By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/wyatte-grantham-philips">WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/matt-obrien">MATT O’BRIEN</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/kelvin-chan">KELVIN CHAN</a> Associated Press

Apple and Google blocked downloads of phone apps that flag sightings of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/portland-chicago-memphis-federal-crackdowns-trump-7a45dcf0e7e2bd7debb38603e5b4f660">U.S. immigration agents</a>, just hours after the Trump administration demanded that one particularly popular iPhone app be taken down.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said such tracking puts Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at risk. But users and developers of the apps say it’s their First Amendment right to capture what ICE is doing in their neighborhoods — and maintain that most users turn to these platforms in an effort to protect their own safety as President Donald Trump steps up aggressive immigration enforcement across the country.

ICEBlock, the most widely used of the ICE-tracking apps in Apple’s app store, is among the apps that have been taken down. Bondi said her office reached out to Apple on Thursday “demanding that they remove ICEBlock” and claiming that it “is designed to put ICE agents at risk just for doing their jobs.”

Apple soon complied, sending an email Thursday to the app’s creator, Joshua Aaron, that said it would block further downloads of the app because new information “provided to Apple by law enforcement” showed the app broke the app store rules.

According to the email, which Aaron shared with The Associated Press, Apple said the app violated the company’s policies “because its purpose is to provide location information about law enforcement officers that can be used to harm such officers individually or as a group.”

In a Friday interview, Aaron decried the company for bending to what he described as “an authoritarian regime.” And immigration rights advocates like Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center, added that these actions marked “a disturbing example of how tech companies are capitulating to Trump.”

“These apps are a lifeline for communities living in uncertainty and fear of when ICE might show up to tear their families apart,” Matos said in a statement.

Downloads of apps like ICEBlock have surged since Trump took office for his second term earlier this year. Aaron said he launched the app in April as a way to help immigrant communities protect themselves from surprise raids or potential harassment. It had more than 1 million users, he said.

While not specifying details on the total number of platforms removed, Apple confirmed to the AP on Friday that they removed “similar apps” due to potential safety risks that were raised by law enforcement. Google followed their move, saying that several similar apps violated their policies for Android platforms.

While some advocates don’t find all of these apps particularly useful — pointing to potential misinformation and false alarms — they echoed criticism of moves to suppress them.

“What really worries me is the kind of precedent that this sets” where the government can “basically dictate what kinds of apps people have on their phones,” said civil rights attorney Alejandra Caraballo, who works at Harvard University’s Cyberlaw Clinic.

Caraballo said outside the U.S., government pressure to block apps has been “kind of a hallmark of an authoritarian regime,” such as when Chinese pressure in 2019 led&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5fb64c1137ad45f284dc605ca7f9c321">Apple to remove an app</a>&nbsp;that enabled Hong Kong protesters to track police.

Bondi warned over the summer against apps that allow people to communicate about the location of law enforcement officers and specifically called out ICEBlock’s Aaron.

“We are looking at him and he better watch out because that’s not a protected speech,” Bondi said in a July interview on Fox News.

Those warnings escalated last month after a gunman opened fire on an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dallas-ice-shooting-update-immigration-0631d82e4fd0b1f6e3309e6e8aa83d1e">ICE facility</a>&nbsp;in Dallas. Officials including FBI Director Kash Patel said the gunman had searched for apps that tracked the presence of ICE agents, though they haven’t said if he actually used one of the apps or whether any of them played a role in the attack.

Aaron said tying the gunman to the apps made little sense because the app only works if somebody else is reporting ICE activity within a 5-mile radius of another iPhone user.

“You don’t need an app to know that ICE agents are at an ICE detention facility,” he said. “This is just an easy excuse for them to use their power and leverage to take down something that was exposing what they are doing — and that is the terror that they are invoking on the people of this nation every single day.”

He also said the app worked similarly to popular navigation apps like Waze, Google Maps and Apple’s own Maps app, which allow users to report police speed traps.

It’s “not illegal in any way, shape or form, nor does it dox anybody,” he said, adding that ICEBlock is similarly “an early warning system for people.”

Those who use the apps or other online methods to monitor ICE activity say most people who use them do so for their own safety or out of concern for their loved ones.

“People are extremely scared right now,” said Sherman Austin, who founded Stop ICE Raids Alert Network in February. He pointed to rising fears around racial profiling and violent arrests impacting families.

“They want to know what’s going on in their neighborhood and what’s going on in their community,” Austin said, describing people getting violently thrown to the ground by ICE agents in broad daylight.

Also known as StopICE.Net, Austin’s platform similarly uses crowdsourcing, but instead allows its users to track ICE activity more broadly online or through text alerts, without the need to download a separate app. Austin says the platform has reached more than 500,000 subscribers as of Friday.

The group has similarly criticized the Trump administration for what it says are retaliatory attacks targeting those who are exercising their First Amendment rights. Last month, the platform said it learned that the Department of Homeland Security has subpoenaed Meta for data on StopICE.Net’s Instagram account.

Austin said StopICE.Net immediately challenged the action, adding on Friday that the subpoena is now temporarily blocked and pending a hearing with a judge.

Meta declined comment Friday. DHS did not directly respond to a request for comment about the subpoena on Friday, instead directing the AP to a statement from Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, who reiterated that “ICE tracking apps put the lives of the men and women of law enforcement in danger” and criticized media outlets for framing Apple’s “correct decision” to remove apps like ICEBlock as “caving to pressure instead of preventing further bloodshed.”

Developers like Austin, meanwhile, say removals of these apps and other federal threats should alarm everyone.

“We’re up against a regime, an administration that’s going to operate any way it wants to — and threatens whoever it wants in order to get its way, in order to control information and in order to control a narrative,” he said. “We have to challenge this and fight this any way we can.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759508859916.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/wyatte-grantham-philips">WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/matt-obrien">MATT O’BRIEN</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/kelvin-chan">KELVIN CHAN</a> Associated PressApple and Google blocked downloads of phone apps that flag sightings of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/portland-chicago-memphis-federal-crackdowns-trump-7a45dcf0e7e2bd7debb38603e5b4f660">U.S. immigration agents</a>, just hours after the Trump administration demanded that one particularly popular iPhone app be taken down.U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said such tracking puts Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at risk. But users and developers of the apps say it’s their First Amendment right to capture what ICE is doing in their neighborhoods — and maintain that most users turn to these platforms in an effort to protect their own safety as President Donald Trump steps up aggressive immigration enforcement across the country.ICEBlock, the most widely used of the ICE-tracking apps in Apple’s app store, is among the apps that have been taken down. Bondi said her office reached out to Apple on Thursday “demanding that they remove ICEBlock” and claiming that it “is designed to put ICE agents at risk just for doing their jobs.”Apple soon complied, sending an email Thursday to the app’s creator, Joshua Aaron, that said it would block further downloads of the app because new information “provided to Apple by law enforcement” showed the app broke the app store rules.According to the email, which Aaron shared with The Associated Press, Apple said the app violated the company’s policies “because its purpose is to provide location information about law enforcement officers that can be used to harm such officers individually or as a group.”In a Friday interview, Aaron decried the company for bending to what he described as “an authoritarian regime.” And immigration rights advocates like Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center, added that these actions marked “a disturbing example of how tech companies are capitulating to Trump.”“These apps are a lifeline for communities living in uncertainty and fear of when ICE might show up to tear their families apart,” Matos said in a statement.Downloads of apps like ICEBlock have surged since Trump took office for his second term earlier this year. Aaron said he launched the app in April as a way to help immigrant communities protect themselves from surprise raids or potential harassment. It had more than 1 million users, he said.While not specifying details on the total number of platforms removed, Apple confirmed to the AP on Friday that they removed “similar apps” due to potential safety risks that were raised by law enforcement. Google followed their move, saying that several similar apps violated their policies for Android platforms.While some advocates don’t find all of these apps particularly useful — pointing to potential misinformation and false alarms — they echoed criticism of moves to suppress them.“What really worries me is the kind of precedent that this sets” where the government can “basically dictate what kinds of apps people have on their phones,” said civil rights attorney Alejandra Caraballo, who works at Harvard University’s Cyberlaw Clinic.Caraballo said outside the U.S., government pressure to block apps has been “kind of a hallmark of an authoritarian regime,” such as when Chinese pressure in 2019 led&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5fb64c1137ad45f284dc605ca7f9c321">Apple to remove an app</a>&nbsp;that enabled Hong Kong protesters to track police.Bondi warned over the summer against apps that allow people to communicate about the location of law enforcement officers and specifically called out ICEBlock’s Aaron.“We are looking at him and he better watch out because that’s not a protected speech,” Bondi said in a July interview on Fox News.Those warnings escalated last month after a gunman opened fire on an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dallas-ice-shooting-update-immigration-0631d82e4fd0b1f6e3309e6e8aa83d1e">ICE facility</a>&nbsp;in Dallas. Officials including FBI Director Kash Patel said the gunman had searched for apps that tracked the presence of ICE agents, though they haven’t said if he actually used one of the apps or whether any of them played a role in the attack.Aaron said tying the gunman to the apps made little sense because the app only works if somebody else is reporting ICE activity within a 5-mile radius of another iPhone user.“You don’t need an app to know that ICE agents are at an ICE detention facility,” he said. “This is just an easy excuse for them to use their power and leverage to take down something that was exposing what they are doing — and that is the terror that they are invoking on the people of this nation every single day.”He also said the app worked similarly to popular navigation apps like Waze, Google Maps and Apple’s own Maps app, which allow users to report police speed traps.It’s “not illegal in any way, shape or form, nor does it dox anybody,” he said, adding that ICEBlock is similarly “an early warning system for people.”Those who use the apps or other online methods to monitor ICE activity say most people who use them do so for their own safety or out of concern for their loved ones.“People are extremely scared right now,” said Sherman Austin, who founded Stop ICE Raids Alert Network in February. He pointed to rising fears around racial profiling and violent arrests impacting families.“They want to know what’s going on in their neighborhood and what’s going on in their community,” Austin said, describing people getting violently thrown to the ground by ICE agents in broad daylight.Also known as StopICE.Net, Austin’s platform similarly uses crowdsourcing, but instead allows its users to track ICE activity more broadly online or through text alerts, without the need to download a separate app. Austin says the platform has reached more than 500,000 subscribers as of Friday.The group has similarly criticized the Trump administration for what it says are retaliatory attacks targeting those who are exercising their First Amendment rights. Last month, the platform said it learned that the Department of Homeland Security has subpoenaed Meta for data on StopICE.Net’s Instagram account.Austin said StopICE.Net immediately challenged the action, adding on Friday that the subpoena is now temporarily blocked and pending a hearing with a judge.Meta declined comment Friday. DHS did not directly respond to a request for comment about the subpoena on Friday, instead directing the AP to a statement from Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, who reiterated that “ICE tracking apps put the lives of the men and women of law enforcement in danger” and criticized media outlets for framing Apple’s “correct decision” to remove apps like ICEBlock as “caving to pressure instead of preventing further bloodshed.”Developers like Austin, meanwhile, say removals of these apps and other federal threats should alarm everyone.“We’re up against a regime, an administration that’s going to operate any way it wants to — and threatens whoever it wants in order to get its way, in order to control information and in order to control a narrative,” he said. “We have to challenge this and fight this any way we can.”

Apple and Google block downloads of phone apps that track ICE agents

WASHINGTON (AP) — Party leaders in Congress have long criticized&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shutdown-government-chuck-schumer-8510b2fa4d40c4bbc058951c49c42468">government shutdowns</a>&nbsp;as toxic and destructive.

“Always a bad idea,” former Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-nate-morris-kentucky-senate-campaign-1df56e3f0680c3782ef014d8da0e6c9e">Mitch McConnell</a>, R-Ky., said of shutdowns in 2024. A potential “disaster,” Democratic Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-health-care-subsidies-schumer-6b0d64fe442fc4fa8a8daf283a30ce76">Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;of New York said of the shutdown the country narrowly avoided when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-chuck-schumer-senate-democrats-2f5704bf28b9e8864a0cb1713592f8e2">voted with Republicans</a>&nbsp;to keep the government open in March.

“I don’t think shutdowns benefit anybody, least of all the American people,” Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-thune-ap-interview-omb-memo-6b79cd64987b6173f1b3295dc3505994">John Thune</a>, R-S.D., said last week.

Yet Congress often finds itself at the brink of one as the two major political parties’ differences grow more intractable with each passing year.&nbsp;

A look at some previous shutdowns and how they ended:

Two years into his first term, President Donald Trump led the country into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/30769167ab7a4ef9adf880d020b775dd">its longest shutdown ever</a>&nbsp;with demands that Congress give him money for a U.S.-Mexico border wall. Similar to Republican leaders today, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, refused to negotiate unless Trump, a Republican, allowed the government to reopen. Democrats had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/democrats-seize-house-control-but-trumps-gop-holds-senate-c0be062914e048d79f70bcf120e1ccbb">won the House majority</a>&nbsp;in the 2018 election and took power in the middle of the partial shutdown.

Trump retreated after 35 days as intensifying delays at the nation’s airports and another missed payday for hundreds of thousands of federal workers brought new urgency to efforts to resolve the standoff.

The government shut down for three days as Democrats insisted that any budget measure come with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-donald-trump-immigration-bills-north-america-532fcd6149a34d488723517156c34a55">protections for young immigrants</a>&nbsp;known as “Dreamers.” Trump refused to negotiate until the government reopened, and the weekend shutdown ended after McConnell, then the Senate majority leader, promised a vote on the issue.

Democrats, led by Schumer, tried to lay blame on Trump. But Republicans said that it was Democrats who “caved” in the end.

The hard-right tea party faction of House Republicans, urged on by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-general-news-9f568e68401b4695ad8290e89169d9c2">shut the government down for 16 days</a>&nbsp;as they demanded that language to block implementation of President Barack Obama’s signature health care law be added to a spending bill.

The conflict escalated when House Republicans also blocked the needed approval for raising the amount of money the Treasury can borrow to pay U.S. bills, raising the specter of a catastrophic default. Obama, a Democrat, vowed repeatedly not to pay a “ransom” to get Congress to pass normally routine legislation.

Bipartisan negotiations in the Senate finally ended the shutdown, and Republicans did not win any major concessions on health care. “We fought the good fight. We just didn’t win,” then-House Speaker John Boehner conceded.

Intent on slashing the budget, Republicans led by then-Speaker Newt Gingrich forced a three-week shutdown from December 1995 to January 1996 in a bid to coerce President Bill Clinton to sign onto a balanced budget agreement. Republicans were saddled with the blame, and Clinton, a Democrat, was reelected that November.

Under Presidents Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, and Ronald Reagan, a Republican, there were short shutdowns almost every year. The longest was in 1978, for 17 days.

A series of legal opinions issued in 1980 and 1981 made shutdowns more impactful. Then-Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti determined that failure to pass new spending bills required government functioning to shut down in whole or in part. Earlier “shutdowns” did not always entail an actual stop to government functioning and often were simply funding gaps will little real-world effect.

Associated Press writer Matthew Daly contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759193358305.png" alt="The shutdown of 2016 photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>The shutdown of 2016 photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Party leaders in Congress have long criticized&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shutdown-government-chuck-schumer-8510b2fa4d40c4bbc058951c49c42468">government shutdowns</a>&nbsp;as toxic and destructive.“Always a bad idea,” former Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-nate-morris-kentucky-senate-campaign-1df56e3f0680c3782ef014d8da0e6c9e">Mitch McConnell</a>, R-Ky., said of shutdowns in 2024. A potential “disaster,” Democratic Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-health-care-subsidies-schumer-6b0d64fe442fc4fa8a8daf283a30ce76">Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;of New York said of the shutdown the country narrowly avoided when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-chuck-schumer-senate-democrats-2f5704bf28b9e8864a0cb1713592f8e2">voted with Republicans</a>&nbsp;to keep the government open in March.“I don’t think shutdowns benefit anybody, least of all the American people,” Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-thune-ap-interview-omb-memo-6b79cd64987b6173f1b3295dc3505994">John Thune</a>, R-S.D., said last week.Yet Congress often finds itself at the brink of one as the two major political parties’ differences grow more intractable with each passing year.&nbsp;A look at some previous shutdowns and how they ended:<h2>December 2018- January 2019</h2>Two years into his first term, President Donald Trump led the country into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/30769167ab7a4ef9adf880d020b775dd">its longest shutdown ever</a>&nbsp;with demands that Congress give him money for a U.S.-Mexico border wall. Similar to Republican leaders today, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, refused to negotiate unless Trump, a Republican, allowed the government to reopen. Democrats had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/democrats-seize-house-control-but-trumps-gop-holds-senate-c0be062914e048d79f70bcf120e1ccbb">won the House majority</a>&nbsp;in the 2018 election and took power in the middle of the partial shutdown.Trump retreated after 35 days as intensifying delays at the nation’s airports and another missed payday for hundreds of thousands of federal workers brought new urgency to efforts to resolve the standoff.<h2>January 2018</h2>The government shut down for three days as Democrats insisted that any budget measure come with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-donald-trump-immigration-bills-north-america-532fcd6149a34d488723517156c34a55">protections for young immigrants</a>&nbsp;known as “Dreamers.” Trump refused to negotiate until the government reopened, and the weekend shutdown ended after McConnell, then the Senate majority leader, promised a vote on the issue.Democrats, led by Schumer, tried to lay blame on Trump. But Republicans said that it was Democrats who “caved” in the end.ADVERTISING<h2>October 2013</h2>The hard-right tea party faction of House Republicans, urged on by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-general-news-9f568e68401b4695ad8290e89169d9c2">shut the government down for 16 days</a>&nbsp;as they demanded that language to block implementation of President Barack Obama’s signature health care law be added to a spending bill.The conflict escalated when House Republicans also blocked the needed approval for raising the amount of money the Treasury can borrow to pay U.S. bills, raising the specter of a catastrophic default. Obama, a Democrat, vowed repeatedly not to pay a “ransom” to get Congress to pass normally routine legislation.Bipartisan negotiations in the Senate finally ended the shutdown, and Republicans did not win any major concessions on health care. “We fought the good fight. We just didn’t win,” then-House Speaker John Boehner conceded.<h2>December 1995-January 1996</h2>Intent on slashing the budget, Republicans led by then-Speaker Newt Gingrich forced a three-week shutdown from December 1995 to January 1996 in a bid to coerce President Bill Clinton to sign onto a balanced budget agreement. Republicans were saddled with the blame, and Clinton, a Democrat, was reelected that November.<h2>1970s and 1980s</h2>Under Presidents Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, and Ronald Reagan, a Republican, there were short shutdowns almost every year. The longest was in 1978, for 17 days.A series of legal opinions issued in 1980 and 1981 made shutdowns more impactful. Then-Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti determined that failure to pass new spending bills required government functioning to shut down in whole or in part. Earlier “shutdowns” did not always entail an actual stop to government functioning and often were simply funding gaps will little real-world effect.___Associated Press writer Matthew Daly contributed to this report.<figure>
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A look at previous government shutdowns and how they ended

NEW YORK (AP) — The curtain has been drawn. The stage lights are on. It’s time for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-new-album-life-of-showgirl-c4262686b5b68ee210f7571b8716ab51">“The Life of a Showgirl.”</a>

For&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Taylor Swift’s</a>&nbsp;most dedicated audience, a new album means new opportunities to decode Easter eggs in her lyrics and music videos. The pop superstar’s 12th studio album has no shortage&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/domestic-news-domestic-news-general-news-f77fd05cd59ed180af3461c26c5b7e6d">of clever clues and references</a>&nbsp;to her public life and discography. Many are opaque, revealing just enough to inspire a myriad of fan theories. Others are concrete – explicit names and places worth exploring. Below, you will find a guide to those instances, and how they relate to Swift.

Lyric: “That view of Portofino was on my mind / When you called me at the Plaza Athénée”

Meaning: When Swift announced her new album, she did so with the introduction of a shade she’s calling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-life-showgirl-orange-color-0a7e40dd51b4aae99ca1a67fbb5e7f89">Portofino Orange Glitter</a>&nbsp;after donning the color onstage during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-eras-tour-end-06a41d7c717486f2c0e99a7304789912">latter part of her “Eras Tour.”</a>&nbsp;“I’ve just always liked it,” she said of the hue during her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-new-heights-podcast-e26d4150cd1fa7bf7cea189e48237663">first appearance on “New Heights,”</a>&nbsp;the popular, typically football-focused podcast hosted by her fiancé Travis Kelce and his brother, Jason Kelce. “It feels like energetically how my life has felt. And this album is about what was going on behind the scenes in my inner life during this tour.” She and beau Kelce were spotted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-europe-eras-tour-fans-bcf8a207f06fd1f3e17a2f3f3b24dab5">last year in Lake Como, Italy,</a>&nbsp;but it is unclear if they spent time in nearby Portofino. Additionally,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-life-showgirl-streaming-vinyl-guide-e6ae27ac62d972be042e849dc31e140c">the standard version of her album</a>&nbsp;is available in “sweat and vanilla perfume Portofino orange vinyl.” As for the Plaza Athénée? That’s a luxury hotel in Paris.

Lyric: “Be my NY when Hollywood hates me”

Meaning: Both locations make appearances in Swift’s songwriting. Among them: “Welcome to New York” from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-a4002b50f70b5899a846baf3e20de5ab">2014’s “1989”</a>&nbsp;and “White Horse” from 2008’s “Fearless.” She also owns property in both locations.

Lyric: “Babe, I would trade the Cartier for someone to trust … just kidding”

Meaning: In August of this year, Swift&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-engaged-d585627eb98b69428ce206a2c8a9cb7d">announced her engagement</a>&nbsp;to Kelce by posting a carousel of images on Instagram. Eagle-eyed fans noticed that the ring wasn’t the only jewelry she was showing off. She was also wearing a Cartier watch.

Lyric: “We hit the best booth at Musso &amp; Frank’s”

Meaning: Since opening in 1919, Musso &amp; Frank Grill has been a hot spot for celebrities in Los Angeles – embodying the kind of old school Hollywood glamor that inspired “The Life of a Showgirl” artwork.

Lyric: “All my white diamonds and lovers are forever”

Meaning: The song is titled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-new-york-celebrity-06f0da0426e19668a99c8db81a98a328">“Elizabeth Taylor”</a>&nbsp;after the classic Hollywood starlet who, in 1991, created her own perfume called “White Diamonds.”

Lyric: “You drive, 85 / Gallatin Road and the lakeside beach”

Meaning: There are several Gallatin Roads in the United States, but given the other lyrics in the song, this one likely refers to a street in Hendersonville, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville, where Swift spent her adolescence.

Lyric: “But as the 50 Cent song played”

Meaning: A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/50-cent">50 Cent</a>&nbsp;reference further implies this song is rooted in Swift’s teen years in the ’00s, when the rapper was at the height of his popularity. The song also mentions “prom” and “second period,” what is typically associated with high school.

Lyric: “When I left school, I lost track of you / Abigail called me with the bad news / Goodbye”

Meaning: Abigail refers to Swift’s best friend AbigailAnderson, who she attended Hendersonville High School with. This marks the second time Abigail is mentioned in Swift’s discography: the first is the evocative “Fifteen” from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-redoing-fearless-album-127eefa2a3ef3373e65507495f50145c">“Fearless.”</a>

Lyric: “Redwood tree / It ain’t hard to see”

Meaning: In Oct. 2023, Swift and Kelce made a surprise appearance at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/saturday-night-live">“Saturday Night Live”</a>&nbsp;for a season premiere episode that featured host Pete Davidson and musical performer/friend to Swift, Ice Spice.Afterwards, “SNL” cast member Bowen Yang described the couple as the “tallest people in the world,” on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/las-culturistas-culture-awards-matt-rogers-interview-1fefa3101f502806773f8e9976d1f00d">“Las Culturistas”</a>&nbsp;podcast he co-hosts with comedian Matt Rogers. “I see them together, I go, ‘I am in the Redwood Forest.’” Hence, “Redwood tree.”

Meaning:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-heights-podcast-taylor-swift-kelce-e5b21dc74fdc8aebf04f383e5dc11b0b">“New Heights”</a>&nbsp;is a direct reference to the Kelces’ podcast of the same name.

Lyric: “Summertime spritz, pink skies”

Meaning:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-life-showgirl-streaming-vinyl-guide-e6ae27ac62d972be042e849dc31e140c">Physical album variants</a>&nbsp;have been a huge part of Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” rollout, and in some ways, they appear in the lyrics of “Honey.” The color of her exclusive vinyl release with Target, “The Crowd Is Your King” edition, was described online as “summertime spritz pink shimmer.”

Meaning: This line relates to another one of her variants: “The Shiny Bug Collection,” which is available in “violet shimmer marbled vinyl” and more relevantly, “wintergreen and onyx marbled vinyl.” (“Violet” is mentioned in “Elizabeth Tylor,” as is “onyx” in “Opalite.”)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737974936244.jpeg" alt="File photo -Donna Kelce stands with her son Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift after the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)" />
 <figcaption>File photo -Donna Kelce stands with her son Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift after the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The curtain has been drawn. The stage lights are on. It’s time for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-new-album-life-of-showgirl-c4262686b5b68ee210f7571b8716ab51">“The Life of a Showgirl.”</a>For&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Taylor Swift’s</a>&nbsp;most dedicated audience, a new album means new opportunities to decode Easter eggs in her lyrics and music videos. The pop superstar’s 12th studio album has no shortage&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/domestic-news-domestic-news-general-news-f77fd05cd59ed180af3461c26c5b7e6d">of clever clues and references</a>&nbsp;to her public life and discography. Many are opaque, revealing just enough to inspire a myriad of fan theories. Others are concrete – explicit names and places worth exploring. Below, you will find a guide to those instances, and how they relate to Swift.Read on, and happy digging!<h2>“Elizabeth Taylor”</h2>Lyric: “That view of Portofino was on my mind / When you called me at the Plaza Athénée”Meaning: When Swift announced her new album, she did so with the introduction of a shade she’s calling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-life-showgirl-orange-color-0a7e40dd51b4aae99ca1a67fbb5e7f89">Portofino Orange Glitter</a>&nbsp;after donning the color onstage during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-eras-tour-end-06a41d7c717486f2c0e99a7304789912">latter part of her “Eras Tour.”</a>&nbsp;“I’ve just always liked it,” she said of the hue during her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-new-heights-podcast-e26d4150cd1fa7bf7cea189e48237663">first appearance on “New Heights,”</a>&nbsp;the popular, typically football-focused podcast hosted by her fiancé Travis Kelce and his brother, Jason Kelce. “It feels like energetically how my life has felt. And this album is about what was going on behind the scenes in my inner life during this tour.” She and beau Kelce were spotted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-europe-eras-tour-fans-bcf8a207f06fd1f3e17a2f3f3b24dab5">last year in Lake Como, Italy,</a>&nbsp;but it is unclear if they spent time in nearby Portofino. Additionally,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-life-showgirl-streaming-vinyl-guide-e6ae27ac62d972be042e849dc31e140c">the standard version of her album</a>&nbsp;is available in “sweat and vanilla perfume Portofino orange vinyl.” As for the Plaza Athénée? That’s a luxury hotel in Paris.Lyric: “Be my NY when Hollywood hates me”Meaning: Both locations make appearances in Swift’s songwriting. Among them: “Welcome to New York” from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-a4002b50f70b5899a846baf3e20de5ab">2014’s “1989”</a>&nbsp;and “White Horse” from 2008’s “Fearless.” She also owns property in both locations.Lyric: “Babe, I would trade the Cartier for someone to trust … just kidding”Meaning: In August of this year, Swift&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-engaged-d585627eb98b69428ce206a2c8a9cb7d">announced her engagement</a>&nbsp;to Kelce by posting a carousel of images on Instagram. Eagle-eyed fans noticed that the ring wasn’t the only jewelry she was showing off. She was also wearing a Cartier watch.Lyric: “We hit the best booth at Musso &amp; Frank’s”Meaning: Since opening in 1919, Musso &amp; Frank Grill has been a hot spot for celebrities in Los Angeles – embodying the kind of old school Hollywood glamor that inspired “The Life of a Showgirl” artwork.Lyric: “All my white diamonds and lovers are forever”Meaning: The song is titled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-new-york-celebrity-06f0da0426e19668a99c8db81a98a328">“Elizabeth Taylor”</a>&nbsp;after the classic Hollywood starlet who, in 1991, created her own perfume called “White Diamonds.”<h2>“Ruin the Friendship”</h2>Lyric: “You drive, 85 / Gallatin Road and the lakeside beach”Meaning: There are several Gallatin Roads in the United States, but given the other lyrics in the song, this one likely refers to a street in Hendersonville, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville, where Swift spent her adolescence.Lyric: “But as the 50 Cent song played”Meaning: A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/50-cent">50 Cent</a>&nbsp;reference further implies this song is rooted in Swift’s teen years in the ’00s, when the rapper was at the height of his popularity. The song also mentions “prom” and “second period,” what is typically associated with high school.Lyric: “When I left school, I lost track of you / Abigail called me with the bad news / Goodbye”Meaning: Abigail refers to Swift’s best friend AbigailAnderson, who she attended Hendersonville High School with. This marks the second time Abigail is mentioned in Swift’s discography: the first is the evocative “Fifteen” from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-redoing-fearless-album-127eefa2a3ef3373e65507495f50145c">“Fearless.”</a><h2>“Wood”</h2>Lyric: “Redwood tree / It ain’t hard to see”Meaning: In Oct. 2023, Swift and Kelce made a surprise appearance at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/saturday-night-live">“Saturday Night Live”</a>&nbsp;for a season premiere episode that featured host Pete Davidson and musical performer/friend to Swift, Ice Spice.Afterwards, “SNL” cast member Bowen Yang described the couple as the “tallest people in the world,” on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/las-culturistas-culture-awards-matt-rogers-interview-1fefa3101f502806773f8e9976d1f00d">“Las Culturistas”</a>&nbsp;podcast he co-hosts with comedian Matt Rogers. “I see them together, I go, ‘I am in the Redwood Forest.’” Hence, “Redwood tree.”Lyric: “New Heights of manhood”Meaning:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-heights-podcast-taylor-swift-kelce-e5b21dc74fdc8aebf04f383e5dc11b0b">“New Heights”</a>&nbsp;is a direct reference to the Kelces’ podcast of the same name.<h2>“Honey”</h2>Lyric: “Summertime spritz, pink skies”Meaning:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-life-showgirl-streaming-vinyl-guide-e6ae27ac62d972be042e849dc31e140c">Physical album variants</a>&nbsp;have been a huge part of Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” rollout, and in some ways, they appear in the lyrics of “Honey.” The color of her exclusive vinyl release with Target, “The Crowd Is Your King” edition, was described online as “summertime spritz pink shimmer.”Lyric: “Wintergreen kiss, all mine”Meaning: This line relates to another one of her variants: “The Shiny Bug Collection,” which is available in “violet shimmer marbled vinyl” and more relevantly, “wintergreen and onyx marbled vinyl.” (“Violet” is mentioned in “Elizabeth Tylor,” as is “onyx” in “Opalite.”)

Taylor Swift's new album features references to Travis Kelce

WASHINGTON — Federal officials have approved another generic version of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mifepristone-abortion-pill-makary-22576dbfafca1afe0146ee496540c9a4">abortion pill mifepristone</a>, a regulatory formality that quickly triggered pushback from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-medicaid-trump-planned-parenthood-supreme-court-c512ec676b99d521d240bedeb7f85574">anti-abortion groups</a>&nbsp;and politicians aligned with the Trump administration.

Drugmaker Evita Solutions announced on its website that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-food-and-drug-administration">Food and Drug Administration</a>&nbsp;signed off on its low-cost form of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mifepristone-abortion-pill-makary-22576dbfafca1afe0146ee496540c9a4">pill</a>, which is approved to end pregnancies through 10 weeks.

On his social media account, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall wrote, "Warning on abortion pills: 11% suffer hemorrhaging, infection, or sepsis; almost everyone endures brutal cramping. Skipping doctor visits means higher failures from undiagnosed gestational age—no ultrasound!"

"These are category X drugs and have high risk severe fetal anomalies if baby survives. Biden admin dismissed key research, allowing mail-order teratogens via Amazon. Every woman should always seek in-person medical advice from their doctor."

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri also criticized the move in a post on X, stating, “I have lost confidence in the leadership at FDA.”

Students for Life Action, which opposes abortion, in a statement called the approval “a stain on the Trump presidency and another sign that the deep state at the FDA must go.”

A spokesperson for the agency said the FDA “has very limited discretion in deciding whether to approve a generic drug," and added that FDA officials do not “endorse any product.”

The criticism comes as Republican President Donald Trump’s top health officials, including Health Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-vaccines-food-additives-pharmaceuticals-trump-797750f5f141161778792e84602b57c8">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>, face growing pressure from abortion opponents to reevaluate mifepristone, which was approved 25 years ago and has repeatedly been deemed safe and effective by FDA scientists.

In a letter to Republican attorneys general last month, Kennedy and FDA Commissioner&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fda-commissioner-senate-vaccines-food-3a502dc95c7fe98db71f0a39969e17fd">Dr. Marty Makary</a>&nbsp;pledged to conduct a full review of the drug’s safety.

Under Makary and Kennedy, the FDA has repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccine-novavax-fda-trump-covid-study-4b4465ad77cfb0554b27b7d59c40ae32">delayed decisions on vaccines</a>, ultimately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccines-rfk-kennedy-trump-covid-fda-novavax-b50f4d6fbcca378eb89b059bc8a91477">narrowing the terms of approval</a>&nbsp;for this year's COVID-19 shots. That type of political intervention was previously highly unusual at the FDA, where career scientists typically make such decisions.

The FDA approved the original version of mifepristone in 2000 and gradually eased access over time. That included approving the first generic pill, from drugmaker GenBioPro, in 2019.

In 2021, the FDA under Democratic President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-health-medication-a6634601a37fb048aecdd9f030e0863a">permitted online prescribing</a>&nbsp;and mail-order delivery of the drug, greatly expanding access. Abortion opponents have been fighting the change ever since.

Approval of generic drugs is typically a rote process at the FDA, with multiple copycat versions usually approved after the patent on the original drug expires. In most cases, generic drugmakers only need to show that their drug matches the ingredients and formula used in the original medication.

“This is exactly how our system is supposed to work, and it has worked this way for decades," said Mini Timmaraju of Reproductive Freedom for All. “Career scientists and civil servants at the FDA did their jobs.”

The FDA typically approves such applications within 10 months. But filing documents posted to the FDA’s website show that Evita Solutions filed its application to market mifepristone four years ago.

On its website, Evita states that it “believes that all people should have access to safe, affordable, high-quality, effective, and compassionate abortion care.”

The company said in an email that the drug is expected to launch in January of next year.

Approval of a second generic is unlikely to affect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-mifespristone-state-lawsuit-f03bfe0d9b9fc04e4c8b01a1c6d16851">access to the pill</a>, which is typically taken with another drug, misoprostol. The combination accounts for roughly two-thirds of all U.S. abortions. Mifepristone dilates the cervix and blocks the hormone progesterone, while misoprostol causes the uterus to cramp and contract.

Access to mifepristone is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-mifepristone-supreme-court-kansas-idaho-missouri-5cc89d289ced29a1274423b43789397f">restricted</a>&nbsp;across large sections of the country because of state laws that ban abortion — including medication abortion — or impose separate restrictions on the drug’s use. Those laws are subject to a number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-lawsuit-mifepristone-misoprostol-kacsmaryk-74cb1c4cfab2c04f6cf2696151bc86ef">ongoing lawsuits</a>&nbsp;that are winding their way through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/supreme-court-mifepristone-ruling-abortion-pill-updates">the legal system.</a>

Restrictions on the pill are not supported by most major medical societies, including the American Medical Association.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680967437018.png" alt="photo AP" />
 <figcaption>photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — Federal officials have approved another generic version of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mifepristone-abortion-pill-makary-22576dbfafca1afe0146ee496540c9a4">abortion pill mifepristone</a>, a regulatory formality that quickly triggered pushback from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-medicaid-trump-planned-parenthood-supreme-court-c512ec676b99d521d240bedeb7f85574">anti-abortion groups</a>&nbsp;and politicians aligned with the Trump administration.Drugmaker Evita Solutions announced on its website that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-food-and-drug-administration">Food and Drug Administration</a>&nbsp;signed off on its low-cost form of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mifepristone-abortion-pill-makary-22576dbfafca1afe0146ee496540c9a4">pill</a>, which is approved to end pregnancies through 10 weeks.On his social media account, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall wrote, "Warning on abortion pills: 11% suffer hemorrhaging, infection, or sepsis; almost everyone endures brutal cramping. Skipping doctor visits means higher failures from undiagnosed gestational age—no ultrasound!""These are category X drugs and have high risk severe fetal anomalies if baby survives. Biden admin dismissed key research, allowing mail-order teratogens via Amazon. Every woman should always seek in-person medical advice from their doctor."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The FDA has approved a new abortion drug, which may render its promised “safety study” of chemical abortions irrelevant. I want to know how this happened. <a href="https://t.co/DTd5LsiTKY">pic.twitter.com/DTd5LsiTKY</a>&mdash; Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/HawleyMO/status/1974199810761642419?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri also criticized the move in a post on X, stating, “I have lost confidence in the leadership at FDA.”Students for Life Action, which opposes abortion, in a statement called the approval “a stain on the Trump presidency and another sign that the deep state at the FDA must go.”A spokesperson for the agency said the FDA “has very limited discretion in deciding whether to approve a generic drug," and added that FDA officials do not “endorse any product.”The criticism comes as Republican President Donald Trump’s top health officials, including Health Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-vaccines-food-additives-pharmaceuticals-trump-797750f5f141161778792e84602b57c8">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>, face growing pressure from abortion opponents to reevaluate mifepristone, which was approved 25 years ago and has repeatedly been deemed safe and effective by FDA scientists.In a letter to Republican attorneys general last month, Kennedy and FDA Commissioner&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fda-commissioner-senate-vaccines-food-3a502dc95c7fe98db71f0a39969e17fd">Dr. Marty Makary</a>&nbsp;pledged to conduct a full review of the drug’s safety.Under Makary and Kennedy, the FDA has repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccine-novavax-fda-trump-covid-study-4b4465ad77cfb0554b27b7d59c40ae32">delayed decisions on vaccines</a>, ultimately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccines-rfk-kennedy-trump-covid-fda-novavax-b50f4d6fbcca378eb89b059bc8a91477">narrowing the terms of approval</a>&nbsp;for this year's COVID-19 shots. That type of political intervention was previously highly unusual at the FDA, where career scientists typically make such decisions.The FDA approved the original version of mifepristone in 2000 and gradually eased access over time. That included approving the first generic pill, from drugmaker GenBioPro, in 2019.In 2021, the FDA under Democratic President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-health-medication-a6634601a37fb048aecdd9f030e0863a">permitted online prescribing</a>&nbsp;and mail-order delivery of the drug, greatly expanding access. Abortion opponents have been fighting the change ever since.Approval of generic drugs is typically a rote process at the FDA, with multiple copycat versions usually approved after the patent on the original drug expires. In most cases, generic drugmakers only need to show that their drug matches the ingredients and formula used in the original medication.“This is exactly how our system is supposed to work, and it has worked this way for decades," said Mini Timmaraju of Reproductive Freedom for All. “Career scientists and civil servants at the FDA did their jobs.”The FDA typically approves such applications within 10 months. But filing documents posted to the FDA’s website show that Evita Solutions filed its application to market mifepristone four years ago.On its website, Evita states that it “believes that all people should have access to safe, affordable, high-quality, effective, and compassionate abortion care.”The company said in an email that the drug is expected to launch in January of next year.Approval of a second generic is unlikely to affect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-mifespristone-state-lawsuit-f03bfe0d9b9fc04e4c8b01a1c6d16851">access to the pill</a>, which is typically taken with another drug, misoprostol. The combination accounts for roughly two-thirds of all U.S. abortions. Mifepristone dilates the cervix and blocks the hormone progesterone, while misoprostol causes the uterus to cramp and contract.Access to mifepristone is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-mifepristone-supreme-court-kansas-idaho-missouri-5cc89d289ced29a1274423b43789397f">restricted</a>&nbsp;across large sections of the country because of state laws that ban abortion — including medication abortion — or impose separate restrictions on the drug’s use. Those laws are subject to a number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-lawsuit-mifepristone-misoprostol-kacsmaryk-74cb1c4cfab2c04f6cf2696151bc86ef">ongoing lawsuits</a>&nbsp;that are winding their way through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/supreme-court-mifepristone-ruling-abortion-pill-updates">the legal system.</a>Restrictions on the pill are not supported by most major medical societies, including the American Medical Association.___

Kan. U.S. Senator's warning on approval of another generic abortion pill

KANSAS CITY——Authorities are working to determine the cause of an apartment fire in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just after 5a.m. Friday, the Kansas City Fire Department&nbsp;responded to a reported apartment fire&nbsp;in the 2400 block of E 9th Street, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

 Crews reported heavy fire from a 3-story apartment building on arrival, with fire through the roof of the structure.&nbsp;Offensive operations were initiated with four handlines being advanced into the structure.

During searches, KCFD companies found 3 victims and brought them out safely. Additional searches came back "all clear."&nbsp; Crews did pull out of the structure and went defensive for a short period while they used the aerial to extinguish fire on the upper level. Companies did return inside with handlines to continue with search and overhaul. The&nbsp;fire&nbsp;was brought under contro lat 5:40 a.m. Red Cross was ordered for 2 adults and 1 child. There were no injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759494861303.png" alt="Photos KC Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photos KC Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY——Authorities are working to determine the cause of an apartment fire in Kansas City, Missouri.Just after 5a.m. Friday, the Kansas City Fire Department&nbsp;responded to a reported apartment fire&nbsp;in the 2400 block of E 9th Street, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. Crews reported heavy fire from a 3-story apartment building on arrival, with fire through the roof of the structure.&nbsp;Offensive operations were initiated with four handlines being advanced into the structure.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759494843471.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>During searches, KCFD companies found 3 victims and brought them out safely. Additional searches came back "all clear."&nbsp; Crews did pull out of the structure and went defensive for a short period while they used the aerial to extinguish fire on the upper level. Companies did return inside with handlines to continue with search and overhaul. The&nbsp;fire&nbsp;was brought under contro lat 5:40 a.m. Red Cross was ordered for 2 adults and 1 child. There were no injuries.

Crews rescue two adults, child from KC  apartment fire

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas has been quietly building a pot of more than $26 million that can be used for attracting professional sports teams to the state, giving the state an edge in its “border war” with Missouri.

Totaling more than $26.2 million and counting, those funds are for&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/04/02/kansas-sports-wagering-bill-earmarks-80-of-state-revenue-to-pro-sports-stadium/">the Attracting Professional Sports to Kansas Fund</a>, which can be used to woo any professional sports team, including the Missouri-based Kansas City Chiefs or the Kansas City Royals, to Kansas.

For years, Kansas has been trying to sway the region’s NFL and MLB teams to cross the border. Lawmakers in both states,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/06/14/pure-emotion-frequently-drives-debates-on-sports-stadium-deals/">motivated by pride and potential revenue</a>, have lobbed tax incentives, construction fund packages and seemingly arbitrary decision deadlines at the teams.

The addition of millions of dollars to cover costs that haven’t already been bundled in other proposed deals bolsters Kansas’ case, especially after&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/05/missouri-governor-allows-more-spending-property-tax-cap-as-he-pursues-stadium-deal/" target="_blank">Missouri lawmakers approved a stadium incentives package</a>&nbsp;earlier this year. In July, Kansas lawmakers approved&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/07/kansas-lawmakers-extend-deadline-for-chiefs-royals-to-accept-stadium-incentives/">a deadline extension</a>&nbsp;until the end of the year for the Chiefs and the Royals to accept&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/06/21/kansas-gov-kelly-signs-bill-to-poach-kansas-city-chiefs-royals-from-missouri/">hundreds of millions of dollars in stadium incentives</a>.

At a recent legislative hearing, Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican, examined how Kansas has amassed millions for professional sports teams without much attention.

“If you read that statute very carefully, it draws some questions,” he said.

The law says the fund can be used to pay the principal or interest costs on any state or municipal bonds, “which shall include any such financing structured as pay-as-you-go, issued to fund the construction, rehabilitation, revitalization or expansion of a professional sports team’s primary facility or any other ancillary development to such primary facility.”

In other words, Thompson said, the purpose of the fund is “so we can help a professional sports team make a profit, get a stadium and come to Kansas.”

“I’ve never seen any evidence that these things pay for themselves, that taxpayers will receive a reduction in tax rates,” he said.

Research has shown that funneling taxpayer money into sports stadium and arena projects a&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2024/02/20/more-taxpayer-money-benefits-pro-sports-owners-amid-stadium-construction-wave/" target="_blank">poor public investment</a>.

Attracting economic development, and the border war itself, goes beyond professional sports. In 2019, Kansas’ Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and Missouri’s Republican Gov. Mike Parson, current Gov. Mike Kehoe’s predecessor, declared a truce. The two states vowed to temporarily halt the practice of recruiting businesses to cross the state line without job creation, in theory halting the border war.

But that did not include Kansas City’s professional sports teams,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/20/missouri-lawmakers-criticize-kansas-attempt-to-poach-royals-chiefs/" target="_blank">Kelly told the Missouri Independent</a>&nbsp;in June 2024.

That was the first sign of the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/08/02/kansas-v-missouri-stadium-battle-shows-how-states-are-reigniting-border-wars/">truce’s disintegration</a>. Kansas City, Missouri’s City Council formalized an end to the truce this September. The council&nbsp;<a href="https://kansascity.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7665739&amp;GUID=ACBC7B2E-02E1-43B2-84F4-50D0BD396B54" target="_blank">repealed</a>&nbsp;a 10-year moratorium on tax incentives for job creation inside city limits that was passed in response to the truce. The truce expired in August.

Sports gambling dollars make up a relatively new revenue stream for Kansas. The state legalized sportsbooks in 2022 and could&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/25/kansas-legislators-look-for-bigger-payout-from-sportsbooks-with-contracts-set-to-expire/">consider modifying regulations</a>&nbsp;that govern books in the 2026 session.

The way sports wagering is regulated in Kansas allows gaming facility managers to keep 90% of revenues. The state gets 10%. Of that portion, the first $750,000 is deposited into the White Collar Crime Fund, which supports investigations of illegal wagers.

Once the white collar fund takes its allotted portion, 2% of what remains goes toward the Gambling Addiction Grant Fund, and 80% to the attracting professional sports coiffeur. In fiscal year 2024, about $8.7 million was deposited into it.

The state hasn’t yet used any of the $26 million, according to Megan Stookey, a spokesperson for Senate President Ty Masterson, who is running for the Republican nomination for governor.

If recruitment efforts don’t succeed, the funds will be reappropriated as the Legislature sees fit, she said. The Legislative Coordinating Council, which is made up of legislative leadership, is the body that could publicly consider any potential deals between the state and a professional sports team while the Legislature is not in session.

“Kansans can expect discussions to progress,” Stookey said in an email, “with the LCC prepared to review any proposals in the (time) prior to the deadline.”

Patrick Lowry, a spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Commerce, said the agency “continues to conduct a careful analysis of costs and benefits as part of discussions to keep the Chiefs and Royals in the region while maximizing growth opportunities for Kansas.”

Echoing nearly identical comments given to reporters in the past, Lowry said “all major economic development projects require discretion and confidentiality,” and he declined to comment on negotiations or agreements.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748263709817.png" alt="GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs, is pictured on Sat. Feb. 8 (Anna Spoerre/The Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs, is pictured on Sat. Feb. 8 (Anna Spoerre/The Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas has been quietly building a pot of more than $26 million that can be used for attracting professional sports teams to the state, giving the state an edge in its “border war” with Missouri.Totaling more than $26.2 million and counting, those funds are for&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/04/02/kansas-sports-wagering-bill-earmarks-80-of-state-revenue-to-pro-sports-stadium/">the Attracting Professional Sports to Kansas Fund</a>, which can be used to woo any professional sports team, including the Missouri-based Kansas City Chiefs or the Kansas City Royals, to Kansas.For years, Kansas has been trying to sway the region’s NFL and MLB teams to cross the border. Lawmakers in both states,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/06/14/pure-emotion-frequently-drives-debates-on-sports-stadium-deals/">motivated by pride and potential revenue</a>, have lobbed tax incentives, construction fund packages and seemingly arbitrary decision deadlines at the teams.The addition of millions of dollars to cover costs that haven’t already been bundled in other proposed deals bolsters Kansas’ case, especially after&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/05/missouri-governor-allows-more-spending-property-tax-cap-as-he-pursues-stadium-deal/" target="_blank">Missouri lawmakers approved a stadium incentives package</a>&nbsp;earlier this year. In July, Kansas lawmakers approved&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/07/kansas-lawmakers-extend-deadline-for-chiefs-royals-to-accept-stadium-incentives/">a deadline extension</a>&nbsp;until the end of the year for the Chiefs and the Royals to accept&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/06/21/kansas-gov-kelly-signs-bill-to-poach-kansas-city-chiefs-royals-from-missouri/">hundreds of millions of dollars in stadium incentives</a>.At a recent legislative hearing, Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican, examined how Kansas has amassed millions for professional sports teams without much attention.“If you read that statute very carefully, it draws some questions,” he said.The law says the fund can be used to pay the principal or interest costs on any state or municipal bonds, “which shall include any such financing structured as pay-as-you-go, issued to fund the construction, rehabilitation, revitalization or expansion of a professional sports team’s primary facility or any other ancillary development to such primary facility.”In other words, Thompson said, the purpose of the fund is “so we can help a professional sports team make a profit, get a stadium and come to Kansas.”“I’ve never seen any evidence that these things pay for themselves, that taxpayers will receive a reduction in tax rates,” he said.Research has shown that funneling taxpayer money into sports stadium and arena projects a&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2024/02/20/more-taxpayer-money-benefits-pro-sports-owners-amid-stadium-construction-wave/" target="_blank">poor public investment</a>.Attracting economic development, and the border war itself, goes beyond professional sports. In 2019, Kansas’ Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and Missouri’s Republican Gov. Mike Parson, current Gov. Mike Kehoe’s predecessor, declared a truce. The two states vowed to temporarily halt the practice of recruiting businesses to cross the state line without job creation, in theory halting the border war.But that did not include Kansas City’s professional sports teams,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/20/missouri-lawmakers-criticize-kansas-attempt-to-poach-royals-chiefs/" target="_blank">Kelly told the Missouri Independent</a>&nbsp;in June 2024.That was the first sign of the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/08/02/kansas-v-missouri-stadium-battle-shows-how-states-are-reigniting-border-wars/">truce’s disintegration</a>. Kansas City, Missouri’s City Council formalized an end to the truce this September. The council&nbsp;<a href="https://kansascity.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7665739&amp;GUID=ACBC7B2E-02E1-43B2-84F4-50D0BD396B54" target="_blank">repealed</a>&nbsp;a 10-year moratorium on tax incentives for job creation inside city limits that was passed in response to the truce. The truce expired in August.Sports gambling dollars make up a relatively new revenue stream for Kansas. The state legalized sportsbooks in 2022 and could&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/25/kansas-legislators-look-for-bigger-payout-from-sportsbooks-with-contracts-set-to-expire/">consider modifying regulations</a>&nbsp;that govern books in the 2026 session.The way sports wagering is regulated in Kansas allows gaming facility managers to keep 90% of revenues. The state gets 10%. Of that portion, the first $750,000 is deposited into the White Collar Crime Fund, which supports investigations of illegal wagers.Once the white collar fund takes its allotted portion, 2% of what remains goes toward the Gambling Addiction Grant Fund, and 80% to the attracting professional sports coiffeur. In fiscal year 2024, about $8.7 million was deposited into it.The state hasn’t yet used any of the $26 million, according to Megan Stookey, a spokesperson for Senate President Ty Masterson, who is running for the Republican nomination for governor.If recruitment efforts don’t succeed, the funds will be reappropriated as the Legislature sees fit, she said. The Legislative Coordinating Council, which is made up of legislative leadership, is the body that could publicly consider any potential deals between the state and a professional sports team while the Legislature is not in session.“Kansans can expect discussions to progress,” Stookey said in an email, “with the LCC prepared to review any proposals in the (time) prior to the deadline.”Patrick Lowry, a spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Commerce, said the agency “continues to conduct a careful analysis of costs and benefits as part of discussions to keep the Chiefs and Royals in the region while maximizing growth opportunities for Kansas.”Echoing nearly identical comments given to reporters in the past, Lowry said “all major economic development projects require discretion and confidentiality,” and he declined to comment on negotiations or agreements.

Kansas has amassed a $26 million fund from sports gambling revenue to help woo Chiefs, Royals

MORGAN COUNTY —Two Kansas teens were injured an accident just before 6p..m. Friday at Lake of the Ozarks.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a Sea-Doo Spark driven by a 13-year-old Wichita girl was traveling at the&nbsp;58.6 mile mark of the Osage Arm of the lake. The watercraft side swiped a Sea-Doo Spark driven by a 15-year-old Wichita girl. Both drivers were ejected.&nbsp;

Mid-Missouri EMS transported the 13-year-old to Lake Regional Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. A&nbsp;private vehicle transported the 15-year-old to Lake Regional Hospital for treatment of moderate injuries. The girls were wearing life jackets at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.&nbsp;

MORGAN COUNTY —Two Kansas teens were injured an accident just before 6p..m. Friday at Lake of the Ozarks.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a Sea-Doo Spark driven by a 13-year-old Wichita girl was traveling at the&nbsp;58.6 mile mark of the Osage Arm of the lake. The watercraft side swiped a Sea-Doo Spark driven by a 15-year-old Wichita girl. Both drivers were ejected.&nbsp;Mid-Missouri EMS transported the 13-year-old to Lake Regional Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. A&nbsp;private vehicle transported the 15-year-old to Lake Regional Hospital for treatment of moderate injuries. The girls were wearing life jackets at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.&nbsp;

Two Kansas girls hospitalized after jet ski accident

WICHITA, Kan. –&nbsp;Kevin Vester, a minimum-custody resident of the Wichita Work Release Facility (WWRF) has been apprehended.

Vester was taken into custody Friday night, October 3, 2025, by Wichita Police Department.

Vester was placed on escape status after not returning to the facility earlier in the afternoon.

ORIGINAL STORY WICHITA, Kan. – Kansas inmate Kevin Vester was placed on escape status at approximately 6:30 p.m. on Friday,&nbsp; after not returning to the facility from his work release job this evening, according to a statement from the&nbsp; Department of Corrections.

Vester, a 55 year old African American male, is currently at large. This walkaway does not impact the security or operations of Wichita Work Release Facility.

Vester is described as five-feet, nine-inches tall, and weighs 170 pounds with a slim build. He has black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing black pants, a royal blue shirt with white writing on the front, black shoes, and a black cap with a white image and a blue bill. He is known to wear a black do-rag under his cap.

Vester was convicted in Sedgwick County of seven months of incarceration for criminal threat and 31 months of incarceration for criminal firearm discharge.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759540026774.png" alt="Vester photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Vester photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. –&nbsp;Kevin Vester, a minimum-custody resident of the Wichita Work Release Facility (WWRF) has been apprehended.Vester was taken into custody Friday night, October 3, 2025, by Wichita Police Department.Vester was placed on escape status after not returning to the facility earlier in the afternoon.---------------ORIGINAL STORY WICHITA, Kan. – Kansas inmate Kevin Vester was placed on escape status at approximately 6:30 p.m. on Friday,&nbsp; after not returning to the facility from his work release job this evening, according to a statement from the&nbsp; Department of Corrections.Vester, a 55 year old African American male, is currently at large. This walkaway does not impact the security or operations of Wichita Work Release Facility.Vester is described as five-feet, nine-inches tall, and weighs 170 pounds with a slim build. He has black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing black pants, a royal blue shirt with white writing on the front, black shoes, and a black cap with a white image and a blue bill. He is known to wear a black do-rag under his cap.Vester was convicted in Sedgwick County of seven months of incarceration for criminal threat and 31 months of incarceration for criminal firearm discharge.

UPDATE: Kansas inmate who walked away from work release apprehended

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations.

Just before 8:30p.m. a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a bicycle without a headlamp near NW Taylor Street and NW Grant Street, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian.

 During the investigation, it was discovered that the individual had a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest. Joshua M. Fisher, 20, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department on requested charges Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Bicycle not equipped with a lamp when in use at night. Fisher also had a Topeka bench warrant for his arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759437720479.png" alt="Fisher-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Fisher-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations.Just before 8:30p.m. a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a bicycle without a headlamp near NW Taylor Street and NW Grant Street, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian. During the investigation, it was discovered that the individual had a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest. Joshua M. Fisher, 20, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department on requested charges Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Bicycle not equipped with a lamp when in use at night. Fisher also had a Topeka bench warrant for his arrest.

Sheriff: Wanted Kan. drug suspect was riding bicycle in the dark

WASHINGTON (AP) —The president released a video Friday evening from the Oval Office in which he credited allies for working to achieve a deal between Israel and Hamas for the return of hostages taken in the attacks of Oct. 7, 2023.

“This is a big day,” Trump said. “We’ll see how it all turns out. We have to get the final word down in concrete.”

Trump said he looked forward to having the hostages, including those who were killed, be returned to their families. He thanked Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and “so many others.”

The president said “we’re very close to achieving” peace in the Middle East.

He ended the video by saying, “Everybody will be treated fairly.” It was unclear what Trump meant by that.

WASHINGTON (AP) —The president released a video Friday evening from the Oval Office in which he credited allies for working to achieve a deal between Israel and Hamas for the return of hostages taken in the attacks of Oct. 7, 2023.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/JzeyA0pH3e">pic.twitter.com/JzeyA0pH3e</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1974246742355845367?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“This is a big day,” Trump said. “We’ll see how it all turns out. We have to get the final word down in concrete.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/7vl4SXDHZt">pic.twitter.com/7vl4SXDHZt</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1974221685512458524?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump said he looked forward to having the hostages, including those who were killed, be returned to their families. He thanked Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and “so many others.”The president said “we’re very close to achieving” peace in the Middle East.He ended the video by saying, “Everybody will be treated fairly.” It was unclear what Trump meant by that.

🎥Trump: Gaza hostage plan is a “big deal’ but still trying to get ‘final word’

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pete-hegseth">Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth</a>&nbsp;said Friday that he ordered another strike on a small boat he accused of carrying drugs in the waters off Venezuela, expanding what the Trump administration has declared is an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">“armed conflict” with cartels</a>.

In a post on social media, Hegseth asserted that the “vessel was trafficking narcotics" and those aboard were “narco-terrorists.” He said the strike killed four men but offered no details on who they were or what group they belonged to, following the U.S. designation of several Latin American&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-foreign-terrorist-organizations-eb35567b69fc66f13f7f79fb90906a50">cartels as foreign terrorist organizations</a>.

President Donald Trump said in his own social media post that the boat was “loaded with enough drugs to kill 25 TO 50 THOUSAND PEOPLE” and implied it was “entering American Territory” while off the coast of Venezuela.

It is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strike-drug-smuggling-vessel-275ab9837373a928aa3376e50d8d39b0">fourth deadly strike in the Caribbean</a>&nbsp;and the latest since revelations that Trump told lawmakers he was treating drug traffickers as unlawful combatants and military force was required to combat them. That assertion of presidential war powers sets the stage for expanded action and raises&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-boat-strikes-warships-6ffd9e6f4eb738048c816c6d8257a6ef">questions about how far the administration will go</a>&nbsp;without&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/war-powers-act-trump-congress-9e6832fb5f5f844acf8992008d3a8d63">sign-off from Congress</a>.

“Blowing them up without knowing who’s on the boat is a terrible policy, and it should end,” said Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, a consistent and harsh critic of the U.S. strikes.

The Trump administration laid out its justification for the strikes in a memo obtained by The Associated Press this week.

“The President determined that the United States is in a non-international armed conflict with these designated terrorist organizations,” according to the memo sent to Congress. Trump directed the Pentagon to “conduct operations against them pursuant to the law of armed conflict,” the document says.

Sen. Jim Risch, Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the president had the authority to go after the cartels without further authorization from Congress under “his general powers under the Constitution as the commander in chief.”

“What could be a bigger defense of this country than keeping out this poison that’s killing thousands of Americans every year?” Risch said Friday.

Paul said only Congress has the authority to declare war and characterized the memo as “a way to pretend like” the administration is notifying lawmakers with a justification for the strikes.

“If they want to declare war, come to Congress and say they want to declare war,” he told AP. “But you can’t just say it yourself and say, Oh, well, we sent them a note and now we’re at war with unnamed people who we won’t even identify before we kill.”

Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a leftist leader who has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gustavo-petro-colombia-visa-trump-disobey-orders-ebca5169a8323ef087b709c5b8dc69b1">clashed with the Trump administration</a>, accused the U.S. of committing “murder” and urged the victims’ families to “join forces.”

“There are no narco-terrorists on the boats,” he posted on X after the strike was announced. “Drug traffickers live in the U.S., Europe and Dubai. On that boat are poor Caribbean youth.”

Video of Friday's strike posted online showed a small boat moving in open water when it suddenly explodes, with water splashing all around it. As the smoke from the explosion clears, the boat is visible, consumed with flames, floating motionless on the water.

With it, at least three of the strikes have now been carried out on vessels that U.S. officials said had originated from Venezuela. The strikes followed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-destroyers-maduro-drug-cartels-9649e8282c061d9dad41a5dfb54431d4">buildup of U.S. maritime forces</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean unlike any seen in recent times.

The Navy’s presence in the region — eight warships with over 5,000 sailors and Marines — has been pretty stable for weeks, according to two defense officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing operations.

In a post about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-rubio-trump-0f901b2a30ee20e314bcab1385ffb0c0">first strike last month</a>, Trump claimed the vessel was carrying members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-caribbean-rubio-trump-tren-de-aragua-9e0dac7dee5a3fb14a16370508fc460d">Tren de Aragua gang</a>. Posts about all&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-drug-cartels-05c5b0de282178419d46a3e93fbd2521">the subsequent strikes</a>, including Friday’s, have not provided any details about what organizations have been targeted. The four strikes have killed 21 people, the administration says.

Pentagon officials who briefed senators on the strikes this week could not provide a list of the designated terrorist organizations at the center of the conflict.

Officials in the Pentagon, when asked for more details about the strike, referred The Associated Press back to Hegseth’s post. The press office for Venezuela’s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest strike.

AP writer Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pete-hegseth">Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth</a>&nbsp;said Friday that he ordered another strike on a small boat he accused of carrying drugs in the waters off Venezuela, expanding what the Trump administration has declared is an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">“armed conflict” with cartels</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Earlier this morning, on President Trump&#39;s orders, I directed a lethal, kinetic strike on a narco-trafficking vessel affiliated with Designated Terrorist Organizations in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility. Four male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed in the… <a href="https://t.co/QpNPljFcGn">pic.twitter.com/QpNPljFcGn</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1974150886084485503?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a post on social media, Hegseth asserted that the “vessel was trafficking narcotics" and those aboard were “narco-terrorists.” He said the strike killed four men but offered no details on who they were or what group they belonged to, following the U.S. designation of several Latin American&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-foreign-terrorist-organizations-eb35567b69fc66f13f7f79fb90906a50">cartels as foreign terrorist organizations</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">📹 ON CAMERA: This morning, President Trump ordered a strike on a narco-trafficking vessel affiliated with Designated Terrorist Organizations headed to America and loaded with enough drugs to kill 25,000 to 50,000 PEOPLE off the Coast of Venezuela. BE WARNED! <a href="https://t.co/231ttj4q9P">pic.twitter.com/231ttj4q9P</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1974167658968068554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>President Donald Trump said in his own social media post that the boat was “loaded with enough drugs to kill 25 TO 50 THOUSAND PEOPLE” and implied it was “entering American Territory” while off the coast of Venezuela.It is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strike-drug-smuggling-vessel-275ab9837373a928aa3376e50d8d39b0">fourth deadly strike in the Caribbean</a>&nbsp;and the latest since revelations that Trump told lawmakers he was treating drug traffickers as unlawful combatants and military force was required to combat them. That assertion of presidential war powers sets the stage for expanded action and raises&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-boat-strikes-warships-6ffd9e6f4eb738048c816c6d8257a6ef">questions about how far the administration will go</a>&nbsp;without&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/war-powers-act-trump-congress-9e6832fb5f5f844acf8992008d3a8d63">sign-off from Congress</a>.“Blowing them up without knowing who’s on the boat is a terrible policy, and it should end,” said Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, a consistent and harsh critic of the U.S. strikes.The Trump administration laid out its justification for the strikes in a memo obtained by The Associated Press this week.“The President determined that the United States is in a non-international armed conflict with these designated terrorist organizations,” according to the memo sent to Congress. Trump directed the Pentagon to “conduct operations against them pursuant to the law of armed conflict,” the document says.Sen. Jim Risch, Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the president had the authority to go after the cartels without further authorization from Congress under “his general powers under the Constitution as the commander in chief.”“What could be a bigger defense of this country than keeping out this poison that’s killing thousands of Americans every year?” Risch said Friday.Paul said only Congress has the authority to declare war and characterized the memo as “a way to pretend like” the administration is notifying lawmakers with a justification for the strikes.“If they want to declare war, come to Congress and say they want to declare war,” he told AP. “But you can’t just say it yourself and say, Oh, well, we sent them a note and now we’re at war with unnamed people who we won’t even identify before we kill.”Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a leftist leader who has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gustavo-petro-colombia-visa-trump-disobey-orders-ebca5169a8323ef087b709c5b8dc69b1">clashed with the Trump administration</a>, accused the U.S. of committing “murder” and urged the victims’ families to “join forces.”“There are no narco-terrorists on the boats,” he posted on X after the strike was announced. “Drug traffickers live in the U.S., Europe and Dubai. On that boat are poor Caribbean youth.”Video of Friday's strike posted online showed a small boat moving in open water when it suddenly explodes, with water splashing all around it. As the smoke from the explosion clears, the boat is visible, consumed with flames, floating motionless on the water.With it, at least three of the strikes have now been carried out on vessels that U.S. officials said had originated from Venezuela. The strikes followed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-destroyers-maduro-drug-cartels-9649e8282c061d9dad41a5dfb54431d4">buildup of U.S. maritime forces</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean unlike any seen in recent times.The Navy’s presence in the region — eight warships with over 5,000 sailors and Marines — has been pretty stable for weeks, according to two defense officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing operations.In a post about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-rubio-trump-0f901b2a30ee20e314bcab1385ffb0c0">first strike last month</a>, Trump claimed the vessel was carrying members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-caribbean-rubio-trump-tren-de-aragua-9e0dac7dee5a3fb14a16370508fc460d">Tren de Aragua gang</a>. Posts about all&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-drug-cartels-05c5b0de282178419d46a3e93fbd2521">the subsequent strikes</a>, including Friday’s, have not provided any details about what organizations have been targeted. The four strikes have killed 21 people, the administration says.Pentagon officials who briefed senators on the strikes this week could not provide a list of the designated terrorist organizations at the center of the conflict.Officials in the Pentagon, when asked for more details about the strike, referred The Associated Press back to Hegseth’s post. The press office for Venezuela’s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest strike.___AP writer Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report.

🎥.US conducts another lethal strike on an alleged drug- boat

NEW YORK (AP) — Most U.S. stocks ticked higher on Friday, sending Wall Street to more&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/markets-stocks-shutdown-korea-openai-trump-a08c07307c4483a3583fe2aaa1609637">records</a>.

The S&amp;P 500 edged up by less than 0.1% to close out its seventh winning week in the last nine, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 238 points, or 0.5%. Both added to their all-time highs set the day before. The Nasdaq composite lost an early gain and slipped 0.3% from its own record.

Usually, the first Friday of each month has Wall Street transfixed on the monthly jobs update that the U.S. government publishes. It shows how many jobs employers created and destroyed, while also updating the unemployment rate.

Such data is particularly important now, given how much on Wall Street is riding on the expectation that the job market is continuing to slow by enough to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-jobs-inflation-powell-bccc5ad2114d0f9a19e0f6db4aeadf82">get the Federal Reserve to keep cutting interest rates</a>. But the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-end-senate-congress-138e0bd690d616f0735429890d28196f">shutdown of the U.S. government</a>, now in its third day, is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-trump-government-shutdown-jobs-7606871d40d0b8b9e58ca42672e22112">delaying the release</a>.

So far, the U.S. stock market has looked past such delays, including Thursday’s scheduled report on unemployment claims.

Past shutdowns of the U.S. government have tended not to hurt the economy or stock market much, and the thinking is that this one could be similar, even if President Donald Trump has threatened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-congress-government-shutdown-99d4cafe53209f6dc6ae5562c2ac79d2">large-scale firings of federal workers</a>&nbsp;this time around.

That leaves excitement around artificial intelligence and the massive spending underway because of it as one of the main drivers of the U.S. stock market, which has been setting record after record.

The industry got another boost after Japan’s Hitachi signed a memorandum of understanding with OpenAI related to powering AI. It followed an earlier set of announcements by OpenAI with South Korean companies, which vaulted stock prices higher there. Hitachi’s stock jumped 10.3% in Tokyo.

AI stocks have become so dominant, and so much money has poured into the industry that worries are rising about a potential bubble that could eventually lead to disappointment for investors.

Nvidia, the stock that’s become the poster child of the AI boom, lost an early gain during the morning to finish with a dip of 0.7%.

Applied Materials fell 2.7%. The company, whose equipment helps make semiconductor chips, said it will take a roughly $110 million hit to its revenue in the fourth quarter because of a new U.S. Commerce Department rule expanding export restrictions to certain customers based in China.

But gains for oil producers helped offset such losses. Exxon Mobil climbed 1.8%, and Diamondback Energy rose 3% as the price of crude clawed back some of its sharp losses from earlier in the week. Oil prices had been struggling on worries that the amount of crude in inventories will be too high relative to demand.

Entergy climbed 1.9% after saying its Arkansas business will deliver power for Google’s planned $4 billion investment in the state, including a new data center.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 added 0.44 to 6,715.79 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 238.56 to 46,758.28, and the Nasdaq composite fell 63.54 to 22,780.51.

In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed across Europe and Asia.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 was a big winner and rose 1.9% thanks in part to Hitachi’s jump.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.12% from 4.10% late Thursday.

NEW YORK (AP) — Most U.S. stocks ticked higher on Friday, sending Wall Street to more&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/markets-stocks-shutdown-korea-openai-trump-a08c07307c4483a3583fe2aaa1609637">records</a>.The S&amp;P 500 edged up by less than 0.1% to close out its seventh winning week in the last nine, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 238 points, or 0.5%. Both added to their all-time highs set the day before. The Nasdaq composite lost an early gain and slipped 0.3% from its own record.Usually, the first Friday of each month has Wall Street transfixed on the monthly jobs update that the U.S. government publishes. It shows how many jobs employers created and destroyed, while also updating the unemployment rate.Such data is particularly important now, given how much on Wall Street is riding on the expectation that the job market is continuing to slow by enough to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-jobs-inflation-powell-bccc5ad2114d0f9a19e0f6db4aeadf82">get the Federal Reserve to keep cutting interest rates</a>. But the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-end-senate-congress-138e0bd690d616f0735429890d28196f">shutdown of the U.S. government</a>, now in its third day, is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-trump-government-shutdown-jobs-7606871d40d0b8b9e58ca42672e22112">delaying the release</a>.So far, the U.S. stock market has looked past such delays, including Thursday’s scheduled report on unemployment claims.Past shutdowns of the U.S. government have tended not to hurt the economy or stock market much, and the thinking is that this one could be similar, even if President Donald Trump has threatened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-congress-government-shutdown-99d4cafe53209f6dc6ae5562c2ac79d2">large-scale firings of federal workers</a>&nbsp;this time around.That leaves excitement around artificial intelligence and the massive spending underway because of it as one of the main drivers of the U.S. stock market, which has been setting record after record.The industry got another boost after Japan’s Hitachi signed a memorandum of understanding with OpenAI related to powering AI. It followed an earlier set of announcements by OpenAI with South Korean companies, which vaulted stock prices higher there. Hitachi’s stock jumped 10.3% in Tokyo.AI stocks have become so dominant, and so much money has poured into the industry that worries are rising about a potential bubble that could eventually lead to disappointment for investors.Nvidia, the stock that’s become the poster child of the AI boom, lost an early gain during the morning to finish with a dip of 0.7%.Applied Materials fell 2.7%. The company, whose equipment helps make semiconductor chips, said it will take a roughly $110 million hit to its revenue in the fourth quarter because of a new U.S. Commerce Department rule expanding export restrictions to certain customers based in China.But gains for oil producers helped offset such losses. Exxon Mobil climbed 1.8%, and Diamondback Energy rose 3% as the price of crude clawed back some of its sharp losses from earlier in the week. Oil prices had been struggling on worries that the amount of crude in inventories will be too high relative to demand.Entergy climbed 1.9% after saying its Arkansas business will deliver power for Google’s planned $4 billion investment in the state, including a new data center.All told, the S&amp;P 500 added 0.44 to 6,715.79 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 238.56 to 46,758.28, and the Nasdaq composite fell 63.54 to 22,780.51.In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed across Europe and Asia.Japan’s Nikkei 225 was a big winner and rose 1.9% thanks in part to Hitachi’s jump.In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.12% from 4.10% late Thursday.

Wall Street finishes its winning week with more records

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/sean-diddy-combs">Sean “Diddy” Combs</a>&nbsp;was sentenced Friday to four years and two months in a federal criminal case that exposed the hip-hop mogul’s use of paid sex workers for drug-fueled, sometimes violent sex parties he called “freak-offs.”

Combs, 55, was convicted in July of flying people around the country, including his girlfriends and male sex workers, to engage in sexual encounters.

He was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have put him behind bars for life, but the sentence will nonetheless keep one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sean-diddy-combs-timeline-e3cc5f3211880b4bfb0903bc4ad77c61">biggest names in music</a>&nbsp;out of the limelight and behind bars for years to come. Prosecutors had sought an 11-year sentence.

In a final word before the judge issued a sentence, Combs called his past behavior “disgusting, shameful” and “sick,” while apologizing to the people he hurt physically and mentally, as well as his children in the audience. He said his acts of domestic violence are a burden he will have to carry for the rest of his life.

Combs' defense lawyers have argued the sexual encounters were consensual and wanted Combs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sean-combs-diddy-sentencing-letter-ae8002a02642483a39ff7667b5bc3192">freed immediately</a>&nbsp;after more than a year in detention, which forced him to get sober and fueled his remorse. They played an 11-minute video in court Friday portraying Combs’ family life, career and philanthropy before his arrest.

At one point during the video, Combs put a hand on his face and began to cry, his shoulders at times heaving. Combs was expected to speak in court later Friday.

The video was part of an atypical presentation by the defense team, reflecting Combs' unique status as a wealthy celebrity client who’s well-versed in shaping his image.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751300290551.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/sean-diddy-combs">Sean “Diddy” Combs</a>&nbsp;was sentenced Friday to four years and two months in a federal criminal case that exposed the hip-hop mogul’s use of paid sex workers for drug-fueled, sometimes violent sex parties he called “freak-offs.”Combs, 55, was convicted in July of flying people around the country, including his girlfriends and male sex workers, to engage in sexual encounters.He was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have put him behind bars for life, but the sentence will nonetheless keep one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sean-diddy-combs-timeline-e3cc5f3211880b4bfb0903bc4ad77c61">biggest names in music</a>&nbsp;out of the limelight and behind bars for years to come. Prosecutors had sought an 11-year sentence.In a final word before the judge issued a sentence, Combs called his past behavior “disgusting, shameful” and “sick,” while apologizing to the people he hurt physically and mentally, as well as his children in the audience. He said his acts of domestic violence are a burden he will have to carry for the rest of his life.Combs' defense lawyers have argued the sexual encounters were consensual and wanted Combs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sean-combs-diddy-sentencing-letter-ae8002a02642483a39ff7667b5bc3192">freed immediately</a>&nbsp;after more than a year in detention, which forced him to get sober and fueled his remorse. They played an 11-minute video in court Friday portraying Combs’ family life, career and philanthropy before his arrest.At one point during the video, Combs put a hand on his face and began to cry, his shoulders at times heaving. Combs was expected to speak in court later Friday.The video was part of an atypical presentation by the defense team, reflecting Combs' unique status as a wealthy celebrity client who’s well-versed in shaping his image.His nearly two-month trial in a federal court in Manhattan featured&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sean-diddy-combs-trial-witnesses-ecc690df5453d98a1ed54a89fd70c41a">testimony from women</a>&nbsp;who said Combs beat, threatened, sexually assaulted and blackmailed them. Prosecutor Christy Slavik told the judge that sparing Combs serious prison time would excuse years of violence.“It’s a case about a man who did horrible things to real people to satisfy his own sexual gratification,” she said. “He didn’t need the money. His currency was control.”Slavik also blasted Combs for allegedly booking speaking gig in South Florida next week, calling it “the height of hubris.” Defense lawyer Xavier Donaldson later said the proposed community events were meant to show what the business mogul could be doing “if the court let Mr. Combs out.”U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, who has twice denied bail, has already signaled Combs is unlikely to leave custody soon. He said acquittals did not absolve the music mogul of underlying conduct, including violence and coercion.Several of Combs children pleaded with him for leniency.His daughters Chance and D’Lila Combs cried as they spoke, with D’Lila saying she feared losing her father after the death of their mother, Kim Porter, in 2018. Six of Combs’ seven children addressed the judge."Please, your honor, please,” D’Lila said through tears, “give our family the chance to heal together, to rebuild, to change, to move forward, not as a headline, but as human beings.”Outside the courthouse, journalists and onlookers swarmed the sidewalks as TV crews stood in a long row across the street, echoing scenes from Combs’ trial.Combs was convicted under the Mann Act, which bans transporting people across state lines for prostitution. Defense attorney Jason Driscoll argued the law was misapplied.During testimony at the trial, former girlfriend&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/diddy-sex-trafficking-freak-offs-cassie-f61773689c057e0264d5a755b40b825a">Casandra “Cassie” Ventura</a>&nbsp;told jurors that Combs ordered her to have “disgusting” sex with strangers hundreds of times during their decade Jong relationship. Jurors saw video of him dragging and beating her in a Los Angeles hotel hallway after one such multiday “freak-off.Another woman, identified as “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sean-combs-diddy-trial-cassie-jane-aad8d02031e67364d84843d20efbe390">Jane</a>,” testified she was pressured into sex with male workers during drug-fueled “hotel nights” while Combs watched and sometimes filmed.The only accuser scheduled to speak Friday, a former assistant known as “Mia,” withdrew after defense objections. She has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sean-combs-diddy-trial-cassie-mia-3134e4be64b95457d0f999e284bf2527">accused Combs of raping her</a>&nbsp;in 2010 and asked the judge for a sentence that reflects “the ongoing danger my abuser poses.”Prosecutors also introduced testimony at the trial about other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/diddy-trial-sean-combs-cassie-witnesses-9ebf9c4108cc322d660235c648ee40dd">alleged violence</a>. One of Cassie’s friends said Combs dangled her from 17th-floor balcony. Rapper Kid Cudi said Combs broke into his home after learning he was dating Cassie.Another lawyer for Combs, Brian Steel, urged the judge to see the case through the prism of the “untreated trauma” and “ferocious drug addiction” that he says contributed to the hip-hop mogul’s misconduct.“His good outweighs his bad, by far,” Steel said.In a letter to the judge Thursday, Combs wrote: “The old me died in jail and a new version of me was reborn,” promising he would never commit another crime.Cassie, in her own letter, described him as an abuser who “will always be the same cruel, power-hungry, manipulative man that he is.”At a hearing last week, Combs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/diddy-sean-combs-sentencing-9f464d3ce7804efb305d3d55bf2c6865">told his mother</a>&nbsp;and children he was “getting closer to going home.”___Associated Press writers Liseberth Guillaume in New York and Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed to this report.