RENO COUNTY —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly joined General William Turner and other military leaders at the Kansas State Fair on Wednesay for the Veterans and Military Appreciation Breakfast.

General Turner is the Director of the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Office.

Governor Kelly wrote on social media,&nbsp;"Events like this remind us of the importance of supporting our veterans and active-duty military personnel in every way we can."

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757638207101.png" alt="Photos from the Governor's social media page" />
                        <figcaption>Photos from the Governor's social media page</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>RENO COUNTY —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly joined General William Turner and other military leaders at the Kansas State Fair on Wednesay for the Veterans and Military Appreciation Breakfast.</p><p>General Turner is the Director of the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Office.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757638094868.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Governor Kelly wrote on social media,&nbsp;"Events like this remind us of the importance of supporting our veterans and active-duty military personnel in every way we can."</p>

Gov. attends the military appreciation breakfast at the State Fair

OREM, Utah (AP) — A palm print. A shoe impression. And a high-powered rifle found in a wooded area. Those are among the clues authorities laid out as they pleaded for the public's help to find the person who assassinated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/utah-valley-university-charlie-kirk-shooting-updates">conservative activist Charlie Kirk</a>&nbsp;before dropping from a Utah university campus roof and vanishing.

The search continued early Friday, nearly two days later.

Federal investigators and state officials on Thursday released a series of photos and a video of the person they believe is responsible. Kirk was hit as he spoke to a crowd gathered in a courtyard at Utah Valley University in Orem.

More than 7,000 leads and tips have poured in, officials said. But authorities have yet to name a suspect or cite a motive in the killing, the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States.

“We cannot do our job without the public’s help,” Gov. Spencer Cox said during a Thursday evening news conference with FBI Director Kash Patel, who did not speak.

The direct appeals for public support, including new and enhanced photos of a person in a hat, sunglasses, a long-sleeve black shirt and a backpack, appeared to signal law enforcement’s continued struggles. Two people who were taken into custody shortly after the shooting were determined not to be connected.

Other clues included a Mauser .30-caliber, bolt-action rifle found in a towel in the woods. A spent cartridge was recovered from the chamber, and three other rounds were loaded in the magazine, according to information circulated among law enforcement and described to The Associated Press. The weapon and ammunition were being analyzed by law enforcement at a federal lab.

Officials are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Cox said he's prepared to seek the death penalty.

The attack, carried out in broad daylight as Kirk spoke about social issues, was captured on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-video-graphic-online-social-media-6cfd4dfde356b960aeea69c01ea3ec34">grisly videos that spread on social media</a>.

The videos show Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, speaking into a handheld microphone when suddenly a shot rings out. Kirk reaches up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasp and scream before people start running away.

The shooter, who investigators believe blended into the campus crowd because of a “college-age” appearance, fired a single shot from the rooftop, according to authorities. Video released Thursday showed them then walking through the grass and across the street, before disappearing.

“I can tell you this was a targeted event,” said Robert Bohls, the top FBI agent in Salt Lake City.

Trump, who was joined by Democrats in condemning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/political-violence-assassination-minnesota-trump-3c750cff0749633872ab6101bfa23b23">the violence</a>, said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, visited with Kirk's family Thursday afternoon in Salt Lake City. Vance posted a remembrance on X chronicling their friendship, dating back to initial messages in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and the 2024 election.

“So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” Vance wrote. “He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”

Kirk’s casket was flown aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Phoenix, where his nonprofit political youth organization, Turning Point USA, is based. Trump told reporters he plans to attend Kirk's funeral. Details have not been announced.

Kirk was taking questions about gun violence

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-utah-university-republicans-8357c3d102de09e3320fde761258131a">Kirk was a conservative provocateur</a>&nbsp;who became a powerful political force among young Republicans and was a fixture on college campuses, where he invited sometimes-vehement debate on social issues.

One such provocative exchange played out immediately before the shooting as Kirk was taking questions from an audience member about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gun-violence">gun violence</a>.

The debate hosted by Turning Point at the Sorensen Center on campus was billed as the first stop on Kirk's “American Comeback Tour.”

The event generated a polarizing campus reaction. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry and constructive dialogue.”

Last week, Kirk posted on X images of news clips showing his visit was sparking controversy. He wrote, “What’s going on in Utah?”

Attendees barricaded themselves in classrooms

Some attendees who bolted after the gunshot rushed into two classrooms full of students. They used tables to barricade the door and to shield themselves in the corners. Someone grabbed an electric pencil sharpener and wrapped the cord tightly around the door handle, then tied the sharpener to a chair leg.

On campus Thursday, the canopy stamped with the slogan Kirk commonly used at his events — “PROVE ME WRONG” — stood, disheveled.

Kathleen Murphy, a longtime resident who lives near the campus, said she has been staying inside with her door locked.

“With the shooter not being caught yet, it was a worry,” Murphy said.

Meanwhile, the shooting continued to draw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-political-violence-reaction-87f6755421938d0a0d7c5905be10767f">swift bipartisan condemnation</a>&nbsp;as Democratic officials joined Trump and other Republican allies of Kirk in decrying the attack, which unfolded during a spike of political violence that has touched a range of ideologies and representatives of both major political parties.

Tucker and Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Nicholas Riccardi in Denver; Michael Biesecker, Brian Slodysko, Lindsay Whitehurst and Michelle L. Price in Washington; Ty O'Neil in Orem, Utah; Hallie Golden in Seattle; and Meg Kinnard in Chapin, South Carolina, contributed to this report.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757639423442.png" alt="Images released by the FBI" />
                        <figcaption>Images released by the FBI</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>OREM, Utah (AP) — A palm print. A shoe impression. And a high-powered rifle found in a wooded area. Those are among the clues authorities laid out as they pleaded for the public's help to find the person who assassinated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/utah-valley-university-charlie-kirk-shooting-updates">conservative activist Charlie Kirk</a>&nbsp;before dropping from a Utah university campus roof and vanishing.</p><p>The search continued early Friday, nearly two days later.</p><p>Federal investigators and state officials on Thursday released a series of photos and a video of the person they believe is responsible. Kirk was hit as he spoke to a crowd gathered in a courtyard at Utah Valley University in Orem.</p><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YrfHme9Yhc8?si=dR-yzqr3RQfEXOJT&amp;start=3" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757639471242.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We are asking for the public&#39;s help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. <br>1-800-CALL-FBI<br>Digital media tips: <a href="https://t.co/K7maX81TjJ">https://t.co/K7maX81TjJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/ALuVkTXuDc">pic.twitter.com/ALuVkTXuDc</a></p>&mdash; FBI Salt Lake City (@FBISaltLakeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBISaltLakeCity/status/1966169520403525760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757634046735.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>More than 7,000 leads and tips have poured in, officials said. But authorities have yet to name a suspect or cite a motive in the killing, the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States.</p><p>“We cannot do our job without the public’s help,” Gov. Spencer Cox said during a Thursday evening news conference with FBI Director Kash Patel, who did not speak.</p><p>The direct appeals for public support, including new and enhanced photos of a person in a hat, sunglasses, a long-sleeve black shirt and a backpack, appeared to signal law enforcement’s continued struggles. Two people who were taken into custody shortly after the shooting were determined not to be connected.</p><p>Other clues included a Mauser .30-caliber, bolt-action rifle found in a towel in the woods. A spent cartridge was recovered from the chamber, and three other rounds were loaded in the magazine, according to information circulated among law enforcement and described to The Associated Press. The weapon and ammunition were being analyzed by law enforcement at a federal lab.</p><p>Officials are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Cox said he's prepared to seek the death penalty.</p><h2>Grisly video shared online</h2><p>The attack, carried out in broad daylight as Kirk spoke about social issues, was captured on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-video-graphic-online-social-media-6cfd4dfde356b960aeea69c01ea3ec34">grisly videos that spread on social media</a>.</p><p>The videos show Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, speaking into a handheld microphone when suddenly a shot rings out. Kirk reaches up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasp and scream before people start running away.</p><p>The shooter, who investigators believe blended into the campus crowd because of a “college-age” appearance, fired a single shot from the rooftop, according to authorities. Video released Thursday showed them then walking through the grass and across the street, before disappearing.</p><p>“I can tell you this was a targeted event,” said Robert Bohls, the top FBI agent in Salt Lake City.</p><p>Trump, who was joined by Democrats in condemning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/political-violence-assassination-minnesota-trump-3c750cff0749633872ab6101bfa23b23">the violence</a>, said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, visited with Kirk's family Thursday afternoon in Salt Lake City. Vance posted a remembrance on X chronicling their friendship, dating back to initial messages in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and the 2024 election.</p><p>“So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” Vance wrote. “He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”</p><p>Kirk’s casket was flown aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Phoenix, where his nonprofit political youth organization, Turning Point USA, is based. Trump told reporters he plans to attend Kirk's funeral. Details have not been announced.</p><h2>Kirk was taking questions about gun violence</h2><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-utah-university-republicans-8357c3d102de09e3320fde761258131a">Kirk was a conservative provocateur</a>&nbsp;who became a powerful political force among young Republicans and was a fixture on college campuses, where he invited sometimes-vehement debate on social issues.</p><p>One such provocative exchange played out immediately before the shooting as Kirk was taking questions from an audience member about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gun-violence">gun violence</a>.</p><p>The debate hosted by Turning Point at the Sorensen Center on campus was billed as the first stop on Kirk's “American Comeback Tour.”</p><p>The event generated a polarizing campus reaction. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry and constructive dialogue.”</p><p>Last week, Kirk posted on X images of news clips showing his visit was sparking controversy. He wrote, “What’s going on in Utah?”</p><h2>Attendees barricaded themselves in classrooms</h2><p>Some attendees who bolted after the gunshot rushed into two classrooms full of students. They used tables to barricade the door and to shield themselves in the corners. Someone grabbed an electric pencil sharpener and wrapped the cord tightly around the door handle, then tied the sharpener to a chair leg.</p><p>On campus Thursday, the canopy stamped with the slogan Kirk commonly used at his events — “PROVE ME WRONG” — stood, disheveled.</p><p>Kathleen Murphy, a longtime resident who lives near the campus, said she has been staying inside with her door locked.</p><p>“With the shooter not being caught yet, it was a worry,” Murphy said.</p><p>Meanwhile, the shooting continued to draw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-political-violence-reaction-87f6755421938d0a0d7c5905be10767f">swift bipartisan condemnation</a>&nbsp;as Democratic officials joined Trump and other Republican allies of Kirk in decrying the attack, which unfolded during a spike of political violence that has touched a range of ideologies and representatives of both major political parties.</p><p>___</p><p>Tucker and Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Nicholas Riccardi in Denver; Michael Biesecker, Brian Slodysko, Lindsay Whitehurst and Michelle L. Price in Washington; Ty O'Neil in Orem, Utah; Hallie Golden in Seattle; and Meg Kinnard in Chapin, South Carolina, contributed to this report.</p>

FBI releases new video of suspect in Charlie Kirk assassination

SHAWNEE COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) arrested a Topeka man Thursday morning for an alleged child sex offense.

On Thursday, Sept. 11, KBI agents with the Child Victims Unit executed a search warrant at a residence at 3709 SE Truman Ave. in Topeka, according to a media release from the KBI.

 Following the search, at around 9 a.m., KBI agents arrested Mark A. Calloway Jr., 27, of Topeka on requested charges of sexual exploitation of a child.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The KBI began investigating after a cyber-tip was submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Following his arrest Calloway was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. Additional charges against Calloway are expected.&nbsp;The Topeka Police Department assisted in the arrest.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757618473867.png" alt="Calloway photo Shawnee Co." />
                        <figcaption>Calloway photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SHAWNEE COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) arrested a Topeka man Thursday morning for an alleged child sex offense.</p><p>On Thursday, Sept. 11, KBI agents with the Child Victims Unit executed a search warrant at a residence at 3709 SE Truman Ave. in Topeka, according to a media release from the KBI.</p><p> Following the search, at around 9 a.m., KBI agents arrested Mark A. Calloway Jr., 27, of Topeka on requested charges of sexual exploitation of a child.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The KBI began investigating after a cyber-tip was submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.</p><p>Following his arrest Calloway was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. Additional charges against Calloway are expected.&nbsp;The Topeka Police Department assisted in the arrest.</p>

Cyber tip led to Kan. man's arrest for alleged child sex crimes

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-yankees-baseball-first-pitch-sporting-event-trips-79ad4edabf534e1a42e637eece2446ed">attended the New York Yankees game</a>&nbsp;on Thursday night, drawing a mixed reaction while marking the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/911-attacks-anniversary-world-trade-center-0c2af6068dd5f1cc9f71a56c8a1c0c83">24th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks</a>.

Authorities installed security glass for the president outside the upper level box suite belonging to the Steinbrenner family, which owns the Yankees, on the third base side over the visiting Detroit Tigers dugout. Trump sat next to Yankees team president Randy Levine and chatted with him throughout the game.

During the national anthem, the president was shown on the stadium jumbotron and received boos from some in the crowd, cheers from others.

When Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hit a homer in the bottom of the first, Trump stood and applauded, as did members of an entourage that included Attorney General Pam Bondi and Lee Zeldin, a former New York congressman who is now head of the Environmental Protection Agency.

In the second inning, Trump's attendance was announced and he was shown on the big screen for an extended period while “Hail to the Chief" played. He smiled and pumped his fist repeatedly. Boos were heard at first, but many in the crowd cheered.

A presidential visit always prompts extra security at sporting events, but things were heightened after conservative activist and close Trump ally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-conservative-activist-shot-546165a8151104e0938a5e085be1e8bd">Charlie Kirk was assassinated</a>&nbsp;in Utah on Wednesday. When Trump attended the Sept. 11 observance ceremony at the Pentagon earlier Thursday, authorities moved the ceremony inside as an added precaution.

Trump’s attendance recalled President George W. Bush’s ceremonial first pitch 24 years earlier as the Yankees played the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2001 World Series — a moment that came to symbolize national resilience after the attacks mere weeks earlier.

Trump stopped by the home team's clubhouse shortly before the game. He shook hands with the players and team staff members and talked about being close for years with late, longtime Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.

Trump predicted the Yankees would win, noting of his past attending games with Steinbrenner, “We won every time I came.”

“You think that was easy sitting with him for a game? It wasn’t. It was brutal. But he won, and you’re going to win," the president said. He also wished the players “a lot of luck.”

Before the president walked in, relief pitcher Fernando Cruz was the last player in a towel. His teammates urged him to quickly get dressed for Trump.

Manager Aaron Boone announced before Trump's arrival that Yankees shortstop&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yankees-anthony-volpe-shoulder-64874a97ebea2bca4554877844e46df7">Anthony Volpe had quietly been playing</a>&nbsp;with a partial labrum tear in his left shoulder. As he greeted him, Trump patted Volpe softly on the shoulder.

Since the Sept. 11 attacks, the Yankees and their fans have marked the solemn occasion during the seventh-inning stretch by singing “God Bless America” in addition to the traditional “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” and they were doing so again Thursday. They also held a moment of silence before the first pitch.

With Trump on hand, all stadium entrances featured metal detectors and Secret Service agents, some with sniffer dogs, while New York Police Department helicopters thundered overhead.

Authorities opened the gates three hours before the first pitch, and long lines began forming even before that, though most of the crowd moved into the stadium smoothly. The Yankees said ticketholders were “strongly urged to arrive as early as possible.” The Secret Service also said extra time would likely be needed while asking fans to consider leaving their bags at home.

That followed Trump's appearance at the U.S. Open men's final in Queens last weekend sparking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-us-open-sporting-events-boos-5a80b02c78403f1f2f87a30852ffb0f5">security lines</a>&nbsp;long enough that some fans didn’t make it to their seats until more than an hour into the match, despite organizers delaying its start by 30 minutes.

Thursday's game is Trump’s eighth major sporting event since returning to the White House in January. He attended&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nfl-super-bowl-first-president-766c628f4ea3faf38d100e4f33f2ac8c">the Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;in New Orleans, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nascar-daytona-500-sports-20a1f0a75207ec57dfa4c58aa3934875">Daytona 500</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufc-miami-fight-sports-6461901bb3d5f2eec477674d02333a7f">UFC fights in Miami</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mma-ufc-trump-tyson-c0d9279b626e69cc0ca62474c7dafa2f">Newark, New Jersey</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ncaa-wrestling-championships-sports-trips-8f68a03e4c6926ef2e159e67d70a8466">NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia</a>, the FIFA Club&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fifa-club-world-cup-92a5e1cf1e723bafed86cbf72e289646">World Cup final</a>&nbsp;in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and last weekend's U.S. Open match.

The Yankee Stadium scoreboard featured a large MLB logo over an American flag and a red, white and blue ribbon under the inscription “September 11, 2001, We Shall Not Forget.”

The large American flag behind the left field bleachers and the smaller flags for each of baseball’s 30 teams that ring the stadium's upper level were lowered to half-staff after Trump issued an executive order honoring Kirk. Before Wednesday’s game, the Yankees held a moment of silence for Kirk and flashed his picture on their stadium's big screen.

Trump was born in the New York borough of Queens and, though he's lived in Florida in recent years, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said he “remains a New Yorker at heart.” Still, Trump's appearances at baseball games haven't always been welcomed by fans.

<p>NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-yankees-baseball-first-pitch-sporting-event-trips-79ad4edabf534e1a42e637eece2446ed">attended the New York Yankees game</a>&nbsp;on Thursday night, drawing a mixed reaction while marking the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/911-attacks-anniversary-world-trade-center-0c2af6068dd5f1cc9f71a56c8a1c0c83">24th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks</a>.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tonight, we remember those we lost, the heroism of all who bravely sacrificed their own lives to save others, and those who died from illnesses obtained at Ground Zero. Their spirit lives on today with our First Responders and all who serve our communities and our country. <br><br>The… <a href="https://t.co/LY5hA2FuAc">pic.twitter.com/LY5hA2FuAc</a></p>&mdash; New York Yankees (@Yankees) <a href="https://twitter.com/Yankees/status/1966284460883923171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Happening Now—The👑of New York is so BACK! 🇺🇸🦅 <a href="https://t.co/WtP74uAB8w">pic.twitter.com/WtP74uAB8w</a></p>&mdash; Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scavino47/status/1966317431217115388?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Happening Now—President Trump with the New York <a href="https://twitter.com/Yankees?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Yankees</a>. <br>⚾️🇺🇸🦅 <a href="https://t.co/IcRvhuRGHN">pic.twitter.com/IcRvhuRGHN</a></p>&mdash; Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scavino47/status/1966273245352702415?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;The New York <a href="https://twitter.com/Yankees?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Yankees</a> welcome back to Yankee Stadium the 45th and 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, on the solemn anniversary of September 11, 2001.&quot; 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/Bb8BvNvOol">pic.twitter.com/Bb8BvNvOol</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966288351755108675?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/tdXD2oaqyp">pic.twitter.com/tdXD2oaqyp</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966279440058417391?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="in" dir="ltr">🗣️USA—USA—USA🇺🇸🦅 <a href="https://t.co/QDzlb2vIG7">pic.twitter.com/QDzlb2vIG7</a></p>&mdash; Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scavino47/status/1966283364706693516?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Huge cheers as <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> is shown during The Star-Spangled Banner at <a href="https://twitter.com/Yankees?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Yankees</a> Stadium 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/FQVSVqc290">pic.twitter.com/FQVSVqc290</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966278777706512543?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;USA! USA! USA!&quot; chants break out at <a href="https://twitter.com/Yankees?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Yankees</a> Stadium as <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> attends on the anniversary of 9/11<br><br>🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/MfB051UOe2">pic.twitter.com/MfB051UOe2</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966277457843204330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> to <a href="https://twitter.com/TheJudge44?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheJudge44</a>: &quot;You have that much muscle, you have to hit the ball perfect.&quot; 🤣 <a href="https://t.co/MXwkA0zpou">pic.twitter.com/MXwkA0zpou</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966272292968882249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Authorities installed security glass for the president outside the upper level box suite belonging to the Steinbrenner family, which owns the Yankees, on the third base side over the visiting Detroit Tigers dugout. Trump sat next to Yankees team president Randy Levine and chatted with him throughout the game.</p><p>During the national anthem, the president was shown on the stadium jumbotron and received boos from some in the crowd, cheers from others.</p><p>When Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hit a homer in the bottom of the first, Trump stood and applauded, as did members of an entourage that included Attorney General Pam Bondi and Lee Zeldin, a former New York congressman who is now head of the Environmental Protection Agency.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tonight, we remember those we lost, the heroism of all who bravely sacrificed their own lives to save others, and those who died from illnesses obtained at Ground Zero. Their spirit lives on today with our First Responders and all who serve our communities and our country. <br><br>The… <a href="https://t.co/LY5hA2FuAc">pic.twitter.com/LY5hA2FuAc</a></p>&mdash; New York Yankees (@Yankees) <a href="https://twitter.com/Yankees/status/1966284460883923171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>In the second inning, Trump's attendance was announced and he was shown on the big screen for an extended period while “Hail to the Chief" played. He smiled and pumped his fist repeatedly. Boos were heard at first, but many in the crowd cheered.</p><p>A presidential visit always prompts extra security at sporting events, but things were heightened after conservative activist and close Trump ally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-conservative-activist-shot-546165a8151104e0938a5e085be1e8bd">Charlie Kirk was assassinated</a>&nbsp;in Utah on Wednesday. When Trump attended the Sept. 11 observance ceremony at the Pentagon earlier Thursday, authorities moved the ceremony inside as an added precaution.</p><p>Trump’s attendance recalled President George W. Bush’s ceremonial first pitch 24 years earlier as the Yankees played the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2001 World Series — a moment that came to symbolize national resilience after the attacks mere weeks earlier.</p><p>Trump stopped by the home team's clubhouse shortly before the game. He shook hands with the players and team staff members and talked about being close for years with late, longtime Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.</p><p>Trump predicted the Yankees would win, noting of his past attending games with Steinbrenner, “We won every time I came.”</p><p>“You think that was easy sitting with him for a game? It wasn’t. It was brutal. But he won, and you’re going to win," the president said. He also wished the players “a lot of luck.”</p><p>Before the president walked in, relief pitcher Fernando Cruz was the last player in a towel. His teammates urged him to quickly get dressed for Trump.</p><p>Manager Aaron Boone announced before Trump's arrival that Yankees shortstop&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yankees-anthony-volpe-shoulder-64874a97ebea2bca4554877844e46df7">Anthony Volpe had quietly been playing</a>&nbsp;with a partial labrum tear in his left shoulder. As he greeted him, Trump patted Volpe softly on the shoulder.</p><p>Since the Sept. 11 attacks, the Yankees and their fans have marked the solemn occasion during the seventh-inning stretch by singing “God Bless America” in addition to the traditional “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” and they were doing so again Thursday. They also held a moment of silence before the first pitch.</p><p>With Trump on hand, all stadium entrances featured metal detectors and Secret Service agents, some with sniffer dogs, while New York Police Department helicopters thundered overhead.</p><p>Authorities opened the gates three hours before the first pitch, and long lines began forming even before that, though most of the crowd moved into the stadium smoothly. The Yankees said ticketholders were “strongly urged to arrive as early as possible.” The Secret Service also said extra time would likely be needed while asking fans to consider leaving their bags at home.</p><p>That followed Trump's appearance at the U.S. Open men's final in Queens last weekend sparking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-us-open-sporting-events-boos-5a80b02c78403f1f2f87a30852ffb0f5">security lines</a>&nbsp;long enough that some fans didn’t make it to their seats until more than an hour into the match, despite organizers delaying its start by 30 minutes.</p><p>Thursday's game is Trump’s eighth major sporting event since returning to the White House in January. He attended&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nfl-super-bowl-first-president-766c628f4ea3faf38d100e4f33f2ac8c">the Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;in New Orleans, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nascar-daytona-500-sports-20a1f0a75207ec57dfa4c58aa3934875">Daytona 500</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufc-miami-fight-sports-6461901bb3d5f2eec477674d02333a7f">UFC fights in Miami</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mma-ufc-trump-tyson-c0d9279b626e69cc0ca62474c7dafa2f">Newark, New Jersey</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ncaa-wrestling-championships-sports-trips-8f68a03e4c6926ef2e159e67d70a8466">NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia</a>, the FIFA Club&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fifa-club-world-cup-92a5e1cf1e723bafed86cbf72e289646">World Cup final</a>&nbsp;in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and last weekend's U.S. Open match.</p><p>The Yankee Stadium scoreboard featured a large MLB logo over an American flag and a red, white and blue ribbon under the inscription “September 11, 2001, We Shall Not Forget.”</p><p>The large American flag behind the left field bleachers and the smaller flags for each of baseball’s 30 teams that ring the stadium's upper level were lowered to half-staff after Trump issued an executive order honoring Kirk. Before Wednesday’s game, the Yankees held a moment of silence for Kirk and flashed his picture on their stadium's big screen.</p><p>Trump was born in the New York borough of Queens and, though he's lived in Florida in recent years, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said he “remains a New Yorker at heart.” Still, Trump's appearances at baseball games haven't always been welcomed by fans.</p>

🎥Trump draws cheers and boos marking 9/11 at Yankees game

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.&nbsp;

Just before 7:30a.m. September 9,&nbsp;the Osage County Sheriff’s Office executed a narcotic search warrant in the 1200 block of Laing Street in Osage City, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

As a result, two subjects were taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility. Hunter A. Dorsey, 21, of Osage City is being held on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Criminal use of weapons and Possession of drug paraphernalia

Angelique R. Dorsey, 45, of Osage City is in custody on requested charges of Possession of drug paraphernalia, Possession of a firearm by a felon and Warrant Arrest.

The Osage County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Osage City Police Department.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757108287432.png" alt="Dorsey-photo Osage Co." />
                        <figcaption>Dorsey-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.&nbsp;</p><p>Just before 7:30a.m. September 9,&nbsp;the Osage County Sheriff’s Office executed a narcotic search warrant in the 1200 block of Laing Street in Osage City, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757108268098.png" alt="Dorsey photo Osage County" />
                        <figcaption>Dorsey photo Osage County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>As a result, two subjects were taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility. Hunter A. Dorsey, 21, of Osage City is being held on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Criminal use of weapons and Possession of drug paraphernalia</p><p>Angelique R. Dorsey, 45, of Osage City is in custody on requested charges of Possession of drug paraphernalia, Possession of a firearm by a felon and Warrant Arrest.</p><p>The Osage County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Osage City Police Department.</p>

Kansas felon caught with a gun during drug bust at her home

SALINE COUNTY —Saline County deputies arrested two suspects after scamming a couple out of over $120,000.

On July 29, 2025 an elderly couple was called by a scammer claiming to be an 'agent from the US Treasurer's Office," according to Sheriff Roger Soldan.

 The scammer advised the couple that their 'personal information was used to get $3.7 million in cash from various banks.'

Furthermore, the 'agent' told the couple they were 'laundering money' and that they needed to give the 'US Government $80,000 to cover the court cases, which would be refunded after court dismissal.' Afterwards, one from the couple went to their bank and withdrew $80,000 and sent the amount in two separate shipments to two addresses in&nbsp;Downey, CA.

Moreover, on August 31st, the same 'agent' called the couple again and advised them to send an additional $40,000 in cash, but this time to a certain individual in person. The scammer told the couple this person would come by their house and pick up the cash. According to the Sheriff's Office, the couple met a male suspect at a street by their house to give him a total of $46,461 in cash.

After these events, the couple's bank was suspicious and called a family member of the couple about the concern. The family member then contacted the Sheriff's Office.

The very next day, the scammer called the couple once more and requested an additional payment of $40,000 in cash. The scammer said the same suspect would meet them to pick up the cash.

The Sheriff's Office was already involved in the investigation when the call was made, and learned the suspect would be at the 2300 block of S. 9th to pick up the cash. When the couple went to meet the suspect, authorities arrived to the scene with them and found two male suspects.

Arrested was 27-year old, Naga Teegala of Aurora, Illinois and 27-year old, Pruthwik Gallipally of Wheeling, Illinois. Both were booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges Criminal Threat, Mistreatment of a Dependent Adult, Theft by Deception, Aggravated Intimidation of a Witness and False Impersonation. The total loss was listed to be at $126,461.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757598902235.jpeg" alt="Gallipally -photo Saline Co." />
                        <figcaption>Gallipally -photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SALINE COUNTY —Saline County deputies arrested two suspects after scamming a couple out of over $120,000.</p><p>On July 29, 2025 an elderly couple was called by a scammer claiming to be an 'agent from the US Treasurer's Office," according to Sheriff Roger Soldan.</p><p> The scammer advised the couple that their 'personal information was used to get $3.7 million in cash from various banks.'</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757599459489.jpeg" alt="Teegala photo Saline Co." />
                        <figcaption>Teegala photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Furthermore, the 'agent' told the couple they were 'laundering money' and that they needed to give the 'US Government $80,000 to cover the court cases, which would be refunded after court dismissal.' Afterwards, one from the couple went to their bank and withdrew $80,000 and sent the amount in two separate shipments to two addresses in&nbsp;Downey, CA.</p><p>Moreover, on August 31st, the same 'agent' called the couple again and advised them to send an additional $40,000 in cash, but this time to a certain individual in person. The scammer told the couple this person would come by their house and pick up the cash. According to the Sheriff's Office, the couple met a male suspect at a street by their house to give him a total of $46,461 in cash.</p><p>After these events, the couple's bank was suspicious and called a family member of the couple about the concern. The family member then contacted the Sheriff's Office.</p><p>The very next day, the scammer called the couple once more and requested an additional payment of $40,000 in cash. The scammer said the same suspect would meet them to pick up the cash.</p><p>The Sheriff's Office was already involved in the investigation when the call was made, and learned the suspect would be at the 2300 block of S. 9th to pick up the cash. When the couple went to meet the suspect, authorities arrived to the scene with them and found two male suspects.</p><p>Arrested was 27-year old, Naga Teegala of Aurora, Illinois and 27-year old, Pruthwik Gallipally of Wheeling, Illinois. Both were booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges Criminal Threat, Mistreatment of a Dependent Adult, Theft by Deception, Aggravated Intimidation of a Witness and False Impersonation. The total loss was listed to be at $126,461.</p>

Sheriff: Kansas couple lost over $120,000 in scam

BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a fatal hit-and-run in Barton County have arrested three juveniles.

Just after 6:30p.m. on Wednesday, the Barton County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a reported hit-and-run accident in the 100 block of Chisholm Trail, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir. This location is at the extreme southeast corner of the city of Great Bend just outside city limits

First responders discovered a male victim identified as 58-year-old&nbsp;Curtis Scott Cregger of Great Bend. He lived in the area and had&nbsp;been struck by a motor vehicle. 

Officers immediately began CPR and other lifesaving measures in an attempt to aid the victim. He was transported to the hospital in Great Bend and was later pronounced deceased.&nbsp;

Investigation at the scene as well as witness statements indicated the possibility this was an intentional act. The Sheriff’s Office is investigating this incident as a homicide.

At 10:30a.m. Thursday, a Sheriff’s deputy stopped a vehicle near the intersection of Broadway at Jackson Street in the city of Great Bend. The vehicle matched the description provided by witnesses in the hit-and-run fatality from last night. Further investigation confirmed this was the vehicle involved. The 17-year-old juvenile driver was taken into custody at the scene. With assistance from the Great Bend Police Department two passengers who were in the vehicle at the time of the collision were also located and arrested. Both are juveniles aged 17 and 14.

After consultation with the Barton County Attorney Colin Reynolds, the driver has been charged with murder in the 2nd degree the two passengers were charged with accessory to murder in the 2nd degree, according to Bellendir.

<p>BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a fatal hit-and-run in Barton County have arrested three juveniles.</p><p>Just after 6:30p.m. on Wednesday, the Barton County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a reported hit-and-run accident in the 100 block of Chisholm Trail, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir. This location is at the extreme southeast corner of the city of Great Bend just outside city limits</p><p>First responders discovered a male victim identified as 58-year-old&nbsp;Curtis Scott Cregger of Great Bend. He lived in the area and had&nbsp;been struck by a motor vehicle. </p><p>Officers immediately began CPR and other lifesaving measures in an attempt to aid the victim. He was transported to the hospital in Great Bend and was later pronounced deceased.&nbsp;</p><p>Investigation at the scene as well as witness statements indicated the possibility this was an intentional act. The Sheriff’s Office is investigating this incident as a homicide.</p><p>At 10:30a.m. Thursday, a Sheriff’s deputy stopped a vehicle near the intersection of Broadway at Jackson Street in the city of Great Bend. The vehicle matched the description provided by witnesses in the hit-and-run fatality from last night. Further investigation confirmed this was the vehicle involved. The 17-year-old juvenile driver was taken into custody at the scene. With assistance from the Great Bend Police Department two passengers who were in the vehicle at the time of the collision were also located and arrested. Both are juveniles aged 17 and 14.</p><p>After consultation with the Barton County Attorney Colin Reynolds, the driver has been charged with murder in the 2nd degree the two passengers were charged with accessory to murder in the 2nd degree, according to Bellendir.</p>

Murder: Kan. teens jailed for hit-and-run that killed 58-year-old

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street’s record-setting run kept rolling on Thursday, and stocks climbed after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-trump-federal-reserve-fabecefa501709184895bf73b3dc698a">mixed set of U.S. data</a>&nbsp;kept the path clear for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-powell-287af1c758a30d67f5384d17423c5029">Federal Reserve to cut interest rates</a>&nbsp;in order to boost the economy.

The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.8% and set an all-time high for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-inflation-jobs-rates-fed-502814f43e8a63d01a8f01eec81ba133">the third straight day</a>. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 617 points, or 1.4%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.7%. Both also hit records.

Treasury yields eased in the bond market following the economic reports, which were some of the final data releases left that could sway the Federal Reserve’s thinking before its meeting next week. The unanimous expectation on Wall Street is that it will cut its main interest rate for the first time this year.

One of Thursday’s reports said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unemployment-benefits-jobless-claims-layoffs-labor-a69fc3afbbebe731c29824b855e3c83f">more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits</a>&nbsp;last week, an indication that the number of layoffs could be rising. It’s the latest discouraging signal on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-economy-revisions-labor-department-f4a29a2b948f7bce0d6558824ffe0fd5">job market</a>, where hiring has slowed substantially. The labor market had seemed to be settling into a low-hire, low-fire state, but an increase in layoffs could put it in an even tighter vise.

The hope on Wall Street has been for a slowdown, but a precisely measured one. The job market has to be weak enough to get the Fed to cut interest rates, which can give a kickstart to the economy and to prices for investments, but not so much that it causes a recession.

The Fed has been hesitant to cut interest rates throughout 2025 because of the threat that President Donald Trump’s tariffs could make inflation worse. That’s because lower interest rates can push inflation even higher.

A report on inflation Thursday showed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-trump-federal-reserve-fabecefa501709184895bf73b3dc698a">prices are continuing to rise faster</a>&nbsp;for U.S. households than the Fed hopes, but only by what economists expected. Consumers paid prices for food, gasoline and other costs of living that were 2.9% higher in August than a year earlier, a slight acceleration from July’s 2.7% inflation rate.

That’s above the Fed’s target of 2%, but traders believe the Fed will see the slowing job market as the bigger problem now than inflation. The Fed has just one tool to fix either of them, and moving interest rates to help one often means hurting the other in the short term.

“Right now, inflation is a key subplot, but the labor market is still the main story,” according to Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management.

On Wall Street, stocks of companies that could benefit from lower interest rates rallied, including owners of real estate and homebuilders. Builders FirstSource, which sells cabinets, lumber and other building supplies, climbed 4.5%.

Centene helped lead the market with a jump of 9%. The health care company said its business results through August are tracking with the profit forecast for the year that it had earlier given. That’s more than analysts are forecasting.

Opendoor Technologies soared 79.5% after the company said it hired Shopify’s chief operating officer, Kaz Nejatian, as its CEO. Opendoor, which helps people buy and sell homes online, also announced a $40 million investment by one of its founders and an investment firm tied to another founder.

Warner Bros. Discovery leaped 28.9% following reports that Paramount Skydance is preparing a bid to buy the entertainment company. Paramount Skydance, which was the result of Skydance’s purchase of Paramount in August, jumped 15.6%.

Kroger added 0.3% after the grocer reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected, though its revenue came up just shy of forecasts. It also raised the bottom end of its forecasted range for profit over the full year.

Helping to keep the market’s gain in check was Oracle, which fell 6.2%. But that gave back only a bit of its monster gain from the day before, when it soared nearly 36% for its best day since 1992.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 55.43 points to 6,587.47. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 617.08 to 46,108.00, and the Nasdaq composite gained 157.01 to 22,043.07.

In stock markets abroad, European indexes ticked higher after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/european-central-bank-interest-rates-lagarde-d4618467d6e89764d61c9ef52756790d">European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged</a>&nbsp;at its latest meeting. The European bank is on pause following an earlier set of cuts, and its president, Christine Lagarde, said future moves are “not on a predetermined path.”

France’s CAC 40 rose 0.8%, and Germany’s DAX returned 0.3%.

In Asia, indexes were mostly higher. Stocks jumped 1.7% in Shanghai but fell 0.4% in Hong Kong.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.02% from 4.04% late Wednesday.

<p>NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street’s record-setting run kept rolling on Thursday, and stocks climbed after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-trump-federal-reserve-fabecefa501709184895bf73b3dc698a">mixed set of U.S. data</a>&nbsp;kept the path clear for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-powell-287af1c758a30d67f5384d17423c5029">Federal Reserve to cut interest rates</a>&nbsp;in order to boost the economy.</p><p>The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.8% and set an all-time high for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-inflation-jobs-rates-fed-502814f43e8a63d01a8f01eec81ba133">the third straight day</a>. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 617 points, or 1.4%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.7%. Both also hit records.</p><p>Treasury yields eased in the bond market following the economic reports, which were some of the final data releases left that could sway the Federal Reserve’s thinking before its meeting next week. The unanimous expectation on Wall Street is that it will cut its main interest rate for the first time this year.</p><p>One of Thursday’s reports said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unemployment-benefits-jobless-claims-layoffs-labor-a69fc3afbbebe731c29824b855e3c83f">more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits</a>&nbsp;last week, an indication that the number of layoffs could be rising. It’s the latest discouraging signal on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-economy-revisions-labor-department-f4a29a2b948f7bce0d6558824ffe0fd5">job market</a>, where hiring has slowed substantially. The labor market had seemed to be settling into a low-hire, low-fire state, but an increase in layoffs could put it in an even tighter vise.</p><p>The hope on Wall Street has been for a slowdown, but a precisely measured one. The job market has to be weak enough to get the Fed to cut interest rates, which can give a kickstart to the economy and to prices for investments, but not so much that it causes a recession.</p><p>The Fed has been hesitant to cut interest rates throughout 2025 because of the threat that President Donald Trump’s tariffs could make inflation worse. That’s because lower interest rates can push inflation even higher.</p><p>A report on inflation Thursday showed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-trump-federal-reserve-fabecefa501709184895bf73b3dc698a">prices are continuing to rise faster</a>&nbsp;for U.S. households than the Fed hopes, but only by what economists expected. Consumers paid prices for food, gasoline and other costs of living that were 2.9% higher in August than a year earlier, a slight acceleration from July’s 2.7% inflation rate.</p><p>That’s above the Fed’s target of 2%, but traders believe the Fed will see the slowing job market as the bigger problem now than inflation. The Fed has just one tool to fix either of them, and moving interest rates to help one often means hurting the other in the short term.</p><p>“Right now, inflation is a key subplot, but the labor market is still the main story,” according to Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management.</p><p>On Wall Street, stocks of companies that could benefit from lower interest rates rallied, including owners of real estate and homebuilders. Builders FirstSource, which sells cabinets, lumber and other building supplies, climbed 4.5%.</p><p>Centene helped lead the market with a jump of 9%. The health care company said its business results through August are tracking with the profit forecast for the year that it had earlier given. That’s more than analysts are forecasting.</p><p>Opendoor Technologies soared 79.5% after the company said it hired Shopify’s chief operating officer, Kaz Nejatian, as its CEO. Opendoor, which helps people buy and sell homes online, also announced a $40 million investment by one of its founders and an investment firm tied to another founder.</p><p>Warner Bros. Discovery leaped 28.9% following reports that Paramount Skydance is preparing a bid to buy the entertainment company. Paramount Skydance, which was the result of Skydance’s purchase of Paramount in August, jumped 15.6%.</p><p>Kroger added 0.3% after the grocer reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected, though its revenue came up just shy of forecasts. It also raised the bottom end of its forecasted range for profit over the full year.</p><p>Helping to keep the market’s gain in check was Oracle, which fell 6.2%. But that gave back only a bit of its monster gain from the day before, when it soared nearly 36% for its best day since 1992.</p><p>All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 55.43 points to 6,587.47. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 617.08 to 46,108.00, and the Nasdaq composite gained 157.01 to 22,043.07.</p><p>In stock markets abroad, European indexes ticked higher after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/european-central-bank-interest-rates-lagarde-d4618467d6e89764d61c9ef52756790d">European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged</a>&nbsp;at its latest meeting. The European bank is on pause following an earlier set of cuts, and its president, Christine Lagarde, said future moves are “not on a predetermined path.”</p><p>France’s CAC 40 rose 0.8%, and Germany’s DAX returned 0.3%.</p><p>In Asia, indexes were mostly higher. Stocks jumped 1.7% in Shanghai but fell 0.4% in Hong Kong.</p><p>In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.02% from 4.04% late Wednesday.</p>

Wall Street rallies to more records as cut to interest rates looks more certain

NEW YORK (AP) — West Nile virus infections are intense so far this year, with case counts running 40% higher than normal, health officials say.

More than 770 cases, including about 490 severe cases, were reported as of early September, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/data-maps/current-year-data.html">data posted this week</a>. About 550 cases — 350 of them severe — are usually reported by this time of year.

Health officials are ramping up warnings to the public, because most cases of the mosquito-borne disease are reported in August and September.

“West Nile virus can be a very serious disease and its presence in mosquitoes remains high right now in Massachusetts,” said the state’s public health commissioner, Dr. Robbie Goldstein, in a statement last week.

People can protect themselves by wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants when possible, and using an EPA-registered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mosquito-repellent-cdc-recommends-e47c0c35ffe49d6f36b39d03f1b95e06">insect repellent</a>&nbsp;when spending time outdoors, health officials say.

West Nile virus was first reported in the United States in 1999 in New York, and then gradually spread across the country. It&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/data-maps/historic-data.html">peaked</a>&nbsp;in 2003, when nearly 10,000 cases were reported.

Scientists say many people — perhaps tens of thousands each year — are infected but don’t know it because they have no symptoms, or only mild ones such as headaches, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea and rashes.

In severe cases, damage to the central nervous system causes inflammation of the brain or spinal cord, and even death.

In the last decade, health officials have fielded reports of 2,000 cases annually on average, including 1,200 life-threatening neurological illnesses and approximately 120 deaths. Deaths are on pace to be higher this year, CDC officials said, but they declined to discuss specifics, saying mortality statistics are too preliminary.

The problem is not that there are more mosquitoes this year, but rather that a higher proportion of the bugs are carrying the virus, CDC officials said. Mosquito infection rates can be affected by such factors as temperature, rainfall, the amount of insect control going on, and how many nearby birds are infected.

Colorado, which tends to see more West Nile virus, has reported about 150 of the nation’s cases — more than double what other states are reporting.

Fort Collins is a hot spot. Monitoring last month in an area in the southwest part of the city found that 35 out of every 1,000 female mosquitoes were infected — far higher than the 8 per 1,000 that would be expected for that time of year — said Roxanne Connelly, a CDC entomologist who lives there.

It's not clear why, but she noted it's been a wet and warm year.

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

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757619113812.png" alt="Image KDHI from data updated Sept. 5" />
                        <figcaption>Image KDHI from data updated Sept. 5</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>NEW YORK (AP) — West Nile virus infections are intense so far this year, with case counts running 40% higher than normal, health officials say.</p><p>More than 770 cases, including about 490 severe cases, were reported as of early September, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/data-maps/current-year-data.html">data posted this week</a>. About 550 cases — 350 of them severe — are usually reported by this time of year.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720035619901.jpg" alt="Image Pixaby" />
                        <figcaption>Image Pixaby</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Health officials are ramping up warnings to the public, because most cases of the mosquito-borne disease are reported in August and September.</p><p>“West Nile virus can be a very serious disease and its presence in mosquitoes remains high right now in Massachusetts,” said the state’s public health commissioner, Dr. Robbie Goldstein, in a statement last week.</p><p>People can protect themselves by wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants when possible, and using an EPA-registered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mosquito-repellent-cdc-recommends-e47c0c35ffe49d6f36b39d03f1b95e06">insect repellent</a>&nbsp;when spending time outdoors, health officials say.</p><p>West Nile virus was first reported in the United States in 1999 in New York, and then gradually spread across the country. It&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/data-maps/historic-data.html">peaked</a>&nbsp;in 2003, when nearly 10,000 cases were reported.</p><p>Scientists say many people — perhaps tens of thousands each year — are infected but don’t know it because they have no symptoms, or only mild ones such as headaches, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea and rashes.</p><p>In severe cases, damage to the central nervous system causes inflammation of the brain or spinal cord, and even death.</p><p>In the last decade, health officials have fielded reports of 2,000 cases annually on average, including 1,200 life-threatening neurological illnesses and approximately 120 deaths. Deaths are on pace to be higher this year, CDC officials said, but they declined to discuss specifics, saying mortality statistics are too preliminary.</p><p>The problem is not that there are more mosquitoes this year, but rather that a higher proportion of the bugs are carrying the virus, CDC officials said. Mosquito infection rates can be affected by such factors as temperature, rainfall, the amount of insect control going on, and how many nearby birds are infected.</p><p>Colorado, which tends to see more West Nile virus, has reported about 150 of the nation’s cases — more than double what other states are reporting.</p><p>Fort Collins is a hot spot. Monitoring last month in an area in the southwest part of the city found that 35 out of every 1,000 female mosquitoes were infected — far higher than the 8 per 1,000 that would be expected for that time of year — said Roxanne Connelly, a CDC entomologist who lives there.</p><p>It's not clear why, but she noted it's been a wet and warm year.</p><p>___</p><p>The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.</p>

West Nile virus cases running higher than normal, prompting health warnings

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a close vote, Senate Republicans defeated an effort Wednesday by Democrats to insert language into Congress’ annual defense authorization bill that would have forced the public release of case files on the sex trafficking investigation into the late&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>.

The Senate voted 51-49 to dismiss the changes to the bill, with Republican Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Rand Paul of Kentucky joining with all Democrats in opposition. Kansas U.S. Senators Jery Moran and Roger Marshall voted with the majority.

For months, Democrats have clamored for the release of what’s become known as the Epstein files, looking for practically every opportunity to force Republicans to either join their push for disclosure or publicly oppose a cause that many in the Republican base support. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;signaled as he was running for president that he was open to releasing a full accounting of the case, but is now trying to dismiss the push as a “Democrat hoax.”

So far, Democrats have been successful in forcing Republican leadership to grapple with the issue, yet it was unclear whether they would actually be able to crack Trump’s hold on congressional Republicans to force legislation through Congress.

“I ask my Republican colleagues, after all those years you spent calling for accountability, for transparency, for getting to the bottom of these awful crimes, why won’t you vote yes?” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a floor speech Wednesday.

The New York Democrat maneuvered earlier Wednesday to force a procedural vote on language that would force the Justice Department to release the Epstein files, inserting it into an annual defense policy bill that Congress has to pass. Senate Republican leadership was then forced to hold a vote to dispense with Schumer’s amendment, arguing that he was inserting political gamesmanship into defense legislation that often enjoys bipartisan support.

“This is not the right way to do it,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, a South Dakota Republican.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said earlier this week that the Justice Department “has already released tons of files” on Epstein.

“I trust them in terms of having the confidence that they’ll get as much information out there as possible in a way that protects the rights of the victims,” added Thune, R-S.D.

Still, many in the Republican base — as well as some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-survivors-congress-trump-5d980740245f935c994a90b8ce824642">victims of Epstein’s abuse</a>&nbsp;— have been unsatisfied with what the Justice Department has so far released.

The calls for disclosure of Epstein’s case has at moments consumed Congress, looming over politics even more than when Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial in 2019 on charges that said he sexually abused and trafficked dozens of underage girls. The case was brought more than a decade after he secretly cut a deal with federal prosecutors in Florida to dispose of nearly identical allegations. Epstein&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6184561-Jeffrey-Epstein-indictment.html" target="_blank">was accused</a>&nbsp;of paying underage girls hundreds of dollars in cash for massages and then molesting them.

Asked by reporters Wednesday why Democrats had not pushed for disclosure when they controlled the White House, Schumer responded, “It’s become so apparent that they’re lying about it in every different way and the demands of the American people are so great.”

“The need is greater than ever now,” he added.

Meanwhile, a separate effort to force a vote on a similar bill in the House inched ahead.

Democrats picked up one more House seat when Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., was sworn into office after winning a special election this week. It gives them one more supporter for a procedure — called a discharge petition — to maneuver around Republican leadership’s control of the House floor and hold a vote on legislation to force the Justice Department to release the Epstein files.

Four Republicans have also signed onto the discharge petition, meaning that it is just one name short of having the support needed to potentially force a vote. That could come as soon as the end of this month when a heavily blue congressional district in Arizona holds a special election to fill a vacant seat.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704330351229.png" alt="Jeffrey Epstein photo New York Sex Offender Registry" />
                        <figcaption>Jeffrey Epstein photo New York Sex Offender Registry</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON (AP) — In a close vote, Senate Republicans defeated an effort Wednesday by Democrats to insert language into Congress’ annual defense authorization bill that would have forced the public release of case files on the sex trafficking investigation into the late&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>.</p><p>The Senate voted 51-49 to dismiss the changes to the bill, with Republican Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Rand Paul of Kentucky joining with all Democrats in opposition. Kansas U.S. Senators Jery Moran and Roger Marshall voted with the majority.</p><p>For months, Democrats have clamored for the release of what’s become known as the Epstein files, looking for practically every opportunity to force Republicans to either join their push for disclosure or publicly oppose a cause that many in the Republican base support. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;signaled as he was running for president that he was open to releasing a full accounting of the case, but is now trying to dismiss the push as a “Democrat hoax.”</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨🚨HERE IT IS: We got Trump’s birthday note to Jeffrey Epstein that the President said doesn’t exist.<br><br>Trump talks about a “wonderful secret” the two of them shared. What is he hiding? Release the files! <a href="https://t.co/k2Mq8Hu3LY">pic.twitter.com/k2Mq8Hu3LY</a></p>&mdash; Oversight Dems (@OversightDems) <a href="https://twitter.com/OversightDems/status/1965125560016994708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">NEW PAGE FROM EPSTEIN’S BIRTHDAY BOOK: Epstein and a longtime Mar-a-Lago member joking about selling a &quot;fully depreciated&quot; woman to Donald Trump for $22,500. <a href="https://t.co/iEMNSRX7X8">pic.twitter.com/iEMNSRX7X8</a></p>&mdash; Oversight Dems (@OversightDems) <a href="https://twitter.com/OversightDems/status/1965175322590237091?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>So far, Democrats have been successful in forcing Republican leadership to grapple with the issue, yet it was unclear whether they would actually be able to crack Trump’s hold on congressional Republicans to force legislation through Congress.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING NEWS: I just filed an amendment on the Senate Floor to REQUIRE the Attorney General to release the Epstein files.<br><br>Republicans will HAVE TO vote on it. We’re going to keep fighting until these files are released. <a href="https://t.co/bHFGNnuk3T">pic.twitter.com/bHFGNnuk3T</a></p>&mdash; Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer/status/1965800573510574463?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>“I ask my Republican colleagues, after all those years you spent calling for accountability, for transparency, for getting to the bottom of these awful crimes, why won’t you vote yes?” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a floor speech Wednesday.</p><p>The New York Democrat maneuvered earlier Wednesday to force a procedural vote on language that would force the Justice Department to release the Epstein files, inserting it into an annual defense policy bill that Congress has to pass. Senate Republican leadership was then forced to hold a vote to dispense with Schumer’s amendment, arguing that he was inserting political gamesmanship into defense legislation that often enjoys bipartisan support.</p><p>“This is not the right way to do it,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, a South Dakota Republican.</p><p>Senate Majority Leader John Thune said earlier this week that the Justice Department “has already released tons of files” on Epstein.</p><p>“I trust them in terms of having the confidence that they’ll get as much information out there as possible in a way that protects the rights of the victims,” added Thune, R-S.D.</p><p>Still, many in the Republican base — as well as some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-survivors-congress-trump-5d980740245f935c994a90b8ce824642">victims of Epstein’s abuse</a>&nbsp;— have been unsatisfied with what the Justice Department has so far released.</p><p>The calls for disclosure of Epstein’s case has at moments consumed Congress, looming over politics even more than when Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial in 2019 on charges that said he sexually abused and trafficked dozens of underage girls. The case was brought more than a decade after he secretly cut a deal with federal prosecutors in Florida to dispose of nearly identical allegations. Epstein&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6184561-Jeffrey-Epstein-indictment.html" target="_blank">was accused</a>&nbsp;of paying underage girls hundreds of dollars in cash for massages and then molesting them.</p><p>Asked by reporters Wednesday why Democrats had not pushed for disclosure when they controlled the White House, Schumer responded, “It’s become so apparent that they’re lying about it in every different way and the demands of the American people are so great.”</p><p>“The need is greater than ever now,” he added.</p><p>Meanwhile, a separate effort to force a vote on a similar bill in the House inched ahead.</p><p>Democrats picked up one more House seat when Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., was sworn into office after winning a special election this week. It gives them one more supporter for a procedure — called a discharge petition — to maneuver around Republican leadership’s control of the House floor and hold a vote on legislation to force the Justice Department to release the Epstein files.</p><p>Four Republicans have also signed onto the discharge petition, meaning that it is just one name short of having the support needed to potentially force a vote. That could come as soon as the end of this month when a heavily blue congressional district in Arizona holds a special election to fill a vacant seat.</p>

Moran, Marshall vote to stop Dems' effort to force release of Epstein files

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man charged in the death of his pregnant girlfriend returned to court Thursday.

Matthew Wayne Criscenzo, 20,&nbsp; pleaded not guilty in Judge Jeffrey Goering's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; He was&nbsp; charged with 1st degree murder and aggravated battery, in the shooting death of 20-year-old Naomi Oglesby.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man charged in the death of his pregnant girlfriend will return to court Thursday afternoon.

Matthew Wayne Criscenzo, 20, is scheduled to attend a plea hearing before Judge Jeffrey Goering, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He is&nbsp; charged with 1st degree murder and aggravated battery, according to the&nbsp; District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

On May 25, police arrested&nbsp; Criscenzo in the 700 Block of Laura Street in Wichita in connection with the shooting death of 20-year-old Naomi Oglesby of Wichita. At the time of the incident, she was pregnant, according to Officer Rick Pena. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, she was pronounced deceasd.

Doctors were able to deliver her infant who was transported the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at a Wichita hospital.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748340707658.png" alt="Naomi Oglesby photo GoFundMe" />
                        <figcaption>Naomi Oglesby photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man charged in the death of his pregnant girlfriend returned to court Thursday.</p><p>Matthew Wayne Criscenzo, 20,&nbsp; pleaded not guilty in Judge Jeffrey Goering's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; He was&nbsp; charged with 1st degree murder and aggravated battery, in the shooting death of 20-year-old Naomi Oglesby.</p><p>-------------</p><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man charged in the death of his pregnant girlfriend will return to court Thursday afternoon.</p><p>Matthew Wayne Criscenzo, 20, is scheduled to attend a plea hearing before Judge Jeffrey Goering, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He is&nbsp; charged with 1st degree murder and aggravated battery, according to the&nbsp; District Attorney's office.&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748259337812.png" alt="Criscenzo-photo Sedgwick Counthy" />
                        <figcaption>Criscenzo-photo Sedgwick Counthy</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>On May 25, police arrested&nbsp; Criscenzo in the 700 Block of Laura Street in Wichita in connection with the shooting death of 20-year-old Naomi Oglesby of Wichita. At the time of the incident, she was pregnant, according to Officer Rick Pena. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, she was pronounced deceasd.</p><p>Doctors were able to deliver her infant who was transported the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at a Wichita hospital.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

Plea hearing for Kan. man accused of killing pregnant girlfriend

OREM, Utah (AP) — The FBI released two photos of a person of interest in the assassination of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/utah-valley-university-charlie-kirk-shooting-updates">Charlie Kirk</a>, a close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters. The shooter, who fired a single shot from a distant roof, remained at large and unidentified on Thursday nearly 24 hours into the investigation.

The release of photos of a person in a hat, sunglasses and a long-sleeve black shirt, as well as a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest, reflected law enforcement's urgent appeal for public help in locating the gunman, who vanished after jumping off the roof and fleeing through a wooded area near the Utah university where Kirk was killed in a targeted attack.

Investigators were sifting through potential clues, including a palm print and a shoe impression found near the scene, as well as a Mauser .30-caliber bolt-action rifle hidden in a towel in a wooded area near the university campus along what they suspect to be the path the shooter took while fleeing. Besides the spent cartridge recovered in the chamber, three other rounds were loaded in the magazine, according to information circulated among law enforcement and described to The Associated Press. The weapon and ammunition are being forensically analyzed by law enforcement at a federal lab for clues that could help identify the shooter or the motive.

The new information suggested at least modest progress in an investigation into a killing that law enforcement was treating as the latest instance of political violence to convulse the United States across the ideological spectrum. Yet key questions remained unanswered. Law enforcement had yet to identify the shooter or disclose a motive and acknowledged at a news conference Thursday that the suspect's college-age appearance may have helped the person blend in on the college campus where Kirk was shot.

The Wednesday afternoon attack, carried out in a broad daylight as Kirk spoke about social issues at a Utah Valley University courtyard, was captured on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-video-graphic-online-social-media-6cfd4dfde356b960aeea69c01ea3ec34">grisly videos circulating on social media</a>. The videos show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone when suddenly a shot rings out. Kirk can be seen reaching up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasp and scream before people start running away.

Trump, who was joined by Democrats in condemning the violence, said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S., while Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, were set to visit with Kirk’s family in Salt Lake City. Vance posted a remembrance on X chronicling their friendship, dating back to initial messages in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and ultimately praying after hearing of the shooting.

Kirk’s casket was to be flown aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Arizona, where his his nonprofit political youth organization, Turning Point USA, is based.

OREM, Utah (AP) — The sniper who assassinated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/utah-valley-university-charlie-kirk-shooting-updates">Charlie Kirk</a>&nbsp;is believed to have jumped off a roof and fled into a neighborhood after firing one shot and has not been identified, authorities said Thursday in disclosing they have recovered a high-powered, bolt-action rifle they believe was used in the attack and are reviewing video footage of the person they believe was responsible.

The shooter appeared to be of college age and blended in on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/ap-reporter-describes-scene-after-charlie-kirk-was-shot-5ced708431fe4fbea765fb13102eff34">the university campus where Kirk was killed</a>&nbsp;Wednesday, said Beau Mason, the commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety. It remained unclear how far the shooter has traveled, though law enforcement officials say nearby woods where the rifle was found have been secured.

Even as law enforcement officials revealed new details about an attack they called targeted, much remained unclear nearly 24 hours later, including the sniper's identity, motive and whereabouts. Two people detained Wednesday were released after neither was determined to be connected to the shooting, but by Thursday officials expressed confidence they had tracked the shooter's movements on campus in the run-up to it.

Later Thursday, the FBI released two photos of a person of interest in connection with the shooting as investigators appealed to the public for information. The photos show a person wearing a hat, sunglasses and a long-sleeve black shirt.

Law enforcement recovered a Mauser .30 caliber bolt-action rifle hidden in a towel in a wooded area near the university campus along what they suspect to be the shooter’s path as they fled the scene, according to information circulated among law enforcement and shared with The Associated Press. Besides the spent cartridge recovered in the chamber, three other rounds were loaded in the magazine. The weapon and ammunition are being forensically analyzed by law enforcement at a federal lab for clues that could help identify the shooter or the motive.

Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump, was killed in broad daylight while speaking about social issues at a Utah Valley University campus courtyard. The circumstances brought renewed attention to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/political-violence-assassination-minnesota-trump-3c750cff0749633872ab6101bfa23b23">the escalating threat of political violence</a>&nbsp;in the United States that in the last several years has cut across the ideological spectrum. The killing drew bipartisan condemnation, but a national reckoning over ways to prevent political grievances from manifesting as deadly violence seemed elusive.

The attack was captured on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-video-graphic-online-social-media-6cfd4dfde356b960aeea69c01ea3ec34">grisly videos circulating on social media</a>&nbsp;that show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone when suddenly a shot rings out. Kirk can be seen reaching up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasp and scream before people start running away.

Trump said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S., while Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, were set to visit with Kirk’s family in Salt Lake City. Vance posted a remembrance on X chronicling their friendship, dating back to initial messages in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and ultimately praying after hearing of the shooting. Kirk played a pivotal role in setting up Trump's second Republican administration, Vance wrote.

<p>OREM, Utah (AP) — The FBI released two photos of a person of interest in the assassination of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/utah-valley-university-charlie-kirk-shooting-updates">Charlie Kirk</a>, a close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters. The shooter, who fired a single shot from a distant roof, remained at large and unidentified on Thursday nearly 24 hours into the investigation.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We are asking for the public&#39;s help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. <br>1-800-CALL-FBI<br>Digital media tips: <a href="https://t.co/K7maX81TjJ">https://t.co/K7maX81TjJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/ALuVkTXuDc">pic.twitter.com/ALuVkTXuDc</a></p>&mdash; FBI Salt Lake City (@FBISaltLakeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBISaltLakeCity/status/1966169520403525760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The release of photos of a person in a hat, sunglasses and a long-sleeve black shirt, as well as a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest, reflected law enforcement's urgent appeal for public help in locating the gunman, who vanished after jumping off the roof and fleeing through a wooded area near the Utah university where Kirk was killed in a targeted attack.</p><p>Investigators were sifting through potential clues, including a palm print and a shoe impression found near the scene, as well as a Mauser .30-caliber bolt-action rifle hidden in a towel in a wooded area near the university campus along what they suspect to be the path the shooter took while fleeing. Besides the spent cartridge recovered in the chamber, three other rounds were loaded in the magazine, according to information circulated among law enforcement and described to The Associated Press. The weapon and ammunition are being forensically analyzed by law enforcement at a federal lab for clues that could help identify the shooter or the motive.</p><p>The new information suggested at least modest progress in an investigation into a killing that law enforcement was treating as the latest instance of political violence to convulse the United States across the ideological spectrum. Yet key questions remained unanswered. Law enforcement had yet to identify the shooter or disclose a motive and acknowledged at a news conference Thursday that the suspect's college-age appearance may have helped the person blend in on the college campus where Kirk was shot.</p><p>The Wednesday afternoon attack, carried out in a broad daylight as Kirk spoke about social issues at a Utah Valley University courtyard, was captured on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-video-graphic-online-social-media-6cfd4dfde356b960aeea69c01ea3ec34">grisly videos circulating on social media</a>. The videos show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone when suddenly a shot rings out. Kirk can be seen reaching up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasp and scream before people start running away.</p><p>Trump, who was joined by Democrats in condemning the violence, said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S., while Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, were set to visit with Kirk’s family in Salt Lake City. Vance posted a remembrance on X chronicling their friendship, dating back to initial messages in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and ultimately praying after hearing of the shooting.</p><p>“So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” Vance wrote. “He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”</p><p>Kirk’s casket was to be flown aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Arizona, where his his nonprofit political youth organization, Turning Point USA, is based.</p><p>-----------</p><p>OREM, Utah (AP) — The sniper who assassinated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/utah-valley-university-charlie-kirk-shooting-updates">Charlie Kirk</a>&nbsp;is believed to have jumped off a roof and fled into a neighborhood after firing one shot and has not been identified, authorities said Thursday in disclosing they have recovered a high-powered, bolt-action rifle they believe was used in the attack and are reviewing video footage of the person they believe was responsible.</p><p>The shooter appeared to be of college age and blended in on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/ap-reporter-describes-scene-after-charlie-kirk-was-shot-5ced708431fe4fbea765fb13102eff34">the university campus where Kirk was killed</a>&nbsp;Wednesday, said Beau Mason, the commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety. It remained unclear how far the shooter has traveled, though law enforcement officials say nearby woods where the rifle was found have been secured.</p><p>Even as law enforcement officials revealed new details about an attack they called targeted, much remained unclear nearly 24 hours later, including the sniper's identity, motive and whereabouts. Two people detained Wednesday were released after neither was determined to be connected to the shooting, but by Thursday officials expressed confidence they had tracked the shooter's movements on campus in the run-up to it.</p><p>Later Thursday, the FBI released two photos of a person of interest in connection with the shooting as investigators appealed to the public for information. The photos show a person wearing a hat, sunglasses and a long-sleeve black shirt.</p><p>Law enforcement recovered a Mauser .30 caliber bolt-action rifle hidden in a towel in a wooded area near the university campus along what they suspect to be the shooter’s path as they fled the scene, according to information circulated among law enforcement and shared with The Associated Press. Besides the spent cartridge recovered in the chamber, three other rounds were loaded in the magazine. The weapon and ammunition are being forensically analyzed by law enforcement at a federal lab for clues that could help identify the shooter or the motive.</p><p>Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump, was killed in broad daylight while speaking about social issues at a Utah Valley University campus courtyard. The circumstances brought renewed attention to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/political-violence-assassination-minnesota-trump-3c750cff0749633872ab6101bfa23b23">the escalating threat of political violence</a>&nbsp;in the United States that in the last several years has cut across the ideological spectrum. The killing drew bipartisan condemnation, but a national reckoning over ways to prevent political grievances from manifesting as deadly violence seemed elusive.</p><p>The attack was captured on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-video-graphic-online-social-media-6cfd4dfde356b960aeea69c01ea3ec34">grisly videos circulating on social media</a>&nbsp;that show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone when suddenly a shot rings out. Kirk can be seen reaching up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasp and scream before people start running away.</p><p>Trump said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S., while Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, were set to visit with Kirk’s family in Salt Lake City. Vance posted a remembrance on X chronicling their friendship, dating back to initial messages in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and ultimately praying after hearing of the shooting. Kirk played a pivotal role in setting up Trump's second Republican administration, Vance wrote.</p><p>“So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” Vance wrote. “He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”</p>

FBI releases images of person of interest in Charlie Kirk assassination

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/makiya-seminera">MAKIYA SEMINERA</a><br>Associated Press

A federal judge on Wednesday blocked Trump administration restrictions on services for immigrants in the country illegally, including the federal preschool program&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/head-start-office-closures-hhs-trump-00b1a6b33ef918cb66e59b7ffb07ac13">Head Start</a>, health clinics and adult education.

The order from the judge in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island applies to 20 states and the District of Columbia, whose attorneys general, all Democrats, sued the administration. It puts the administration’s reinterpretation of a Clinton-era federal policy on hold while the case is decided.

Under the proposed changes, some community-level programs would be reclassified as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poll-government-spending-medicare-medicaid-social-security-0ccb0538c06d715b43bbbcaa4a1348cf">federal public benefits</a>, making them inaccessible to people without legal status. Individual public benefits, such as food stamps and college financial aid, have been largely unavailable to people in the country without legal status.

U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy, who was appointed by Trump in 2019, said in her order that the policy rollout was “rushed” in a way that would worsen the impact for people cut off from community services and those tasked with verifying eligibility.

“The Government argues that it has somehow interpreted this statute incorrectly for the nearly thirty years that it has been the law,” McElroy wrote. “In its view, everyone ... has misunderstood it from the start — at least until last month, when the right way to read it became clear to the Government. The Court is skeptical of that.”

Messages seeking comment were left with the Department of Health and Human Services, the Education Department, the Department of Labor and the Department of Justice, which each were named as defendants.

The states’ lawsuit argued the government failed to follow the rulemaking process and did not provide the required notice on conditions placed on federal funds.

The rule changes had been paused initially within the states that sued after they reached a temporary agreement with the Trump administration.

“With this victory, we are protecting children’s education, safeguarding critical health care, and preserving the safety net that keeps families afloat,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said.

Proponents of Head Start immediately voiced concern that the new policy would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-medicaid-health-illegal-985fb65ee53095d5cedf39bdac58500f">harm immigrant communities</a>&nbsp;by taking away health services and educational opportunities. The administrative burdens of implementing the new rule would cause many under-resourced Head Start programs to close, according to the plaintiffs’ complaint.

The federal government said it interprets Head Start as a federal public benefit, similar to welfare programs that exclude immigrants in the country illegally.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr</a>, whose agency oversees Head Start, said the directive would stop diverting “hardworking Americans’ tax dollars to incentivize illegal immigration.”

In addition to preserving Head Start access, the lawsuit also sought to block the restrictions on other federal programs, including substance abuse services, mental health resources in schools, career and technical education, and job training opportunities.

<p>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/makiya-seminera">MAKIYA SEMINERA</a><br>Associated Press</p><p>A federal judge on Wednesday blocked Trump administration restrictions on services for immigrants in the country illegally, including the federal preschool program&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/head-start-office-closures-hhs-trump-00b1a6b33ef918cb66e59b7ffb07ac13">Head Start</a>, health clinics and adult education.</p><p>The order from the judge in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island applies to 20 states and the District of Columbia, whose attorneys general, all Democrats, sued the administration. It puts the administration’s reinterpretation of a Clinton-era federal policy on hold while the case is decided.</p><p>Under the proposed changes, some community-level programs would be reclassified as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poll-government-spending-medicare-medicaid-social-security-0ccb0538c06d715b43bbbcaa4a1348cf">federal public benefits</a>, making them inaccessible to people without legal status. Individual public benefits, such as food stamps and college financial aid, have been largely unavailable to people in the country without legal status.</p><p>U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy, who was appointed by Trump in 2019, said in her order that the policy rollout was “rushed” in a way that would worsen the impact for people cut off from community services and those tasked with verifying eligibility.</p><p>“The Government argues that it has somehow interpreted this statute incorrectly for the nearly thirty years that it has been the law,” McElroy wrote. “In its view, everyone ... has misunderstood it from the start — at least until last month, when the right way to read it became clear to the Government. The Court is skeptical of that.”</p><p>Messages seeking comment were left with the Department of Health and Human Services, the Education Department, the Department of Labor and the Department of Justice, which each were named as defendants.</p><p>The states’ lawsuit argued the government failed to follow the rulemaking process and did not provide the required notice on conditions placed on federal funds.</p><p>The rule changes had been paused initially within the states that sued after they reached a temporary agreement with the Trump administration.</p><p>“With this victory, we are protecting children’s education, safeguarding critical health care, and preserving the safety net that keeps families afloat,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said.</p><p>Proponents of Head Start immediately voiced concern that the new policy would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-medicaid-health-illegal-985fb65ee53095d5cedf39bdac58500f">harm immigrant communities</a>&nbsp;by taking away health services and educational opportunities. The administrative burdens of implementing the new rule would cause many under-resourced Head Start programs to close, according to the plaintiffs’ complaint.</p><p>The federal government said it interprets Head Start as a federal public benefit, similar to welfare programs that exclude immigrants in the country illegally.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr</a>, whose agency oversees Head Start, said the directive would stop diverting “hardworking Americans’ tax dollars to incentivize illegal immigration.”</p><p>In addition to preserving Head Start access, the lawsuit also sought to block the restrictions on other federal programs, including substance abuse services, mental health resources in schools, career and technical education, and job training opportunities.</p>

Judge blocks policy cutting off Head Start for immigrants in the US illegally

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans are marking 24 years since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/september-11-attacks">the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks</a>&nbsp;with solemn ceremonies, volunteer work and other tributes honoring the victims.

Many loved ones of the nearly 3,000 people killed joined dignitaries and politicians at commemorations Thursday in New York, at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

On Thursday morning, Denise Matuza, Jennifer Nilsen and Michelle Pizzo boarded a bus from Staten Island for Lower Manhattan — each wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the names and faces of their husbands, who died in the attack.

“Even 24 years later, it’s heart wrenching,” said Nilsen, whose husband, Troy Nilsen, worked at Cantor Fitzgerald on the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center. “It feels the same way every year.”

For Ronald Bucca, who lost his father, the FDNY fire marshal Ronald Paul Bucca, the annual memorial served as an opportunity to “educate people on that day, especially the younger generations, and learn from each other how to be resilient and deal with loss and rebuild.”

Pizzo, whose husband, Jason DeFazio, also worked at Cantor Fitzgerald, hoped more people could just take one minute to reflect on the day.

“Younger kids don’t realize that you have to remember,” she said.

The remembrances are being held during a time of increased political tensions. The 9/11 anniversary, often promoted as a day of national unity, comes a day after conservative activist Charlie Kirk&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shot-utah-turning-point-e771e3967d5a6024f7cf84d5e0228fed">was shot and killed</a>&nbsp;while speaking at a college in Utah.

The reading of names and moments of silence

Kirk’s killing prompted additional security measures around the 9/11 anniversary ceremony at the World Trade Center site in New York.

FBI Director Kash Patel was among the dignitaries in attendance. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, had planned to attend but instead are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/charlie-kirk-shooting-response-updates#00000199-389b-da74-a3bf-ffdf5b250000">set to visit with Kirk’s family</a>&nbsp;on Thursday in Salt Lake City, according to a person familiar with Vance’s plans, but not authorized to speak about them publicly.

Many in the ground zero crowd held up photos of lost loved ones as a moment of silence marked the exact time when the first hijacked plane struck the World Trade Center’s iconic twin towers.

Family members then read aloud the names of the victims, with many giving short remembrances and well wishes to their lost loved ones.

Melissa Pullis, whose husband Edward Pullis died in the towers, said this year is more difficult than others because two of the couple’s three children are getting married.

<p>NEW YORK (AP) — Americans are marking 24 years since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/september-11-attacks">the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks</a>&nbsp;with solemn ceremonies, volunteer work and other tributes honoring the victims.</p><p>Many loved ones of the nearly 3,000 people killed joined dignitaries and politicians at commemorations Thursday in New York, at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump pay respects at the Pentagon. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/September11?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#September11</a> <a href="https://t.co/YCQxPwTdd9">pic.twitter.com/YCQxPwTdd9</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1966156710516535597?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">American flag unfurled at the Pentagon. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/September11?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#September11</a> <a href="https://t.co/LfRZnhj6jl">pic.twitter.com/LfRZnhj6jl</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1966094979928916467?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/HGH3yQKdO7">https://t.co/HGH3yQKdO7</a></p>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1966125485894648215?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> arrive at the Pentagon on the 24th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks <a href="https://t.co/OWMKaYbiFm">pic.twitter.com/OWMKaYbiFm</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966126089706611011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> stand for the National Anthem alongside <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> and the <a href="https://twitter.com/thejointstaff?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thejointstaff</a> Chairman at the Pentagon 9/11 observance ceremony. <a href="https://t.co/9cBaXxPaIZ">pic.twitter.com/9cBaXxPaIZ</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966126949019038115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rudy Giuliani, Eric Adams, Michael Bloomberg -- 9/11 memorial ceremony NYC <a href="https://t.co/vzp8nK2H6Y">pic.twitter.com/vzp8nK2H6Y</a></p>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1966119847542272100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> honors the memory of Army Lieutenant Colonel Kip Taylor, a young father who was killed at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.<br><br>Kip&#39;s son, Luke, is now a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/qlmYXdP95t">pic.twitter.com/qlmYXdP95t</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966143280980312241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">. <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> &quot;Twenty-four years ago, Islamist terrorists massacred nearly three thousand innocent American lives in New York City, Shanksville, Pennsylvania and right here at the Pentagon.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Eii2fqH8JL">pic.twitter.com/Eii2fqH8JL</a></p>&mdash; DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/1966138258553024803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">. <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> &quot;An entire generation of warriors step forward, willing to pay the ultimate price to exact retribution and secure our country.<br><br>Forged in the crucible of Afghanistan and Iraq, we stood watch in distant lands on dangerous missions, often in retrospect, nebulous missions.… <a href="https://t.co/jjp9e2f20h">pic.twitter.com/jjp9e2f20h</a></p>&mdash; DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/1966139296345370630?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">. <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@secwar</a> &quot;Here today, we honor those 184 rings of the bell... souls lost at the Pentagon and on Flight 77. <br><br>Even as first responders were grossly outnumbered by the wounded. Many ran toward the chaos.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/K8HBtaM3ty">pic.twitter.com/K8HBtaM3ty</a></p>&mdash; DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/1966140291758629333?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>On Thursday morning, Denise Matuza, Jennifer Nilsen and Michelle Pizzo boarded a bus from Staten Island for Lower Manhattan — each wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the names and faces of their husbands, who died in the attack.</p><p>“Even 24 years later, it’s heart wrenching,” said Nilsen, whose husband, Troy Nilsen, worked at Cantor Fitzgerald on the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center. “It feels the same way every year.”</p><p>For Ronald Bucca, who lost his father, the FDNY fire marshal Ronald Paul Bucca, the annual memorial served as an opportunity to “educate people on that day, especially the younger generations, and learn from each other how to be resilient and deal with loss and rebuild.”</p><p>Pizzo, whose husband, Jason DeFazio, also worked at Cantor Fitzgerald, hoped more people could just take one minute to reflect on the day.</p><p>“Younger kids don’t realize that you have to remember,” she said.</p><p>The remembrances are being held during a time of increased political tensions. The 9/11 anniversary, often promoted as a day of national unity, comes a day after conservative activist Charlie Kirk&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shot-utah-turning-point-e771e3967d5a6024f7cf84d5e0228fed">was shot and killed</a>&nbsp;while speaking at a college in Utah.</p><h2>The reading of names and moments of silence</h2><p>Kirk’s killing prompted additional security measures around the 9/11 anniversary ceremony at the World Trade Center site in New York.</p><p>FBI Director Kash Patel was among the dignitaries in attendance. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, had planned to attend but instead are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/charlie-kirk-shooting-response-updates#00000199-389b-da74-a3bf-ffdf5b250000">set to visit with Kirk’s family</a>&nbsp;on Thursday in Salt Lake City, according to a person familiar with Vance’s plans, but not authorized to speak about them publicly.</p><p>Many in the ground zero crowd held up photos of lost loved ones as a moment of silence marked the exact time when the first hijacked plane struck the World Trade Center’s iconic twin towers.</p><p>Family members then read aloud the names of the victims, with many giving short remembrances and well wishes to their lost loved ones.</p><p>Melissa Pullis, whose husband Edward Pullis died in the towers, said this year is more difficult than others because two of the couple’s three children are getting married.</p><p>“You can’t walk your princess down the aisle,” she said through tears. “You are missed everyday. We will always say your name and we will always fight for justice.”</p><p>Zoe Doyle, daughter of equity trader Frank Joseph Doyle, said her family created a nonprofit in his honor that has built 16 schools in South Africa and feeds and educates thousands of children there each day.</p><p>“We love and miss you so much,” Doyle said.</p><p>At the Pentagon in Virginia, the 184 service members and civilians killed when hijackers steered a jetliner into the headquarters of the U.S. military were being honored in a ceremony attended by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump. The president was then expected to head to the Bronx for a baseball game between the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers Thursday evening.</p><p>And in a rural field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, a similar ceremony marked by moments of silence, the reading of names and the laying of wreaths, honored the victims of Flight 93, the hijacked plane that crashed after crew members and passengers tried to storm the cockpit.</p><p>People across the country are also marking the 9/11 anniversary with service projects and charity works as part of a national day of service. Volunteers will be taking part in food and clothing drives, park and neighborhood cleanups, blood banks and other community events.</p><h2>Reverberations from attacks persist</h2><p>In all, the attacks by al-Qaida militants killed 2,977 people, including many financial workers at the World Trade Center and firefighters and police officers who had rushed to the burning buildings trying to save lives.</p><p>The attacks reverberated globally and altered the course of U.S. policy, both domestically and overseas. It led to the “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/077ff9b545584e4d8936e12cde859192">Global War on Terrorism</a>&nbsp;” and the U.S.-led invasions of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-e10e038baea732dae879c11234507f81">Afghanistan</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-anniversary-refugee-asylum-debf2c74a9f5acc5d6562647d2bef94f">Iraq</a>&nbsp;and related conflicts that killed hundreds of thousands of troops and civilians.</p><p>While the hijackers died in the attacks, the U.S. government has struggled to conclude its long-running legal case against the man accused of masterminding the plot, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The former al-Qaida leader was arrested in Pakistan in 2003 and later taken to a U.S. military base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, but has never received a trial.</p><p>The anniversary ceremony in New York was taking place at the National Sept. 11 memorial and Museum, where two memorial pools ringed by waterfalls and parapets inscribed with the names of the dead mark the spots where the twin towers once stood.</p><p>The Trump administration has been contemplating ways that the federal government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/911-museum-trump-federal-takeover-new-york-6b335a4b9dab79ef12e19282d631a28a">might take control</a>&nbsp;of the memorial plaza and its underground museum, which are now run by a public charity currently chaired by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a frequent Trump critic. Trump has spoken of possibly making the site a national monument.</p><p>In the years since the attacks, the U.S. government has spent billions of dollars providing health care and compensation to tens of thousands of people who were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-new-york-manhattan-9c1d95d9344564981558fa6c54f70c56">exposed to the toxic dust</a>&nbsp;that billowed over parts of Manhattan when the twin towers collapsed. More than 140,000 people are still enrolled in monitoring programs intended to identify those with health conditions that could potentially be linked to hazardous materials in the soot.</p><p>___</p>