KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet Monday in Washington with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has shifted to saying an overall peace agreement – and not a ceasefire -- was the next step in ending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine#">the 3 1/2-year-old war.</a>

Trump’s abrupt reversal, aligning himself with a position held by Russian President Vladimir Putin, came in a social media post on Saturday, hours after they concluded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-summit-alaska-russia-ukraine-a7b167f17a3e06fbce2f583c93f8bae1">a summit in Alaska</a>&nbsp;that produced no agreement to halt the fighting. Putin has long said that Moscow is not interested in a temporary truce, and instead is seeking a long-term settlement that takes the Kremlin’s interests into account.

After calls with Zelenskyy and European leaders, Trump posted that “it was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.”

In a statement after the Trump call, the European leaders did not address whether a peace deal was preferable to a ceasefire, saying they “welcomed President Trump’s efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine, end Russia’s war of aggression, and achieve just and lasting peace.”

Trump and Ukraine’s European allies had been calling for a ceasefire ahead of any negotiations.

Trump’s statement that a peace agreement should be reached before a ceasefire appears to indicate Trump’s thinking is “shifting towards Putin,” an approach that would allow Moscow to keep fighting while negotiating, said Nigel Gould-Davies, a senior fellow at the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London.

Zelenskyy, who was not invited to Alaska for the summit, said he had a “long and substantive” conversation with Trump early Saturday. He said they would “discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war” on Monday.

It will be Zelenskyy’s first visit to the U.S. since Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-security-guarantees-trump-meeting-washington-eebdf97b663c2cdc9e51fa346b09591d">berated him publicly for being “disrespectful”</a>&nbsp;during an extraordinary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-zelenskyy-oval-office-ukraine-russia-blowup-8aa63e55c859e8fea963911478c376ee">Oval Office meeting</a>&nbsp;on Feb. 28.

Trump, who also held calls with European leaders Saturday, confirmed the White House meeting and said that “if all works out, we will then schedule a meeting with President Putin.”

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-summit-greeting-adc0e52a159bbf21dd582e101b5257db">rolled out the red carpet</a>&nbsp;on Friday for Putin, who was in the U.S. for the first time in a decade and since the start of his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But he gave little concrete detail afterward of what was discussed. On Saturday, he posted on social media that it “went very well.”

Trump had warned ahead of the summit of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-8-13-2025">“very severe consequences”</a>&nbsp;for Russia if Putin doesn’t agree to end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the war</a>.

Zelenskyy reiterated the importance of involving European leaders, who also were not at the summit.

“It is important that Europeans are involved at every stage to ensure reliable security guarantees together with America,” he said. “We also discussed positive signals from the American side regarding participation in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security.”

He didn’t elaborate, but Zelenskyy previously has said that European partners put on hold a proposal to establish a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-willing-force-trump-ukraine-russia-0c0261cc370c8c0157d03d01fdfe6be2">foreign troop presence</a>&nbsp;in Ukraine to deter Russian aggression because it lacked an American backstop.

Zelenskyy said he spoke to Trump one-on-one and then in a call with other European leaders. In total, the conversations lasted over 90 minutes.

Trump said in Alaska that “there’s no deal until there’s a deal,” after Putin claimed the two leaders had hammered out an “understanding” on Ukraine and warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.”

During an interview with Fox News Channel before returning to Washington, Trump insisted the onus going forward might be on Zelenskyy “to get it done,” but said there would also be some involvement from European nations.

In their statement after speaking to Trump, major European leaders said they were ready to work with Trump and Zelenskyy toward “a trilateral summit with European support.”

The statement from French, German, Italian, British, Finnish, Polish and European Union said that “Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees” and welcomed U.S. readiness to provide them.

“It will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory,” they said. “International borders must not be changed by force.”

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said “the harsh reality is that Russia has no intention of ending this war anytime soon,” noting that Moscow launched new attacks on Ukraine even as the delegations met.

“Putin continues to drag out negotiations and hopes he gets away with it. He left Anchorage without making any commitments to end the killing,” she said.

Ukrainian and Russian forces are fighting along a 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line. Since spring, Russian troops have accelerated their gains, capturing the most territory since the opening stages of the war.

“Vladimir Putin came to the Alaska summit with the principal goal of stalling any pressure on Russia to end the war,” said Neil Melvin, director of international security at the London-based Royal United Services Institute. “He will consider the summit outcome as mission accomplished.”

Zelenskyy voiced support for Trump’s proposal for a trilateral meeting with the U.S. and Russia. He said that “key issues can be discussed at the level of leaders, and a trilateral format is suitable for this.”

But Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, told Russian state television Saturday that a possible three-way meeting “has not been touched upon yet” in U.S.-Russia discussions.

Zelenskyy wrote on X that he told Trump that "sanctions should be strengthened if there is no trilateral meeting or if Russia tries to evade an honest end to the war.“

Russian officials and media struck a largely positive tone, with some describing Friday’s meeting as a symbolic end to Putin’s isolation in the West.

Former President Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, praised the summit as a breakthrough in restoring high-level dialogue between Moscow and Washington, describing the talks as “calm, without ultimatums and threats.”

Putin has “broken out of international isolation” and back on the world stage as one of two global leaders, and “wasn’t in the least challenged” by Trump, who also ignored an arrest warrant issued for Putin by the International Criminal Court, said Laurie Bristow, who was British ambassador to Russia from 2016 to 2020.

“Unless Mr. Putin is absolutely convinced that he cannot win militarily, the fighting is not going to stop," Bristow told The Associated Press. “That’s the big takeaway from the Anchorage summit.”

Russian attacks on Ukraine continued overnight, using one ballistic missile and 85 Shahed drones, 61 of which were shot down, Ukraine’s air force said. Front-line areas of Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Chernihiv were attacked.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down 29 Ukrainian drones over Russia and the Sea of Azov overnight.

Morton reported from London. Geir Moulson in Berlin and Emma Burrows in London contributed.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755292993508.png" alt="Photo courtesy&nbsp; White House" />
                        <figcaption>Photo courtesy&nbsp; White House</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet Monday in Washington with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has shifted to saying an overall peace agreement – and not a ceasefire -- was the next step in ending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine#">the 3 1/2-year-old war.</a></p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/RtC9wBBtim">pic.twitter.com/RtC9wBBtim</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956718970951635391?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Trump’s abrupt reversal, aligning himself with a position held by Russian President Vladimir Putin, came in a social media post on Saturday, hours after they concluded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-summit-alaska-russia-ukraine-a7b167f17a3e06fbce2f583c93f8bae1">a summit in Alaska</a>&nbsp;that produced no agreement to halt the fighting. Putin has long said that Moscow is not interested in a temporary truce, and instead is seeking a long-term settlement that takes the Kremlin’s interests into account.</p><p>After calls with Zelenskyy and European leaders, Trump posted that “it was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.”</p><p>In a statement after the Trump call, the European leaders did not address whether a peace deal was preferable to a ceasefire, saying they “welcomed President Trump’s efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine, end Russia’s war of aggression, and achieve just and lasting peace.”</p><p>Trump and Ukraine’s European allies had been calling for a ceasefire ahead of any negotiations.</p><p>Trump’s statement that a peace agreement should be reached before a ceasefire appears to indicate Trump’s thinking is “shifting towards Putin,” an approach that would allow Moscow to keep fighting while negotiating, said Nigel Gould-Davies, a senior fellow at the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London.</p><p>Zelenskyy, who was not invited to Alaska for the summit, said he had a “long and substantive” conversation with Trump early Saturday. He said they would “discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war” on Monday.</p><p>It will be Zelenskyy’s first visit to the U.S. since Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-security-guarantees-trump-meeting-washington-eebdf97b663c2cdc9e51fa346b09591d">berated him publicly for being “disrespectful”</a>&nbsp;during an extraordinary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-zelenskyy-oval-office-ukraine-russia-blowup-8aa63e55c859e8fea963911478c376ee">Oval Office meeting</a>&nbsp;on Feb. 28.</p><p>Trump, who also held calls with European leaders Saturday, confirmed the White House meeting and said that “if all works out, we will then schedule a meeting with President Putin.”</p><p>Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-summit-greeting-adc0e52a159bbf21dd582e101b5257db">rolled out the red carpet</a>&nbsp;on Friday for Putin, who was in the U.S. for the first time in a decade and since the start of his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But he gave little concrete detail afterward of what was discussed. On Saturday, he posted on social media that it “went very well.”</p><p>Trump had warned ahead of the summit of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-8-13-2025">“very severe consequences”</a>&nbsp;for Russia if Putin doesn’t agree to end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the war</a>.</p><h2>Zelenskyy seeks European involvement</h2><p>Zelenskyy reiterated the importance of involving European leaders, who also were not at the summit.</p><p>“It is important that Europeans are involved at every stage to ensure reliable security guarantees together with America,” he said. “We also discussed positive signals from the American side regarding participation in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security.”</p><p>He didn’t elaborate, but Zelenskyy previously has said that European partners put on hold a proposal to establish a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-willing-force-trump-ukraine-russia-0c0261cc370c8c0157d03d01fdfe6be2">foreign troop presence</a>&nbsp;in Ukraine to deter Russian aggression because it lacked an American backstop.</p><p>Zelenskyy said he spoke to Trump one-on-one and then in a call with other European leaders. In total, the conversations lasted over 90 minutes.</p><h2>Trump puts onus on Zelenskyy and Europe</h2><p>Trump said in Alaska that “there’s no deal until there’s a deal,” after Putin claimed the two leaders had hammered out an “understanding” on Ukraine and warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.”</p><p>During an interview with Fox News Channel before returning to Washington, Trump insisted the onus going forward might be on Zelenskyy “to get it done,” but said there would also be some involvement from European nations.</p><p>In their statement after speaking to Trump, major European leaders said they were ready to work with Trump and Zelenskyy toward “a trilateral summit with European support.”</p><p>The statement from French, German, Italian, British, Finnish, Polish and European Union said that “Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees” and welcomed U.S. readiness to provide them.</p><p>“It will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory,” they said. “International borders must not be changed by force.”</p><p>EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said “the harsh reality is that Russia has no intention of ending this war anytime soon,” noting that Moscow launched new attacks on Ukraine even as the delegations met.</p><p>“Putin continues to drag out negotiations and hopes he gets away with it. He left Anchorage without making any commitments to end the killing,” she said.</p><p>Ukrainian and Russian forces are fighting along a 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line. Since spring, Russian troops have accelerated their gains, capturing the most territory since the opening stages of the war.</p><p>“Vladimir Putin came to the Alaska summit with the principal goal of stalling any pressure on Russia to end the war,” said Neil Melvin, director of international security at the London-based Royal United Services Institute. “He will consider the summit outcome as mission accomplished.”</p><h2>Questions on a trilateral meeting</h2><p>Zelenskyy voiced support for Trump’s proposal for a trilateral meeting with the U.S. and Russia. He said that “key issues can be discussed at the level of leaders, and a trilateral format is suitable for this.”</p><p>But Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, told Russian state television Saturday that a possible three-way meeting “has not been touched upon yet” in U.S.-Russia discussions.</p><p>Zelenskyy wrote on X that he told Trump that "sanctions should be strengthened if there is no trilateral meeting or if Russia tries to evade an honest end to the war.“</p><p>Russian officials and media struck a largely positive tone, with some describing Friday’s meeting as a symbolic end to Putin’s isolation in the West.</p><p>Former President Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, praised the summit as a breakthrough in restoring high-level dialogue between Moscow and Washington, describing the talks as “calm, without ultimatums and threats.”</p><p>Putin has “broken out of international isolation” and back on the world stage as one of two global leaders, and “wasn’t in the least challenged” by Trump, who also ignored an arrest warrant issued for Putin by the International Criminal Court, said Laurie Bristow, who was British ambassador to Russia from 2016 to 2020.</p><p>“Unless Mr. Putin is absolutely convinced that he cannot win militarily, the fighting is not going to stop," Bristow told The Associated Press. “That’s the big takeaway from the Anchorage summit.”</p><p>Russian attacks on Ukraine continued overnight, using one ballistic missile and 85 Shahed drones, 61 of which were shot down, Ukraine’s air force said. Front-line areas of Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Chernihiv were attacked.</p><p>Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down 29 Ukrainian drones over Russia and the Sea of Azov overnight.</p><p>___</p><p>Morton reported from London. Geir Moulson in Berlin and Emma Burrows in London contributed.</p>

President Trump explains next steps after meeting with Putin

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating an alleged road rage shooting and have made an arrest.

Just before 5p.m. Friday, police &nbsp;Grain Valley Police officers were dispatched to a report of road rage on Main Street south of 40 Highway in Grain Valley, according to a media release.&nbsp;

 Responding officers determined a suspect had fired a weapon at another driver. There were no injuries were reported. The suspect fled the scene but was quickly located at a residence and taken into custody without incident. Police have not released the suspect's name or additional details.

<p>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating an alleged road rage shooting and have made an arrest.</p><p>Just before 5p.m. Friday, police &nbsp;Grain Valley Police officers were dispatched to a report of road rage on Main Street south of 40 Highway in Grain Valley, according to a media release.&nbsp;</p><p> Responding officers determined a suspect had fired a weapon at another driver. There were no injuries were reported. The suspect fled the scene but was quickly located at a residence and taken into custody without incident. Police have not released the suspect's name or additional details.</p>

Suspect jailed after alleged KC area road rage shooting

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/alex-veiga">ALEX VEIGA</a>

The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage fell this week to its lowest level in nearly 10 months, giving prospective homebuyers a sorely needed boost in purchasing power that could help inject life into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-64769d50ce9c16dee9ffb90c01735071">stagnant housing market.</a>

The long-term rate fell to 6.58% from 6.63% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.49%.

Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also fell. The average rate dropped to 5.71% from 5.75% last week. A year ago, it was 5.66%, Freddie Mac said.

Elevated mortgage rates have helped keep the U.S. housing market in a sales slump since early 2022, when rates started to climb from the rock-bottom lows they reached during the pandemic.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-b7645724538b7a860c1d739e8b05380d">Home sales sank last year</a>&nbsp;to their lowest level in nearly 30 years.

This is the fourth week in a row that rates have come down. The latest average rate on a 30-year mortgage is now at its lowest level since Oct. 24, when it averaged 6.54%.

Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions to bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation.

The main barometer is the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans. The yield was at 4.29% at midday Thursday, up slightly from 4.24% late Wednesday.

The yield has come down the last couple of weeks after weaker-than-expected&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-federal-reserve-68a15f89d68793a6cf88a522ff33246c">July U.S. job market data</a>&nbsp;fueled speculation that the Fed will cut its main short-term interest rate next month.

A Fed rate cut could give the job market and overall economy a boost, but it could also fuel inflation just as President Trump’s tariff policies risk raising prices for U.S. consumers.

Meanwhile, a new inflation report Thursday showed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/producer-prices-inflation-trump-tariffs-economy-0f6613cc6f9e1b76939fdcf2c9ad8d03">prices at the U.S. wholesale level jumped 3.3% last month from a year earlier.</a>&nbsp;That’s was well above the 2.5% rate that economists had forecast, and it could hint at higher inflation ahead.

Earlier this week, the Labor Department said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-consumer-prices-jerome-powell-fed-interest-rates-7956da9c097730929b12c269f8c08399">consumer prices rose 2.7% in July from a year earlier</a>, unchanged from June.

Higher inflation could push bond yields higher, driving mortgage rates upward in turn, even if the Fed cuts its key rate.

Economists generally expect the average rate on a 30-year mortgage to remain above 6% this year. Recent forecasts by Realtor.com and Fannie Mae project the average rate will ease to around 6.4% by the end of this year.

That may not be low enough to make a difference. While trends like declining home listing prices and more properties on the market in the Sunbelt and West now favor buyers, affordability remains a major hurdle for many aspiring homeowners.

Home price growth has slowed nationally, but the median sales price of a previously occupied U.S. home still climbed to an all-time high of $435,300 in June.

“Homebuyers who have been relegated to the sidelines by high financing costs got some encouragement in the past two weeks, but it remains to be seen if it’s enough to get more of them back in the game,” said Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com.

The recent drop in mortgage rates has spurred many homeowners to refinance, however.

Mortgage applications jumped 10.9% last week from the previous week as rates eased, boosted by homeowners seeking to refinance, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Home loan refinance applications made up nearly 47% of all mortgage applications. Refi loan applications jumped 23% from a week earlier -- the strongest showing since April.

Meanwhile, applications for adjustable-rate mortgages, or ARMs, soared 25% to their highest level since 2022, MBA said.

Many homeowners aren’t waiting for rates to ease further before refinancing.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/home-equity-refinance-mortgage-rates-housing-a4cf2e131f7b4ad6224d1f5e363ed78c">Cash-out home refinancing activity surged to a nearly three-year high in the April-June quarter</a>, as homeowners tapped some of the equity gains built up after years of soaring home prices.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659001075252.jpeg" alt="AP photo&nbsp;" />
                        <figcaption>AP photo&nbsp;</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/alex-veiga">ALEX VEIGA</a></p><p>The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage fell this week to its lowest level in nearly 10 months, giving prospective homebuyers a sorely needed boost in purchasing power that could help inject life into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-64769d50ce9c16dee9ffb90c01735071">stagnant housing market.</a></p><p>The long-term rate fell to 6.58% from 6.63% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.49%.</p><p>Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also fell. The average rate dropped to 5.71% from 5.75% last week. A year ago, it was 5.66%, Freddie Mac said.</p><p>Elevated mortgage rates have helped keep the U.S. housing market in a sales slump since early 2022, when rates started to climb from the rock-bottom lows they reached during the pandemic.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-b7645724538b7a860c1d739e8b05380d">Home sales sank last year</a>&nbsp;to their lowest level in nearly 30 years.</p><p>This is the fourth week in a row that rates have come down. The latest average rate on a 30-year mortgage is now at its lowest level since Oct. 24, when it averaged 6.54%.</p><p>Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions to bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation.</p><p>The main barometer is the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans. The yield was at 4.29% at midday Thursday, up slightly from 4.24% late Wednesday.</p><p>The yield has come down the last couple of weeks after weaker-than-expected&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-federal-reserve-68a15f89d68793a6cf88a522ff33246c">July U.S. job market data</a>&nbsp;fueled speculation that the Fed will cut its main short-term interest rate next month.</p><p>A Fed rate cut could give the job market and overall economy a boost, but it could also fuel inflation just as President Trump’s tariff policies risk raising prices for U.S. consumers.</p><p>Meanwhile, a new inflation report Thursday showed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/producer-prices-inflation-trump-tariffs-economy-0f6613cc6f9e1b76939fdcf2c9ad8d03">prices at the U.S. wholesale level jumped 3.3% last month from a year earlier.</a>&nbsp;That’s was well above the 2.5% rate that economists had forecast, and it could hint at higher inflation ahead.</p><p>Earlier this week, the Labor Department said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-consumer-prices-jerome-powell-fed-interest-rates-7956da9c097730929b12c269f8c08399">consumer prices rose 2.7% in July from a year earlier</a>, unchanged from June.</p><p>Higher inflation could push bond yields higher, driving mortgage rates upward in turn, even if the Fed cuts its key rate.</p><p>Economists generally expect the average rate on a 30-year mortgage to remain above 6% this year. Recent forecasts by Realtor.com and Fannie Mae project the average rate will ease to around 6.4% by the end of this year.</p><p>That may not be low enough to make a difference. While trends like declining home listing prices and more properties on the market in the Sunbelt and West now favor buyers, affordability remains a major hurdle for many aspiring homeowners.</p><p>Home price growth has slowed nationally, but the median sales price of a previously occupied U.S. home still climbed to an all-time high of $435,300 in June.</p><p>“Homebuyers who have been relegated to the sidelines by high financing costs got some encouragement in the past two weeks, but it remains to be seen if it’s enough to get more of them back in the game,” said Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com.</p><p>The recent drop in mortgage rates has spurred many homeowners to refinance, however.</p><p>Mortgage applications jumped 10.9% last week from the previous week as rates eased, boosted by homeowners seeking to refinance, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.</p><p>Home loan refinance applications made up nearly 47% of all mortgage applications. Refi loan applications jumped 23% from a week earlier -- the strongest showing since April.</p><p>Meanwhile, applications for adjustable-rate mortgages, or ARMs, soared 25% to their highest level since 2022, MBA said.</p><p>Many homeowners aren’t waiting for rates to ease further before refinancing.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/home-equity-refinance-mortgage-rates-housing-a4cf2e131f7b4ad6224d1f5e363ed78c">Cash-out home refinancing activity surged to a nearly three-year high in the April-June quarter</a>, as homeowners tapped some of the equity gains built up after years of soaring home prices.</p>

Average rate on a 30-year mortgage drops to lowest level in months

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/alicia-rancilio">ALICIA RANCILIO</a>

Tristan Rogers, who played legacy character Robert Scorpio on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/general-hospital-60-years-soap-opera-120ba44b08ac517a56b94257b294a678">ABC’s “General Hospital,”</a>&nbsp;died Friday, less than one month after he made a special appearance on the soap opera. He was 79.

“The entire ‘General Hospital’ family is heartbroken to hear of Tristan Rogers’ passing,” said Frank Valentini, the show’s executive producer, in a statement. “Tristan has captivated our fans for 45 years and Port Charles will not be the same without him (or Robert Scorpio).”

Born in Melbourne, Australia, Rogers’ first foray into performing was in his early twenties and playing drums in a rock band with a group of friends. They weren’t successful so Rogers turned to commercial work and modeling to earn some money. When the band dissolved, Rogers decided to give acting a try. After various roles in Australia, he also worked as a DJ and eventually moved to Los Angeles to try to break into Hollywood. He said casting directors were initially turned off by his accent but he eventually landed a two-day role on “General Hospital” in 1980.

“I had no idea at the point how big the show was,” Rogers told fellow “General Hospital” actor Maurice Benard on the YouTube show, “State of Mind with Maurice Benard” in 2022.

“I had no name. I was brought in expressly to beat up the hero, Luke, (played by Anthony Geary), and then disappear,” Rogers said. His first day was half-over when then-executive producer Gloria Monty asked if he would like to stay on. They had no character written for him so for three weeks Monty asked him to just appear in scenes “looking furtive, looking suspicious” until they came up with a storyline. It was decided he would play a spy known as “CK8” and eventually he was given the name Robert Scorpio. The character would remain a fixture in Port Charles for the rest of Rogers’ life, even when he wasn’t a current cast member.

Scorpio’s on again/off again romance with Emma Samms’ character, Holly Sutton, remained a favorite among fans. Scorpio also had a romance, and many storylines with another spy, Anna Devane, played by Finola Hughes. Scorpio and Devane shared a daughter, Robin, played by Kimberly McCullough. Samms returned to the show for a stint last fall where it was revealed that Scorpio was the father of her adult daughter, Sasha Gilmore (played by Sofia Mattson.)&nbsp;

Rogers and Samms left the show together in November 2024 in scenes taped with a nod to “Casablanca.” He returned to the show in July for one episode when Sasha arrived to his home in France with her new baby. It was then revealed that Rogers had lung cancer&nbsp;

Rogers’ other acting credits include “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “The Young &amp; the Restless” and “Studio City,” which won him outstanding supporting actor in a digital drama series at the Daytime Emmy Awards. He is survived by his wife, Teresa Parkerson, and a daughter and a son.

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                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755357806642.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/alicia-rancilio">ALICIA RANCILIO</a></p><p>Tristan Rogers, who played legacy character Robert Scorpio on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/general-hospital-60-years-soap-opera-120ba44b08ac517a56b94257b294a678">ABC’s “General Hospital,”</a>&nbsp;died Friday, less than one month after he made a special appearance on the soap opera. He was 79.</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fgeneralhospital%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02GxJ7QzE3EBwEfpnQn4b9bv1SkAHEN8rWUGj6QQ1kQqSV4W41c3B6YE6tC7dHcmhsl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="684" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div><p>“The entire ‘General Hospital’ family is heartbroken to hear of Tristan Rogers’ passing,” said Frank Valentini, the show’s executive producer, in a statement. “Tristan has captivated our fans for 45 years and Port Charles will not be the same without him (or Robert Scorpio).”</p><p>Born in Melbourne, Australia, Rogers’ first foray into performing was in his early twenties and playing drums in a rock band with a group of friends. They weren’t successful so Rogers turned to commercial work and modeling to earn some money. When the band dissolved, Rogers decided to give acting a try. After various roles in Australia, he also worked as a DJ and eventually moved to Los Angeles to try to break into Hollywood. He said casting directors were initially turned off by his accent but he eventually landed a two-day role on “General Hospital” in 1980.</p><p>“I had no idea at the point how big the show was,” Rogers told fellow “General Hospital” actor Maurice Benard on the YouTube show, “State of Mind with Maurice Benard” in 2022.</p><p>“I had no name. I was brought in expressly to beat up the hero, Luke, (played by Anthony Geary), and then disappear,” Rogers said. His first day was half-over when then-executive producer Gloria Monty asked if he would like to stay on. They had no character written for him so for three weeks Monty asked him to just appear in scenes “looking furtive, looking suspicious” until they came up with a storyline. It was decided he would play a spy known as “CK8” and eventually he was given the name Robert Scorpio. The character would remain a fixture in Port Charles for the rest of Rogers’ life, even when he wasn’t a current cast member.</p><p>Scorpio’s on again/off again romance with Emma Samms’ character, Holly Sutton, remained a favorite among fans. Scorpio also had a romance, and many storylines with another spy, Anna Devane, played by Finola Hughes. Scorpio and Devane shared a daughter, Robin, played by Kimberly McCullough. Samms returned to the show for a stint last fall where it was revealed that Scorpio was the father of her adult daughter, Sasha Gilmore (played by Sofia Mattson.)&nbsp;</p><p>Rogers and Samms left the show together in November 2024 in scenes taped with a nod to “Casablanca.” He returned to the show in July for one episode when Sasha arrived to his home in France with her new baby. It was then revealed that Rogers had lung cancer&nbsp;</p><p>Rogers’ other acting credits include “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “The Young &amp; the Restless” and “Studio City,” which won him outstanding supporting actor in a digital drama series at the Daytime Emmy Awards. He is survived by his wife, Teresa Parkerson, and a daughter and a son.</p>

Longtime ‘General Hospital’ star Tristan Rogers dies at 79

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

TOPEKA— Firefighters responded to an Thursday night fire outside headquarters of the Johnson County Republican Party in Overland Park that resulted in no injuries.

The incident inspired inflammatory comments by the leader of the Kansas GOP, who placed responsibility on liberals. In a statement, she offered no evidence the fire, which didn’t cause significant damage, was linked to partisan ideology.

“Extreme liberals can’t do anything right, including arson,” said Danedri Herbert, who serves as chair of the Kansas Republican Party and spokesperson for Attorney General Kris Kobach. “Their hateful attempt to intimidate Republicans will also fail.”

Johnson County Republican Party chair Sue Huff said she was grateful no one was hurt in the “vicious attack.”

Overland Park firefighters responded to the county’s GOP headquarters near West 105th and Mastin Street around 12:45 a.m. Friday.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kctv5.com/2025/08/15/possible-arson-outside-johnson-county-gop-headquarters-under-investigation/" target="_blank">KCTV 5 reported the department</a>&nbsp;reported the fire was confined to the doorstep of the building.

Jeanna Repass, chair of the state Democratic Party, said in a statement acts of violence should play no role in resolving political differences. She said it was a relief no one was hurt in the “senseless act.”

“We stand with law enforcement as they pursue justice in this matter,” Repass said. “We will never be able to solve political differences with acts of violence, and we send our thoughts to the Johnson County GOP and the Kansas GOP.”

Repass said she was confident Overland Park investigators would hold to account anyone responsible for the fire.

“Violence anywhere, whether at a local party headquarters or our U.S. Capitol, undermines our democracy and must be condemned in full. Real progress cannot be made through fear, intimidation or destruction,” she said.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755306983787.png" alt="File Photo Overland Park Fire" />
                        <figcaption>File Photo Overland Park Fire</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><b>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a><br></b><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/"><i>Kansas Reflector</i></a></p><p>TOPEKA— Firefighters responded to an Thursday night fire outside headquarters of the Johnson County Republican Party in Overland Park that resulted in no injuries.</p><p>The incident inspired inflammatory comments by the leader of the Kansas GOP, who placed responsibility on liberals. In a statement, she offered no evidence the fire, which didn’t cause significant damage, was linked to partisan ideology.</p><p>“Extreme liberals can’t do anything right, including arson,” said Danedri Herbert, who serves as chair of the Kansas Republican Party and spokesperson for Attorney General Kris Kobach. “Their hateful attempt to intimidate Republicans will also fail.”</p><p>Johnson County Republican Party chair Sue Huff said she was grateful no one was hurt in the “vicious attack.”</p><p>Overland Park firefighters responded to the county’s GOP headquarters near West 105th and Mastin Street around 12:45 a.m. Friday.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kctv5.com/2025/08/15/possible-arson-outside-johnson-county-gop-headquarters-under-investigation/" target="_blank">KCTV 5 reported the department</a>&nbsp;reported the fire was confined to the doorstep of the building.</p><p>Jeanna Repass, chair of the state Democratic Party, said in a statement acts of violence should play no role in resolving political differences. She said it was a relief no one was hurt in the “senseless act.”</p><p>“We stand with law enforcement as they pursue justice in this matter,” Repass said. “We will never be able to solve political differences with acts of violence, and we send our thoughts to the Johnson County GOP and the Kansas GOP.”</p><p>Repass said she was confident Overland Park investigators would hold to account anyone responsible for the fire.</p><p>“Violence anywhere, whether at a local party headquarters or our U.S. Capitol, undermines our democracy and must be condemned in full. Real progress cannot be made through fear, intimidation or destruction,” she said.</p>

Fire outside Johnson Co. GOP headquarters prompts condemnation of political liberals

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas home daycare provider who admitted to abuse of a child is going to prison.

On Friday Judge Quinten Pittman sentenced 29-year-old Ija Hall, the owner of His Loving Hands Home Childcare, 357 N. Erie in Wichita, to 61 months in prison followed by 36 months of probation, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

In July Hall pleaded guilty to&nbsp;child abuse.&nbsp; In June she told the court she would face a jury but changed her mind.

In September of 2024, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment suspended Hall's day care&nbsp; license after an incident involving a child she was fostering. A protective order was issued during her first court appearance, according to the district attorney's office. She was not to have contact with the victim in the case or any child under the age of 12.

One of her foster children was burned in a bathtub, according to the KDHE. A second foster child had bruises and missing teeth.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755346737318.png" alt="Hall photo Sedgwick County" />
                        <figcaption>Hall photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas home daycare provider who admitted to abuse of a child is going to prison.</p><p>On Friday Judge Quinten Pittman sentenced 29-year-old Ija Hall, the owner of His Loving Hands Home Childcare, 357 N. Erie in Wichita, to 61 months in prison followed by 36 months of probation, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.</p><p>In July Hall pleaded guilty to&nbsp;child abuse.&nbsp; In June she told the court she would face a jury but changed her mind.</p><p>In September of 2024, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment suspended Hall's day care&nbsp; license after an incident involving a child she was fostering. A protective order was issued during her first court appearance, according to the district attorney's office. She was not to have contact with the victim in the case or any child under the age of 12.</p><p>One of her foster children was burned in a bathtub, according to the KDHE. A second foster child had bruises and missing teeth.</p>

Prison for Kansas daycare owner who abused children in her care

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-homan-ice-border-czar-7dea915b5ea43896390b8020d254f887">border czar Tom Homan</a>&nbsp;visited Capitol Hill just weeks after Inauguration Day, with other administration officials and a singular message: They&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-border-security-defense-senate-budget-plan-4549502882410e4cf1caf99bc04419df">needed money</a>&nbsp;for the White House's border security and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">mass deportation agenda</a>.

By summer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-big-beautiful-gop-taxes-ced365c347de9320eef2ccb8df16dda2">Congress delivered</a>.

The Republican Party’s big bill of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inside-trump-republican-spending-bill-provisions-details-06eb10bad4fd2a7ea2ac236e6535e61d">tax breaks and spending cuts</a>&nbsp;that Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sign-tax-cut-bill-july-4-3804df732e461a626fd8c2b43413c3f0">signed into law July 4</a>&nbsp;included what's arguably the biggest boost of funds yet to the Department of Homeland Security —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-budget-congress-trump-bill-e37bb0a5c5ca883438db349239a6c251">nearly $170 billion</a>, almost double its annual budget.

The staggering sum is powering the nation's sweeping new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-trump-immigration-crime-ice-criminal-dangerous-violent-99557d9d68642004193a9f4b7668162e">Immigration and Customs Enforcement</a>&nbsp;operations, delivering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-immigration-raids-detainee-families-los-angeles-651d8bba4752553a67eb53db084677b2">gripping scenes</a>&nbsp;of people being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-raids-arrests-ice-los-angeles-0de11b5bc6ef962b79e084fb9e648a87">pulled off city streets</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-farm-immigration-raid-cannabis-fbcf4620675523aa7630599331777ec5">from job sites</a>&nbsp;across the nation — the cornerstone of Trump's promise for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-california-immigration-customs-enforcement-newsom-0482a8935419d88986b890b18db5cc03">the largest domestic deportation operation</a>&nbsp;in American history. Homeland Security confirmed over the weekend ICE is working to set up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-detention-deportation-kristi-noem-a27916786c732c8f784a1d388a10e752">detention sites at certain military bases</a>.

“We’re getting them out at record numbers,” Trump said at the White House bill signing ceremony. “We have an obligation to, and we’re doing it.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tax-cuts-bill-deportations-asylum-fee-68e358a73e01941af50984de8c85ea31">The crush of new money</a>&nbsp;is setting off alarms in Congress and beyond, raising questions from lawmakers in both major political parties who are expected to provide oversight. The bill text provided general funding categories — almost $30 billion for ICE officers, $45 billion for detention facilities, $10 billion for the office of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kristi-noem">Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem</a>&nbsp;— but few policy details or directives. Homeland Security recently announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-hiring-trump-border-mass-deportations-ed1580c3f5c0c2a2b5c1ebd621574365">$50,000 ICE hiring bonuses</a>.

And it’s not just the big bill’s fresh infusion of funds fueling the president's agenda of 1 million deportations a year.

In the months since Trump took office, his administration has been shifting as much as $1 billion from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other accounts to pay for immigration enforcement and deportation operations, lawmakers said.

“Your agency is out of control,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told Noem during a Senate committee hearing in the spring.

The senator warned that Homeland Security would “go broke” by July.

Noem quickly responded that she always lives within her budget.

But Murphy said later in a letter to Homeland Security, objecting to its repurposing funds, that ICE was being directed to spend at an “indefensible and unsustainable rate to build a mass deportation army,” often without approval from Congress.

This past week, the new Republican chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Andrew Garbarino of New York, along with a subcommittee chairman, Rep. Michael Guest of Mississippi, requested a briefing from Noem on the border security components of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, or OBBBA, which included $46 billion over the next four years for Trump’s long-sought U.S.-Mexico border wall.

“We write today to understand how the Department plans to outlay this funding to deliver a strong and secure homeland for years to come,” the GOP lawmakers said in a letter to the homeland security secretary, noting border apprehensions are at record lows.

“We respectfully request that you provide Committee staff with a briefing on the Department’s plan to disburse OBBBA funding," they wrote, seeking a response by Aug. 22.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to The Associated Press the department is in daily discussions with the committee “to honor all briefing requests including the spend plan for the funds allocated" through the new law.

“ICE is indeed pursuing all available options to expand bedspace capacity,” she said. “This process does include housing detainees at certain military bases, including Fort Bliss.”

All together, it’s what observers on and off Capitol Hill see as a fundamental shift in immigration policy — enabling DHS to reach far beyond the U.S. southern border and deep into communities to conduct raids and stand up detention facilities as holding camps for immigrants.

The Defense Department, the Internal Revenue Service and other agencies are being enlisted in what Kathleen Bush-Joseph, an analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, calls a “whole of government” approach.

“They’re orienting this huge shift,” Bush-Joseph said, as deportation enforcement moves "inward."

The flood of cash comes when Americans'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-polling-trump-deportation-d138992f803e2d0b5b399aa9eaa36581">views on immigration are shifting</a>. Polling showed 79% of U.S. adults say immigration is a “good thing” for the country, having jumped substantially from 64% a year ago, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/692522/surge-concern-immigration-abated.aspx">Gallup</a>. Only about 2 in 10 U.S. adults say immigration is a bad thing right now.

At the same time, Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/trumps-approval-rating-on-immigration-and-government-spending-has-slipped-new-ap-norc-poll-finds/">approval rating</a>&nbsp;on immigration has slipped. According to a July&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/trumps-approval-rating-on-immigration-and-government-spending-has-slipped-new-ap-norc-poll-finds/">AP-NORC poll</a>, 43% of U.S. adults said they approved of his handling of immigration, down slightly from 49%&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-poll-immigration-tariffs-trade-b7a430909606d6b8b27cfbc5049a32b4">in March</a>.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-raids-arrests-ice-los-angeles-0de11b5bc6ef962b79e084fb9e648a87">Americans are watching</a>&nbsp;images of often masked officers arresting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/badar-khan-suri-georgetown-immigration-case-c598f7ff6a7bda7a948e793b14770a43">college students</a>, people at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-raids-los-angeles-trojan-horse-penske-1b86bc5f2ff716b89f4aba3320a96979">Home Depot</a>&nbsp;lots,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-mothers-deported-d8c5c0353c18e9ee0c228ea15e02d759">parents</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-arrest-landscaper-marine-son-orange-county-304c7e5b1ac240d640b95ffe2e3cac9d">workers</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-california-tunisian-musician-04b368eefbdad48ce76df3612a59be61">a Tunisian musician</a>. Stories abound of people being whisked off to detention facilities, often without allegations of wrongdoing beyond being unauthorized to remain in the U.S.

Detention centers are being stood up, from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-immigration-alligator-alcatraz-8d0b59a59251a79136667dc2804d107c">“Alligator Alcatraz” in Florida</a>&nbsp;to the repurposed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-detention-centers-ice-deportations-trump-e92b67a388f041b84593d7a29fd93c54">federal prison at Leavenworth, Kansas,</a>&nbsp;and the proposed new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pato-oward-indycar-ice-106baa57f854ffcf86c654f0ff8987b7">“Speedway Slammer” in Indiana</a>. Flights are ferrying migrants not just home or to El Salvador’s notorious mega-prison but far away to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-south-sudan-djibouti-deport-supreme-court-50f9162cff680b5c8729873e11d514e9">Africa</a>&nbsp;and beyond.

Homan has insisted in recent interviews those being detained and deported are the “worst of the worst,” and he dismissed as “garbage” the reports showing many of those being removed have not committed violations beyond their irregular immigration status.

“There’s no safe haven here,” Homan said recently outside the White House. “We’re going to do exactly what President Trump has promised the American people he’d do.”

Back in February, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the Republican chairman of the Budget Committee, emerged from their private meeting saying Trump administration officials were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-border-security-defense-senate-budget-plan-4549502882410e4cf1caf99bc04419df">“begging for money.”</a>

As Graham got to work, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, the chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and a leading deficit hawk, proposed an alternative border package, at $39 billion, a fraction of the size.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750038378079.png" alt="Photo Homeland Security" />
                        <figcaption>Photo Homeland Security</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-homan-ice-border-czar-7dea915b5ea43896390b8020d254f887">border czar Tom Homan</a>&nbsp;visited Capitol Hill just weeks after Inauguration Day, with other administration officials and a singular message: They&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-border-security-defense-senate-budget-plan-4549502882410e4cf1caf99bc04419df">needed money</a>&nbsp;for the White House's border security and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">mass deportation agenda</a>.</p><p>By summer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-big-beautiful-gop-taxes-ced365c347de9320eef2ccb8df16dda2">Congress delivered</a>.</p><p>The Republican Party’s big bill of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inside-trump-republican-spending-bill-provisions-details-06eb10bad4fd2a7ea2ac236e6535e61d">tax breaks and spending cuts</a>&nbsp;that Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sign-tax-cut-bill-july-4-3804df732e461a626fd8c2b43413c3f0">signed into law July 4</a>&nbsp;included what's arguably the biggest boost of funds yet to the Department of Homeland Security —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-budget-congress-trump-bill-e37bb0a5c5ca883438db349239a6c251">nearly $170 billion</a>, almost double its annual budget.</p><p>The staggering sum is powering the nation's sweeping new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-trump-immigration-crime-ice-criminal-dangerous-violent-99557d9d68642004193a9f4b7668162e">Immigration and Customs Enforcement</a>&nbsp;operations, delivering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-immigration-raids-detainee-families-los-angeles-651d8bba4752553a67eb53db084677b2">gripping scenes</a>&nbsp;of people being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-raids-arrests-ice-los-angeles-0de11b5bc6ef962b79e084fb9e648a87">pulled off city streets</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-farm-immigration-raid-cannabis-fbcf4620675523aa7630599331777ec5">from job sites</a>&nbsp;across the nation — the cornerstone of Trump's promise for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-california-immigration-customs-enforcement-newsom-0482a8935419d88986b890b18db5cc03">the largest domestic deportation operation</a>&nbsp;in American history. Homeland Security confirmed over the weekend ICE is working to set up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-detention-deportation-kristi-noem-a27916786c732c8f784a1d388a10e752">detention sites at certain military bases</a>.</p><p>“We’re getting them out at record numbers,” Trump said at the White House bill signing ceremony. “We have an obligation to, and we’re doing it.”</p><h2>Money flows, and so do questions</h2><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tax-cuts-bill-deportations-asylum-fee-68e358a73e01941af50984de8c85ea31">The crush of new money</a>&nbsp;is setting off alarms in Congress and beyond, raising questions from lawmakers in both major political parties who are expected to provide oversight. The bill text provided general funding categories — almost $30 billion for ICE officers, $45 billion for detention facilities, $10 billion for the office of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kristi-noem">Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem</a>&nbsp;— but few policy details or directives. Homeland Security recently announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-hiring-trump-border-mass-deportations-ed1580c3f5c0c2a2b5c1ebd621574365">$50,000 ICE hiring bonuses</a>.</p><p>And it’s not just the big bill’s fresh infusion of funds fueling the president's agenda of 1 million deportations a year.</p><p>In the months since Trump took office, his administration has been shifting as much as $1 billion from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other accounts to pay for immigration enforcement and deportation operations, lawmakers said.</p><p>“Your agency is out of control,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told Noem during a Senate committee hearing in the spring.</p><p>The senator warned that Homeland Security would “go broke” by July.</p><p>Noem quickly responded that she always lives within her budget.</p><p>But Murphy said later in a letter to Homeland Security, objecting to its repurposing funds, that ICE was being directed to spend at an “indefensible and unsustainable rate to build a mass deportation army,” often without approval from Congress.</p><p>This past week, the new Republican chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Andrew Garbarino of New York, along with a subcommittee chairman, Rep. Michael Guest of Mississippi, requested a briefing from Noem on the border security components of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, or OBBBA, which included $46 billion over the next four years for Trump’s long-sought U.S.-Mexico border wall.</p><p>“We write today to understand how the Department plans to outlay this funding to deliver a strong and secure homeland for years to come,” the GOP lawmakers said in a letter to the homeland security secretary, noting border apprehensions are at record lows.</p><p>“We respectfully request that you provide Committee staff with a briefing on the Department’s plan to disburse OBBBA funding," they wrote, seeking a response by Aug. 22.</p><p>DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to The Associated Press the department is in daily discussions with the committee “to honor all briefing requests including the spend plan for the funds allocated" through the new law.</p><p>“ICE is indeed pursuing all available options to expand bedspace capacity,” she said. “This process does include housing detainees at certain military bases, including Fort Bliss.”</p><h2>Deportations move deep into communities</h2><p>All together, it’s what observers on and off Capitol Hill see as a fundamental shift in immigration policy — enabling DHS to reach far beyond the U.S. southern border and deep into communities to conduct raids and stand up detention facilities as holding camps for immigrants.</p><p>The Defense Department, the Internal Revenue Service and other agencies are being enlisted in what Kathleen Bush-Joseph, an analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, calls a “whole of government” approach.</p><p>“They’re orienting this huge shift,” Bush-Joseph said, as deportation enforcement moves "inward."</p><p>The flood of cash comes when Americans'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-polling-trump-deportation-d138992f803e2d0b5b399aa9eaa36581">views on immigration are shifting</a>. Polling showed 79% of U.S. adults say immigration is a “good thing” for the country, having jumped substantially from 64% a year ago, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/692522/surge-concern-immigration-abated.aspx">Gallup</a>. Only about 2 in 10 U.S. adults say immigration is a bad thing right now.</p><p>At the same time, Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/trumps-approval-rating-on-immigration-and-government-spending-has-slipped-new-ap-norc-poll-finds/">approval rating</a>&nbsp;on immigration has slipped. According to a July&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/trumps-approval-rating-on-immigration-and-government-spending-has-slipped-new-ap-norc-poll-finds/">AP-NORC poll</a>, 43% of U.S. adults said they approved of his handling of immigration, down slightly from 49%&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-poll-immigration-tariffs-trade-b7a430909606d6b8b27cfbc5049a32b4">in March</a>.</p><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-raids-arrests-ice-los-angeles-0de11b5bc6ef962b79e084fb9e648a87">Americans are watching</a>&nbsp;images of often masked officers arresting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/badar-khan-suri-georgetown-immigration-case-c598f7ff6a7bda7a948e793b14770a43">college students</a>, people at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-raids-los-angeles-trojan-horse-penske-1b86bc5f2ff716b89f4aba3320a96979">Home Depot</a>&nbsp;lots,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-mothers-deported-d8c5c0353c18e9ee0c228ea15e02d759">parents</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-arrest-landscaper-marine-son-orange-county-304c7e5b1ac240d640b95ffe2e3cac9d">workers</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-california-tunisian-musician-04b368eefbdad48ce76df3612a59be61">a Tunisian musician</a>. Stories abound of people being whisked off to detention facilities, often without allegations of wrongdoing beyond being unauthorized to remain in the U.S.</p><h2>A new era of detention centers</h2><p>Detention centers are being stood up, from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-immigration-alligator-alcatraz-8d0b59a59251a79136667dc2804d107c">“Alligator Alcatraz” in Florida</a>&nbsp;to the repurposed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-detention-centers-ice-deportations-trump-e92b67a388f041b84593d7a29fd93c54">federal prison at Leavenworth, Kansas,</a>&nbsp;and the proposed new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pato-oward-indycar-ice-106baa57f854ffcf86c654f0ff8987b7">“Speedway Slammer” in Indiana</a>. Flights are ferrying migrants not just home or to El Salvador’s notorious mega-prison but far away to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-south-sudan-djibouti-deport-supreme-court-50f9162cff680b5c8729873e11d514e9">Africa</a>&nbsp;and beyond.</p><p>Homan has insisted in recent interviews those being detained and deported are the “worst of the worst,” and he dismissed as “garbage” the reports showing many of those being removed have not committed violations beyond their irregular immigration status.</p><p>“There’s no safe haven here,” Homan said recently outside the White House. “We’re going to do exactly what President Trump has promised the American people he’d do.”</p><p>Back in February, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the Republican chairman of the Budget Committee, emerged from their private meeting saying Trump administration officials were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-border-security-defense-senate-budget-plan-4549502882410e4cf1caf99bc04419df">“begging for money.”</a></p><p>As Graham got to work, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, the chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and a leading deficit hawk, proposed an alternative border package, at $39 billion, a fraction of the size.</p>

Trump's big bill is powering mass deportations. Congress is starting to ask questions

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations after a traffic stop.

Just before midnight August 9, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop for an alleged traffic infraction on a Hyundai Elantra traveling northbound on U.S. Highway 75, near 142nd&nbsp;Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The driver, Clifton Wabaunsee, 44, of Topeka was arrested at the scene and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while suspended.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for aggravated battery and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754918054048.png" alt="Wabaunsee-photo Jackson County" />
                        <figcaption>Wabaunsee-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations after a traffic stop.</p><p>Just before midnight August 9, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop for an alleged traffic infraction on a Hyundai Elantra traveling northbound on U.S. Highway 75, near 142nd&nbsp;Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.</p><p>The driver, Clifton Wabaunsee, 44, of Topeka was arrested at the scene and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while suspended.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for aggravated battery and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.</p>

Kansas felon is back in jail on new drug allegations

SEDGWICK COUNTY– Wichita police took Gauge Brasher, 19, into custody shortly after 4 p.m. Friday in the 3100 block of E. Range Road, according to a statement from Wichita Police.

 Earlier Friday, police investigators presented the case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, and Brasher was charged with second-degree murder in the Aug. 13, crash that killed Jackson Nzabonimpa, 14.&nbsp;

Brasher will be booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Police are investigating a fatal crash at Harry and Rock Road in Wichita that killed 14-year-old Jackson Nzabonimpa and still searching for the driver.

Around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, a nearby Kansas Highway Patrol trooper in the area saw the aftermath of the accident and saw two men running from a black BMW that had crashed. After a short foot pursuit, both men were apprehended.

The preliminary investigation indicates the BMW was traveling at a high rate of speed when it hit a power pole and then a utility box. The impact forced the power pole and utility box into Nzabonimpa, who died on scene from his injuries.&nbsp;

Witnesses at the intersection identified the 19-year-old suspect Gauge Brasher, who fled as the driver. He is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. The investigation indicated that impairment and speed were likely contributing factors in the collision. Brasher was admitted to the hospital for medical treatment and later left the hospital. The passenger is a 24-year-old man who was detained and later released with no charges.&nbsp;

Wichita police are following up on leads to locate and arrest Brasher.

Wichita Police does not typically identify suspects who have not been formally charged. In this case, police believe the alleged recklessness of Brasher’s actions make him a danger to the&nbsp; community. Wichita Police Accident Follow-Up Unit (AFU) is continuing to investigate what led to this incident. The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney for charging.

“This was not an accident. It was a series of reckless choices,” Chief Joe Sullivan said. “When you mix extreme speed with suspected impairment, you turn a vehicle into a weapon. We will pursue full accountability for the death of this young man and his family, and the danger brought to our community.”&nbsp;

Anyone who has information on the location of Gauge Brasher is asked to call 911 immediately. To provide information related to this incident please call AFU investigators at 316-350-3685. To remain anonymous, you can submit a tip through Crime Stoppers at (316)-267-2111.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755212957933.png" alt="View of the crash scene -photo courtesy KWCH" />
                        <figcaption>View of the crash scene -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY– Wichita police took Gauge Brasher, 19, into custody shortly after 4 p.m. Friday in the 3100 block of E. Range Road, according to a statement from Wichita Police.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755346851465.png" alt="Brasher photo Sedgwick Co." />
                        <figcaption>Brasher photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p> Earlier Friday, police investigators presented the case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, and Brasher was charged with second-degree murder in the Aug. 13, crash that killed Jackson Nzabonimpa, 14.&nbsp;</p><p>Brasher will be booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.</p><p>----------</p><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Police are investigating a fatal crash at Harry and Rock Road in Wichita that killed 14-year-old Jackson Nzabonimpa and still searching for the driver.</p><p>Around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, a nearby Kansas Highway Patrol trooper in the area saw the aftermath of the accident and saw two men running from a black BMW that had crashed. After a short foot pursuit, both men were apprehended.</p><p>The preliminary investigation indicates the BMW was traveling at a high rate of speed when it hit a power pole and then a utility box. The impact forced the power pole and utility box into Nzabonimpa, who died on scene from his injuries.&nbsp;</p><p>Witnesses at the intersection identified the 19-year-old suspect Gauge Brasher, who fled as the driver. He is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. The investigation indicated that impairment and speed were likely contributing factors in the collision. Brasher was admitted to the hospital for medical treatment and later left the hospital. The passenger is a 24-year-old man who was detained and later released with no charges.&nbsp;</p><p>Wichita police are following up on leads to locate and arrest Brasher.</p><p>Wichita Police does not typically identify suspects who have not been formally charged. In this case, police believe the alleged recklessness of Brasher’s actions make him a danger to the&nbsp; community. Wichita Police Accident Follow-Up Unit (AFU) is continuing to investigate what led to this incident. The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney for charging.</p><p>“This was not an accident. It was a series of reckless choices,” Chief Joe Sullivan said. “When you mix extreme speed with suspected impairment, you turn a vehicle into a weapon. We will pursue full accountability for the death of this young man and his family, and the danger brought to our community.”&nbsp;</p><p>Anyone who has information on the location of Gauge Brasher is asked to call 911 immediately. To provide information related to this incident please call AFU investigators at 316-350-3685. To remain anonymous, you can submit a tip through Crime Stoppers at (316)-267-2111.</p>

Police capture suspect wanted for fatal Kansas hit-and-run 

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AP) — President Donald Trump said he and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orthodox-christians-prayers-trump-putin-alaska-dbced54d9faa7d230d3df03405491542">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;didn’t reach a deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine after meeting on Friday — despite Putin saying they had come to “an understanding” — as the two leaders offered scant details on what was discussed while heaping praise on each other.

In brief remarks as they shared a stage after meeting for about 2 ½ hours in Alaska, Putin said he and Trump had reached an “understanding” on Ukraine and warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.”

But Trump then said, “There’s no deal until there’s a deal” and said he planned to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders soon, to brief them on the discussions.

“We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed to,” Trump said. “And there are just a very few that are left. Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there.”

He continued: “We didn’t get there.”

The high-profile summit ended without a deal to end, or even pause, the brutal conflict — the largest land war in Europe since 1945 — which has raged for more than three years.

It was an abrupt ending to an otherwise friendly meeting in which a red carpet was rolled out for Putin as he landed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The two leaders greeted each other with a handshake and a smile, and Putin even got a ride in the presidential limousine — an unusually warm reception for a U.S. adversary.

While the two leaders were still on the tarmac, reporters nearby yelled, “President Putin, will you stop killing civilians?” Russia’s leader put his hand up to his ear as though to indicate he couldn’t hear them. Trump and Putin then shared the U.S. presidential limo known as “The Beast” for a short ride to their meeting site, with Putin offering a broad smile as the vehicle rolled past the cameras.

Zelenskyy and European leaders were excluded from Trump and Putin’s discussions, and Ukraine’s president was left posting a video address in which he expressed his hope for a “strong position from the U.S.”

“Everyone wants an honest end to the war. Ukraine is ready to work as productively as possible to end the war,” he said, later adding, “The war continues and it continues precisely because there is no order, nor any signals from Moscow, that it is preparing to end this war.”

Trump had both raised and lowered expectations for the summit, at turns characterizing it as a “feel-out meeting” but also warning of “very severe consequences” for Russia if Putin didn’t agree to end the war.

He boasted before taking office that he could end the war in 24 hours, a comment he later said was in jest. The opportunity to talk to Putin face-to-face gave him his best chance to date to get the fighting to stop, but he came up short.

Putin suggests in English that next meeting could be held in Moscow

Trump has spoken repeatedly in recent days about wanting to have a second meeting after the Alaska summit.

As they wrapped their statements after the summit, Putin said to Trump in English, “Next time in Moscow.”

Trump responded, “I could see it possibly happening.”

Neither leader announced that a second meeting would be held before they left the room without answering questions from reporters.

Trump and Putin did not take questions after giving joint statements

After their nearly three-hour-long meeting, neither Trump nor Putin took questions from reporters after giving brief remarks. Putin said the two leaders had reached an “understanding,” but neither offered further details.

Trump says he will fill Zelenskyy in on Putin meeting

The U.S. president also said he would call European and NATO leaders to give them updates from his meeting with Putin.

Trump said “some great progress” was made in his bilateral meeting with the Russian president, saying “many points were agreed to,” with just a “very few” remaining.

Zelenskyy was not invited to the Alaska summit.

Putin says there would no be war in Ukraine if Trump had been president in 2022

Trump has long claimed that Putin would never have invaded Ukraine if he had still be in the White House — and the Russian leader confirmed that argument at a news conference after their meeting.

Putin criticized former President Joe Biden without naming him and referenced Trump’s argument about his presence being sufficient to stop the war.

“I can confirm that,” Putin said through a translator.

Putin speaks first at joint news conference with Trump

Speaking in Russian, the president said he had greeted Trump as “dear neighbor,” thankful to see him in good health.

Putin also said he and Trump “have very good, direct contact.”

As Putin spoke, Trump stood about 6 or 7 feet (1.8 or 2.1 meters) away from him, at his own podium.

Putin said the U.S. and Russia are close neighbors, separated by mere miles, so it made sense for the summit to be held in Alaska.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755307816617.png" alt="White House photo" />
                        <figcaption>White House photo</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AP) — President Donald Trump said he and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orthodox-christians-prayers-trump-putin-alaska-dbced54d9faa7d230d3df03405491542">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;didn’t reach a deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine after meeting on Friday — despite Putin saying they had come to “an understanding” — as the two leaders offered scant details on what was discussed while heaping praise on each other.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Donald Trump: &quot;There&#39;s no deal until there&#39;s a deal. I will call up NATO in a little while. I will call up the various people that I think are appropriate and I&#39;ll of course call up President Zelensky and tell him about today&#39;s meeting. It&#39;s ultimately up to them.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ur3kxRIgM4">pic.twitter.com/ur3kxRIgM4</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1956496911503937682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>In brief remarks as they shared a stage after meeting for about 2 ½ hours in Alaska, Putin said he and Trump had reached an “understanding” on Ukraine and warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.”</p><p>But Trump then said, “There’s no deal until there’s a deal” and said he planned to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders soon, to brief them on the discussions.</p><p>“We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed to,” Trump said. “And there are just a very few that are left. Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there.”</p><p>He continued: “We didn’t get there.”</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🇷🇺🇺🇸 The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Anchorage?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Anchorage</a> talks between Presidents <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Putin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Putin</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> have concluded. <a href="https://t.co/AcctLQQDGI">pic.twitter.com/AcctLQQDGI</a></p>&mdash; MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) <a href="https://twitter.com/mfa_russia/status/1956502931257053275?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The high-profile summit ended without a deal to end, or even pause, the brutal conflict — the largest land war in Europe since 1945 — which has raged for more than three years.</p><p>It was an abrupt ending to an otherwise friendly meeting in which a red carpet was rolled out for Putin as he landed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The two leaders greeted each other with a handshake and a smile, and Putin even got a ride in the presidential limousine — an unusually warm reception for a U.S. adversary.</p><p>While the two leaders were still on the tarmac, reporters nearby yelled, “President Putin, will you stop killing civilians?” Russia’s leader put his hand up to his ear as though to indicate he couldn’t hear them. Trump and Putin then shared the U.S. presidential limo known as “The Beast” for a short ride to their meeting site, with Putin offering a broad smile as the vehicle rolled past the cameras.</p><p>Zelenskyy and European leaders were excluded from Trump and Putin’s discussions, and Ukraine’s president was left posting a video address in which he expressed his hope for a “strong position from the U.S.”</p><p>“Everyone wants an honest end to the war. Ukraine is ready to work as productively as possible to end the war,” he said, later adding, “The war continues and it continues precisely because there is no order, nor any signals from Moscow, that it is preparing to end this war.”</p><p>Trump had both raised and lowered expectations for the summit, at turns characterizing it as a “feel-out meeting” but also warning of “very severe consequences” for Russia if Putin didn’t agree to end the war.</p><p>He boasted before taking office that he could end the war in 24 hours, a comment he later said was in jest. The opportunity to talk to Putin face-to-face gave him his best chance to date to get the fighting to stop, but he came up short.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: I believe we had a very productive meeting. There were many, many points that we agreed on... There&#39;s no deal until there&#39;s a deal. I will call up NATO... I&#39;ll of course call up President Zelensky and tell him about today&#39;s meeting... We really made some great progress. <a href="https://t.co/qEnZHW5D9i">pic.twitter.com/qEnZHW5D9i</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956493139868369139?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I&#39;m going to start making a few phone calls and tell them what happened, but we had an extremely productive meeting and many points were agreed to. There are just a very few that are left.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/p9MAivEbB6">pic.twitter.com/p9MAivEbB6</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956493746414997647?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“We had an extremely productive meeting.” President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> <a href="https://t.co/aIEWqkYYgN">pic.twitter.com/aIEWqkYYgN</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1956493879953563767?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump and President Putin in Anchorage, Alaska. <a href="https://t.co/d9DKQ0OtPa">pic.twitter.com/d9DKQ0OtPa</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1956441780544516497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">B-2 Stealth Bomber flies over President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and President Putin <a href="https://t.co/HaAqyHLftx">pic.twitter.com/HaAqyHLftx</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1956443298400510377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Putin having to deal with a free press for the first time in years and he doesn’t seem amused. <a href="https://t.co/CI8iwqAQJM">pic.twitter.com/CI8iwqAQJM</a></p>&mdash; OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) <a href="https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1956447061043527837?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🇷🇺🇺🇸 The meeting between President <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Putin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Putin</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> has begun in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Anchorage?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Anchorage</a>.<br><br>Also taking part in the talks are Russian FM Sergey <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lavrov?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lavrov</a>, Presidential Aide Yuri <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ushakov?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ushakov</a>, US Secretary of State <a href="https://twitter.com/marcorubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@marcorubio</a> &amp; US Presidential Special Envoy <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveWitkoff?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SteveWitkoff</a>.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RussiaUSA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RussiaUSA</a> <a href="https://t.co/6jW6MmSrkr">pic.twitter.com/6jW6MmSrkr</a></p>&mdash; MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) <a href="https://twitter.com/mfa_russia/status/1956444614271103120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> sits down with President Putin 🇺🇸🇷🇺 <a href="https://t.co/PJfqsvXdkI">pic.twitter.com/PJfqsvXdkI</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1956439512806207706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pursuing Peace. 🇺🇸🇷🇺 <a href="https://t.co/d9VqKzpF6g">pic.twitter.com/d9VqKzpF6g</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1956446335261175865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> begins his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin <a href="https://t.co/hpR641t8pJ">pic.twitter.com/hpR641t8pJ</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956441246513467393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">HAPPENING NOW! <a href="https://t.co/5OBEWIttVv">https://t.co/5OBEWIttVv</a> <a href="https://t.co/s9KIftc3ZW">pic.twitter.com/s9KIftc3ZW</a></p>&mdash; Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scavino47/status/1956435635818070211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">🤝 <a href="https://t.co/Tru212XRcu">pic.twitter.com/Tru212XRcu</a></p>&mdash; MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) <a href="https://twitter.com/mfa_russia/status/1956450765121396775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> and Russian President Vladimir Putin end the day&#39;s historic summit in Alaska <a href="https://t.co/80SsqP2Di8">pic.twitter.com/80SsqP2Di8</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956494156487856548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Putin suggests in English that next meeting could be held in Moscow</h2><p>Trump has spoken repeatedly in recent days about wanting to have a second meeting after the Alaska summit.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“Next time in Moscow” President Putin on the next meeting with President Trump <a href="https://t.co/Eomwp1zs7S">pic.twitter.com/Eomwp1zs7S</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1956496289056653652?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>As they wrapped their statements after the summit, Putin said to Trump in English, “Next time in Moscow.”</p><p>Trump responded, “I could see it possibly happening.”</p><p>Neither leader announced that a second meeting would be held before they left the room without answering questions from reporters.</p><h2>Trump and Putin did not take questions after giving joint statements</h2><p>After their nearly three-hour-long meeting, neither Trump nor Putin took questions from reporters after giving brief remarks. Putin said the two leaders had reached an “understanding,” but neither offered further details.</p><h2>Trump says he will fill Zelenskyy in on Putin meeting</h2><p>The U.S. president also said he would call European and NATO leaders to give them updates from his meeting with Putin.</p><p>Trump said “some great progress” was made in his bilateral meeting with the Russian president, saying “many points were agreed to,” with just a “very few” remaining.</p><p>Zelenskyy was not invited to the Alaska summit.</p><h2>Putin says there would no be war in Ukraine if Trump had been president in 2022</h2><p>Trump has long claimed that Putin would never have invaded Ukraine if he had still be in the White House — and the Russian leader confirmed that argument at a news conference after their meeting.</p><p>Putin criticized former President Joe Biden without naming him and referenced Trump’s argument about his presence being sufficient to stop the war.</p><p>“I can confirm that,” Putin said through a translator.</p><h2>Putin speaks first at joint news conference with Trump</h2><p>Speaking in Russian, the president said he had greeted Trump as “dear neighbor,” thankful to see him in good health.</p><p>Putin also said he and Trump “have very good, direct contact.”</p><p>As Putin spoke, Trump stood about 6 or 7 feet (1.8 or 2.1 meters) away from him, at his own podium.</p><p>Putin said the U.S. and Russia are close neighbors, separated by mere miles, so it made sense for the summit to be held in Alaska.</p>

🎥Trump: No deal on ending war in Ukraine; Putin says there was an 'understanding'

HUTCHINSON —&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/7aeaf800-fb59-44d2-8983-9179d6701101">After months of being out-of-network</a>, Hutchinson Clinic and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas have reached a new agreement that will bring the clinic back into the BCBSKS network starting Sept. 1.

In a joint statement, the two organizations said:

<i>“We are pleased to announce Hutchinson Clinic will return to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas network on September 1st, 2025. We understand how important it is for our patients to have access to local providers and services they know and trust."</i>

Hutchinson Clinic, a physician-owned practice serving Reno County and surrounding areas, had previously been an in-network provider for BCBS members for many years. That changed on Jan. 1, 2025, when contract negotiations broke down over reimbursement rates, and the clinic left the BCBS Marketplace network. The move prompted concern from patients, many of whom faced higher out-of-pocket costs to continue seeing their longtime providers.

Clinic leaders at the time cited unsustainable payment rates as the reason for the departure, while reaffirming their commitment to keeping care local. The clinic’s Patient Advocacy Center worked with BCBSKS members to help them understand their costs and options.

Starting September 1, BCBSKS members will again be able to receive in-network benefits at Hutchinson Clinic locations. The change applies to both existing patients and new BCBSKS members seeking care from the clinic’s physicians and specialists.

<p>MARC JACOBS<br>Hutch Post</p><p>HUTCHINSON —&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/7aeaf800-fb59-44d2-8983-9179d6701101">After months of being out-of-network</a>, Hutchinson Clinic and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas have reached a new agreement that will bring the clinic back into the BCBSKS network starting Sept. 1.</p><p>In a joint statement, the two organizations said:</p><p><i>“We are pleased to announce Hutchinson Clinic will return to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas network on September 1st, 2025. We understand how important it is for our patients to have access to local providers and services they know and trust."</i></p><p>Hutchinson Clinic, a physician-owned practice serving Reno County and surrounding areas, had previously been an in-network provider for BCBS members for many years. That changed on Jan. 1, 2025, when contract negotiations broke down over reimbursement rates, and the clinic left the BCBS Marketplace network. The move prompted concern from patients, many of whom faced higher out-of-pocket costs to continue seeing their longtime providers.</p><p>Clinic leaders at the time cited unsustainable payment rates as the reason for the departure, while reaffirming their commitment to keeping care local. The clinic’s Patient Advocacy Center worked with BCBSKS members to help them understand their costs and options.</p><p>Starting September 1, BCBSKS members will again be able to receive in-network benefits at Hutchinson Clinic locations. The change applies to both existing patients and new BCBSKS members seeking care from the clinic’s physicians and specialists.</p>

Hutchinson Clinic, BCBSKS announce return to network

TOPEKA&nbsp; – Juan Doroteo Morales, 38, will serve life in prison for the 2021 murder of Camilo Ramirez, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced on Friday.

&nbsp;Saline County District Court Judge Jacob Peterson sentenced Morales on Friday.&nbsp; In May, a Saline County jury convicted Morales for first-degree, premediated murder, aggravated assault, and criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 

On Aug. 23, 2021, Salina police officers responded to a 911 call of a man shot at the intersection of Iron and Front streets in Salina. First responders found Ramirez, 25, unconscious with a bullet wound to the head. They initiated live-saving measures and transported Ramirez to the hospital, where Ramirez succumbed to his injuries the following day. Investigators learned that Morales and three other individuals, Jamie Leos, Jacob Leos and Kiera Stewart, lured Ramirez to a laundromat in Salina. &nbsp;

When Ramirez and his dog walked to the meeting place near the intersection of Iron and Front Street, the four defendants – Morales, Jamie Leos, Jacob Leos and Kiera Stewart – arrived via car. Morales and Jacob exited the vehicle and fired multiple shots at Ramirez. After the shooting, the pair got back in the car and were driven away by Jamie. Ramirez’s dog was also killed in the shooting.

Stewart entered guilty pleas to second-degree intentional murder, attempted aggravated robbery, and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery on Oct. 18, 2022. Stewart testified during Morales’s trial. &nbsp;On May 16, 2025, she was sentenced to serve 187 months in prison. &nbsp;Jaime Leos entered guilty pleas to voluntary manslaughter and conspiracy to commit murder in the second degree on July 29. &nbsp;

On May 16, 2025, he was sentenced to prison for 287 months. &nbsp;Jacob Leos entered guilty pleas to intentional murder in the second degree, conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree, and aggravated assault on May 2. &nbsp;On May 20, 2025, Jacob was sentenced to serve 284 months in prison. &nbsp;The Salina Police Department and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746639820085.png" alt="Morales photo Saline County" />
                        <figcaption>Morales photo Saline County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>TOPEKA&nbsp; – Juan Doroteo Morales, 38, will serve life in prison for the 2021 murder of Camilo Ramirez, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced on Friday.</p><p>&nbsp;Saline County District Court Judge Jacob Peterson sentenced Morales on Friday.&nbsp; In May, a Saline County jury convicted Morales for first-degree, premediated murder, aggravated assault, and criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. </p><p>On Aug. 23, 2021, Salina police officers responded to a 911 call of a man shot at the intersection of Iron and Front streets in Salina. First responders found Ramirez, 25, unconscious with a bullet wound to the head. They initiated live-saving measures and transported Ramirez to the hospital, where Ramirez succumbed to his injuries the following day. Investigators learned that Morales and three other individuals, Jamie Leos, Jacob Leos and Kiera Stewart, lured Ramirez to a laundromat in Salina. &nbsp;</p><p>When Ramirez and his dog walked to the meeting place near the intersection of Iron and Front Street, the four defendants – Morales, Jamie Leos, Jacob Leos and Kiera Stewart – arrived via car. Morales and Jacob exited the vehicle and fired multiple shots at Ramirez. After the shooting, the pair got back in the car and were driven away by Jamie. Ramirez’s dog was also killed in the shooting.</p><p>Stewart entered guilty pleas to second-degree intentional murder, attempted aggravated robbery, and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery on Oct. 18, 2022. Stewart testified during Morales’s trial. &nbsp;On May 16, 2025, she was sentenced to serve 187 months in prison. &nbsp;Jaime Leos entered guilty pleas to voluntary manslaughter and conspiracy to commit murder in the second degree on July 29. &nbsp;</p><p>On May 16, 2025, he was sentenced to prison for 287 months. &nbsp;Jacob Leos entered guilty pleas to intentional murder in the second degree, conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree, and aggravated assault on May 2. &nbsp;On May 20, 2025, Jacob was sentenced to serve 284 months in prison. &nbsp;The Salina Police Department and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.</p>

Life in prison for Kansas man who lured victim to his death

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks edged back from their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asia-shares-japan-bessent-wall-street-02e8aa1fa772ad3570249dc81f917325">record levels</a>&nbsp;on Friday in a quiet finish to another winning week.

The S&amp;P 500 slipped 0.3% from the all-time high it set the day before, as it closed its fourth winning week in the last five. The Dow Jones Industrial Average flirted with its own record, which was set in December, before ending just below the mark with a rise of 34 points, or 0.1%. The Nasdaq composite dipped 0.4%, though it’s still near its record set on Wednesday.

The U.S. stock market reached all-time highs this past week as expectations built that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-federal-reserve-10b69ac47322e412d667f3d44ccd62b7">Federal Reserve</a>&nbsp;will deliver a cut to interest rates at its next meeting in September. Lower rates can boost investment prices and the economy by making it cheaper for U.S. households and businesses to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-3bba3f6f23c277b000493bdc6bb86f20">borrow to buy houses</a>, cars or equipment, but they also risk worsening inflation.

A disappointing report about inflation at the U.S. wholesale level made traders pare back bets for coming cuts to interest rates on Thursday, but they’re still overwhelmingly expecting them. Such anticipation has sent Treasury yields lower in the bond market, though they inched higher Friday following some mixed updates on the economy.

One said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/retail-sales-inflation-economy-4c3fd1a7a82ed2ec52a9dfa3ec569076">shoppers boosted their spending</a>&nbsp;at U.S. retailers last month, as economists expected, while another said that manufacturing in New York state unexpectedly grew. A third said industrial production across the country shrank last month, when economists were looking for modest growth.

Another report suggested sentiment among U.S. consumers is worsening because of worries about inflation, when economists expected to see a slight improvement.

“Overall, consumers are no longer bracing for the worst-case scenario for the economy feared in April,” when President Donald Trump announced his stunning set of worldwide tariffs, according to Joanne Hsu, director of the University of Michigan’s surveys of consumers. “However, consumers continue to expect both inflation and unemployment to deteriorate in the future.”

On Wall Street, UnitedHealth Group jumped 12% after famed investor Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-lennar-nucor-drhorton-8ded0e379e9e29dab9af66a88dc1e9a2">bought nearly 5 million shares of the insurer</a>&nbsp;during the spring, valued at $1.57 billion. Buffett is known for trying to buy good stocks at affordable prices, and UnitedHealth’s halved for the year by the end of July because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealth-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-0e3cad5d2a9efa01ba9605674a513092">a run of struggles</a>.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722962507580.png" alt="File(AP Photo/Richard Drew)" />
                        <figcaption>File(AP Photo/Richard Drew)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks edged back from their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asia-shares-japan-bessent-wall-street-02e8aa1fa772ad3570249dc81f917325">record levels</a>&nbsp;on Friday in a quiet finish to another winning week.</p><p>The S&amp;P 500 slipped 0.3% from the all-time high it set the day before, as it closed its fourth winning week in the last five. The Dow Jones Industrial Average flirted with its own record, which was set in December, before ending just below the mark with a rise of 34 points, or 0.1%. The Nasdaq composite dipped 0.4%, though it’s still near its record set on Wednesday.</p><p>The U.S. stock market reached all-time highs this past week as expectations built that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-federal-reserve-10b69ac47322e412d667f3d44ccd62b7">Federal Reserve</a>&nbsp;will deliver a cut to interest rates at its next meeting in September. Lower rates can boost investment prices and the economy by making it cheaper for U.S. households and businesses to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-3bba3f6f23c277b000493bdc6bb86f20">borrow to buy houses</a>, cars or equipment, but they also risk worsening inflation.</p><p>A disappointing report about inflation at the U.S. wholesale level made traders pare back bets for coming cuts to interest rates on Thursday, but they’re still overwhelmingly expecting them. Such anticipation has sent Treasury yields lower in the bond market, though they inched higher Friday following some mixed updates on the economy.</p><p>One said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/retail-sales-inflation-economy-4c3fd1a7a82ed2ec52a9dfa3ec569076">shoppers boosted their spending</a>&nbsp;at U.S. retailers last month, as economists expected, while another said that manufacturing in New York state unexpectedly grew. A third said industrial production across the country shrank last month, when economists were looking for modest growth.</p><p>Another report suggested sentiment among U.S. consumers is worsening because of worries about inflation, when economists expected to see a slight improvement.</p><p>“Overall, consumers are no longer bracing for the worst-case scenario for the economy feared in April,” when President Donald Trump announced his stunning set of worldwide tariffs, according to Joanne Hsu, director of the University of Michigan’s surveys of consumers. “However, consumers continue to expect both inflation and unemployment to deteriorate in the future.”</p><p>On Wall Street, UnitedHealth Group jumped 12% after famed investor Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-lennar-nucor-drhorton-8ded0e379e9e29dab9af66a88dc1e9a2">bought nearly 5 million shares of the insurer</a>&nbsp;during the spring, valued at $1.57 billion. Buffett is known for trying to buy good stocks at affordable prices, and UnitedHealth’s halved for the year by the end of July because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealth-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-0e3cad5d2a9efa01ba9605674a513092">a run of struggles</a>.</p><p>Berkshire Hathaway’s own stock slipped 0.4%.</p><p>Applied Materials helped lead Wall Street lower with a decline of 14.1% even though it reported better results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The focus was on the company’s forecast for a drop in revenue during the current quarter.</p><p>Its products help manufacture semiconductors and advanced displays, and CEO Gary Dickerson pointed to a “dynamic macroeconomic and policy environment, which is creating increased uncertainty and lower visibility in the near term, including for our China business.”</p><p>Sandisk fell 4.6% despite reporting a profit for the latest quarter that blew past analysts’ expectations. Investors focused instead on the data storage company’s forecast for profit in the current quarter, which came up short of Wall Street’s.</p><p>All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 18.74 points to 6,449.80. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 34.86 to 44,946.12, and the Nasdaq composite sank 87.69 to 21,622.98.</p><p>In stock markets abroad, indexes rose 0.8% in Shanghai but fell 1% in Hong Kong after data showed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-property-trump-tariffs-65f886fe432f007e02871bf484b28656">China’s economy may have slowed in July</a>&nbsp;under pressure from uncertainty surrounding Trump’s tariffs.</p><p>“Chinese economic activity slowed across the board in July, with retail sales, fixed asset investment, and value added of industry growth all reaching the lowest levels of the year. After a strong start, several months of cooling momentum suggest that the economy may need further policy support,” ING Economics said in a market commentary.</p><p>Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.7% after the government said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-tariffs-trump-economy-gdp-4ed873e4162c84dafc3befc81b49c6e6">its economy grew at a better-than-expected pace</a>&nbsp;in the latest quarter.</p><p>European stock indexes finished mixed before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-summit-alaska-russia-ukraine-a7b167f17a3e06fbce2f583c93f8bae1">Trump began his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin</a>, which could dictate where the war in Ukraine is heading.</p>