to an earlier one that Israel had approved.<h2>International Outrage</h2>The war in Gaza has already left Israel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/genocide-scholars-israel-gaza-war-9b24a48075b1d150b9bba8a8ae911cd2">increasingly isolated internationally</a>, with even many of its Western allies calling for it to end the war and do more to address the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-famine-hunger-israel-ceasefire-a5f88e20db2a5c4f754117de9bdada69">parts of which are experiencing famine</a>.Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the United Arab Emirates' foreign minister, expressed “full solidarity with our dear Qatar" shortly after the attack.The United Arab Emirates&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-09-03-2025-15a7856a92d4663527598e46dd91b789">recently warned Israel</a>&nbsp;that any move to annex the occupied West Bank would threatened the Abraham Accords, a landmark agreement brokered by Trump during his first term in which the two nations normalized relations.Trump hopes to expand those accords to include regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia, but those prospects have dimmed as the war has ground on.Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman described the strike as a “criminal act and a flagrant violation of international law" in a phone call with Qatar's ruler.___Josef Federman reported from Jerusalem. Samy Magdy contributed to this report from Cairo.___

Israel targets Hamas leadership in attack on ally of the United States

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal shooting in. Topeka have made an arrest.

Just after 7:30a.m. September 1, police responded to a shooting&nbsp;in the 100 block of NW Holman Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell. First responders located 30-year-old Cody Bush of Topeka with&nbsp;life-threatening injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

As a result of the investigation, police announced Monday they arrested 42-year-old Justin Shumway, 42, of Topeka. He is being held in the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp;Murder in the 1st Degree and Aggravated Robbery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757412405029.png" alt="Shumway photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Shumway photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal shooting in. Topeka have made an arrest.Just after 7:30a.m. September 1, police responded to a shooting&nbsp;in the 100 block of NW Holman Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell. First responders located 30-year-old Cody Bush of Topeka with&nbsp;life-threatening injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene.As a result of the investigation, police announced Monday they arrested 42-year-old Justin Shumway, 42, of Topeka. He is being held in the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp;Murder in the 1st Degree and Aggravated Robbery.

Police: Kansas man jailed for robbery, murder

Attorney General Kris Kobach says Kelly is breaking state, federal law

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 — Attorney General Kris Kobach filed a lawsuit Monday against Gov. Laura Kelly to force disclosure to federal officials of names, Social Security numbers, birthdates and home addresses for everyone enrolled in SNAP.

Kobach said he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ag.ks.gov/home/showdocument?id=24636&amp;t=638929457500168275" target="_blank">filed a motion in Shawnee County District Court</a>&nbsp;to compel the Democratic governor to comply with his interpretation of state and federal statute on sharing information sought by the federal government. The Republican attorney general said he chose to act before a Sept. 19 deadline that could lead to loss of $10.4 million in federal aid to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

SNAP serves 188,000 Kansans and makes use of $400 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture funds annually.

Kobach said it was rare for an attorney general to directly file suit against a governor, but he felt compelled to do so for the second time in three years because “when a governor flagrantly violates the law it is necessary for the state, represented by its attorney general, to take action.”

“She appears to be playing a game of chicken, apparently unaware of her obligation under Kansas statute and perhaps also unaware that federal law requires her to provide this information,” Kobach said.

Kobach said he didn’t have a personal conversation with the governor in an attempt to resolve the conflict prior to filing the suit. He was joined at the news conference by House Speaker Dan Hawkins, who advised the governor capitulate to the Trump administration’s requests.

“Attorney General Kobach and Speaker Hawkins are engaging in what can only be described as low-rent political theater,” the governor said. “We learned last week that the attorney general made vague statements about suing me in Alaska. My chief of staff made requests to both the attorney general and speaker for meetings to discuss this issue on Friday, and both declined to meet.”

“Now, in a rushed press conference rife with false statements and incorrect law, we learn there is going to be a lawsuit filed. A copy of which my office has yet to receive,” said Kelly, who is chair of the Democratic Governors Association. “The attorney general is known for not doing his homework or placing priority on protecting Kansans’ private data. I have always worked to protect Kansans, especially from federal overreach, and I will continue to do so.”

For several months, USDA has applied pressure on Laura Howard, secretary of the Kansas Department for Children and Families, to divulge all personal data in its possession on SNAP recipients. USDA indicated the information could be used for about a dozen purposes, including an attempt to figure out why about 10% of the people awarded SNAP benefits in Kansas might not be eligible.

Howard, who also was named in Kobach’s lawsuit, told the USDA the state was leery of contributing to a federal database that could be shared with entities not “legally allowed to access that information.”

Kobach said existence of a California lawsuit challenging a federal data request shouldn’t be used by Kelly to justify refusing to cooperate in Kansas. The Kelly administration also endorsed a multistate lawsuit in Massachusetts challenging demands placed on states by the administration of President Donald Trump.

“The idea that a random lawsuit of dubious merit in a distant jurisdiction … somehow allows a governor in another state to refuse to follow the law — that’s crazy,” Kobach said. “Her argument is lawless and absurd.”

Kobach was joined at a news conference by Senate Majority Leader Chase Blasi and Hawkins, both Republicans from Wichita.

“The Department for Children and Families must comply with the law and cooperate with the federal government,” Blasi said. “The governor’s refusal to comply with this law jeopardizes benefits for our most needy Kansans.”

Hawkins said he was confounded that the Kelly administration had an elevated error rate in distribution of SNAP benefits.

“The governor is stonewalling,” Hawkins said. “When the secretary refuses to provide the data, she is not only dodging accountability but also breaking the law.”

Kobach said he wanted a district court judge in Shawnee County to expedite the lawsuit to prevent interruption of federal funding earmarked for SNAP. He said the petition submitted to the district court pointed to state law requiring the governor to cooperate in the administration of food stamps and to comply with requests for information on the program. U.S. law sets a system for penalizing states for noncompliance.

“For anyone thinking that the Trump administration is doing this because they just got a wild hair and decided, ‘You know what, let’s go after the states on this.’ No, this is required by federal statute,” the attorney general said.

He asserted Kelly was on the verge of committing a constitutional violation by inviting an avalanche of financial penalties that could eventually deny Kansans access to SNAP.

“It is unclear to me why the governor thinks it’s okay to take food off the table of needy Kansans so that she can demonstrate to the world that she is opposing the Trump administration,” Kobach said. “She has a First Amendment right to say all she wants about the administration in Washington, D.C., but she cannot violate the law and she should never place her desire to perform political theater over the livelihoods of needy Kansans.”

Meanwhile, U.S. Ron Estes and U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, both Kansas Republicans, sent a letter to Kelly urging her to surrender information to USDA about SNAP.

“We are demanding Governor Kelly work with the USDA to strengthen the SNAP program in Kansas and correct the waste of our constituents’ hard-earned dollars,” Estes said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757384151672.png" alt=" Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced filing of a lawsuit against Gov. Laura Kelly related to demands by the administration of President Donald Trump to release personal information about Kansans enrolled in the SNAP food aid program. Joining Kobach at a news conference were state Senate Majority Leader Chase Blasi, left, and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, right. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced filing of a lawsuit against Gov. Laura Kelly related to demands by the administration of President Donald Trump to release personal information about Kansans enrolled in the SNAP food aid program. Joining Kobach at a news conference were state Senate Majority Leader Chase Blasi, left, and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, right. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Attorney General Kris Kobach says Kelly is breaking state, federal law</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 — Attorney General Kris Kobach filed a lawsuit Monday against Gov. Laura Kelly to force disclosure to federal officials of names, Social Security numbers, birthdates and home addresses for everyone enrolled in SNAP.Kobach said he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ag.ks.gov/home/showdocument?id=24636&amp;t=638929457500168275" target="_blank">filed a motion in Shawnee County District Court</a>&nbsp;to compel the Democratic governor to comply with his interpretation of state and federal statute on sharing information sought by the federal government. The Republican attorney general said he chose to act before a Sept. 19 deadline that could lead to loss of $10.4 million in federal aid to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.SNAP serves 188,000 Kansans and makes use of $400 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture funds annually.Kobach said it was rare for an attorney general to directly file suit against a governor, but he felt compelled to do so for the second time in three years because “when a governor flagrantly violates the law it is necessary for the state, represented by its attorney general, to take action.”“She appears to be playing a game of chicken, apparently unaware of her obligation under Kansas statute and perhaps also unaware that federal law requires her to provide this information,” Kobach said.Kobach said he didn’t have a personal conversation with the governor in an attempt to resolve the conflict prior to filing the suit. He was joined at the news conference by House Speaker Dan Hawkins, who advised the governor capitulate to the Trump administration’s requests.“Attorney General Kobach and Speaker Hawkins are engaging in what can only be described as low-rent political theater,” the governor said. “We learned last week that the attorney general made vague statements about suing me in Alaska. My chief of staff made requests to both the attorney general and speaker for meetings to discuss this issue on Friday, and both declined to meet.”“Now, in a rushed press conference rife with false statements and incorrect law, we learn there is going to be a lawsuit filed. A copy of which my office has yet to receive,” said Kelly, who is chair of the Democratic Governors Association. “The attorney general is known for not doing his homework or placing priority on protecting Kansans’ private data. I have always worked to protect Kansans, especially from federal overreach, and I will continue to do so.”For several months, USDA has applied pressure on Laura Howard, secretary of the Kansas Department for Children and Families, to divulge all personal data in its possession on SNAP recipients. USDA indicated the information could be used for about a dozen purposes, including an attempt to figure out why about 10% of the people awarded SNAP benefits in Kansas might not be eligible.Howard, who also was named in Kobach’s lawsuit, told the USDA the state was leery of contributing to a federal database that could be shared with entities not “legally allowed to access that information.”Kobach said existence of a California lawsuit challenging a federal data request shouldn’t be used by Kelly to justify refusing to cooperate in Kansas. The Kelly administration also endorsed a multistate lawsuit in Massachusetts challenging demands placed on states by the administration of President Donald Trump.“The idea that a random lawsuit of dubious merit in a distant jurisdiction … somehow allows a governor in another state to refuse to follow the law — that’s crazy,” Kobach said. “Her argument is lawless and absurd.”Kobach was joined at a news conference by Senate Majority Leader Chase Blasi and Hawkins, both Republicans from Wichita.“The Department for Children and Families must comply with the law and cooperate with the federal government,” Blasi said. “The governor’s refusal to comply with this law jeopardizes benefits for our most needy Kansans.”Hawkins said he was confounded that the Kelly administration had an elevated error rate in distribution of SNAP benefits.“The governor is stonewalling,” Hawkins said. “When the secretary refuses to provide the data, she is not only dodging accountability but also breaking the law.”Kobach said he wanted a district court judge in Shawnee County to expedite the lawsuit to prevent interruption of federal funding earmarked for SNAP. He said the petition submitted to the district court pointed to state law requiring the governor to cooperate in the administration of food stamps and to comply with requests for information on the program. U.S. law sets a system for penalizing states for noncompliance.“For anyone thinking that the Trump administration is doing this because they just got a wild hair and decided, ‘You know what, let’s go after the states on this.’ No, this is required by federal statute,” the attorney general said.He asserted Kelly was on the verge of committing a constitutional violation by inviting an avalanche of financial penalties that could eventually deny Kansans access to SNAP.“It is unclear to me why the governor thinks it’s okay to take food off the table of needy Kansans so that she can demonstrate to the world that she is opposing the Trump administration,” Kobach said. “She has a First Amendment right to say all she wants about the administration in Washington, D.C., but she cannot violate the law and she should never place her desire to perform political theater over the livelihoods of needy Kansans.”Meanwhile, U.S. Ron Estes and U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, both Kansas Republicans, sent a letter to Kelly urging her to surrender information to USDA about SNAP.“We are demanding Governor Kelly work with the USDA to strengthen the SNAP program in Kansas and correct the waste of our constituents’ hard-earned dollars,” Estes said.

Kansas lawsuit seeks to force Gov. Laura Kelly to divulge details about SNAP recipients

NEW YORK (AP) —Ford is recalling almost 1.5 million vehicles in the United States because the rear view camera may show a blank or distorted image on the center display screen while the vehicle is in reverse, which can reduce or distort the driver's view of what's behind the car and increase the risk of a crash.

The recall includes certain vehicles from model years 2015 to 2019 of the Lincoln Navigator, Lincoln MKC, Mustang, Ranger, Transit, Transit Connect, Econoline, Edge, Expedition, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD and F-550 SD.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday in its safety recall report that Ford is aware of 18 accidents and no injuries related to the camera issue.

The agency said that vehicle owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicles to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the rear view camera inspected and replaced, if necessary. There will be no charge for the service.

NEW YORK (AP) —Ford is recalling almost 1.5 million vehicles in the United States because the rear view camera may show a blank or distorted image on the center display screen while the vehicle is in reverse, which can reduce or distort the driver's view of what's behind the car and increase the risk of a crash.The recall includes certain vehicles from model years 2015 to 2019 of the Lincoln Navigator, Lincoln MKC, Mustang, Ranger, Transit, Transit Connect, Econoline, Edge, Expedition, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD and F-550 SD.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday in its safety recall report that Ford is aware of 18 accidents and no injuries related to the camera issue.The agency said that vehicle owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicles to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the rear view camera inspected and replaced, if necessary. There will be no charge for the service.

Ford recalling vehicles due to rear view camera issue

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 23-year-old Kenneth Hutt,&nbsp;according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

Just before 11:30p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 8200 block of Bannister Road in Kansas City, Missouri on a shooting call.

On arrival officers were directed inside the business there where they located a Hutt unresponsive on the ground. Officers rendered aid to the victim and summoned EMS to the scene who declared the victim deceased.

Homicide detectives are investigating and canvassing for witnesses. Preliminary investigation indicates that Hutt entered the business shortly before the shooting and had an interaction with one or more additional patrons that were also inside the business. That interaction escalated to gunfire and Hutt was struck. There is no known suspect information at this time and no one is in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757258826627.png" alt="Business where the fatal shooting occurred -photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Business where the fatal shooting occurred -photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 23-year-old Kenneth Hutt,&nbsp;according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.Just before 11:30p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 8200 block of Bannister Road in Kansas City, Missouri on a shooting call.On arrival officers were directed inside the business there where they located a Hutt unresponsive on the ground. Officers rendered aid to the victim and summoned EMS to the scene who declared the victim deceased.Homicide detectives are investigating and canvassing for witnesses. Preliminary investigation indicates that Hutt entered the business shortly before the shooting and had an interaction with one or more additional patrons that were also inside the business. That interaction escalated to gunfire and Hutt was struck. There is no known suspect information at this time and no one is in custody.

Police ID victim in Kansas City gas station killing

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Wichita have made two arrests.

Just before 4p.m. Sunday, police responded to reports of a shooting and found 62-year-old Terry Collins in the front yard of his home with a gunshot wound to the chest. Neighbors immediately began life-saving efforts until officers arrived. Sedgwick County EMS transported&nbsp; Collins to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.

Investigators learned that Collins was involved in a confrontation with three people before a gun was fired. Witnesses reported seeing the suspects flee the area.

Officers deployed drones for aerial support, used a police K-9 team to track evidence and suspects, and relied on Flock camera technology to assist with locating the suspects. WPD’s Community Response Team and Community Policing Officers also responded to help with the investigation.

Detectives arrested a 20-year-old woman identified in booking records as Myna Renae Pitzer and and a 19-year-old man identified in booking records as Jahmarious Jalique Johnson in connection with the incident. A 14-year-old male suspect remains outstanding, and officers continue to search for him.

The community was instrumental in providing key information that helped officers and detectives move quickly to make arrests.

Pitzer and Johnson are being held on requested charges of first degree murder, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757415292340.png" alt="JOHNSON photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>JOHNSON photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Wichita have made two arrests.Just before 4p.m. Sunday, police responded to reports of a shooting and found 62-year-old Terry Collins in the front yard of his home with a gunshot wound to the chest. Neighbors immediately began life-saving efforts until officers arrived. Sedgwick County EMS transported&nbsp; Collins to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757414030998.png" alt="PITZER photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>PITZER photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Investigators learned that Collins was involved in a confrontation with three people before a gun was fired. Witnesses reported seeing the suspects flee the area.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757327761418.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation on Sunday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation on Sunday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers deployed drones for aerial support, used a police K-9 team to track evidence and suspects, and relied on Flock camera technology to assist with locating the suspects. WPD’s Community Response Team and Community Policing Officers also responded to help with the investigation.Detectives arrested a 20-year-old woman identified in booking records as Myna Renae Pitzer and and a 19-year-old man identified in booking records as Jahmarious Jalique Johnson in connection with the incident. A 14-year-old male suspect remains outstanding, and officers continue to search for him.The community was instrumental in providing key information that helped officers and detectives move quickly to make arrests.Pitzer and Johnson are being held on requested charges of first degree murder, according to online jail records.

Neighbors help police ID, arrest suspects in Kan. man's killing

JOHNSON COUNTY— Police on Monday issued a distracted driving reminder.

According to Lenexa Police, they recently responded to a crash in which the driver of this vehicle was looking at their phone when they drove up the ramp and into the trailer of a lawn crew’s vehicle.

Fortunately, no one was hurt, but this could have easily been tragic.

 If you’re driving, put the phone down.No text, call, or notification is worth risking your life or someone else’s. Please stay focused and help keep our roads safe.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757373033950.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY— Police on Monday issued a distracted driving reminder.According to Lenexa Police, they recently responded to a crash in which the driver of this vehicle was looking at their phone when they drove up the ramp and into the trailer of a lawn crew’s vehicle.Fortunately, no one was hurt, but this could have easily been tragic.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757373055483.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> If you’re driving, put the phone down.No text, call, or notification is worth risking your life or someone else’s. Please stay focused and help keep our roads safe.

Police: Distracted Kan. drive into the trailer of lawn crew’s pickup

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pete-hegseth">Pete Hegseth</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-joint-chiefs-chairman-razin-caine-military-41b3faeaefd4d965dc22b15b0223ec58">Air Force Gen. Dan Caine</a>, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived in Puerto Rico on Monday for an unexpected visit as the U.S. steps up its military operations against drug cartels in the Caribbean.

Their arrival in the U.S. territory comes more than a week after ships carrying hundreds of U.S. Marines deployed to Puerto Rico for what officials said was a training exercise, a move that some on the island have criticized.

But on Monday night, Hegseth said in a video posted on X that the deployed Marines were “on the front lines of defending the American homeland.”

“Make no mistake about it, what you’re doing right now is not training. This is the real-world exercise on behalf of the vital national interest of the United States of America to end the poisoning of the American people,” he said while aboard the USS Iwo Jima.

Earlier in the day,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/puerto-rico-jenniffer-gonzalez-new-governor-sworn-84afbbfa537b23f35494df0127b20c2d">Puerto Rico's Gov. Jenniffer González</a>&nbsp;said Hegseth and Caine visited on behalf of President Donald Trump's administration to support those participating in the training.

“We thank President Trump and his administration for recognizing the strategic importance of Puerto Rico to U.S. national security and for their fight against drug cartels and the narco-dictator Nicolás Maduro,” González said.

Hegseth and Caine met with officials at the 156th Wing Muñiz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, a city just east of the capital of San Juan.

González said Hegseth spoke to nearly 300 soldiers at the base and thanked those he described as “American warriors” for their work. He later departed for the USS Iwo Jima.

“The American people are counting on you to ensure the American homeland is kept safe,” Hegseth told the Marines aboard the USS Iwo Jima. “Narco terrorists and drug traffickers are on notice.”

The visit comes as the U.S. prepares to deploy 10 F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico for operations targeting drug cartels, a person familiar with the planning said Saturday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because information about the deployments has not been made public.

On Sept. 2, Trump announced that the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-rubio-trump-0f901b2a30ee20e314bcab1385ffb0c0">carried out a strike in the southern Caribbean</a>&nbsp;against a vessel that had left Venezuela and was suspected of carrying drugs. Eleven people were killed in the rare U.S. military operation in the Caribbean, with the president saying the vessel was operated by the Venezuelan gang&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-rubio-trump-0f901b2a30ee20e314bcab1385ffb0c0">Tren de Aragua</a>.

While the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trinidad-caribbean-us-strike-boat-drugs-f0529291209ffbf4162340df7860ba4c">praised the strike</a>&nbsp;and said the U.S. should kill all drug traffickers “violently,” reaction from other Caribbean leaders has been more subdued.

Barbadian Foreign Minister Kerrie Symmonds&nbsp;<a href="https://f0529291209ffbf4162340df7860ba4c/">recently told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;that members of Caricom, a regional trade bloc, sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio asking for an open line of communication on developments. He said they want to avoid being surprised by any U.S. moves against Venezuela.

Meanwhile, Venezuela’s government on Monday insisted that the U.S. is falsely accusing it of playing a crucial role in the global drug trade. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez told reporters the U.S. government should redirect its recently deployed maritime force to the Pacific, where fast boats and container ships have long carried Colombian cocaine.

“Those ships that are trying to intimidate Venezuela today should be there in the Pacific if they truly wanted to fight and prevent cocaine from reaching the United States of America,” she said. “They have a GPS location problem. They’re where they shouldn’t be. They need to calibrate their GPS.”

Rodríguez, citing reports from the United Nations and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, added that Venezuela “has absolutely nothing to do with the deaths of (U.S.) citizens from drug overdoses” as the country “is not relevant” in global drug production.

She suggested the U.S. should focus on fighting consumption within its borders.

“There’s a lot of hypocrisy, a lot of double standards, a lot of political manipulation of this issue to attack, to intervene, to aim for regime change in countries that aren’t sympathetic,” she said, referring to drug trafficking.

The ongoing training of the Marines in Puerto Rico and the upcoming deployment of fighter jets have rankled some in the U.S. territory, where the memories of the U.S. Navy using nearby islands as training ranges for decades remains fresh,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-hiking-army-puerto-rico-bombings-816e653d04dc9e88599d37fdcb7da5d8">with the cleanup still ongoing</a>.

The April 1999 death of civilian security guard David Sanes Rodríguez sparked large protests at the time, eventually leading to the U.S. military leaving the island. Rodríguez was killed after two 500-pound (226-kilogram) bombs were dropped near him as part of a training mission in Vieques.

On Sunday, dozens of people gathered at the National Guard base in Carolina to decry the heightened U.S. military presence on the island.

They held signs that said, “No to War” and “No to military bases in P.R.”

Organizers also warned against the use of Puerto Rico as a staging ground for potential U.S. military actions in the region.

“We denounce the existence of military bases in Puerto Rico,” said Sonia Santiago Hernández, founder of Mothers Against War.

González has dismissed those concerns, saying that Puerto Rico is playing an important role in Trump's ongoing fight against drug trafficking since it represents a U.S. border in the Caribbean.

She also has noted that the ongoing training of Marines involves logistics exercises and no ammunition.

Siul López, a spokesman for Puerto Rico’s National Guard, told the AP that the Marines were practicing amphibious maneuvers with a variety of vehicles, adding that he did not know how many were on the island.

Meanwhile, González said last week that she estimates more than 1,000 Marines were in Puerto Rico.

The U.S. Marine Corps issued a statement on Aug. 31 noting that marines and sailors from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit would be conducting amphibious training and flight operations in southern Puerto Rico.

“The challenging terrain and tropical climate of Puerto Rico provides an ideal environment for the 22nd MEU to conduct realistic amphibious training and hone specialized skills such as patrolling, reconnaissance and survival techniques, ensuring a high level of readiness while forward deployed,” the Marine Corps said in a statement.

It wasn’t immediately clear how long Hegseth and Caine planned to stay in Puerto Rico, or if they visited other sites while on the island.

López, the National Guard’s spokesman, declined to comment on specifics of the visit.

Associated Press reporter Will Weissert in Washington D.C., Regina García Cano in Caracas and AP videographer Alejandro Granadillo in San Juan, Puerto Rico, contributed.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pete-hegseth">Pete Hegseth</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-joint-chiefs-chairman-razin-caine-military-41b3faeaefd4d965dc22b15b0223ec58">Air Force Gen. Dan Caine</a>, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived in Puerto Rico on Monday for an unexpected visit as the U.S. steps up its military operations against drug cartels in the Caribbean.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Welcome aboard the USS Iwo Jima <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> <a href="https://t.co/hx42HBSFez">pic.twitter.com/hx42HBSFez</a>&mdash; DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/1965133239158440203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 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/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SECWAR</a> aboard the USS Iwo Jima, addressing America’s WARRIORS: “What you’re doing right now is NOT training. This is a REAL-WORLD EXERCISE on behalf of the vital national interests of the United States of America—to end the POISONING of the American people.” <a href="https://t.co/euQHFPsIll">pic.twitter.com/euQHFPsIll</a>&mdash; DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/1965152057196957935?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A message to our warfighters from the Secretary of War. <a href="https://t.co/UVbsvAuNmR">pic.twitter.com/UVbsvAuNmR</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1965177415455682691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Their arrival in the U.S. territory comes more than a week after ships carrying hundreds of U.S. Marines deployed to Puerto Rico for what officials said was a training exercise, a move that some on the island have criticized.But on Monday night, Hegseth said in a video posted on X that the deployed Marines were “on the front lines of defending the American homeland.”“Make no mistake about it, what you’re doing right now is not training. This is the real-world exercise on behalf of the vital national interest of the United States of America to end the poisoning of the American people,” he said while aboard the USS Iwo Jima.Earlier in the day,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/puerto-rico-jenniffer-gonzalez-new-governor-sworn-84afbbfa537b23f35494df0127b20c2d">Puerto Rico's Gov. Jenniffer González</a>&nbsp;said Hegseth and Caine visited on behalf of President Donald Trump's administration to support those participating in the training.“We thank President Trump and his administration for recognizing the strategic importance of Puerto Rico to U.S. national security and for their fight against drug cartels and the narco-dictator Nicolás Maduro,” González said.Hegseth and Caine met with officials at the 156th Wing Muñiz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, a city just east of the capital of San Juan.González said Hegseth spoke to nearly 300 soldiers at the base and thanked those he described as “American warriors” for their work. He later departed for the USS Iwo Jima.“The American people are counting on you to ensure the American homeland is kept safe,” Hegseth told the Marines aboard the USS Iwo Jima. “Narco terrorists and drug traffickers are on notice.”The visit comes as the U.S. prepares to deploy 10 F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico for operations targeting drug cartels, a person familiar with the planning said Saturday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because information about the deployments has not been made public.<h2>Tensions escalating</h2>On Sept. 2, Trump announced that the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-rubio-trump-0f901b2a30ee20e314bcab1385ffb0c0">carried out a strike in the southern Caribbean</a>&nbsp;against a vessel that had left Venezuela and was suspected of carrying drugs. Eleven people were killed in the rare U.S. military operation in the Caribbean, with the president saying the vessel was operated by the Venezuelan gang&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-rubio-trump-0f901b2a30ee20e314bcab1385ffb0c0">Tren de Aragua</a>.While the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trinidad-caribbean-us-strike-boat-drugs-f0529291209ffbf4162340df7860ba4c">praised the strike</a>&nbsp;and said the U.S. should kill all drug traffickers “violently,” reaction from other Caribbean leaders has been more subdued.Barbadian Foreign Minister Kerrie Symmonds&nbsp;<a href="https://f0529291209ffbf4162340df7860ba4c/">recently told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;that members of Caricom, a regional trade bloc, sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio asking for an open line of communication on developments. He said they want to avoid being surprised by any U.S. moves against Venezuela.Meanwhile, Venezuela’s government on Monday insisted that the U.S. is falsely accusing it of playing a crucial role in the global drug trade. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez told reporters the U.S. government should redirect its recently deployed maritime force to the Pacific, where fast boats and container ships have long carried Colombian cocaine.“Those ships that are trying to intimidate Venezuela today should be there in the Pacific if they truly wanted to fight and prevent cocaine from reaching the United States of America,” she said. “They have a GPS location problem. They’re where they shouldn’t be. They need to calibrate their GPS.”Rodríguez, citing reports from the United Nations and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, added that Venezuela “has absolutely nothing to do with the deaths of (U.S.) citizens from drug overdoses” as the country “is not relevant” in global drug production.She suggested the U.S. should focus on fighting consumption within its borders.“There’s a lot of hypocrisy, a lot of double standards, a lot of political manipulation of this issue to attack, to intervene, to aim for regime change in countries that aren’t sympathetic,” she said, referring to drug trafficking.<h2>‘No to War’</h2>The ongoing training of the Marines in Puerto Rico and the upcoming deployment of fighter jets have rankled some in the U.S. territory, where the memories of the U.S. Navy using nearby islands as training ranges for decades remains fresh,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-hiking-army-puerto-rico-bombings-816e653d04dc9e88599d37fdcb7da5d8">with the cleanup still ongoing</a>.The April 1999 death of civilian security guard David Sanes Rodríguez sparked large protests at the time, eventually leading to the U.S. military leaving the island. Rodríguez was killed after two 500-pound (226-kilogram) bombs were dropped near him as part of a training mission in Vieques.On Sunday, dozens of people gathered at the National Guard base in Carolina to decry the heightened U.S. military presence on the island.They held signs that said, “No to War” and “No to military bases in P.R.”Organizers also warned against the use of Puerto Rico as a staging ground for potential U.S. military actions in the region.“We denounce the existence of military bases in Puerto Rico,” said Sonia Santiago Hernández, founder of Mothers Against War.González has dismissed those concerns, saying that Puerto Rico is playing an important role in Trump's ongoing fight against drug trafficking since it represents a U.S. border in the Caribbean.She also has noted that the ongoing training of Marines involves logistics exercises and no ammunition.<h2>Marines in Puerto Rico</h2>Siul López, a spokesman for Puerto Rico’s National Guard, told the AP that the Marines were practicing amphibious maneuvers with a variety of vehicles, adding that he did not know how many were on the island.Meanwhile, González said last week that she estimates more than 1,000 Marines were in Puerto Rico.The U.S. Marine Corps issued a statement on Aug. 31 noting that marines and sailors from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit would be conducting amphibious training and flight operations in southern Puerto Rico.“The challenging terrain and tropical climate of Puerto Rico provides an ideal environment for the 22nd MEU to conduct realistic amphibious training and hone specialized skills such as patrolling, reconnaissance and survival techniques, ensuring a high level of readiness while forward deployed,” the Marine Corps said in a statement.It wasn’t immediately clear how long Hegseth and Caine planned to stay in Puerto Rico, or if they visited other sites while on the island.López, the National Guard’s spokesman, declined to comment on specifics of the visit.___Associated Press reporter Will Weissert in Washington D.C., Regina García Cano in Caracas and AP videographer Alejandro Granadillo in San Juan, Puerto Rico, contributed.

 US steps up military operations in the Caribbean

ROOKS COUNTY —A pair of small earthquake shook portions of northwest Kansas since Friday.

Just before 10p.m. Monday, a quake with a magnitude 3.6 rattled rural Rooks County approximately 3 miles northwst of Stockton, according to the Kansas Geological Survey.

Just before 5a.m. Friday, the Kansas Geological Survey reported a 2.3 magnitude quake in the same area. There are no reports of any damage, according to the Rooks County Sheriff's office&nbsp;

ROOKS COUNTY —A pair of small earthquake shook portions of northwest Kansas since Friday.Just before 10p.m. Monday, a quake with a magnitude 3.6 rattled rural Rooks County approximately 3 miles northwst of Stockton, according to the Kansas Geological Survey.Just before 5a.m. Friday, the Kansas Geological Survey reported a 2.3 magnitude quake in the same area. There are no reports of any damage, according to the Rooks County Sheriff's office&nbsp;

Small earthquakes reported in NW Kansas

FINNEY COUNTY: —A Garden City man’s fence-hopping escape plan fell flat after he was arrested for burglary over the weekend. 

Just before 10:30 p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 1100 block of W. Campbell Street in Garden City for a reported burglary in progress, where a suspect broke into an apartment, stole property, and fled the scene, according to a media release from police.

The resident, who was not home at the time, witnessed the break-in remotely via a security camera and immediately called police. After arriving, Officers learned the suspect, identified as Victor Viurquez, 34, was actively jumping fences throughout the neighborhood to avoid being captured. 

After a brief search, Viurquez was located in a nearby alley and taken into custody. Viurquez is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of Burglary, multiple counts of Criminal Trespass, and multiple counts of Criminal Damage. No injuries were reported, and the Finney County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol assisted with the incident. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757358713405.png" alt="Viurquez" />
 <figcaption>Viurquez</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY: —A Garden City man’s fence-hopping escape plan fell flat after he was arrested for burglary over the weekend. Just before 10:30 p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 1100 block of W. Campbell Street in Garden City for a reported burglary in progress, where a suspect broke into an apartment, stole property, and fled the scene, according to a media release from police.The resident, who was not home at the time, witnessed the break-in remotely via a security camera and immediately called police. After arriving, Officers learned the suspect, identified as Victor Viurquez, 34, was actively jumping fences throughout the neighborhood to avoid being captured. After a brief search, Viurquez was located in a nearby alley and taken into custody. Viurquez is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of Burglary, multiple counts of Criminal Trespass, and multiple counts of Criminal Damage. No injuries were reported, and the Finney County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol assisted with the incident.

SW Kan. homeowner watched burglary remotely via a security camera

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a weekend manhunt in northeast Kansas.

Just after noon on Sept. 5, a sheriff's&nbsp;deputy on routine patrol in the vicinity of U.S. 36&nbsp; near Bittersweet,&nbsp; was alerted of a stolen vehicle out of Wisconsin, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.

The deputy attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle and a short chase ensued.&nbsp; The vehicle traveled southout of Fairview and&nbsp; ended up in a soybean field just east of the Sac andFox Casino on Coyote between 130th and 140th Road.&nbsp;

 At this point the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle Dustin Hampton 40 of Prairie DuChein, Wisconsin, ran from the vehicle.&nbsp;

Several tracking dogs were brought in and located Hampton approximately 3/4 mile east of where his original location. No injuries were reported and once Hampton was located, he complied without incident.

The vehicle Hampton was driving, a 1983 Datsun pickup, had been reported stolen out of Rice, Wisconsin. Hampton is in custody on requested charges of Possession of Stolen Property, Criminal Damage to Property, Felony Flee to Elude and Obstruction.

With the tall crops the search was very difficult and without&nbsp; a joint effort that included a Kansas Highway Patrol helicopter, other KHP troopers, Jackson County Sheriff deputies, Sabetha police, Hiawatha police, Horton police, Kickapoo and Sac and Fox police, Hiawatha Town and Country he may have eluded arrest.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757329643145.png" alt="Hampton-photo Brown County." />
 <figcaption>Hampton-photo Brown County.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a weekend manhunt in northeast Kansas.Just after noon on Sept. 5, a sheriff's&nbsp;deputy on routine patrol in the vicinity of U.S. 36&nbsp; near Bittersweet,&nbsp; was alerted of a stolen vehicle out of Wisconsin, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.The deputy attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle and a short chase ensued.&nbsp; The vehicle traveled southout of Fairview and&nbsp; ended up in a soybean field just east of the Sac andFox Casino on Coyote between 130th and 140th Road.&nbsp; At this point the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle Dustin Hampton 40 of Prairie DuChein, Wisconsin, ran from the vehicle.&nbsp;Several tracking dogs were brought in and located Hampton approximately 3/4 mile east of where his original location. No injuries were reported and once Hampton was located, he complied without incident.The vehicle Hampton was driving, a 1983 Datsun pickup, had been reported stolen out of Rice, Wisconsin. Hampton is in custody on requested charges of Possession of Stolen Property, Criminal Damage to Property, Felony Flee to Elude and Obstruction.With the tall crops the search was very difficult and without&nbsp; a joint effort that included a Kansas Highway Patrol helicopter, other KHP troopers, Jackson County Sheriff deputies, Sabetha police, Hiawatha police, Horton police, Kickapoo and Sac and Fox police, Hiawatha Town and Country he may have eluded arrest.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Sheriff: Pickup theft suspect captured hiding in tall Kansas crops

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/michelle-l-price">MICHELLE L. PRICE</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released on Monday a sexually suggestive letter to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>&nbsp;purportedly signed by President Donald Trump, which he has denied.

The letter was included as part of a 50th birthday album compiled in 2003 for Epstein, a wealthy and well-connected financier who was once a friend of Trump’s. Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial in 2019 on charges that said he sexually abused and trafficked dozens of underage girls.

Trump has said he did not write the letter or create the drawing of a curvaceous woman that surrounds the letter, and he filed a $10 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jeffrey-epstein-grand-jury-justice-department-ece8a837f9bd179771f801a765e242e4">lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;for earlier reporting on his link to the letter.

“As I have said all along, it’s very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement posted on X. “President Trump’s legal team will continue to aggressively pursue litigation.”

White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich posted various pictures on X of Trump’s signature over the years and wrote, “it’s not his signature.”

The release of the drawing comes as the president has for months faced increasing pressure to force more disclosure in the case of Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Epstein&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6184561-Jeffrey-Epstein-indictment.html" target="_blank">was accused</a>&nbsp;of paying underage girls hundreds of dollars in cash for massages and then molesting them, while Maxwell was convicted of luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by him.

It also once again puts a spotlight on Trump’s former friendship with Epstein, which the president has said ended two decades ago after a falling-out. Trump said recently that he cut ties with Epstein&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-congress-ghislaine-maxwell-justice-department-3ca45e130deb5f2eee8deff36d99734f">because he “stole” young women</a>&nbsp;— including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-roberts-giuffre-obit-778c4fdd6fac2522133ca3d79244bccd">Virginia Giuffre</a>, who was among Epstein’s most well-known sex trafficking accusers — who worked for the spa at his Mar-a-Lago resort.

The case against Epstein was brought more than a decade after he secretly cut a deal with federal prosecutors in Florida to dispose of nearly identical allegations. Trump had suggested during the presidential campaign that he’d seek to open the government’s files into Epstein, but much of what the government has released so far had already been out there.

Democrats on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-congress-justice-department-trump-3e0d2146ce0cd0f6cecaab0198402ac7">House Oversight Committee</a>&nbsp;received a copy of the birthday album on Monday as part of a batch of documents from Epstein’s estate.

Trump has denied writing the letter and creating the drawing, calling The Wall Street Journal report on it “false, malicious, and defamatory.”

“These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don’t draw pictures,” Trump said.

The letter released by the committee looks exactly as described by The Wall Street Journal in its report.

The letter bearing Trump’s name and what appears to be his signature includes text framed by a hand-drawn outline of a curvaceous woman.

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/michelle-l-price">MICHELLE L. PRICE</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released on Monday a sexually suggestive letter to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>&nbsp;purportedly signed by President Donald Trump, which he has denied.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨🚨HERE IT IS: We got Trump’s birthday note to Jeffrey Epstein that the President said doesn’t exist. Trump talks about a “wonderful secret” the two of them shared. What is he hiding? Release the files! <a href="https://t.co/k2Mq8Hu3LY">pic.twitter.com/k2Mq8Hu3LY</a>&mdash; Oversight Dems (@OversightDems) <a href="https://twitter.com/OversightDems/status/1965125560016994708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Time for <a href="https://twitter.com/newscorp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@newscorp</a> to open that checkbook, it’s not his signature. DEFAMATION! <a href="https://t.co/O6iKk4SYF5">https://t.co/O6iKk4SYF5</a> <a href="https://t.co/T0wlp36P9h">pic.twitter.com/T0wlp36P9h</a>&mdash; Taylor Budowich (@TayFromCA) <a href="https://twitter.com/TayFromCA/status/1965133529177878754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Donald Trump wrote a personalized note in Jeffrey Epstein’s birthday book. He’s spent all summer lying about its existence. We got a copy. Ranking Member <a href="https://twitter.com/RepRobertGarcia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepRobertGarcia</a> explains what we know and how we got here: <a href="https://t.co/PVbHaVWppw">pic.twitter.com/PVbHaVWppw</a>&mdash; Oversight Dems (@OversightDems) <a href="https://twitter.com/OversightDems/status/1965133235685298250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The letter was included as part of a 50th birthday album compiled in 2003 for Epstein, a wealthy and well-connected financier who was once a friend of Trump’s. Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial in 2019 on charges that said he sexually abused and trafficked dozens of underage girls.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The latest piece published by the Wall Street Journal PROVES this entire “Birthday Card” story is false. As I have said all along, it’s very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it. President Trump’s legal team will continue to aggressively…&mdash; Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1965146390348398627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump has said he did not write the letter or create the drawing of a curvaceous woman that surrounds the letter, and he filed a $10 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jeffrey-epstein-grand-jury-justice-department-ece8a837f9bd179771f801a765e242e4">lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;for earlier reporting on his link to the letter.“As I have said all along, it’s very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement posted on X. “President Trump’s legal team will continue to aggressively pursue litigation.”White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich posted various pictures on X of Trump’s signature over the years and wrote, “it’s not his signature.”The release of the drawing comes as the president has for months faced increasing pressure to force more disclosure in the case of Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Epstein&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6184561-Jeffrey-Epstein-indictment.html" target="_blank">was accused</a>&nbsp;of paying underage girls hundreds of dollars in cash for massages and then molesting them, while Maxwell was convicted of luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by him.It also once again puts a spotlight on Trump’s former friendship with Epstein, which the president has said ended two decades ago after a falling-out. Trump said recently that he cut ties with Epstein&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-congress-ghislaine-maxwell-justice-department-3ca45e130deb5f2eee8deff36d99734f">because he “stole” young women</a>&nbsp;— including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-roberts-giuffre-obit-778c4fdd6fac2522133ca3d79244bccd">Virginia Giuffre</a>, who was among Epstein’s most well-known sex trafficking accusers — who worked for the spa at his Mar-a-Lago resort.The case against Epstein was brought more than a decade after he secretly cut a deal with federal prosecutors in Florida to dispose of nearly identical allegations. Trump had suggested during the presidential campaign that he’d seek to open the government’s files into Epstein, but much of what the government has released so far had already been out there.Democrats on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-congress-justice-department-trump-3e0d2146ce0cd0f6cecaab0198402ac7">House Oversight Committee</a>&nbsp;received a copy of the birthday album on Monday as part of a batch of documents from Epstein’s estate.Trump has denied writing the letter and creating the drawing, calling The Wall Street Journal report on it “false, malicious, and defamatory.”“These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don’t draw pictures,” Trump said.The letter released by the committee looks exactly as described by The Wall Street Journal in its report.The letter bearing Trump’s name and what appears to be his signature includes text framed by a hand-drawn outline of a curvaceous woman.“A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret,” the letter says.The letter’s disclosure comes amid a bipartisan push in Congress for the release of the so-called Epstein files amid years of speculation and conspiracy theories. Calls for the release of the records came from Republicans, including Vice President JD Vance, before he was sworn into the country’s No. 2 position.The Justice Department in August began turning over records from the Epstein sex trafficking investigation to the House Oversight Committee.The committee subpoenaed the Epstein estate for documents last month. In addition to the birthday book, lawmakers requested Epstein’s last will and testament, agreements he signed with prosecutors, his contact books, and his financial transactions and holdings.