SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man is going to prison for a deadly shooting.

Last week, Judge Tyler Roush sentenced&nbsp;26-year-old Damion Hazelton&nbsp;to serve 15 years in prison for the death of 49-year-old Chris Baker of Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just before 2:30p.m. June 23, 2023, police in Wichita received a series of 911 calls about a vehicle collision and a shooting in the 7000 Block of East Lincoln in Wichita, according to&nbsp;Officer Aaron Moses.

First responders located a red GMC Yukon that struck a building and a victim later identified as Baker&nbsp; inside the SUV with a gunshot wound.. Life-saving measures were attempted, but Baker would be pronounced deceased on the scene.

Investigators at the scene learned from witnesses that someone involved in the crash had fled into one of the nearby buildings, according to Moses. A small group of the Wichita Police SWAT team responded to the scene.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Investigators worked through the evening hours and were able to determine that Hazelton was the shooter. Police located and arrested him without incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hazelton has previous convictions for falsely reporting a crime and Giving false alarm or false information regarding violent criminal activity or threat to persons life, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687694361794.png" alt="-Hazelton has previous convictions for falsely reporting a crime and Giving false alarm - false information regarding violent criminal activity or threat to persons life, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>-Hazelton has previous convictions for falsely reporting a crime and Giving false alarm - false information regarding violent criminal activity or threat to persons life, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man is going to prison for a deadly shooting.Last week, Judge Tyler Roush sentenced&nbsp;26-year-old Damion Hazelton&nbsp;to serve 15 years in prison for the death of 49-year-old Chris Baker of Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687565978422.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 2:30p.m. June 23, 2023, police in Wichita received a series of 911 calls about a vehicle collision and a shooting in the 7000 Block of East Lincoln in Wichita, according to&nbsp;Officer Aaron Moses.First responders located a red GMC Yukon that struck a building and a victim later identified as Baker&nbsp; inside the SUV with a gunshot wound.. Life-saving measures were attempted, but Baker would be pronounced deceased on the scene.Investigators at the scene learned from witnesses that someone involved in the crash had fled into one of the nearby buildings, according to Moses. A small group of the Wichita Police SWAT team responded to the scene.&nbsp;&nbsp;Investigators worked through the evening hours and were able to determine that Hazelton was the shooter. Police located and arrested him without incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hazelton has previous convictions for falsely reporting a crime and Giving false alarm or false information regarding violent criminal activity or threat to persons life, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kan. felon sentenced for murder of man who crashed SUV

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) —A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-ban-children-1abadf5445418c8c14f5f68cf76b38d0">social media ban for children</a>&nbsp;under 16 passed the Australian Senate Thursday and will soon become a world-first law.

The law will make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent children younger than 16 from holding accounts.

The Senate passed the bill 34 votes to 19. The House of Representatives on Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-young-children-bf0ca2aedaf61b71fe335421240e94c4">overwhelmingly approved</a>&nbsp;the legislation by 102 votes to 13.

The House has yet to endorse opposition amendments made in the Senate. But that is a formality since the government has already agreed they will pass.

The platforms will have one year to work out how they could implement the ban before penalties are enforced.

Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said the legislation had been “rushed.”

The amendments bolster privacy protections. Platforms would not be allowed to compel users to provide government-issued identity documents including passports or driver’s licenses, nor could they demand digital identification through a government system.

The House is scheduled to pass the amendments on Friday. Critics of the legislation fear that banning young children from social media will impact the privacy of users who must establish they are older than 16.

While the major parties support the ban, many child welfare and mental health advocates are concerned about unintended consequences.

Sen. David Shoebridge, from the minority Greens party, said mental health experts agreed that the ban could dangerously isolate many children who used social media to find support.

“This policy will hurt vulnerable young people the most, especially in regional communities and especially the LGBTQI community, by cutting them off,” Shoebridge told the Senate.

Opposition Sen. Maria Kovacic said the bill was not radical but necessary. “The core focus of this legislation is simple: It demands that social media companies take reasonable steps to identify and remove underage users from their platforms,” Kovacic told the Senate.

“This is a responsibility these companies should have been fulfilling long ago, but for too long they have shirked these responsibilities in favor of profit,” she added.

Online safety campaigner Sonya Ryan, whose 15-year-old daughter Carly was murdered by a 50-year-old pedophile who pretended to be a teenager online, described the Senate vote as a “monumental moment in protecting our children from horrendous harms online.”

“It’s too late for my daughter, Carly, and the many other children who have suffered terribly and those who have lost their lives in Australia, but let us stand together on their behalf and embrace this together,” she told the AP in an email.

Wayne Holdsworth, whose teenage son Mac took his own life after falling victim to an online sextortion scam, had advocated for the age restriction and took pride in its passage.

“I have always been a proud Australian, but for me subsequent to today’s Senate decision, I am bursting with pride,” Holdsworth told the AP in an email.

Christopher Stone, executive director of Suicide Prevention Australia, the governing body for the suicide prevention sector, said the legislation failed to consider positive aspects of social media in supporting young people’s mental health and sense of connection.

“The government is running blindfolded into a brick wall by rushing this legislation. Young Australians deserve evidence-based policies, not decisions made in haste,” Stone said in a statement.

The platforms had complained that the law would be unworkable and had urged the Senate to delay the vote until at least June 2025 when a government-commissioned evaluation of age assurance technologies will report on how young children could be excluded.

“Naturally, we respect the laws decided by the Australian Parliament," Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms said in a statement. “However, we are concerned about the process which rushed the legislation through while failing to properly consider the evidence, what industry already does to ensure age-appropriate experiences, and the voices of young people.”

Critics argue the government is attempting to convince parents it is protecting their children ahead of a general election due by May. The government hopes that voters will reward it for responding to parents’ concerns about their children’s addiction to social media. Some argue the legislation could cause more harm than it prevents.

Criticisms include that the legislation was rushed through Parliament without adequate scrutiny, is ineffective, poses privacy risks for all users, and undermines the authority of parents to make decisions for their children.

Opponents also argue the ban would isolate children, deprive them of the positive aspects of social media, drive them to the dark web, discourage children too young for social media to report harm, and reduce incentives for platforms to improve online safety.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660141848593.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) —A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-ban-children-1abadf5445418c8c14f5f68cf76b38d0">social media ban for children</a>&nbsp;under 16 passed the Australian Senate Thursday and will soon become a world-first law.The law will make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent children younger than 16 from holding accounts.The Senate passed the bill 34 votes to 19. The House of Representatives on Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-young-children-bf0ca2aedaf61b71fe335421240e94c4">overwhelmingly approved</a>&nbsp;the legislation by 102 votes to 13.The House has yet to endorse opposition amendments made in the Senate. But that is a formality since the government has already agreed they will pass.The platforms will have one year to work out how they could implement the ban before penalties are enforced.Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said the legislation had been “rushed.”The amendments bolster privacy protections. Platforms would not be allowed to compel users to provide government-issued identity documents including passports or driver’s licenses, nor could they demand digital identification through a government system.The House is scheduled to pass the amendments on Friday. Critics of the legislation fear that banning young children from social media will impact the privacy of users who must establish they are older than 16.While the major parties support the ban, many child welfare and mental health advocates are concerned about unintended consequences.Sen. David Shoebridge, from the minority Greens party, said mental health experts agreed that the ban could dangerously isolate many children who used social media to find support.“This policy will hurt vulnerable young people the most, especially in regional communities and especially the LGBTQI community, by cutting them off,” Shoebridge told the Senate.Opposition Sen. Maria Kovacic said the bill was not radical but necessary. “The core focus of this legislation is simple: It demands that social media companies take reasonable steps to identify and remove underage users from their platforms,” Kovacic told the Senate.“This is a responsibility these companies should have been fulfilling long ago, but for too long they have shirked these responsibilities in favor of profit,” she added.Online safety campaigner Sonya Ryan, whose 15-year-old daughter Carly was murdered by a 50-year-old pedophile who pretended to be a teenager online, described the Senate vote as a “monumental moment in protecting our children from horrendous harms online.”“It’s too late for my daughter, Carly, and the many other children who have suffered terribly and those who have lost their lives in Australia, but let us stand together on their behalf and embrace this together,” she told the AP in an email.Wayne Holdsworth, whose teenage son Mac took his own life after falling victim to an online sextortion scam, had advocated for the age restriction and took pride in its passage.“I have always been a proud Australian, but for me subsequent to today’s Senate decision, I am bursting with pride,” Holdsworth told the AP in an email.Christopher Stone, executive director of Suicide Prevention Australia, the governing body for the suicide prevention sector, said the legislation failed to consider positive aspects of social media in supporting young people’s mental health and sense of connection.“The government is running blindfolded into a brick wall by rushing this legislation. Young Australians deserve evidence-based policies, not decisions made in haste,” Stone said in a statement.The platforms had complained that the law would be unworkable and had urged the Senate to delay the vote until at least June 2025 when a government-commissioned evaluation of age assurance technologies will report on how young children could be excluded.“Naturally, we respect the laws decided by the Australian Parliament," Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms said in a statement. “However, we are concerned about the process which rushed the legislation through while failing to properly consider the evidence, what industry already does to ensure age-appropriate experiences, and the voices of young people.”Critics argue the government is attempting to convince parents it is protecting their children ahead of a general election due by May. The government hopes that voters will reward it for responding to parents’ concerns about their children’s addiction to social media. Some argue the legislation could cause more harm than it prevents.Criticisms include that the legislation was rushed through Parliament without adequate scrutiny, is ineffective, poses privacy risks for all users, and undermines the authority of parents to make decisions for their children.Opponents also argue the ban would isolate children, deprive them of the positive aspects of social media, drive them to the dark web, discourage children too young for social media to report harm, and reduce incentives for platforms to improve online safety.____

World first: Australia bans minors from social media 

HARVEY COUNTY — Police are investigating an apparent drive-by shooting that occurred early Thursday in Newton.

Just before 4a.m.,&nbsp; officers were dispatched to the area of 6 SE Fourth Court in Newton on a report of gunfire. Officers found numerous shell casings in the street and multiple bullet holes in the house. Victims and witnesses at the house were largely uncooperative. No one was injured in the shooting.

During a canvass of the area, officers found a vehicle belonging to a neighboring house was also struck by gunfire.

Police believe the shooting stemmed from an earlier disturbance at the house. A search warrant was executed for the house and two vehicles, where evidence consistent with the shooting was recovered.

HARVEY COUNTY — Police are investigating an apparent drive-by shooting that occurred early Thursday in Newton.Just before 4a.m.,&nbsp; officers were dispatched to the area of 6 SE Fourth Court in Newton on a report of gunfire. Officers found numerous shell casings in the street and multiple bullet holes in the house. Victims and witnesses at the house were largely uncooperative. No one was injured in the shooting.During a canvass of the area, officers found a vehicle belonging to a neighboring house was also struck by gunfire.Police believe the shooting stemmed from an earlier disturbance at the house. A search warrant was executed for the house and two vehicles, where evidence consistent with the shooting was recovered.

Police: Thanksgiving Day drive-by shooting at home in Newton

SHAWNEE COUNTY —A Kansas teen injured in a motorcycle accident has died.

Just before 3p.m. November 21,&nbsp;Topeka Police Department Officers responded to a motorcycle, SUV accident at the intersection of SW Huntoon and SW Glendale in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.

The driver of the motorcycle, later identified as a 17-year-old boy sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The driver of the SUV also sustained injuries in the accident and was also transported to a local hospital.

On Wednesday night, police reported the driver of the motorcycle had died. Police did not release his name. The accident remains under investigation.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —A Kansas teen injured in a motorcycle accident has died.Just before 3p.m. November 21,&nbsp;Topeka Police Department Officers responded to a motorcycle, SUV accident at the intersection of SW Huntoon and SW Glendale in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.The driver of the motorcycle, later identified as a 17-year-old boy sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The driver of the SUV also sustained injuries in the accident and was also transported to a local hospital.On Wednesday night, police reported the driver of the motorcycle had died. Police did not release his name. The accident remains under investigation.

Kansas teen injured in motorcycle crash has died

WASHINGTON (AP) — Three American citizens imprisoned for years by China have been released and are returning to the United States, the White House said Wednesday, announcing a rare diplomatic agreement with Beijing in the final months of the Biden administration.

The Chinese government also announced Thursday that the U.S. had returned four people to China, including at least three Chinese citizens who it said had been held for “political purposes,” and a person who had been sought by Beijing for crimes and had been living in the United States. It did not identify the four.

The three Americans released by Beijing are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-detained-americans-congress-294b10f51d76c89af8c49f76b967ae00">Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung</a>, all of whom had been designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained by China.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e5db75c146b843a987328a38f459a295">Swidan</a>&nbsp;had been facing a death sentence on drug charges while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-hostages-wrongfully-detained-joe-biden-0fb40f42130f59dadb783e8a9823d3e1">Li</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-charged-spying-china-prison-2de86767bbc828ec4362af23fb271afd">Leung</a>&nbsp;were imprisoned on espionage charges.

A plane carrying the three men from China landed late Wednesday night at a military base in San Antonio, Texas.

The release comes just two months after China freed David Lin,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-american-detainee-released-pastor-ad3a2104bac2490f0d7eb773faaeafda">a Christian pastor from California</a>&nbsp;who had spent nearly 20 years behind bars after being convicted of contract fraud.

U.S.-China relations have been roiled for years over major disagreements between the world’s two largest economies on trade, human rights, the production of fentanyl precursors, security issues that include espionage and hacking, China’s aggressiveness toward Taiwan and its smaller neighbors in the South China Sea, and Beijing’s support for Russia’s military-industrial sector.

The release of Americans deemed wrongfully detained in China has been a top agenda item in each conversation between the U.S. and China, and Wednesday’s development suggests a willingness by Beijing to engage with the outgoing Democratic administration before Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January.

Trump took significant actions against China on trade and diplomacy during his first term. He has pledged to continue those policies in his second term, leading to unease among many who fear that an all-out trade war will greatly affect the international economy and could spur potential Chinese military action against Taiwan.

Still, the two countries have maintained a dialogue that has included a partial restoration of military-to-military contacts. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met this month to discuss potential improvements.

In a separate but related move, the State Department on Wednesday lowered its travel warning to China to “level two,” advising U.S. citizens to “exercise increased caution” from the norm when traveling to the mainland. The alert had previously been at “level three,” telling Americans they should “reconsider travel” to China in part because of the “risk of wrongful detention” of Americans.

The new alert removes that wording but retains a warning that the Chinese government “arbitrarily enforces local laws, including exit bans on U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries, without fair and transparent process under the law.”

The Biden administration had raised the cases of the detained Americans with China in multiple meetings over the past several years, including this month when Biden spoke to Xi on during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/peru-apec-biden-xi-lima-china-fc2ac014b2f7314bfa1a53351b0bc3a7">Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit</a>&nbsp;in Peru.

Politico was first to report the men’s release, which it said was part of a prisoner swap with the U.S. The White House did not immediately confirm that any Chinese citizens in American custody had been returned home.

However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced in Beijing on Thursday that “three Chinese citizens have returned to the motherland safe and sound."

“China always firmly opposes U.S. suppression and persecution of Chinese nationals out of political purposes, and we will continue taking necessary measures to defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese nationals,” she said.

She added that a fourth person, “a fugitive who escaped to the U.S. many years ago, has also been repatriated to China.”

The fourth person's nationality was not identified. Mao said “this shows that there will be no safe haven forever for criminals. The Chinese government will continue our efforts to repatriate the fugitives and recover criminals and illegal possessions until every fugitive is held accountable.”

Senators from both U.S. political parties praised the release of the Americans. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said he was “overjoyed” — Swidan's mother lives in Texas — and credited senior Biden administration officials with having “worked tirelessly to secure this achievement.”

Li, a Chinese immigrant who started an export business in the U.S. and lived in New York, was detained in September 2016 after flying into Shanghai. He was placed under surveillance, interrogated without a lawyer and accused of providing state secrets to the FBI. A U.N. working group called his 10-year prison sentence arbitrary and his family has said the charges were politically motivated.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who said he had worked for years to try to secure Li's release, welcomed the news.

“Even when it felt like there was no hope, we never stopped believing that one day Mr. Li would return home,” Schumer said in a statement.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-charged-spying-china-prison-2de86767bbc828ec4362af23fb271afd">Leung was sentenced last year</a>&nbsp;to life in prison on spying charges. He was detained in 2021, by the local bureau of China’s counterintelligence agency in the southeastern city of Suzhou after China had closed its borders and imposed tight domestic travel restrictions and social controls to fight the spread of COVID-19.

After Leung's sentencing,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-travel-advisory-8ee10ab5ed3b269ad3cdf4dfe715a22a">the U.S. recommended</a>&nbsp;— though without citing specific cases — that Americans reconsider traveling to China because of arbitrary law enforcement and exit bans and the risk of wrongful detentions.

Swidan had been jailed for the last 12 years on a drug charge and, along with Li and Leung, was considered by the State Department to be wrongfully detained.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732718331980.png" alt="Kai Li courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kai Li courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Three American citizens imprisoned for years by China have been released and are returning to the United States, the White House said Wednesday, announcing a rare diplomatic agreement with Beijing in the final months of the Biden administration.The Chinese government also announced Thursday that the U.S. had returned four people to China, including at least three Chinese citizens who it said had been held for “political purposes,” and a person who had been sought by Beijing for crimes and had been living in the United States. It did not identify the four.The three Americans released by Beijing are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-detained-americans-congress-294b10f51d76c89af8c49f76b967ae00">Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung</a>, all of whom had been designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained by China.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e5db75c146b843a987328a38f459a295">Swidan</a>&nbsp;had been facing a death sentence on drug charges while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-hostages-wrongfully-detained-joe-biden-0fb40f42130f59dadb783e8a9823d3e1">Li</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-charged-spying-china-prison-2de86767bbc828ec4362af23fb271afd">Leung</a>&nbsp;were imprisoned on espionage charges.A plane carrying the three men from China landed late Wednesday night at a military base in San Antonio, Texas.The release comes just two months after China freed David Lin,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-american-detainee-released-pastor-ad3a2104bac2490f0d7eb773faaeafda">a Christian pastor from California</a>&nbsp;who had spent nearly 20 years behind bars after being convicted of contract fraud.U.S.-China relations have been roiled for years over major disagreements between the world’s two largest economies on trade, human rights, the production of fentanyl precursors, security issues that include espionage and hacking, China’s aggressiveness toward Taiwan and its smaller neighbors in the South China Sea, and Beijing’s support for Russia’s military-industrial sector.The release of Americans deemed wrongfully detained in China has been a top agenda item in each conversation between the U.S. and China, and Wednesday’s development suggests a willingness by Beijing to engage with the outgoing Democratic administration before Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January.Trump took significant actions against China on trade and diplomacy during his first term. He has pledged to continue those policies in his second term, leading to unease among many who fear that an all-out trade war will greatly affect the international economy and could spur potential Chinese military action against Taiwan.Still, the two countries have maintained a dialogue that has included a partial restoration of military-to-military contacts. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met this month to discuss potential improvements.In a separate but related move, the State Department on Wednesday lowered its travel warning to China to “level two,” advising U.S. citizens to “exercise increased caution” from the norm when traveling to the mainland. The alert had previously been at “level three,” telling Americans they should “reconsider travel” to China in part because of the “risk of wrongful detention” of Americans.The new alert removes that wording but retains a warning that the Chinese government “arbitrarily enforces local laws, including exit bans on U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries, without fair and transparent process under the law.”The Biden administration had raised the cases of the detained Americans with China in multiple meetings over the past several years, including this month when Biden spoke to Xi on during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/peru-apec-biden-xi-lima-china-fc2ac014b2f7314bfa1a53351b0bc3a7">Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit</a>&nbsp;in Peru.Politico was first to report the men’s release, which it said was part of a prisoner swap with the U.S. The White House did not immediately confirm that any Chinese citizens in American custody had been returned home.However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced in Beijing on Thursday that “three Chinese citizens have returned to the motherland safe and sound."“China always firmly opposes U.S. suppression and persecution of Chinese nationals out of political purposes, and we will continue taking necessary measures to defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese nationals,” she said.She added that a fourth person, “a fugitive who escaped to the U.S. many years ago, has also been repatriated to China.”The fourth person's nationality was not identified. Mao said “this shows that there will be no safe haven forever for criminals. The Chinese government will continue our efforts to repatriate the fugitives and recover criminals and illegal possessions until every fugitive is held accountable.”Senators from both U.S. political parties praised the release of the Americans. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said he was “overjoyed” — Swidan's mother lives in Texas — and credited senior Biden administration officials with having “worked tirelessly to secure this achievement.”Li, a Chinese immigrant who started an export business in the U.S. and lived in New York, was detained in September 2016 after flying into Shanghai. He was placed under surveillance, interrogated without a lawyer and accused of providing state secrets to the FBI. A U.N. working group called his 10-year prison sentence arbitrary and his family has said the charges were politically motivated.Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who said he had worked for years to try to secure Li's release, welcomed the news.“Even when it felt like there was no hope, we never stopped believing that one day Mr. Li would return home,” Schumer said in a statement.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-charged-spying-china-prison-2de86767bbc828ec4362af23fb271afd">Leung was sentenced last year</a>&nbsp;to life in prison on spying charges. He was detained in 2021, by the local bureau of China’s counterintelligence agency in the southeastern city of Suzhou after China had closed its borders and imposed tight domestic travel restrictions and social controls to fight the spread of COVID-19.After Leung's sentencing,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-travel-advisory-8ee10ab5ed3b269ad3cdf4dfe715a22a">the U.S. recommended</a>&nbsp;— though without citing specific cases — that Americans reconsider traveling to China because of arbitrary law enforcement and exit bans and the risk of wrongful detentions.Swidan had been jailed for the last 12 years on a drug charge and, along with Li and Leung, was considered by the State Department to be wrongfully detained.

What the U.S. gave to China for release of 3 imprisoned Americans 

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Thanksgiving Eve is the busiest travel day of the year on U.S. roads. 

"It’s also of the most dangerous - for both man and beast, Kansas City, Kansas police reported on their social media page.

Just after 10a.m. Wednesday, northbound 635 at Interstate 70 was closed for several hours after a semi carrying 95 hogs, crashed and overturned.

The driver was not injured. Four of the hogs died in the crash.

KCKPD officers responded to assist Kansas Highway Patrol with traffic while Kansas City Kansas&nbsp; Animal Services&nbsp;officers and Director, Ashley Scott, coordinated and oversaw the safe transfer of the surviving hogs to a local holding facility.

"It may not be a typical example, but it definitely shows how important it is that KCK Animal Services works together with law enforcement to protect both residents and animals in the community."

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Thanksgiving Eve is the busiest travel day of the year on U.S. roads. "It’s also of the most dangerous - for both man and beast, Kansas City, Kansas police reported on their social media page.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732797378189.png" alt="Photo Kansas City, Kansas police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City, Kansas police</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 10a.m. Wednesday, northbound 635 at Interstate 70 was closed for several hours after a semi carrying 95 hogs, crashed and overturned.The driver was not injured. Four of the hogs died in the crash.KCKPD officers responded to assist Kansas Highway Patrol with traffic while Kansas City Kansas&nbsp; Animal Services&nbsp;officers and Director, Ashley Scott, coordinated and oversaw the safe transfer of the surviving hogs to a local holding facility. "It may not be a typical example, but it definitely shows how important it is that KCK Animal Services works together with law enforcement to protect both residents and animals in the community."

Semi  hauling pigs overturns on Kansas highway

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump declared a win on stopping illegal immigration through Mexico on Wednesday after talking with that country’s leader. But Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum suggested Mexico was already doing its part and had no interest in closing its borders.

The two spoke just days after Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-trade-policy-economy-0fb9740a4b42c734c75b64ba09c901d5">threatened to impose</a>&nbsp;sweeping new tariffs on Canada and Mexico as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs.

Trump said Sheinbaum “agreed to stop Migration through Mexico." Sheinbaum indicated separately on social media that she told Trump that Mexico is already “taking care of” migrant caravans, calling it an “excellent conversation.”

“We reiterate that Mexico’s position is not to close borders but to build bridges between governments and between peoples,” Sheinbaum added.

While the state of the proposed tariffs remained unclear, Trump said in a post on his Truth Social account that this was “effectively closing our Southern Border.” He called it a “very productive conversation.”

The exchange between the two leaders appeared to confirm for Trump the value of threatening to disrupt trade with import taxes. His initial social media post moved financial markets and gave him a response he was quick to describe as a win. Even if the proposed tariffs fail to materialize, Trump can tell supporters that the mere possibility of them is an effective policy tool and continue to rely on tariff threats.

Sheinbaum wrote on social media that the leaders “discussed Mexico’s strategy on migration issues, and I told him the caravans are not reaching the northern (U.S.) border, because Mexico is taking care of them.”

“We also talked about reinforcing cooperation on security issues, within the framework of our sovereignty, and the campaign we are carrying out to prevent fentanyl consumption," she said.

Illegal migration across the Mexico border is down in part because the Biden administration secured some stepped-up cooperation from Mexico — the sort Trump seems to be celebrating.

Arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/southwest-land-border-encounters">dropped 40%</a>&nbsp;from an all-time high in December. U.S. officials mostly credit Mexican vigilance around rail yards and highway checkpoints.

Driven by mounting pressure from the U.S. to block migrants going north, in the past few years Mexican authorities have turned to rounding them up across the country and sending them to southern Mexico, in a strategy seen by experts as an attempt to wear migrants out until they give up.

Neither side clarified the status of the tariffs. But their implementation could fuel higher prices and slow economic growth, potentially blowing up the trade agreement among the U.S., Canada and Mexico that was finalized in 2020 during Trump's previous time in the White House.

Trump on Monday said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders upon taking office on Jan. 20. He also proposed an additional 10% tariff on China tied to its exporting of materials used in the production of fentanyl.

In announcing his plans, he railed against the flow of fentanyl and migrants crossing into the U.S. illegally, even though southern border apprehensions have been hovering near four-year lows.

On Wednesday, Trump also posted that he plans a large scale ad campaign to explain “how bad Fentanyl is for people to use,” predicting it would educate people on “how really bad the horror of this Drug is.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drug-overdose-deaths-us-cdc-12e961d78cc0458e84a07e0b3f7d1bbc">dangerously powerful opioid</a>&nbsp;was developed to treat intense pain from ailments like cancer but has increasingly been mixed with other drugs in the illicit drug supply.

Through September, the United States has imported $378.9 billion in goods from Mexico, $322.2 billion from China and $309.3 billion from Canada.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726426633999.png" alt="File photo (AP/Alex Brandon)" />
 <figcaption>File photo (AP/Alex Brandon)</figcaption>
 </figure>WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump declared a win on stopping illegal immigration through Mexico on Wednesday after talking with that country’s leader. But Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum suggested Mexico was already doing its part and had no interest in closing its borders.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732760652454.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The two spoke just days after Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-trade-policy-economy-0fb9740a4b42c734c75b64ba09c901d5">threatened to impose</a>&nbsp;sweeping new tariffs on Canada and Mexico as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs.Trump said Sheinbaum “agreed to stop Migration through Mexico." Sheinbaum indicated separately on social media that she told Trump that Mexico is already “taking care of” migrant caravans, calling it an “excellent conversation.”“We reiterate that Mexico’s position is not to close borders but to build bridges between governments and between peoples,” Sheinbaum added.While the state of the proposed tariffs remained unclear, Trump said in a post on his Truth Social account that this was “effectively closing our Southern Border.” He called it a “very productive conversation.”The exchange between the two leaders appeared to confirm for Trump the value of threatening to disrupt trade with import taxes. His initial social media post moved financial markets and gave him a response he was quick to describe as a win. Even if the proposed tariffs fail to materialize, Trump can tell supporters that the mere possibility of them is an effective policy tool and continue to rely on tariff threats.Sheinbaum wrote on social media that the leaders “discussed Mexico’s strategy on migration issues, and I told him the caravans are not reaching the northern (U.S.) border, because Mexico is taking care of them.”“We also talked about reinforcing cooperation on security issues, within the framework of our sovereignty, and the campaign we are carrying out to prevent fentanyl consumption," she said.Illegal migration across the Mexico border is down in part because the Biden administration secured some stepped-up cooperation from Mexico — the sort Trump seems to be celebrating.Arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/southwest-land-border-encounters">dropped 40%</a>&nbsp;from an all-time high in December. U.S. officials mostly credit Mexican vigilance around rail yards and highway checkpoints.Driven by mounting pressure from the U.S. to block migrants going north, in the past few years Mexican authorities have turned to rounding them up across the country and sending them to southern Mexico, in a strategy seen by experts as an attempt to wear migrants out until they give up.Neither side clarified the status of the tariffs. But their implementation could fuel higher prices and slow economic growth, potentially blowing up the trade agreement among the U.S., Canada and Mexico that was finalized in 2020 during Trump's previous time in the White House.Trump on Monday said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders upon taking office on Jan. 20. He also proposed an additional 10% tariff on China tied to its exporting of materials used in the production of fentanyl.In announcing his plans, he railed against the flow of fentanyl and migrants crossing into the U.S. illegally, even though southern border apprehensions have been hovering near four-year lows.On Wednesday, Trump also posted that he plans a large scale ad campaign to explain “how bad Fentanyl is for people to use,” predicting it would educate people on “how really bad the horror of this Drug is.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drug-overdose-deaths-us-cdc-12e961d78cc0458e84a07e0b3f7d1bbc">dangerously powerful opioid</a>&nbsp;was developed to treat intense pain from ailments like cancer but has increasingly been mixed with other drugs in the illicit drug supply.Through September, the United States has imported $378.9 billion in goods from Mexico, $322.2 billion from China and $309.3 billion from Canada.

Trump claims a win on immigration after a call with Mexico's president

SEDGWICK COUNTY– The Wichita Police Department has arrested a suspect involved in a sexual assault and also located a second survivor from a previous incident.

Just after 9:30p.m. November 19, a female victim was walking home in the 500 block of W. Skinner in Wichita when a male suspect approached her in a red Toyota Corolla, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

 The suspect solicited her, offering money for sexual acts. When she did not respond and continued walking, he threatened to harm her. The situation escalated, and he struck her with his vehicle, dragged her inside, and forcibly drove her to an alley in the 1600 block of S. Waco.

The suspect subjected the victim to a violent sexual assault before returning her to her residence. He photographed her ID to obtain her address and issued death threats should she report the crime.

Displaying remarkable resilience and strength, the victim noted the suspect's license plate, called 911 and provided officers with detailed information.

Patrol South officers quickly responded and used Flock camera technology to identify a vehicle that matched the suspect's description. Further investigation, in collaboration with the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office, connected the vehicle to a relative of the suspect in Haysville.

Through tireless investigative efforts by police, including the Domestic Violence Intervention Response Team (DVIRT), critical evidence was obtained, leading to the arrest of the suspect, Christopher Calisay.

The case was presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office, resulting in the following charges: Aggravated Kidnapping, Two counts of Rape, Sodomy, Two counts of Aggravated Battery and&nbsp; Criminal Threat.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732743473584.png" alt="Calisay photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Calisay photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY– The Wichita Police Department has arrested a suspect involved in a sexual assault and also located a second survivor from a previous incident.Just after 9:30p.m. November 19, a female victim was walking home in the 500 block of W. Skinner in Wichita when a male suspect approached her in a red Toyota Corolla, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo. The suspect solicited her, offering money for sexual acts. When she did not respond and continued walking, he threatened to harm her. The situation escalated, and he struck her with his vehicle, dragged her inside, and forcibly drove her to an alley in the 1600 block of S. Waco.The suspect subjected the victim to a violent sexual assault before returning her to her residence. He photographed her ID to obtain her address and issued death threats should she report the crime.Displaying remarkable resilience and strength, the victim noted the suspect's license plate, called 911 and provided officers with detailed information.Patrol South officers quickly responded and used Flock camera technology to identify a vehicle that matched the suspect's description. Further investigation, in collaboration with the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office, connected the vehicle to a relative of the suspect in Haysville.Through tireless investigative efforts by police, including the Domestic Violence Intervention Response Team (DVIRT), critical evidence was obtained, leading to the arrest of the suspect, Christopher Calisay.The case was presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office, resulting in the following charges: Aggravated Kidnapping, Two counts of Rape, Sodomy, Two counts of Aggravated Battery and&nbsp; Criminal Threat.

Suspect jailed for violent sex assault of Kansas woman 

KANSAS CITY —With the busy travel weekend underway, the Transportation Security Administration reminded travelers there is zero tolerance for assaults against any of their employees.

Earlier this year, a Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) TSA officer was carrying passenger Ma ‘Kiah Cherae Coleman’s property to an inspection table for an additional search when Coleman became unruly.

“After being told that it (her bag) had to be checked, the passenger jumped onto the search table and attempted to pull the bin away from the officers,” said Lead Officer Alexander Deutsch.

After an unsuccessful attempt to retrieve her property, Coleman physically assaulted multiple TSA officers before airport police arrested her. Two TSA officers were transported to the hospital with minor injuries, released and reported back to duty the same day.

In June 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a press release announcing Coleman’s federal indictment in the District of Arizona and explained why Deutsch’s first day as lead officer at PHX was memorable for all the wrong reasons.&nbsp;

“The indictment alleges that, at approximately 6:00 a.m. on April 25, 2023, at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, Coleman interfered with TSA officers who were conducting security screenings at Security Checkpoint D of Terminal 4. The indictment further alleges that during her interference with TSA officers, Coleman inflicted bodily injury on two TSA officers; specifically, she grabbed one officer by the hair, forcing the officer’s head down against a table, and hitting the officer in the head multiple times, and elbowed the other TSA officer in the head. Coleman also is alleged to have bit the hair of a third&nbsp;TSA officer who had come to the aid of the other two officers who were struggling with Coleman during the altercation.”

On April 23, 2024, Coleman pleaded guilty to assault on a federal officer, inflicting bodily injury and was sentenced in September to four months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. She is also banned from traveling by commercial aircraft during her time of supervised release.&nbsp;

“Every assault on an officer is an affront to the hard work they do every single day to protect the traveling public,” said PHX Federal Security Director Jerry Agnew. “Assaults are quickly addressed with the help of our airport law enforcement and attorneys to prosecute these cases.”

TSA takes a zero-tolerance approach to assaults against any TSA employee. Since 2021, 472 total assault cases were reported, with 161 occurring in fiscal 2024. Of those this past year, 44 were tried criminally and eight are closed, with the bulk of the cases at the state or local level. TSA works closely with law enforcement and prosecutors to assist in producing evidence and witnesses in criminal cases.

“During the sentencing hearing, the judge expressed appreciation for Lead Officer Deutsch's victim-impact statement and acknowledged TSA’s vital role in safeguarding the nation’s transportation systems,” said Kalah Polk, TSA Attorney-Advisor, Field Operations. “He noted the frequent mistreatment faced by officers from passengers and recognized the critical function the TSA serves in ensuring the safety of travelers. The judge conveyed the substantial responsibility he holds in balancing the necessity of imposing a penalty on Ms. Coleman for the assault on our officer with the consideration of her mental health.”

“For the purposes of TSA issuing a civil penalty, ‘assault’ refers to an instance of an individual making physical contact&nbsp;with a TSA employee in the course of the TSA employee’s screening duties, and that physical contact is offensive or otherwise without legal justification,” explained TSA Senior Counsel, Field Operations Joanna Han.&nbsp;

“Regardless of whether there is a criminal prosecution, TSA will pursue a civil enforcement action for nearly every case – no matter the level of injury,” said Han. “It is really important that the affected officer report the assault so that transportation security inspectors can conduct an administrative investigation in a timely and thorough manner. From there, TSA attorneys in the field will take the assault case through the civil enforcement process and may pursue monetary penalties.” Han stressed that an intent to injure or cause physical pain is not required, nor is an actual physical injury required to pursue a civil enforcement case.

TSA initiated 433 civil enforcement cases since 2021, with 139 of those this past fiscal year.&nbsp;A total of $738,987 in enforcement fines have been collected since 2021 and sent to the U.S. Treasury.

“I absolutely believe every one of these cases should be quickly and appropriately addressed,” said Agnew.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732540619820.png" alt="Photos TSA" />
 <figcaption>Photos TSA</figcaption>
 </figure>By Karen Robicheaux, TSAKANSAS CITY —With the busy travel weekend underway, the Transportation Security Administration reminded travelers there is zero tolerance for assaults against any of their employees.Earlier this year, a Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) TSA officer was carrying passenger Ma ‘Kiah Cherae Coleman’s property to an inspection table for an additional search when Coleman became unruly.“After being told that it (her bag) had to be checked, the passenger jumped onto the search table and attempted to pull the bin away from the officers,” said Lead Officer Alexander Deutsch.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732540581509.png" alt="Photo TSA" />
 <figcaption>Photo TSA</figcaption>
 </figure>After an unsuccessful attempt to retrieve her property, Coleman physically assaulted multiple TSA officers before airport police arrested her. Two TSA officers were transported to the hospital with minor injuries, released and reported back to duty the same day.In June 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a press release announcing Coleman’s federal indictment in the District of Arizona and explained why Deutsch’s first day as lead officer at PHX was memorable for all the wrong reasons.&nbsp;“The indictment alleges that, at approximately 6:00 a.m. on April 25, 2023, at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, Coleman interfered with TSA officers who were conducting security screenings at Security Checkpoint D of Terminal 4. The indictment further alleges that during her interference with TSA officers, Coleman inflicted bodily injury on two TSA officers; specifically, she grabbed one officer by the hair, forcing the officer’s head down against a table, and hitting the officer in the head multiple times, and elbowed the other TSA officer in the head. Coleman also is alleged to have bit the hair of a third&nbsp;TSA officer who had come to the aid of the other two officers who were struggling with Coleman during the altercation.”On April 23, 2024, Coleman pleaded guilty to assault on a federal officer, inflicting bodily injury and was sentenced in September to four months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. She is also banned from traveling by commercial aircraft during her time of supervised release.&nbsp;“Every assault on an officer is an affront to the hard work they do every single day to protect the traveling public,” said PHX Federal Security Director Jerry Agnew. “Assaults are quickly addressed with the help of our airport law enforcement and attorneys to prosecute these cases.”TSA takes a zero-tolerance approach to assaults against any TSA employee. Since 2021, 472 total assault cases were reported, with 161 occurring in fiscal 2024. Of those this past year, 44 were tried criminally and eight are closed, with the bulk of the cases at the state or local level. TSA works closely with law enforcement and prosecutors to assist in producing evidence and witnesses in criminal cases.“During the sentencing hearing, the judge expressed appreciation for Lead Officer Deutsch's victim-impact statement and acknowledged TSA’s vital role in safeguarding the nation’s transportation systems,” said Kalah Polk, TSA Attorney-Advisor, Field Operations. “He noted the frequent mistreatment faced by officers from passengers and recognized the critical function the TSA serves in ensuring the safety of travelers. The judge conveyed the substantial responsibility he holds in balancing the necessity of imposing a penalty on Ms. Coleman for the assault on our officer with the consideration of her mental health.”“For the purposes of TSA issuing a civil penalty, ‘assault’ refers to an instance of an individual making physical contact&nbsp;with a TSA employee in the course of the TSA employee’s screening duties, and that physical contact is offensive or otherwise without legal justification,” explained TSA Senior Counsel, Field Operations Joanna Han.&nbsp;“Regardless of whether there is a criminal prosecution, TSA will pursue a civil enforcement action for nearly every case – no matter the level of injury,” said Han. “It is really important that the affected officer report the assault so that transportation security inspectors can conduct an administrative investigation in a timely and thorough manner. From there, TSA attorneys in the field will take the assault case through the civil enforcement process and may pursue monetary penalties.” Han stressed that an intent to injure or cause physical pain is not required, nor is an actual physical injury required to pursue a civil enforcement case.TSA initiated 433 civil enforcement cases since 2021, with 139 of those this past fiscal year.&nbsp;A total of $738,987 in enforcement fines have been collected since 2021 and sent to the U.S. Treasury.“I absolutely believe every one of these cases should be quickly and appropriately addressed,” said Agnew.

Travel alert: Zero-tolerance for assaults against any TSA employees

KANSAS CITY —A window washer has much for which to be thankful this Thanksgiving.

Just after 8:30a.m. Wednesday, the Kansas City Fire Department responded to a reported window washer stuck approximately 8 floors above the ground at 903 E. 104th Street, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

Crews found the window washer hanging from his safety line some 8 floors above the ground. KCFD was able to send a Rescue Firefighter over the roof and secure a second line to the individual.

Crews then used that line to lower the individual to the ground. The aerial ladder was unable to reach the height needed to rescue the individual. No injuries were reported at this incident, according to Hopkins.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732722810055.png" alt="Photos Kansas City Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photos Kansas City Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A window washer has much for which to be thankful this Thanksgiving.Just after 8:30a.m. Wednesday, the Kansas City Fire Department responded to a reported window washer stuck approximately 8 floors above the ground at 903 E. 104th Street, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.Crews found the window washer hanging from his safety line some 8 floors above the ground. KCFD was able to send a Rescue Firefighter over the roof and secure a second line to the individual.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732723227231.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Crews then used that line to lower the individual to the ground. The aerial ladder was unable to reach the height needed to rescue the individual. No injuries were reported at this incident, according to Hopkins.

Window washer rescued from Kansas City high-rise

DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai is recalling more than 226,000 SUVs and small cars in the U.S. because the rearview camera image may not show up on the screens.

The recall&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCAK-24V879-2090.pdf">covers certain Santa Fe and Elantra</a>&nbsp;vehicles from the 2021 and 2022 model years.

Hyundai says in documents posted Wednesday by U.S. safety regulators that solder joints on a printed circuit board can develop cracks that can worsen over time and cause the cameras to fail. That can reduce visibility and increase the risk of injury to pedestrians.

DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai is recalling more than 226,000 SUVs and small cars in the U.S. because the rearview camera image may not show up on the screens.The recall&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCAK-24V879-2090.pdf">covers certain Santa Fe and Elantra</a>&nbsp;vehicles from the 2021 and 2022 model years.Hyundai says in documents posted Wednesday by U.S. safety regulators that solder joints on a printed circuit board can develop cracks that can worsen over time and cause the cameras to fail. That can reduce visibility and increase the risk of injury to pedestrians.

Hyundai recalling over 226,000 cars, SUVs to fix rearview cameras 

Licenses for bets from within the state could be issued by summer, six months before deadline set in Amendment 2, director of gaming commission says

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

The&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/06/missouri-voters-narrowly-approve-sports-betting-amendment/">thin margin on Amendment 2</a>&nbsp;to legalize sports wagering, threatened when almost 10,000 unreported votes in Christian County were&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/18/margin-on-missouri-sports-betting-amendment-narrows-as-counties-tally-official-results/">heavily against it</a>, appears safe in a review of official returns posted on county election websites.

And while the Missouri Constitution makes new amendments effective 30 days after the election, passage won’t immediately pull down the geofences that block Missouri gamblers from using accounts linked to licenses in other states.

“We get these calls every single day, ‘can I start making bets?’” said Mike Leara, executive director of the Missouri Gaming Commission.

Gamblers will have to continue crossing state lines until the commission can issue licenses next year, Leara said.

“It takes some sort of rules and guidelines, because, first of all, the taxation that’s involved,” Leara said. “We have to have a process for that, and then our (Code of State Regulations) process is a minimum of six months.”

When the counting stopped on Nov. 5, Amendment 2 was ahead by 4,365 votes out of 2.9 million cast, a difference of 0.15%. The Christian County official returns reduced that margin to 371 votes.

Official returns from other counties, checked online by The Independent, expanded the margin to 2,877 votes. The tallies include returns from 23 of the 25 counties with the largest number of votes.

Winning for Missouri Education, the campaign committee behind the initiative, has a tally of returns from all 116 election jurisdictions showing a final margin of 2,971 votes.

“Our coalition is so thankful that Missouri voters supported Amendment 2, so that we keep the revenues from sports betting in Missouri, which helps our local communities, our professional sports teams, and will provide millions in new education funding for Missouri classrooms each year,” said Jack Cardetti, spokesperson for Winning for Missouri Education.

Official results must be certified by the State Board of Canvassers&nbsp;<a href="https://enr.sos.mo.gov/" target="_blank">no later than Dec. 10</a>. The date has not been set and the two judges who will join Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft for the job have not been selected, spokesman JoDonn Chaney said Tuesday.

The margin, regardless of the final count, will be within the margin allowing for a recount. None has been requested so far, Chaney said.

Winning for Missouri Education raised a record amount for a ballot measure, $43 million, and survived a $15 million opposition campaign financed by Caesars Entertainment, owners of three casinos in Missouri.

The opposition campaign abruptly pulled its television ads&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/opponents-of-missouri-sports-betting-amendment-pull-tv-ads-in-campaigns-homestretch/">three weeks before the election</a>. Leara said the company may have misunderstood the language of the amendment, believing it was weighted in favor of online gambling platforms that aren’t owned by casino companies.

The parent companies of two of those “untethered” platforms, DraftKings and FanDuel, provided $41 million of the funds raised by Winning for Missouri Education. The remainder came from the state’s six major professional sports teams.

The amendment authorizes both in-person and online gambling.

The gaming commission will issue licenses for in-person sports wagering at the 13 existing casinos and a location in a district near a major professional sports arena.&nbsp;

The major sports teams would also be allowed to license a branded online platform. There will be two online-only licenses.

The opposition from Caesars was over how many online licenses existing casino companies could obtain.

On Tuesday, Leara said each casino operating company could apply for an online license, and each casino location could apply for an online license as well.

For Caesars, that would be four — one for Caesars Entertainment, and one each for the Horseshoe Casino in St. Louis, Isle of Capri in Boonville and Harrah’s in Kansas City.

“There was some ambiguity in the understanding of, would there be a license for each one of the casinos?” Leara said.

The commission asked for input from Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office and its legal counsel and decided the amendment authorizes an online platform, known as a “skin,” for every casino, Leara said.

“When they figured out from our guidance that we intend to issue a skin for each casino, each sports team and the two untethered, they didn’t tell me they were backing down, but it looks like that’s what happened,” he said.

The first goal in the timeline for licensing is to issue emergency rules for applications in January, Leara said. The first temporary licenses could be issued by late June, he said.

“We’re looking at a streamlined process for that to initially authorize sports betting at that time,” Leara said.&nbsp;

The commission licensing process requires ownership investigations and other steps, so companies with existing licenses will be first to receive temporary licenses, Leara said. DraftKings and FanDuel are already licensed to provide fantasy sports games and the casinos are already licensed to offer gambling.

“Those are definitely optimistic timelines,” Leara said. “But so far, we’re on track, so when we issue that first temporary license, then they will be able to start accepting those bets from within Missouri.”

<h2>Licenses for bets from within the state could be issued by summer, six months before deadline set in Amendment 2, director of gaming commission says</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>The&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/06/missouri-voters-narrowly-approve-sports-betting-amendment/">thin margin on Amendment 2</a>&nbsp;to legalize sports wagering, threatened when almost 10,000 unreported votes in Christian County were&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/18/margin-on-missouri-sports-betting-amendment-narrows-as-counties-tally-official-results/">heavily against it</a>, appears safe in a review of official returns posted on county election websites.And while the Missouri Constitution makes new amendments effective 30 days after the election, passage won’t immediately pull down the geofences that block Missouri gamblers from using accounts linked to licenses in other states.“We get these calls every single day, ‘can I start making bets?’” said Mike Leara, executive director of the Missouri Gaming Commission.Gamblers will have to continue crossing state lines until the commission can issue licenses next year, Leara said.“It takes some sort of rules and guidelines, because, first of all, the taxation that’s involved,” Leara said. “We have to have a process for that, and then our (Code of State Regulations) process is a minimum of six months.”When the counting stopped on Nov. 5, Amendment 2 was ahead by 4,365 votes out of 2.9 million cast, a difference of 0.15%. The Christian County official returns reduced that margin to 371 votes.Official returns from other counties, checked online by The Independent, expanded the margin to 2,877 votes. The tallies include returns from 23 of the 25 counties with the largest number of votes.Winning for Missouri Education, the campaign committee behind the initiative, has a tally of returns from all 116 election jurisdictions showing a final margin of 2,971 votes.“Our coalition is so thankful that Missouri voters supported Amendment 2, so that we keep the revenues from sports betting in Missouri, which helps our local communities, our professional sports teams, and will provide millions in new education funding for Missouri classrooms each year,” said Jack Cardetti, spokesperson for Winning for Missouri Education.Official results must be certified by the State Board of Canvassers&nbsp;<a href="https://enr.sos.mo.gov/" target="_blank">no later than Dec. 10</a>. The date has not been set and the two judges who will join Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft for the job have not been selected, spokesman JoDonn Chaney said Tuesday.The margin, regardless of the final count, will be within the margin allowing for a recount. None has been requested so far, Chaney said.Winning for Missouri Education raised a record amount for a ballot measure, $43 million, and survived a $15 million opposition campaign financed by Caesars Entertainment, owners of three casinos in Missouri.The opposition campaign abruptly pulled its television ads&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/opponents-of-missouri-sports-betting-amendment-pull-tv-ads-in-campaigns-homestretch/">three weeks before the election</a>. Leara said the company may have misunderstood the language of the amendment, believing it was weighted in favor of online gambling platforms that aren’t owned by casino companies.The parent companies of two of those “untethered” platforms, DraftKings and FanDuel, provided $41 million of the funds raised by Winning for Missouri Education. The remainder came from the state’s six major professional sports teams.The amendment authorizes both in-person and online gambling.The gaming commission will issue licenses for in-person sports wagering at the 13 existing casinos and a location in a district near a major professional sports arena.&nbsp;The major sports teams would also be allowed to license a branded online platform. There will be two online-only licenses.The opposition from Caesars was over how many online licenses existing casino companies could obtain.On Tuesday, Leara said each casino operating company could apply for an online license, and each casino location could apply for an online license as well.For Caesars, that would be four — one for Caesars Entertainment, and one each for the Horseshoe Casino in St. Louis, Isle of Capri in Boonville and Harrah’s in Kansas City.“There was some ambiguity in the understanding of, would there be a license for each one of the casinos?” Leara said.The commission asked for input from Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office and its legal counsel and decided the amendment authorizes an online platform, known as a “skin,” for every casino, Leara said.“When they figured out from our guidance that we intend to issue a skin for each casino, each sports team and the two untethered, they didn’t tell me they were backing down, but it looks like that’s what happened,” he said.The first goal in the timeline for licensing is to issue emergency rules for applications in January, Leara said. The first temporary licenses could be issued by late June, he said.“We’re looking at a streamlined process for that to initially authorize sports betting at that time,” Leara said.&nbsp;The commission licensing process requires ownership investigations and other steps, so companies with existing licenses will be first to receive temporary licenses, Leara said. DraftKings and FanDuel are already licensed to provide fantasy sports games and the casinos are already licensed to offer gambling.“Those are definitely optimistic timelines,” Leara said. “But so far, we’re on track, so when we issue that first temporary license, then they will be able to start accepting those bets from within Missouri.”

Passage of Missouri sports wagering seems assured despite narrow margin

NEW YORK (AP) — Several of President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;‘s Cabinet picks and appointees have been targeted by bomb threats and “swatting attacks,” Trump’s transition said Wednesday.

“Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them,” Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.

She said the attacks “ranged from bomb threats to ‘swatting.’ In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action.”

Swatting entails generating an emergency law enforcement response against a target victim under false pretenses.

The FBI said in a statement that it is “aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners. We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.”

Among those targeted was New York Rep. Elise Stefanik,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-united-nations-elise-stefanik-ambassador-2b482fb39a8d6f03d389d27cc8820056">Trump’s pick to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations</a>.

Her office said that, Wednesday morning, she, her husband, and their 3-year-old son were driving home from Washington for Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat to their residence in Saratoga County.

“New York State, County law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police responded immediately with the highest levels of professionalism,” her office said in a statement. “We are incredibly appreciative of the extraordinary dedication of law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe 24/7.”

In Florida, meanwhile, the Okaloosa County sheriff’s office&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OkaloosaSheriff/" target="_blank">said in an advisory posted on Facebook</a>&nbsp;that it “received notification of a bomb threat referencing former Congressman Matt Gaetz’s supposed mailbox at a home in the Niceville area around 9 a.m. this morning.”

While a family member resides at the address, they said “former Congressman Gaetz is NOT a resident. “The mailbox however was cleared and no devices were located. The immediate area was also searched with negative results.”

Gaetz was Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pete-hegseth-sexual-assault-allegations-15b223953a668e63d8b947fdaeaa51d4">he withdrew from consideration</a>&nbsp;amid allegations that he paid women for sex and slept with underage women. Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and said last year that a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls had ended with no federal charges against him.

The threats follow a political campaign marked by unusual violence. In July, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing the then-candidate in the ear with a bullet and killing one of his supporters. The U.S. Secret Service later thwarted a subsequent assassination attempt at Trump’s West Palm Beach, Florida, golf course when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through a perimeter fence while Trump was golfing.

___ Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer and Eric Tucker contributed to this report from Washington.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731349681761.png" alt="File photo Rep. Elise Stefanik and&nbsp;Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu . She is Trump pick as the&nbsp;next ambassador to the United Nations." />
 <figcaption>File photo Rep. Elise Stefanik and&nbsp;Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu . She is Trump pick as the&nbsp;next ambassador to the United Nations.</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Several of President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;‘s Cabinet picks and appointees have been targeted by bomb threats and “swatting attacks,” Trump’s transition said Wednesday.“Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them,” Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.She said the attacks “ranged from bomb threats to ‘swatting.’ In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action.”Swatting entails generating an emergency law enforcement response against a target victim under false pretenses.The FBI said in a statement that it is “aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners. We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.”Among those targeted was New York Rep. Elise Stefanik,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-united-nations-elise-stefanik-ambassador-2b482fb39a8d6f03d389d27cc8820056">Trump’s pick to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations</a>.Her office said that, Wednesday morning, she, her husband, and their 3-year-old son were driving home from Washington for Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat to their residence in Saratoga County.“New York State, County law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police responded immediately with the highest levels of professionalism,” her office said in a statement. “We are incredibly appreciative of the extraordinary dedication of law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe 24/7.”<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FOkaloosaSheriff%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0hA3dAHLdqbA9WxDy261ooFuW6Xt82jhx6vm1XCvttENEaTPq3yg8vMyjWdpSTe6il&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="298" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>In Florida, meanwhile, the Okaloosa County sheriff’s office&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OkaloosaSheriff/" target="_blank">said in an advisory posted on Facebook</a>&nbsp;that it “received notification of a bomb threat referencing former Congressman Matt Gaetz’s supposed mailbox at a home in the Niceville area around 9 a.m. this morning.”While a family member resides at the address, they said “former Congressman Gaetz is NOT a resident. “The mailbox however was cleared and no devices were located. The immediate area was also searched with negative results.”Gaetz was Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pete-hegseth-sexual-assault-allegations-15b223953a668e63d8b947fdaeaa51d4">he withdrew from consideration</a>&nbsp;amid allegations that he paid women for sex and slept with underage women. Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and said last year that a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls had ended with no federal charges against him.The threats follow a political campaign marked by unusual violence. In July, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing the then-candidate in the ear with a bullet and killing one of his supporters. The U.S. Secret Service later thwarted a subsequent assassination attempt at Trump’s West Palm Beach, Florida, golf course when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through a perimeter fence while Trump was golfing.___ Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer and Eric Tucker contributed to this report from Washington.<figure>
 <img src="https://ads.stickyadstv.com/user-matching?id=2545&amp;_fw_gdpr=&amp;_fw_gdpr_consent=" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Trump appointees targeted by bomb threats, swatting attacks

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in connection with a shooting on Halloween that left a 13-year-old boy dead made his first court appearance in the case Tuesday.

Jermal Campbell, 19, was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of criminal discharge of firearm, three counts of aggravated assault and one count of aggravated battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On Monday, Campbell finally turned himself in, according to the Wichita Police Department.

Just after 10:30p.m. October 31, police responded to a report of gunfire at the QuikTrip located at Central and Oliver in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

Officers discovered evidence of a shooting and the convenience store. Simultaneously, a walk-in report was received from a local hospital indicating that a private vehicle had transported victims of this incident for treatment.

The victims included a 15-year-old boy from Wichita, who suffered a gunshot wound to the leg, and a 13-year-old boy who sustained a fatal gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased shortly after arrival at the hospital.

Initial investigations reveal that a disturbance occurred in the QuikTrip parking lot, leading to the suspect firing at a crowd, which tragically resulted in injuries to the two victims.

On November 6, police arrested a 19-year-old&nbsp;Carrice Profit, Campbell's cousin in connection with the killing, according to Wichita Police spokesman Andrew Ford.&nbsp;

Profit was charged with 1st degree murder and criminal discharge of a firearm, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. She remains jailed on a $350,000 bond. Campbell remains in jail on a $1,000,000.00 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732583489717.png" alt="Campbell photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Campbell photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in connection with a shooting on Halloween that left a 13-year-old boy dead made his first court appearance in the case Tuesday.Jermal Campbell, 19, was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of criminal discharge of firearm, three counts of aggravated assault and one count of aggravated battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On Monday, Campbell finally turned himself in, according to the Wichita Police Department.Just after 10:30p.m. October 31, police responded to a report of gunfire at the QuikTrip located at Central and Oliver in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730455429350.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers discovered evidence of a shooting and the convenience store. Simultaneously, a walk-in report was received from a local hospital indicating that a private vehicle had transported victims of this incident for treatment.The victims included a 15-year-old boy from Wichita, who suffered a gunshot wound to the leg, and a 13-year-old boy who sustained a fatal gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased shortly after arrival at the hospital.Initial investigations reveal that a disturbance occurred in the QuikTrip parking lot, leading to the suspect firing at a crowd, which tragically resulted in injuries to the two victims.On November 6, police arrested a 19-year-old&nbsp;Carrice Profit, Campbell's cousin in connection with the killing, according to Wichita Police spokesman Andrew Ford.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730979564649.png" alt="Profit photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Profit photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Profit was charged with 1st degree murder and criminal discharge of a firearm, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. She remains jailed on a $350,000 bond. Campbell remains in jail on a $1,000,000.00 bond.

Kan. suspect in Halloween killing of 13-year-old appears in court

WASHINGTON (AP) — Three American citizens imprisoned for years by China have been released and are returning to the United States, the White House said Wednesday, announcing a diplomatic agreement with Beijing in the final months of the Biden administration.

The three are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-detained-americans-congress-294b10f51d76c89af8c49f76b967ae00">Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung</a>, all of whom had been designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained by China.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e5db75c146b843a987328a38f459a295">Swidan</a>&nbsp;had been facing a death sentence on drug charges while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-hostages-wrongfully-detained-joe-biden-0fb40f42130f59dadb783e8a9823d3e1">Li</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-charged-spying-china-prison-2de86767bbc828ec4362af23fb271afd">Leung</a>&nbsp;were imprisoned on espionage charges.

“Soon they will return and be reunited with their families for the first time in many years,” the White House said in a statement.

Still, the two countries have maintained a dialogue that has included a partial restoration of military-to-military contacts. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met earlier this month to discuss potential improvements.

A U.S. official said the Biden administration had raised the cases of the detained Americans with China in multiple meetings over the past several years, including earlier this month when Biden spoke to Xi on the sidelines of the annual&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/peru-apec-biden-xi-lima-china-fc2ac014b2f7314bfa1a53351b0bc3a7">Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit</a>&nbsp;in Peru.

Politico was first to report the men’s release, which it said was part of a prisoner swap with the U.S. The White House did not immediately confirm that any Chinese citizens had been returned home.

Li, a Chinese immigrant who started an export business in the U.S., was detained in September 2016 after flying into Shanghai. He was placed under surveillance, interrogated without a lawyer and accused of providing state secrets to the FBI. A U.N. working group called his 10-year prison sentence arbitrary and his family said the charges were politically motivated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732718107986.png" alt="Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Three American citizens imprisoned for years by China have been released and are returning to the United States, the White House said Wednesday, announcing a diplomatic agreement with Beijing in the final months of the Biden administration.The three are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-detained-americans-congress-294b10f51d76c89af8c49f76b967ae00">Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung</a>, all of whom had been designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained by China.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e5db75c146b843a987328a38f459a295">Swidan</a>&nbsp;had been facing a death sentence on drug charges while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-hostages-wrongfully-detained-joe-biden-0fb40f42130f59dadb783e8a9823d3e1">Li</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-charged-spying-china-prison-2de86767bbc828ec4362af23fb271afd">Leung</a>&nbsp;were imprisoned on espionage charges.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732718331980.png" alt="Kai Li courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Kai Li courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>“Soon they will return and be reunited with their families for the first time in many years,” the White House said in a statement.The release comes just two months after China freed David Lin,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-american-detainee-released-pastor-ad3a2104bac2490f0d7eb773faaeafda">a Christian pastor from California</a>&nbsp;who had spent nearly 20 years behind bars after being convicted of contract fraud.U.S.-China relations have been roiled for years over major disagreements between the world’s two largest economies on trade, human rights, the production of fentanyl precursors, security issues that include espionage and hacking, China’s aggressiveness toward Taiwan and its smaller neighbors in the South China Sea, and Beijing’s support for Russia’s military-industrial sector.The release of Americans deemed wrongfully detained in China has been a top agenda item in each conversation between the U.S. and China, and Wednesday’s development suggests a willingness by Beijing to engage with the outgoing Democratic administration before Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January.Trump took significant actions against China on trade and diplomacy during his first term. He has pledged to continue those policies in his second term, leading to unease among many who fear that an all-out trade war will greatly affect the international economy and could spur potential Chinese military action against Taiwan.Still, the two countries have maintained a dialogue that has included a partial restoration of military-to-military contacts. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met earlier this month to discuss potential improvements.A U.S. official said the Biden administration had raised the cases of the detained Americans with China in multiple meetings over the past several years, including earlier this month when Biden spoke to Xi on the sidelines of the annual&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/peru-apec-biden-xi-lima-china-fc2ac014b2f7314bfa1a53351b0bc3a7">Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit</a>&nbsp;in Peru.Politico was first to report the men’s release, which it said was part of a prisoner swap with the U.S. The White House did not immediately confirm that any Chinese citizens had been returned home.Li, a Chinese immigrant who started an export business in the U.S., was detained in September 2016 after flying into Shanghai. He was placed under surveillance, interrogated without a lawyer and accused of providing state secrets to the FBI. A U.N. working group called his 10-year prison sentence arbitrary and his family said the charges were politically motivated.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-charged-spying-china-prison-2de86767bbc828ec4362af23fb271afd">Leung was sentenced last year</a>&nbsp;to life in prison on spying charges. He was detained in 2021, by the local bureau of China’s counterintelligence agency in the southeastern city of Suzhou after China had closed its borders and imposed tight domestic travel restrictions and social controls to fight the spread of COVID-19.Swidan had been jailed for 12 years on a drug charge and, along with Li and Leung, had considered by the State Department to be wrongfully detained.