By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/lauran-neergaard">LAURAN NEERGAARD</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — Flu is rising rapidly across the U.S., driven by a new variant of the virus — and cases are expected to keep growing with holiday travel.

That variant, known as “subclade K,” led to early outbreaks in the United Kingdom, Japan and Canada. In the U.S., flu&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flu-rsv-covid-cdc-a343a9991a9e116252be4bd331dba6d1">typically begins</a>&nbsp;its winter march in December. On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported high or very high levels of illness in more than half the states.

The CDC estimated there have been at least 7.5 million illnesses, 81,000 hospitalizations and 3,100 deaths from flu so far this season. That includes at least eight child deaths — and is based on data as of Dec. 20, before major holiday gatherings.

Some states are particularly hard-hit. New York’s health department said the week ending Dec. 20 marked the most flu cases the state had recorded in a single week since 2004: 71,000.

It’s far too soon to know if this flu season will be as severe as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flu-vaccine-shot-flumist-04144eb736ad1adced5252dae0c4985b">last winter’s.</a>

But it’s not too late to get a flu shot, which health experts say can still prevent severe illness even if someone gets infected. While this year’s vaccine isn’t a perfect match to the subclade K strain,&nbsp;<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12639273/" target="_blank">a preliminary analysis from the U.K.</a>&nbsp;found it offered at least partial protection, lowering people’s risk of hospitalization.

According to the CDC, only about 42% of adults and children have gotten a flu vaccination so far this year.

The flu virus is a shape-shifter, constantly mutating, and it comes in multiple forms. There are two subtypes of Type A flu, and subclade K is a mutated version of one of them, named H3N2. That H3N2 strain is always harsh, especially for older adults.

Subclade K’s mutations aren’t enough of a change to be considered an entirely new kind of flu.

But they’re different enough to evade some of the protection from this year’s vaccine, said Andrew Pekosz, a virus expert at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The CDC said it’s too soon to know how severe this season will be.

Flu seasons dominated by any version of H3N2 tend to be bad, with more infections overall and more people becoming seriously ill. But Hopkins’ Pekosz cautioned it will take time to tease apart whether this subclade K version simply spreads more easily or also is more dangerous.

That question aside, the CDC notes there are some prescription medicines to treat flu — usually recommended for people at high risk of complications. But they generally need to be started a day or two after symptoms begin.

The CDC and major medical societies all recommend a flu vaccine for just about everyone age 6 months and older. Despite lots of recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monarez-cdc-vaccines-kennedy-rfk-jr-194fd4336aaa74cb6e7c715d0605b47e">misinformation</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rfk-vaccine-flu-covid-shot-9efed9b468c849a3db1f793dd7effae6">confusion</a>&nbsp;about vaccines, the flu recommendations haven’t changed.

Flu is particularly dangerous for people 65 and older, pregnant women, young children and people of any age who have chronic health problems, including asthma, diabetes, heart disease and weak immune systems.

The vaccines are brewed to protect against three influenza strains. Despite concern over that new H3N2 variant, they appear to be a good match against H1N1 and Type B flu that may also circulate this year, Pekosz said.

There are shots for all ages, as well as the nasal spray FluMist for ages 2 to 49. For the first time this year, some people may be eligible to vaccinate themselves with FluMist at home.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767138155902.png" alt="CDC image for the most recent report on flu activity" />
 <figcaption>CDC image for the most recent report on flu activity</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/lauran-neergaard">LAURAN NEERGAARD</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — Flu is rising rapidly across the U.S., driven by a new variant of the virus — and cases are expected to keep growing with holiday travel.That variant, known as “subclade K,” led to early outbreaks in the United Kingdom, Japan and Canada. In the U.S., flu&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flu-rsv-covid-cdc-a343a9991a9e116252be4bd331dba6d1">typically begins</a>&nbsp;its winter march in December. On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported high or very high levels of illness in more than half the states.The CDC estimated there have been at least 7.5 million illnesses, 81,000 hospitalizations and 3,100 deaths from flu so far this season. That includes at least eight child deaths — and is based on data as of Dec. 20, before major holiday gatherings.Some states are particularly hard-hit. New York’s health department said the week ending Dec. 20 marked the most flu cases the state had recorded in a single week since 2004: 71,000.It’s far too soon to know if this flu season will be as severe as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flu-vaccine-shot-flumist-04144eb736ad1adced5252dae0c4985b">last winter’s.</a>But it’s not too late to get a flu shot, which health experts say can still prevent severe illness even if someone gets infected. While this year’s vaccine isn’t a perfect match to the subclade K strain,&nbsp;<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12639273/" target="_blank">a preliminary analysis from the U.K.</a>&nbsp;found it offered at least partial protection, lowering people’s risk of hospitalization.According to the CDC, only about 42% of adults and children have gotten a flu vaccination so far this year.<h2>What is subclade K flu?</h2>The flu virus is a shape-shifter, constantly mutating, and it comes in multiple forms. There are two subtypes of Type A flu, and subclade K is a mutated version of one of them, named H3N2. That H3N2 strain is always harsh, especially for older adults.Subclade K’s mutations aren’t enough of a change to be considered an entirely new kind of flu.But they’re different enough to evade some of the protection from this year’s vaccine, said Andrew Pekosz, a virus expert at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.<h2>Will subclade K make people sicker?</h2>The CDC said it’s too soon to know how severe this season will be.Flu seasons dominated by any version of H3N2 tend to be bad, with more infections overall and more people becoming seriously ill. But Hopkins’ Pekosz cautioned it will take time to tease apart whether this subclade K version simply spreads more easily or also is more dangerous.That question aside, the CDC notes there are some prescription medicines to treat flu — usually recommended for people at high risk of complications. But they generally need to be started a day or two after symptoms begin.<h2>Who needs a flu vaccine?</h2>The CDC and major medical societies all recommend a flu vaccine for just about everyone age 6 months and older. Despite lots of recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monarez-cdc-vaccines-kennedy-rfk-jr-194fd4336aaa74cb6e7c715d0605b47e">misinformation</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rfk-vaccine-flu-covid-shot-9efed9b468c849a3db1f793dd7effae6">confusion</a>&nbsp;about vaccines, the flu recommendations haven’t changed.Flu is particularly dangerous for people 65 and older, pregnant women, young children and people of any age who have chronic health problems, including asthma, diabetes, heart disease and weak immune systems.The vaccines are brewed to protect against three influenza strains. Despite concern over that new H3N2 variant, they appear to be a good match against H1N1 and Type B flu that may also circulate this year, Pekosz said.There are shots for all ages, as well as the nasal spray FluMist for ages 2 to 49. For the first time this year, some people may be eligible to vaccinate themselves with FluMist at home.—-The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Flu is rising rapidly in Kansas, nationwide, driven by new variant

30NEW YORK (AP)—After the crystal ball drops on New Year’s Eve in New York City, it will rise again, sparkling in red, white and blue to usher in 2026 and kick off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-america-250th-birthday-iowa-e6fb5df832cdba107ae4e9c62f2577e9">months of celebrations</a>&nbsp;for the nation’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/250th-anniversary-us-july-4-celebration-semiquincentennial-e35a3f57b952663f60056c24d0e6a7f0">upcoming 250th birthday</a>.

The patriotic touches at this year’s Times Square gathering, including a second confetti drop, will offer an early glimpse of what’s ahead: hundreds of events and programs, big and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/america-will-celebrate-its-250th-birthday-next-year-theres-a-commemorative-ornament-for-it/" target="_blank">small</a>, planned nationwide to mark the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

“I’m telling you right now, whatever you’re imagining, it’s going to be much more than that,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://america250.org/" target="_blank">America250</a>&nbsp;Chair Rosie Rios, who oversees the bipartisan commission created by Congress in 2016 to organize the semiquincentennial anniversary. “It’s going to be one for the ages, the most inspirational celebration this country and maybe the world has ever seen.”

Rios and her group worked with the Times Square Alliance business district and One Times Square, the building from where the ball is dropped, to make the changes to this year’s ceremonies. They’re also planning a second ball drop event on July 3, the eve of the nation’s birthday, “in the same beautiful style that Times Square knows how to do it,” Rios said.

It will mark the first time in 120 years there will be ball drop in Times Square that doesn’t occur on New Year’s Eve, she said.

A New Year’s Eve ball was first dropped in Times Square in 1907. Built by a young immigrant metalworker named Jacob Starr, the 700-pound (318-kilogram), 5-foot- (1.5-meter-) diameter ball was made of iron and wood and featured 100 25-watt light bulbs. Last year, the Constellation Ball, the ninth and largest version, was unveiled. It measured about 12 feet (3.7 meters) in diameter and weighs nearly 12,000 pounds (5,400 kilograms).

The only years when no ball drop occurred were 1942 and 1943, when the city instituted a nightly “dimout” during World War II to protect itself from attacks. Crowds instead celebrated the new year with a moment of silence followed by chimes rung from the base of One Times Square.

This year, the stroke of midnight will also mark the official launch of America Gives, a national service initiative created by America250. Organizers hope to make 2026 the largest year of volunteer hours ever aggregated in the country.

On the following day, America250 will participate in the New Years Day Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, with a float themed “Soaring Onward Together for 250 Years.” It will feature three larger-than-life bald eagles representing the country’s past, present and future.

“We want to ring in this new year from sea to shining sea. What better way to think about it than going from New York to California,” Rios said. “This has to be community-driven, this has be grassroots. We’re going from Guam to Alaska, from Fairbanks to Philadelphia, and everything in between.”

President Donald Trump has also announced the “Freedom 250” initiative to coordinate additional events for the 250th anniversary.

Rios said she sees the wide range of celebrations and programs planned for the coming months, from large fireworks displays and statewide potluck suppers to student contests and citizen oral histories, as an opportunity to unite a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/patriotism-america-national-pride-decline-poll-gallup-0411dd2f28329a6b640d404db8626d3f">politically divided</a>&nbsp;nation.

“If we can find something for everyone ... having those menus of options that people can pick and choose how they want to participate,” she said. “That’s how we’re going to get to engaging 350 million Americans.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767188005221.png" alt="Times Square image from Associated Press video" />
 <figcaption>Times Square image from Associated Press video</figcaption>
 </figure>30NEW YORK (AP)—After the crystal ball drops on New Year’s Eve in New York City, it will rise again, sparkling in red, white and blue to usher in 2026 and kick off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-america-250th-birthday-iowa-e6fb5df832cdba107ae4e9c62f2577e9">months of celebrations</a>&nbsp;for the nation’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/250th-anniversary-us-july-4-celebration-semiquincentennial-e35a3f57b952663f60056c24d0e6a7f0">upcoming 250th birthday</a>.The patriotic touches at this year’s Times Square gathering, including a second confetti drop, will offer an early glimpse of what’s ahead: hundreds of events and programs, big and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/america-will-celebrate-its-250th-birthday-next-year-theres-a-commemorative-ornament-for-it/" target="_blank">small</a>, planned nationwide to mark the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.“I’m telling you right now, whatever you’re imagining, it’s going to be much more than that,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://america250.org/" target="_blank">America250</a>&nbsp;Chair Rosie Rios, who oversees the bipartisan commission created by Congress in 2016 to organize the semiquincentennial anniversary. “It’s going to be one for the ages, the most inspirational celebration this country and maybe the world has ever seen.”Rios and her group worked with the Times Square Alliance business district and One Times Square, the building from where the ball is dropped, to make the changes to this year’s ceremonies. They’re also planning a second ball drop event on July 3, the eve of the nation’s birthday, “in the same beautiful style that Times Square knows how to do it,” Rios said.It will mark the first time in 120 years there will be ball drop in Times Square that doesn’t occur on New Year’s Eve, she said.A New Year’s Eve ball was first dropped in Times Square in 1907. Built by a young immigrant metalworker named Jacob Starr, the 700-pound (318-kilogram), 5-foot- (1.5-meter-) diameter ball was made of iron and wood and featured 100 25-watt light bulbs. Last year, the Constellation Ball, the ninth and largest version, was unveiled. It measured about 12 feet (3.7 meters) in diameter and weighs nearly 12,000 pounds (5,400 kilograms).The only years when no ball drop occurred were 1942 and 1943, when the city instituted a nightly “dimout” during World War II to protect itself from attacks. Crowds instead celebrated the new year with a moment of silence followed by chimes rung from the base of One Times Square.This year, the stroke of midnight will also mark the official launch of America Gives, a national service initiative created by America250. Organizers hope to make 2026 the largest year of volunteer hours ever aggregated in the country.On the following day, America250 will participate in the New Years Day Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, with a float themed “Soaring Onward Together for 250 Years.” It will feature three larger-than-life bald eagles representing the country’s past, present and future.“We want to ring in this new year from sea to shining sea. What better way to think about it than going from New York to California,” Rios said. “This has to be community-driven, this has be grassroots. We’re going from Guam to Alaska, from Fairbanks to Philadelphia, and everything in between.”President Donald Trump has also announced the “Freedom 250” initiative to coordinate additional events for the 250th anniversary.Rios said she sees the wide range of celebrations and programs planned for the coming months, from large fireworks displays and statewide potluck suppers to student contests and citizen oral histories, as an opportunity to unite a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/patriotism-america-national-pride-decline-poll-gallup-0411dd2f28329a6b640d404db8626d3f">politically divided</a>&nbsp;nation.“If we can find something for everyone ... having those menus of options that people can pick and choose how they want to participate,” she said. “That’s how we’re going to get to engaging 350 million Americans.”

Patriotic NYE Times Square ball to ring-in America's 250th birthday

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a deadly gun fight at a home in Kansas City.

Just before 11:30p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to a shooting at a home in the 4000 Block of Arlington Avenue, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

FIrst responders were led inside a residence where they located 3 total shooting victims (1 adult female and 2 adult males) 

One of the victims, an adult male, was unresponsive, the other two victims had serious injuries but were conscious. Officers ordered EMS who responded to the scene moments later. EMS declared the unresponsive adult male deceased at the scene. 

EMS&nbsp; transported the surviving man and woman to the hospital for further treatment. Both of their injuries are described as critical, but they are reported to be in stable condition.

Homicide detectives were on scene and investigating this case as a homicide. 

Preliminary information indictes all three victims were inside the residence when an argument ensued. That interaction escalated to gunfire between one or more of the victims which led to all 3 of them being struck by gunfire. 

All parties involved remained at the scene and detectives are not searching for any additional suspects.The exact sequence of events as well as the relationship, if any, between the victims remains under investigation.&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a deadly gun fight at a home in Kansas City.Just before 11:30p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to a shooting at a home in the 4000 Block of Arlington Avenue, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.FIrst responders were led inside a residence where they located 3 total shooting victims (1 adult female and 2 adult males) One of the victims, an adult male, was unresponsive, the other two victims had serious injuries but were conscious. Officers ordered EMS who responded to the scene moments later. EMS declared the unresponsive adult male deceased at the scene. EMS&nbsp; transported the surviving man and woman to the hospital for further treatment. Both of their injuries are described as critical, but they are reported to be in stable condition.Homicide detectives were on scene and investigating this case as a homicide. Preliminary information indictes all three victims were inside the residence when an argument ensued. That interaction escalated to gunfire between one or more of the victims which led to all 3 of them being struck by gunfire. All parties involved remained at the scene and detectives are not searching for any additional suspects.The exact sequence of events as well as the relationship, if any, between the victims remains under investigation.&nbsp;

1 dead, 2 injured: Argument inside KC home led to gunfight

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —On Tuesday, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office recovered a stolen race car and trailer near 61st and Berryton Road in Shawnee County, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.

On October 21, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report that the trailer and race car had been stolen from where it was being kept in the 9000 Block of 110th Road in rural Mayetta. 

 Jackson County Detectives discovered where the stolen items were located and obtained a search warrant for the property.  The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Detectives and Deputies assisted with the execution of the search warrant. 

 If anyone has information about this crime they are asked to contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at 785-364-2251.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767131287615.png" alt="Google map" />
 <figcaption>Google map</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —On Tuesday, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office recovered a stolen race car and trailer near 61st and Berryton Road in Shawnee County, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.On October 21, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report that the trailer and race car had been stolen from where it was being kept in the 9000 Block of 110th Road in rural Mayetta. Jackson County Detectives discovered where the stolen items were located and obtained a search warrant for the property. The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Detectives and Deputies assisted with the execution of the search warrant. If anyone has information about this crime they are asked to contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at 785-364-2251.

Sheriff: Stolen race car and trailer recovered in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — The CIA was behind&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-facility-boat-strikes-0faff66145c6706e2861fcde36756fe4">a drone strike last week</a>&nbsp;at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels, according to two people familiar with details of the operation who requested anonymity to discuss the classified matter.

(click below to listen to the President's explanation of the attack)

The first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the U.S. began strikes in September marks a significant escalation in the administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-drug-cartels-military-timeline-91e242e5c56eec39b6b7d72bf55dbd2d">months-long pressure campaign</a>&nbsp;on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government. The strike has not been acknowledged by Venezuelan officials.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;first made reference to the operation in an interview Friday with John Catsimatidis on WABC radio in New York, saying the U.S. had knocked out some type of “big facility where ships come from.”

In an exchange with reporters Monday as he hosted Israeli&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump added that the operation targeted a “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-facility-boat-strikes-0faff66145c6706e2861fcde36756fe4">dock area where they load the boats</a>&nbsp;up with drugs.” But the president declined to comment when asked whether the attack was conducted by the military or the CIA.

The CIA and White House officials also declined to offer further comment on the matter. Col. Allie Weiskopf, a spokesperson for Special Operations Command, which oversees U.S operations in the Caribbean, said in a statement that “Special Operations did not support this operation to include intel support.”

The strike escalates what began as a massive buildup of U.S. personnel in the Caribbean Sea starting in August, which has been followed by at least 30 U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-drug-trafficking-trump-venezuela-4c21181026cf564fc79ae96d0b931f8d">military strikes on alleged drug boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. More recently, Trump has ordered a quasi-blockade aimed at seizing sanctioned oil tankers coming in and out of Venezuela.

CNN first reported on the CIA’s involvement in the operation.

Trump for months had threatened that he could soon order strikes on targets on Venezuelan land. He’s also taken the unusual step of publicly acknowledging that he had authorized the CIA to carry out covert action inside Venezuela.

The administration is required to report covert CIA actions to senior congressional officials, including the chair and ranking members of both the Senate and House intelligence committees. But Trump, by entrusting what appears to be the first land strike of the Venezuelan campaign to the intelligence agency, could be calculating that the action would face less scrutiny from lawmakers than a military strike.

“I authorized for two reasons, really. No. 1, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America,” he said in October as he confirmed to reporters his approval for the CIA to act. “And the other thing, the drugs, we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-strike-caribbean-drug-trafficking-trump-1061debe2f983ef7bc9666d3f002b3a0">Venezuelan drugs</a>&nbsp;come in through the sea.”

All the while, Trump has repeatedly said Maduro’s days in power are numbered. The Venezuelan leader and members of his inner circle have been under federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f">indictment in the United States</a>&nbsp;since 2020 for narcoterrorism and other charges.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-venezuela-virus-outbreak-2ceb488313ebb3334f64f6ad705e33b8">Maduro has denied the charges</a>. The U.S. Justice Department this year doubled to $50 million the reward for information that leads to his arrest.

The Venezuelan president made no mention of the CIA operation during an hourlong speech Tuesday at an international leadership school for women.

AP writer Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed reporting.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The CIA was behind&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-facility-boat-strikes-0faff66145c6706e2861fcde36756fe4">a drone strike last week</a>&nbsp;at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels, according to two people familiar with details of the operation who requested anonymity to discuss the classified matter.(click below to listen to the President's explanation of the attack)<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">JUST IN: The United States has conducted its first land strike against Venezuela, according to President Donald Trump. Reporter: You mentioned in a radio interview ... did the military do that? Trump: There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up… <a href="https://t.co/XMIZf1vT2q">pic.twitter.com/XMIZf1vT2q</a>&mdash; Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) <a href="https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/2005709303488143703?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the U.S. began strikes in September marks a significant escalation in the administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-drug-cartels-military-timeline-91e242e5c56eec39b6b7d72bf55dbd2d">months-long pressure campaign</a>&nbsp;on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government. The strike has not been acknowledged by Venezuelan officials.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;first made reference to the operation in an interview Friday with John Catsimatidis on WABC radio in New York, saying the U.S. had knocked out some type of “big facility where ships come from.”In an exchange with reporters Monday as he hosted Israeli&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump added that the operation targeted a “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-facility-boat-strikes-0faff66145c6706e2861fcde36756fe4">dock area where they load the boats</a>&nbsp;up with drugs.” But the president declined to comment when asked whether the attack was conducted by the military or the CIA.The CIA and White House officials also declined to offer further comment on the matter. Col. Allie Weiskopf, a spokesperson for Special Operations Command, which oversees U.S operations in the Caribbean, said in a statement that “Special Operations did not support this operation to include intel support.”The strike escalates what began as a massive buildup of U.S. personnel in the Caribbean Sea starting in August, which has been followed by at least 30 U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-drug-trafficking-trump-venezuela-4c21181026cf564fc79ae96d0b931f8d">military strikes on alleged drug boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. More recently, Trump has ordered a quasi-blockade aimed at seizing sanctioned oil tankers coming in and out of Venezuela.CNN first reported on the CIA’s involvement in the operation.Trump for months had threatened that he could soon order strikes on targets on Venezuelan land. He’s also taken the unusual step of publicly acknowledging that he had authorized the CIA to carry out covert action inside Venezuela.The administration is required to report covert CIA actions to senior congressional officials, including the chair and ranking members of both the Senate and House intelligence committees. But Trump, by entrusting what appears to be the first land strike of the Venezuelan campaign to the intelligence agency, could be calculating that the action would face less scrutiny from lawmakers than a military strike.“I authorized for two reasons, really. No. 1, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America,” he said in October as he confirmed to reporters his approval for the CIA to act. “And the other thing, the drugs, we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-strike-caribbean-drug-trafficking-trump-1061debe2f983ef7bc9666d3f002b3a0">Venezuelan drugs</a>&nbsp;come in through the sea.”All the while, Trump has repeatedly said Maduro’s days in power are numbered. The Venezuelan leader and members of his inner circle have been under federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f">indictment in the United States</a>&nbsp;since 2020 for narcoterrorism and other charges.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-venezuela-virus-outbreak-2ceb488313ebb3334f64f6ad705e33b8">Maduro has denied the charges</a>. The U.S. Justice Department this year doubled to $50 million the reward for information that leads to his arrest.The Venezuelan president made no mention of the CIA operation during an hourlong speech Tuesday at an international leadership school for women.—AP writer Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed reporting.

🎥CIA behind U.S. strike at dock that Trump claims was used by drug smugglers

ELLSWORTH COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 2p.m. Tuesday in Ellsworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Hyundai Elantra driven by Sithandra A.&nbsp;Bell, 17, Topeka, was westbound on Interstate 70 one mile east of Kansas 156. The driver looked at her phone and the car entered the median and rolled&nbsp;

ELLSWORTH COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 2p.m. Tuesday in Ellsworth County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Hyundai Elantra driven by Sithandra A.&nbsp;Bell, 17, Topeka, was westbound on Interstate 70 one mile east of Kansas 156. The driver looked at her phone and the car entered the median and rolled&nbsp;

Kan. teen who looked at her phone injured in rollover accident

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating the death of two people at a home in Topeka have identified the homicide victim as&nbsp;Erica Beckem, 35, of Topeka and the&nbsp;deceased suspect as Travoris Steele, 26, Topeka.

Just after 11:45p.m. Friday, police responded to a report of a possible shooting in the 900 block of SW Lincoln Avenue in Topeka, according to Police Lt. John Trimble.

First responders located Beckem and Steele who were deceased.&nbsp;

The Topeka Police Department is still investigating this incident as a murder-suicide.&nbsp;

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating the death of two people at a home in Topeka have identified the homicide victim as&nbsp;Erica Beckem, 35, of Topeka and the&nbsp;deceased suspect as Travoris Steele, 26, Topeka.Just after 11:45p.m. Friday, police responded to a report of a possible shooting in the 900 block of SW Lincoln Avenue in Topeka, according to Police Lt. John Trimble.First responders located Beckem and Steele who were deceased.&nbsp;The Topeka Police Department is still investigating this incident as a murder-suicide.&nbsp;

Police ID man, woman found dead in Kansas shooting

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen accused in a fatal shooting&nbsp; that occurred last week in the basement of a home in Wichita faced a judge on Monday.

&nbsp;Elijah Cynova, 18, was charged with&nbsp;unintentional but reckless second-degree murder in the death of 18-year-old Blaze Arrington, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 10p.m. December 23, police responded to a report of a shooting in the 3600 block of South Eisenhower Court in Wichita and found&nbsp; Arrington suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper body.&nbsp;

Investigators determined Arrington was in the basement with a friend, later identified as Cynova, showing him two firearms. During the interaction, Cynova reportedly pointed one of the firearms at Arrington and fired, striking him.&nbsp;

Arrington was transported to a local hospital in critical condition.&nbsp; He died four days later.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-nicole-kenny-after-losing-blaze">Click here to view the</a> online fundraiser to assist Arrington's family.

Police arrested Cynova and booked him into the Sedgwick County Jail originally on a requested charge of aggravated battery.&nbsp; &nbsp;He remains jailed on a $100,000 bond, according to online jail records.

There is a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-nicole-kenny-after-losing-blaze">GoFundMe</a>&nbsp;established to help Arrington’s family with funeral expenses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767094930839.png" alt="Cynova photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Cynova photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen accused in a fatal shooting&nbsp; that occurred last week in the basement of a home in Wichita faced a judge on Monday.&nbsp;Elijah Cynova, 18, was charged with&nbsp;unintentional but reckless second-degree murder in the death of 18-year-old Blaze Arrington, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just after 10p.m. December 23, police responded to a report of a shooting in the 3600 block of South Eisenhower Court in Wichita and found&nbsp; Arrington suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper body.&nbsp;Investigators determined Arrington was in the basement with a friend, later identified as Cynova, showing him two firearms. During the interaction, Cynova reportedly pointed one of the firearms at Arrington and fired, striking him.&nbsp;Arrington was transported to a local hospital in critical condition.&nbsp; He died four days later.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-nicole-kenny-after-losing-blaze">Click here to view the</a> online fundraiser to assist Arrington's family.Police arrested Cynova and booked him into the Sedgwick County Jail originally on a requested charge of aggravated battery.&nbsp; &nbsp;He remains jailed on a $100,000 bond, according to online jail records.There is a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-nicole-kenny-after-losing-blaze">GoFundMe</a>&nbsp;established to help Arrington’s family with funeral expenses.

Unintentional but reckless murder of Kansas teen

MONTGOMERY COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 3p.m. Tuesday in Montgomery County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 GMC Terrain driven by Robert S&nbsp;Deatherage, 70, Coffeyville, was eastbound on U.S. 160 at County Road 4500. The SUV traveled off the roadway to the right, struck a culvert, continued eastbound across County Road 4500, struck another embankment and rolled into the east ditch.

EMS transported Deatherage to Freeman Hospital in Joplin where he was pronounced deceased. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 3p.m. Tuesday in Montgomery County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 GMC Terrain driven by Robert S&nbsp;Deatherage, 70, Coffeyville, was eastbound on U.S. 160 at County Road 4500. The SUV traveled off the roadway to the right, struck a culvert, continued eastbound across County Road 4500, struck another embankment and rolled into the east ditch.EMS transported Deatherage to Freeman Hospital in Joplin where he was pronounced deceased. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies in SUV rollover accident

KANSAS CITY —Police in Kansas City investigating Christmas weekend homicide have identified the victim as 54-year-old Luis Cruz

Just before 2a.m Saturday, officers were dispatched to a shooting in the 3900 block of St. John Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

As officers arrived they located Cruz on the sidewalk, suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers began performing life saving measures as KCFD EMS arrived on scene. Medics transported Cruz to a local hospital with life threatening injuries.&nbsp;

Just before 3a.m., Cruz was pronounced deceased at the hospital.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766854408367.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Police in Kansas City investigating Christmas weekend homicide have identified the victim as 54-year-old Luis CruzJust before 2a.m Saturday, officers were dispatched to a shooting in the 3900 block of St. John Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.As officers arrived they located Cruz on the sidewalk, suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers began performing life saving measures as KCFD EMS arrived on scene. Medics transported Cruz to a local hospital with life threatening injuries.&nbsp;Just before 3a.m., Cruz was pronounced deceased at the hospital.&nbsp;

Police ID Christmas weekend homicide victim in Kansas City

RICE COUNTY — A new video on social media underscores just how close the community came to a serious tragedy after a Rice County sheriff’s deputy narrowly avoided a head-on collision with an impaired driver traveling the wrong way on a roadway earlier this week.

According to the Sheriff's Office, the incident occurred several days ago, though the timestamp visible on the video does not reflect the actual date. In the footage, a vehicle can be seen driving against traffic, coming within moments of striking a deputy’s patrol unit head-on.

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1ARPRSnVz9/">LINK: Rice County deputy avoids head-on collision.&nbsp;</a>

Thankfully, no one was injured. Authorities say the margin for error was extremely small, and the outcome could have been far worse for both the deputy and other motorists on the road.

Officials say the incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers impaired driving poses—not only to drivers and families traveling during the holidays, but also to first responders who put themselves in harm’s way to keep roads safe.

As New Year’s celebrations approach, law enforcement is urging the public to plan ahead if alcohol or other impairing substances are involved.

“If you plan to celebrate, please plan a sober ride,” officials said. “One decision can make all the difference.”

Law enforcement agencies across the region continue to emphasize designated drivers, ride-sharing services, and other safe transportation options as critical tools in preventing impaired-driving crashes during the holiday season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767133701845.png" alt="Image from the video released by the Rice Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Image from the video released by the Rice Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>RICE COUNTY — A new video on social media underscores just how close the community came to a serious tragedy after a Rice County sheriff’s deputy narrowly avoided a head-on collision with an impaired driver traveling the wrong way on a roadway earlier this week.According to the Sheriff's Office, the incident occurred several days ago, though the timestamp visible on the video does not reflect the actual date. In the footage, a vehicle can be seen driving against traffic, coming within moments of striking a deputy’s patrol unit head-on.<a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1ARPRSnVz9/">LINK: Rice County deputy avoids head-on collision.&nbsp;</a>Thankfully, no one was injured. Authorities say the margin for error was extremely small, and the outcome could have been far worse for both the deputy and other motorists on the road.Officials say the incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers impaired driving poses—not only to drivers and families traveling during the holidays, but also to first responders who put themselves in harm’s way to keep roads safe.As New Year’s celebrations approach, law enforcement is urging the public to plan ahead if alcohol or other impairing substances are involved.“If you plan to celebrate, please plan a sober ride,” officials said. “One decision can make all the difference.”Law enforcement agencies across the region continue to emphasize designated drivers, ride-sharing services, and other safe transportation options as critical tools in preventing impaired-driving crashes during the holiday season.

Kansas deputy avoids head-on crash with alleged drunk driver

DOUGLAS COUNTY&nbsp; – The Lawrence Kansas Police Department in collaboration with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office announce the arrest of an alleged child sex offender whose crimes date back to 2000-2003. The announcement came during a press conference Tuesday in Lawrence.

 The identification and ultimate arrest are the result of meticulous investigative work and the same science that brought in California’s “Golden State Killer” in 2018.

Monday, December 29, 2025, at the request of the Lawrence Kansas Police Department, U.S. Marshals arrested 58-year-old David James Zimbrick of Raytown, Missouri. Zimbrick is being held in Jackson County Missouri as he awaits extradition to Douglas County.

Between 2000 and 2003, a series of sex crimes occurred in the Naismith Valley Park area, 1400 W. 27th Street. Reports indicate the suspect would lure children into the bushes to perform sexual assaults. The children involved were between 7 and 10 years old.

Despite unknown future technology, detectives thoroughly inspected the scene collecting any potential clues. While a distinct DNA profile was recovered, it yielded no match in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), the national database of known offenders. With no further leads, the case eventually sat dormant.

In 2018, when California’s “Golden State Killer” was arrested, Detective Amy Price, who was involved in the original investigations, took note of their use of genetic genealogy. Detective Price submitted a request for funding and ultimately sent the evidence to Parbon Nanolabs. Parabon specializes in forensic genetic genealogy to solve cases where there is DNA evidence, but the offender’s identity remains unknown.

In March of 2020, Parabon notified Price that they had successfully genotyped the newly submitted DNA from one of the cases. The lengthy investigation that followed led to clues throughout the United States until the suspect was ultimately identified then located in Raytown, MO.

U.S. Marshals made the arrest without incident. David James Zimbrick is charged with one count of Aggravated Criminal Sodomy and one count of Rape in two cases. He’s being held in Jackson County Missouri Correctional Facility awaiting extradition back to Douglas County, Kansas.

“This arrest is a testament to the fact that time does not diminish our commitment to victims and their families,” says Chief Rich Lockhart. “I am continually impressed with the dedicated professionals who work in this department and am specifically proud of Detective Amy Price, who was assigned to this case and never let time nor dead ends deter her from continuing the search. Crimes against children last a lifetime. It is my hope that this arrest provides some comfort.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767123596759.png" alt="Zimbrick-photo Lawrence Police" />
 <figcaption>Zimbrick-photo Lawrence Police</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY&nbsp; – The Lawrence Kansas Police Department in collaboration with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office announce the arrest of an alleged child sex offender whose crimes date back to 2000-2003. The announcement came during a press conference Tuesday in Lawrence.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FLawrenceKansasPolice%2Fvideos%2F1507095610346296%2F&show_text=true&width=560&t=58" width="560" height="429" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div> The identification and ultimate arrest are the result of meticulous investigative work and the same science that brought in California’s “Golden State Killer” in 2018.Monday, December 29, 2025, at the request of the Lawrence Kansas Police Department, U.S. Marshals arrested 58-year-old David James Zimbrick of Raytown, Missouri. Zimbrick is being held in Jackson County Missouri as he awaits extradition to Douglas County.Between 2000 and 2003, a series of sex crimes occurred in the Naismith Valley Park area, 1400 W. 27th Street. Reports indicate the suspect would lure children into the bushes to perform sexual assaults. The children involved were between 7 and 10 years old.Despite unknown future technology, detectives thoroughly inspected the scene collecting any potential clues. While a distinct DNA profile was recovered, it yielded no match in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), the national database of known offenders. With no further leads, the case eventually sat dormant.In 2018, when California’s “Golden State Killer” was arrested, Detective Amy Price, who was involved in the original investigations, took note of their use of genetic genealogy. Detective Price submitted a request for funding and ultimately sent the evidence to Parbon Nanolabs. Parabon specializes in forensic genetic genealogy to solve cases where there is DNA evidence, but the offender’s identity remains unknown.In March of 2020, Parabon notified Price that they had successfully genotyped the newly submitted DNA from one of the cases. The lengthy investigation that followed led to clues throughout the United States until the suspect was ultimately identified then located in Raytown, MO.U.S. Marshals made the arrest without incident. David James Zimbrick is charged with one count of Aggravated Criminal Sodomy and one count of Rape in two cases. He’s being held in Jackson County Missouri Correctional Facility awaiting extradition back to Douglas County, Kansas.“This arrest is a testament to the fact that time does not diminish our commitment to victims and their families,” says Chief Rich Lockhart. “I am continually impressed with the dedicated professionals who work in this department and am specifically proud of Detective Amy Price, who was assigned to this case and never let time nor dead ends deter her from continuing the search. Crimes against children last a lifetime. It is my hope that this arrest provides some comfort.”

🎥 Arrest made in decades-old Kan. cold case involving child sex assault

The Lawrence Kansas Police Department has cancelled the Silver Alert for Mr. Roger Bean.&nbsp; Information led us to the Kansas City metro area where an officer traveled to confirm his identity.&nbsp;

DOUGLAS COUNTY —The Lawrence Kansas Police Department is issuing a Silver Alert and asking for help in finding 77-year-old Roger Harry Bean.  He has not been seen since December 23.

Mr Bean has cognitive issues, and is known to wander and hitchhike. He is described 6-feet-2&nbsp; and weighs 195 pounds.&nbsp;If you see Mr. Bean, please call dispatch at 785.843.0250 or 911 immediately.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767056119593.png" alt="Bean photo Lawrence Police" />
 <figcaption>Bean photo Lawrence Police</figcaption>
 </figure>The Lawrence Kansas Police Department has cancelled the Silver Alert for Mr. Roger Bean.&nbsp; Information led us to the Kansas City metro area where an officer traveled to confirm his identity.&nbsp;-------DOUGLAS COUNTY —The Lawrence Kansas Police Department is issuing a Silver Alert and asking for help in finding 77-year-old Roger Harry Bean. He has not been seen since December 23.Mr Bean has cognitive issues, and is known to wander and hitchhike. He is described 6-feet-2&nbsp; and weighs 195 pounds.&nbsp;If you see Mr. Bean, please call dispatch at 785.843.0250 or 911 immediately.

Silver Alert canceled, Kan. man missing for a week found safe

On Monday at the Statehouse, Governor Kelly celebrated Kwanzaa—a time to reflect on our shared values of unity, purpose, and community. 

On social media the governor wrote, "lighting the kinara today served as a powerful reminder of Kansas' commitment to the guiding principles and rich history of Kwanzaa."

The weeklong Kwanzaa holiday from Dec. 26 through Jan 1. celebrates African-American family, community and culture. Its origins are in the first harvest celebrations of Africa.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767061185582.png" alt="Photos from Kansas Governor's office" />
 <figcaption>Photos from Kansas Governor's office</figcaption>
 </figure>On Monday at the Statehouse, Governor Kelly celebrated Kwanzaa—a time to reflect on our shared values of unity, purpose, and community. On social media the governor wrote, "lighting the kinara today served as a powerful reminder of Kansas' commitment to the guiding principles and rich history of Kwanzaa."The weeklong Kwanzaa holiday from Dec. 26 through Jan 1. celebrates African-American family, community and culture. Its origins are in the first harvest celebrations of Africa.

Gov. attends Kwanzaa celebration at the Kansas Statehouse

BOSTON (AP) —Environmental journalist Tatiana Schlossberg, one of three grandchildren of the late President John F. Kennedy, has died. She was 35.

Schlossberg, daughter of Kennedy’s daughter, Caroline Kennedy, and Edwin Schlossberg, revealed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-granddaughter-tatiana-schlossberg-cancer-cb813c7ef36faca26041c11de78adf2e">she had terminal cancer</a>&nbsp;in a November 2025 essay in The New Yorker. A family statement disclosing her death was posted on social media Tuesday by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.

“Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts,” the statement said. It did not disclose a cause of death or say where she had died.

Schlossberg was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in May 2024 at 34. After the birth of her second child, her doctor noticed her white blood cell count was high. It turned out to be acute myeloid leukemia with a rare mutation, mostly seen in older people.

In the essay,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-weekend-essay/a-battle-with-my-blood?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=dhtwitter&amp;utm_content=null">“A Battle With My Blood,”</a>&nbsp;Schlossberg recounted going through rounds of chemotherapy and two stem cell transplants and participating in clinical trials. During the most recent trial, she wrote, her doctor told her “he could keep me alive for a year, maybe.”

Schlossberg also criticized policies pushed by her mother's cousin, Health and Human Services Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-rfk-jr-maha-summit-199786933b09fc610feb9c08695cbfc8">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>, in the essay, saying policies he backed could hurt cancer patients like her. Her mother had urged senators to reject his confirmation.

“As I spent more and more of my life under the care of doctors, nurses, and researchers striving to improve the lives of others, I watched as Bobby cut nearly a half billion dollars for research into mRNA vaccines, technology that could be used against certain cancers,” the essay reads.

Schlossberg had worked as a reporter covering climate change and the environment for The New York Times’ Science section. Her 2019 book “Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don’t Know You Have” won the Society of Environmental Journalists’ Rachel Carson Environment Book Award in 2020.

Schlossberg wrote in The New Yorker essay that she feared her daughter and son wouldn’t remember her. She felt cheated and sad that she wouldn’t get to keep living “the wonderful life” she had with her husband, George Moran.

While her parents and two siblings tried to hide their pain from her, she said she felt it every day. Her siblings, Rose and Jack Schlossberg, are JFK's other grandchildren.

“For my whole life, I have tried to be good, to be a good student and a good sister and a good daughter, and to protect my mother and never make her upset or angry,” she said. “Now I have added a new tragedy to her life, to our family’s life, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.”

Schlossberg's mother Caroline was 5 years old when her father, President Kennedy, was assassinated in Dallas in 1963. She was 10 when her uncle, Robert F. Kennedy, was assassinated in Los Angeles in 1968 while he was running for president.

Caroline's brother, John F. Kennedy Jr., died in 1999 when the single-engine plane he was piloting plunged into the Atlantic Ocean, near Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. His wife, Carolyn, and her sister, Lauren Bessette, also died in the crash.

Levy reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Brumfield from Cockeysville, Maryland.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763869170904.jpeg" alt="FILE - Tatiana Schlossberg, the daughter of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg, addresses an audience during the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award ceremony, at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Oct. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Tatiana Schlossberg, the daughter of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg, addresses an audience during the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award ceremony, at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Oct. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARC LEVY and SARAH BRUMFIELD&nbsp;BOSTON (AP) —Environmental journalist Tatiana Schlossberg, one of three grandchildren of the late President John F. Kennedy, has died. She was 35.Schlossberg, daughter of Kennedy’s daughter, Caroline Kennedy, and Edwin Schlossberg, revealed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-granddaughter-tatiana-schlossberg-cancer-cb813c7ef36faca26041c11de78adf2e">she had terminal cancer</a>&nbsp;in a November 2025 essay in The New Yorker. A family statement disclosing her death was posted on social media Tuesday by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.“Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts,” the statement said. It did not disclose a cause of death or say where she had died.Schlossberg was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in May 2024 at 34. After the birth of her second child, her doctor noticed her white blood cell count was high. It turned out to be acute myeloid leukemia with a rare mutation, mostly seen in older people.In the essay,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-weekend-essay/a-battle-with-my-blood?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=dhtwitter&amp;utm_content=null">“A Battle With My Blood,”</a>&nbsp;Schlossberg recounted going through rounds of chemotherapy and two stem cell transplants and participating in clinical trials. During the most recent trial, she wrote, her doctor told her “he could keep me alive for a year, maybe.”Schlossberg also criticized policies pushed by her mother's cousin, Health and Human Services Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-rfk-jr-maha-summit-199786933b09fc610feb9c08695cbfc8">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>, in the essay, saying policies he backed could hurt cancer patients like her. Her mother had urged senators to reject his confirmation.“As I spent more and more of my life under the care of doctors, nurses, and researchers striving to improve the lives of others, I watched as Bobby cut nearly a half billion dollars for research into mRNA vaccines, technology that could be used against certain cancers,” the essay reads.Schlossberg had worked as a reporter covering climate change and the environment for The New York Times’ Science section. Her 2019 book “Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don’t Know You Have” won the Society of Environmental Journalists’ Rachel Carson Environment Book Award in 2020.Schlossberg wrote in The New Yorker essay that she feared her daughter and son wouldn’t remember her. She felt cheated and sad that she wouldn’t get to keep living “the wonderful life” she had with her husband, George Moran.While her parents and two siblings tried to hide their pain from her, she said she felt it every day. Her siblings, Rose and Jack Schlossberg, are JFK's other grandchildren.“For my whole life, I have tried to be good, to be a good student and a good sister and a good daughter, and to protect my mother and never make her upset or angry,” she said. “Now I have added a new tragedy to her life, to our family’s life, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.”Schlossberg's mother Caroline was 5 years old when her father, President Kennedy, was assassinated in Dallas in 1963. She was 10 when her uncle, Robert F. Kennedy, was assassinated in Los Angeles in 1968 while he was running for president.Caroline's brother, John F. Kennedy Jr., died in 1999 when the single-engine plane he was piloting plunged into the Atlantic Ocean, near Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. His wife, Carolyn, and her sister, Lauren Bessette, also died in the crash.___Levy reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Brumfield from Cockeysville, Maryland.

Granddaughter of the late President John F. Kennedy has died at 35

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal Homeland Security officials were conducting a fraud investigation on Monday in Minneapolis, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said.

The action comes after years of investigation that began with the $300 million scheme at the nonprofit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/feeding-our-future-pandemic-fraud-trial-847f42be252ecd373c60125fd4fae6e9">Feeding Our Future,</a>&nbsp;for which 57 defendants in Minnesota have been convicted. Prosecutors said the organization was at the center of the country’s largest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-food-fraud-bag-of-cash-7106883911765bb0c3794fe6196fcf9d">COVID-19-related fraud</a>&nbsp;scam, when defendants exploited a state-run, federally funded program intended to provide food for children.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-fraud-charges-fbad68312012dc02a4060852474f72ee">federal prosecutor alleged</a>&nbsp;earlier in December that half or more of the roughly $18 billion in federal funds that supported 14 programs in Minnesota since 2018&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-fraud-somalis-minnesota-walz-omar-64bfe699cc409f3f1ff6aa49b9210996">may have been stolen</a>. Most of the defendants are Somali Americans, they said.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said then that fraud will not be tolerated and that his administration “will continue to work with federal partners to ensure fraud is stopped and fraudsters are caught.”

Noem on Monday posted a video on the social platform X showing DHS officers going into an unidentified business and questioning the person working behind the counter. Noem said that officers were “conducting a massive investigation on childcare and other rampant fraud.”

“The American people deserve answers on how their taxpayer money is being used and ARRESTS when abuse is found,” U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement posted.

The action comes a day after FBI Director Kash Patel said on X that the agency had “surged personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota to dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs.”

Patel said that previous fraud arrests in Minnesota were “just the tip of a very large iceberg.”

President Donald Trump has criticized Walz’s administration over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-fraud-charges-fbad68312012dc02a4060852474f72ee">fraud cases</a>&nbsp;to date.

In recent weeks,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-minneapolis-somalia-de1187fd703abbc9dc4dc1c5c6a243c5">tensions have been high</a>&nbsp;between state and federal enforcement in the area as the Trump administration’s immigration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/somalis-minnesota-trump-immigration-5b772dfcf1b342693f12083779247359">crackdown</a>&nbsp;focused on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/somalis-immigration-crackdown-minneapolis-minnesota-trump-54d7f381845dc747cd1c7e366663f0b0">Somali community</a>&nbsp;in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, which is the largest in the country.

Among those running schemes to get funds for child nutrition, housing services and autism programs, 82 of the 92 defendants are Somali Americans, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Minnesota.

Walz spokesperson Claire Lancaster said that the governor has worked for years to “crack down on fraud” and was seeking more authority from the Legislature to take aggressive action. Walz has supported criminal prosecutions and taken a number of other steps, including strengthening oversight and hiring an outside firm to audit payments to high-risk programs, Lancaster said.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal Homeland Security officials were conducting a fraud investigation on Monday in Minneapolis, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">DHS is on the ground in Minneapolis, going DOOR TO DOOR at suspected fraud sites. The American people deserve answers on how their taxpayer money is being used and ARRESTS when abuse is found. Under the leadership of <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sec_Noem</a>, DHS is working to deliver results. <a href="https://t.co/7XtRflv36b">pic.twitter.com/7XtRflv36b</a>&mdash; Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/2005688262695018606?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The action comes after years of investigation that began with the $300 million scheme at the nonprofit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/feeding-our-future-pandemic-fraud-trial-847f42be252ecd373c60125fd4fae6e9">Feeding Our Future,</a>&nbsp;for which 57 defendants in Minnesota have been convicted. Prosecutors said the organization was at the center of the country’s largest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-food-fraud-bag-of-cash-7106883911765bb0c3794fe6196fcf9d">COVID-19-related fraud</a>&nbsp;scam, when defendants exploited a state-run, federally funded program intended to provide food for children.A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-fraud-charges-fbad68312012dc02a4060852474f72ee">federal prosecutor alleged</a>&nbsp;earlier in December that half or more of the roughly $18 billion in federal funds that supported 14 programs in Minnesota since 2018&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-fraud-somalis-minnesota-walz-omar-64bfe699cc409f3f1ff6aa49b9210996">may have been stolen</a>. Most of the defendants are Somali Americans, they said.Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said then that fraud will not be tolerated and that his administration “will continue to work with federal partners to ensure fraud is stopped and fraudsters are caught.”Noem on Monday posted a video on the social platform X showing DHS officers going into an unidentified business and questioning the person working behind the counter. Noem said that officers were “conducting a massive investigation on childcare and other rampant fraud.”“The American people deserve answers on how their taxpayer money is being used and ARRESTS when abuse is found,” U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement posted.The action comes a day after FBI Director Kash Patel said on X that the agency had “surged personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota to dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs.”Patel said that previous fraud arrests in Minnesota were “just the tip of a very large iceberg.”President Donald Trump has criticized Walz’s administration over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-fraud-charges-fbad68312012dc02a4060852474f72ee">fraud cases</a>&nbsp;to date.In recent weeks,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-minneapolis-somalia-de1187fd703abbc9dc4dc1c5c6a243c5">tensions have been high</a>&nbsp;between state and federal enforcement in the area as the Trump administration’s immigration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/somalis-minnesota-trump-immigration-5b772dfcf1b342693f12083779247359">crackdown</a>&nbsp;focused on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/somalis-immigration-crackdown-minneapolis-minnesota-trump-54d7f381845dc747cd1c7e366663f0b0">Somali community</a>&nbsp;in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, which is the largest in the country.Among those running schemes to get funds for child nutrition, housing services and autism programs, 82 of the 92 defendants are Somali Americans, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Minnesota.Walz spokesperson Claire Lancaster said that the governor has worked for years to “crack down on fraud” and was seeking more authority from the Legislature to take aggressive action. Walz has supported criminal prosecutions and taken a number of other steps, including strengthening oversight and hiring an outside firm to audit payments to high-risk programs, Lancaster said.

Homeland Security: Massive fraud investigation underway in Minneapolis

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Patients with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas health insurance will be covered in network when they receive care from the St. Francis campus in Topeka after the two organizations reached agreement last week.

“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is pleased to announce that the University of Kansas Health System St. Francis will remain in the Blue Cross network for 2026, ensuring continued access to local care for our members,” according to a BCBS statement.

The University of Kansas St. Francis campus said in a Monday statement that their patients with BCBS of Kansas plans won’t experience care disruptions and do not need to take any action.

The two organizations&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/01/kansas-blue-cross-topeka-hospital-system-struggle-to-reach-agreement/">had been unable to reach agreement</a>&nbsp;for the St. Francis system to be in network, which concerned insurance customers who didn’t want to lose their health providers if a contract wasn’t in place by the end of the year.

“This agreement reflects our commitment to ensuring patients across the region have uninterrupted access to care,” St. Francis said in a statement.

The St. Francis campus in Topeka is owned by Ardent Health, which manages operations, and the University of Kansas Health System. Ardent is based in Brentwood, Tennessee.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767112585253.png" alt=" Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, which is headquartered in Topeka, reached a contract with the University of Kansas St. Francis campus so the health system will be in network for patients. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, which is headquartered in Topeka, reached a contract with the University of Kansas St. Francis campus so the health system will be in network for patients. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Patients with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas health insurance will be covered in network when they receive care from the St. Francis campus in Topeka after the two organizations reached agreement last week.“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is pleased to announce that the University of Kansas Health System St. Francis will remain in the Blue Cross network for 2026, ensuring continued access to local care for our members,” according to a BCBS statement.The University of Kansas St. Francis campus said in a Monday statement that their patients with BCBS of Kansas plans won’t experience care disruptions and do not need to take any action.The two organizations&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/01/kansas-blue-cross-topeka-hospital-system-struggle-to-reach-agreement/">had been unable to reach agreement</a>&nbsp;for the St. Francis system to be in network, which concerned insurance customers who didn’t want to lose their health providers if a contract wasn’t in place by the end of the year.“This agreement reflects our commitment to ensuring patients across the region have uninterrupted access to care,” St. Francis said in a statement.The St. Francis campus in Topeka is owned by Ardent Health, which manages operations, and the University of Kansas Health System. Ardent is based in Brentwood, Tennessee.

Kansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, St. Francis health system reach agreement

KANSAS CITY —Two people were injured in a fire at an apartment building in Kansas City, Missouri. Police are now investigating.

Just before 7:30p.m. Monday, crews&nbsp;were dispatched to a reported apartment fire in the 1700 block of Kansas Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

On arrival, crews reported heavy fire showing from the 2nd and 3rd floors, with residents trapped inside the structure. An offensive fire attack, with rescue operations was immediately initiated.

A 2nd Alarm response was ordered.&nbsp;Crews rescued 5 people from the third floor of the building, and multiple handlines were used to extinguish the fire, which was brought under control at 7:46 p.m.

EMS transported 2 people to area hospitals. They were listed in stable condition. Red Cross has been ordered for 14 people.&nbsp;After an initial investigation conducted by KCFD, the Kansas City Police Departments Bomb and Arson unit was requested and the investigation has been turned over to their agency.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767064105388.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Two people were injured in a fire at an apartment building in Kansas City, Missouri. Police are now investigating.Just before 7:30p.m. Monday, crews&nbsp;were dispatched to a reported apartment fire in the 1700 block of Kansas Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.On arrival, crews reported heavy fire showing from the 2nd and 3rd floors, with residents trapped inside the structure. An offensive fire attack, with rescue operations was immediately initiated.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767064084522.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>A 2nd Alarm response was ordered.&nbsp;Crews rescued 5 people from the third floor of the building, and multiple handlines were used to extinguish the fire, which was brought under control at 7:46 p.m.EMS transported 2 people to area hospitals. They were listed in stable condition. Red Cross has been ordered for 14 people.&nbsp;After an initial investigation conducted by KCFD, the Kansas City Police Departments Bomb and Arson unit was requested and the investigation has been turned over to their agency.

5 rescued, 2 hospitalized after KC apartment fire

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;warned Iran on Monday that the U.S. could carry out further military strikes if the country attempts to reconstitute its nuclear program as he held wide-ranging talks with Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;at his home in Florida.

Trump had previously insisted that Tehran's nuclear capabilities were “completely and fully obliterated” by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-nuclear-fordo-ef530114e5297884b1c3b76a04a3b1de">U.S. strikes on key nuclear enrichment sites</a>&nbsp;in June. But with Netanyahu by his side, Trump raised the possibility that suspected activity could be taking place outside those sites. Israeli officials, meanwhile, have been quoted in local media expressing concern about Iran rebuilding its supply of long-range missiles capable of striking Israel.

“Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again,” Trump told reporters gathered at his Mar-a-Lago estate. “And if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down. We'll knock them down. We'll knock the hell out of them. But hopefully that’s not happening.”

Trump’s warning to Iran comes as his administration has committed significant resources to targeting drug trafficking in South America and the president looks to create fresh momentum for the U.S.-brokered Israel-Hamas ceasefire. The Gaza deal is in danger of stalling before reaching its complicated second phase that would involve naming an international governing body and rebuilding the devastated Palestinian territory.

At a news conference with Netanyahu after their meeting, Trump suggested that he could order another U.S. strike.

“If it’s confirmed, they know the consequences, and the consequences will be very powerful, maybe more powerful than the last time,” Trump said.

Iran has insisted that it is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-sites-explained-israel-attack-4535b4ecb4aefb2f3de9e3ad62fe363f">no longer enriching uranium</a>&nbsp;at any site in the country, trying to signal to the West that it remains open to potential negotiations over its atomic program. The two leaders discussed the possibility of taking new military action against Tehran just months after June’s 12-day war.

The Iranian mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s warning.

Trump, with Netanyahu by his side, said he wants to get to the second phase of the Gaza deal “as quickly as we can.”

“But there has to be a disarming of Hamas,” Trump added.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">ceasefire between Israel and Hamas</a>&nbsp;that Trump championed has mostly held, but progress has slowed recently. Both sides&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-palestinians-war-news-24-12-2025-64ef5cd8810543e62360b639c3e47010">accuse each other of violations</a>, and divisions have emerged among the U.S., Israel and Arab countries about the path forward.

The truce's first phase began in October, days after the two-year anniversary of the initial Hamas-led attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-netanyahu-ran-gvili-594f8faf7514f49750756de52f5c5f95">All but one of the 251 hostages</a>&nbsp;taken then have been released,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-hostages-alon-ohel-5b87cb0e35544d0edd1076c04a0ec95d">alive or dead</a>.

The Israeli leader, who also met separately with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has signaled he is in no rush to move forward with the next phase as long as the remains of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-netanyahu-ran-gvili-594f8faf7514f49750756de52f5c5f95">Ran Gvili</a>&nbsp;are still in Gaza.

Gvili’s parents met with Netanyahu as well as Rubio, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in Florida on Monday.

“They’re waiting for their son to come home," Trump said of the family of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-netanyahu-ran-gvili-594f8faf7514f49750756de52f5c5f95">the young police officer</a>&nbsp;known affectionately as “Rani."

The path to implementing Trump's peace plan is certainly complicated.

If successful, the second phase would see the rebuilding of a demilitarized Gaza under international supervision by a group chaired by Trump and known as the Board of Peace. The Palestinians would form a “technocratic, apolitical” committee to run daily affairs in Gaza, under Board of Peace supervision.

It further calls for normalized relations between Israel and the Arab world and a possible pathway to Palestinian independence. Then there are thorny logistical and humanitarian questions, including rebuilding war-ravaged Gaza, disarming Hamas and creating a security apparatus called the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-stabilization-force-gaza-united-nations-trump-464cfda6fbec02b8553a9df9d093df06">International Stabilization Force</a>.

Two main challenges have complicated moving to the second phase, according to an official who was briefed on those meetings. Israeli officials have been taking a lot of time to vet and approve members of the Palestinian technocratic committee from a list given to them by the mediators, and Israel continues its military strikes.

Trump’s plan also calls for the stabilization force, proposed as a multinational body, to maintain security. But it, too, has yet to be formed. Whether details will be forthcoming after Monday's meeting is unclear.

A Western diplomat said there is a “huge gulf” between the U.S.-Israeli understanding of the force's mandate and that of other major countries in the region, as well as European governments.

All spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details that haven't been made public.

The U.S. and Israel want the force to have a “commanding role” in security duties, including disarming Hamas and other militant groups. But countries being courted to contribute troops fear that mandate will make it an “occupation force,” the diplomat said.

Hamas has said it is ready to discuss “freezing or storing” its arsenal of weapons but insists it has a right to armed resistance as long as Israel occupies Palestinian territory. One U.S. official said a potential plan might be to offer cash incentives in exchange for weapons, echoing a “buyback” program Witkoff has previously floated.

Trump makes case once again for Netanyahu pardon

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;warned Iran on Monday that the U.S. could carry out further military strikes if the country attempts to reconstitute its nuclear program as he held wide-ranging talks with Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;at his home in Florida.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">On Dec. 29, at the direction of <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known… <a href="https://t.co/69ywxXk30N">pic.twitter.com/69ywxXk30N</a>&mdash; U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/2005776276100207032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump had previously insisted that Tehran's nuclear capabilities were “completely and fully obliterated” by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-nuclear-fordo-ef530114e5297884b1c3b76a04a3b1de">U.S. strikes on key nuclear enrichment sites</a>&nbsp;in June. But with Netanyahu by his side, Trump raised the possibility that suspected activity could be taking place outside those sites. Israeli officials, meanwhile, have been quoted in local media expressing concern about Iran rebuilding its supply of long-range missiles capable of striking Israel.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Trump: &quot;Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again, and if they are we&#39;re going to have to knock &#39;em down ... We&#39;ll knock the hell out of them.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/12IAi7AmfS">pic.twitter.com/12IAi7AmfS</a>&mdash; The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) <a href="https://twitter.com/TPostMillennial/status/2005709488817590695?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again,” Trump told reporters gathered at his Mar-a-Lago estate. “And if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down. We'll knock them down. We'll knock the hell out of them. But hopefully that’s not happening.”Trump’s warning to Iran comes as his administration has committed significant resources to targeting drug trafficking in South America and the president looks to create fresh momentum for the U.S.-brokered Israel-Hamas ceasefire. The Gaza deal is in danger of stalling before reaching its complicated second phase that would involve naming an international governing body and rebuilding the devastated Palestinian territory.At a news conference with Netanyahu after their meeting, Trump suggested that he could order another U.S. strike.“If it’s confirmed, they know the consequences, and the consequences will be very powerful, maybe more powerful than the last time,” Trump said.Iran has insisted that it is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-sites-explained-israel-attack-4535b4ecb4aefb2f3de9e3ad62fe363f">no longer enriching uranium</a>&nbsp;at any site in the country, trying to signal to the West that it remains open to potential negotiations over its atomic program. The two leaders discussed the possibility of taking new military action against Tehran just months after June’s 12-day war.The Iranian mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s warning.<h2>Gaza ceasefire progress has slowed</h2>Trump, with Netanyahu by his side, said he wants to get to the second phase of the Gaza deal “as quickly as we can.”“But there has to be a disarming of Hamas,” Trump added.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">ceasefire between Israel and Hamas</a>&nbsp;that Trump championed has mostly held, but progress has slowed recently. Both sides&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-palestinians-war-news-24-12-2025-64ef5cd8810543e62360b639c3e47010">accuse each other of violations</a>, and divisions have emerged among the U.S., Israel and Arab countries about the path forward.The truce's first phase began in October, days after the two-year anniversary of the initial Hamas-led attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-netanyahu-ran-gvili-594f8faf7514f49750756de52f5c5f95">All but one of the 251 hostages</a>&nbsp;taken then have been released,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-hostages-alon-ohel-5b87cb0e35544d0edd1076c04a0ec95d">alive or dead</a>.The Israeli leader, who also met separately with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has signaled he is in no rush to move forward with the next phase as long as the remains of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-netanyahu-ran-gvili-594f8faf7514f49750756de52f5c5f95">Ran Gvili</a>&nbsp;are still in Gaza.Gvili’s parents met with Netanyahu as well as Rubio, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in Florida on Monday.“They’re waiting for their son to come home," Trump said of the family of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-netanyahu-ran-gvili-594f8faf7514f49750756de52f5c5f95">the young police officer</a>&nbsp;known affectionately as “Rani."<h2>Next phase is complex</h2>The path to implementing Trump's peace plan is certainly complicated.If successful, the second phase would see the rebuilding of a demilitarized Gaza under international supervision by a group chaired by Trump and known as the Board of Peace. The Palestinians would form a “technocratic, apolitical” committee to run daily affairs in Gaza, under Board of Peace supervision.It further calls for normalized relations between Israel and the Arab world and a possible pathway to Palestinian independence. Then there are thorny logistical and humanitarian questions, including rebuilding war-ravaged Gaza, disarming Hamas and creating a security apparatus called the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-stabilization-force-gaza-united-nations-trump-464cfda6fbec02b8553a9df9d093df06">International Stabilization Force</a>.<h2>Much remains unsettled</h2>Two main challenges have complicated moving to the second phase, according to an official who was briefed on those meetings. Israeli officials have been taking a lot of time to vet and approve members of the Palestinian technocratic committee from a list given to them by the mediators, and Israel continues its military strikes.Trump’s plan also calls for the stabilization force, proposed as a multinational body, to maintain security. But it, too, has yet to be formed. Whether details will be forthcoming after Monday's meeting is unclear.A Western diplomat said there is a “huge gulf” between the U.S.-Israeli understanding of the force's mandate and that of other major countries in the region, as well as European governments.All spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details that haven't been made public.The U.S. and Israel want the force to have a “commanding role” in security duties, including disarming Hamas and other militant groups. But countries being courted to contribute troops fear that mandate will make it an “occupation force,” the diplomat said.Hamas has said it is ready to discuss “freezing or storing” its arsenal of weapons but insists it has a right to armed resistance as long as Israel occupies Palestinian territory. One U.S. official said a potential plan might be to offer cash incentives in exchange for weapons, echoing a “buyback” program Witkoff has previously floated.<h2>Trump makes case once again for Netanyahu pardon</h2>The two leaders, who have a long and close relationship, heaped praise on each other. Trump also tweaked the Israeli leader, who at moments during the war has raised Trump's ire, for being “very difficult on occasion.”Netanyahu said Trump during the lunch was formally told that his country's education ministry will award him the Israel Prize, breaking the long-held convention of bestowing the honor on an Israeli citizen or resident.“President Trump has broken so many conventions to the surprise of people,” Netanyahu said. He added, “So we decided to break a convention too, or create a new one."Trump also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-netanyahu-trump-politics-letter-trial-36cfeeacf4fa038e784f43f31a56fe4e">renewed his call</a>&nbsp;on Israeli President Isaac Herzog to grant Netanyahu, who is in the midst of a corruption trial, a pardon.Netanyahu is the only sitting prime minister in Israeli history to stand trial, after being charged with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-corruption-netanyahu-gaza-war-scandal-17518bca5b27fc47216eed974e96f3e6">fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes</a>&nbsp;in three separate cases accusing him of exchanging favors with wealthy political supporters.Trump has previously written to Herzog to urge a pardon and advocated for one during his October speech before the Knesset. He said Monday that Herzog has told him “it’s on its way" without offering further details.“He’s a wartime prime minister who’s a hero. How do you not give a pardon?" Trump said.Herzog's office said in a statement that the Israeli president and Trump have not spoken since the pardon request was submitted, but that Herzog has spoken with a Trump representative about the U.S. president's letter advocating for Netanyahu's pardon.“During that conversation, an explanation was provided regarding the stage of the process in which the request currently stands, and that any decision on the matter will be made in accordance with the established procedures,” the Israeli president's office said.___