NEW YORK (AP) — Portland Trail Blazers head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trail-blazers-chauncey-billups-57c920d0fcace5dbce25cd474468cd40">Chauncey Billups</a>&nbsp;and Miami Heat guard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/terry-rozier">Terry Rozier</a>&nbsp;are among more than 30 people charged in connection with schemes involving illegal sports betting and rigged poker games backed by Mafia, authorities said on Thursday.

Rozier is accused in participating in an illegal sports betting scheme using private insider NBA information, officials said. Billups is charged in a separate indictment alleging a wide-ranging scheme to rig underground poker games that were backed by Mafia families, authorities said.

The indictments are related to two major cases, one involving sports betting and the second involving rigged poker games, U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said at a news conference with FBI Director Kash Patel. In the first case, six defendants are accused of participating in an insider sports betting conspiracy that exploited confidential information about NBA athletes and teams, Nocella said. He called it “one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the United States.”

The second case involves 31 defendants in a nationwide scheme to rig illegal poker games, Nocella said. The defendants include former professional athletes accused of using technology to steal millions of dollars from victims in underground poker games in the New York area that were backed by Mafia families, he said.

In the sports betting scheme, players sometimes altered their performance or took themselves out of games early, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. In one instance, Rozier, while playing for the Hornets, told other he was planning to leave the game early with a “supposed injury,” allowing others to place wagers that raked in thousands of dollars, Tisch said.

The indictment of Rozier and others says there are nine unnamed co-conspirators including a Florida resident who was an NBA player and an Oregon resident who was an NBA player from about 1997 to 2014 and an NBA coach since at least 2021, as well as a relative of Rozier.

Rozier and other defendants “had access to private information known by NBA players or NBA coaches” that was likely to affect the outcome of games or players’ performances and provided that information to other co-conspirators in exchange for either a flat fee or a share of betting profits, the indictment says.

The NBA had no immediate comment. The league has investigated Rozier previously and still is looking into the actions of former Detroit player Malik Beasley, one of the sources told the AP.

Rozier was in uniform as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/heat-magic-score-0c4b69ecf699348bd90f91def98538e0">the Heat played the Magic</a>&nbsp;in Orlando, Florida, in the season opener for both teams on Wednesday evening, though he did not play in the game. He was taken into custody in Orlando early Thursday morning. The team didn’t immediately comment on the arrest.

A message was left with Rozier's lawyer, Jim Trusty, on Thursday. Trusty previously told ESPN that Rozier was told that an initial investigation determined he did nothing wrong after he met with NBA and FBI officials in 2023, the sports network reported.

A message seeking comment was left with Billups on Thursday morning.

The case was brought by the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn that previously prosecuted ex-NBA player Jontay Porter. The former Toronto Raptors center&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-jontay-porter-banned-criminal-case-betting-b26d6a136baafdf8e538be260338bb28">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;to charges that he withdrew early from games, claiming illness or injury, so that those in the know could win big by betting on him to underperform expectations.

Billups was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last year. The five-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA point guard led the Detroit Pistons to their third league title in 2004 as NBA Finals MVP. Boston drafted the former Colorado star with the No. 3 pick overall in 1997. The player known as Mr. Big Shot also played for Toronto, Denver, Minnesota, the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Clippers. Billups won the Joe Dumars Trophy, the NBA’s sportsmanship award, in 2009 while playing for his hometown Denver Nuggets.

The 49-year-old Billups is in his fifth season as Portland’s coach, compiling a 117-212 record. He played for the University of Colorado, which was part of the Big 12 conference, leading the team to a second-place finish and an NCAA tournament appearance in the inaugural season of the Big 12 in 1996-97. He earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors that season. 

The Trail Blazers opened the season Wednesday night at home with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/timberwolves-trail-blazers-score-5e983f9ad18e0c685ef0b64ce08a0857">a 118-114 loss to Minnesota</a>.

A game involving Rozier that has been in question was played on March 23, 2023, a matchup between the Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans. Rozier played the first 9 minutes and 36 seconds of that game — and not only did not return that night, citing a foot issue, but did not play again that season. Charlotte had eight games remaining and was not in playoff contention, so it did not seem particularly unusual that Rozier was shut down for the season’s final games.

In that March 23 game, Rozier finished with five points, four rebounds and two assists in that opening period — a productive quarter but well below his usual total output for a full game.

Posts still online from March 23, 2023, show that some bettors were furious with sportsbooks that evening when it became evident that Rozier was not going to return to the Charlotte-New Orleans game after the first quarter, with many turning to social media to say that something “shady” had gone on regarding the prop bets involving his stats for that night.

A prop is a type of wager that allows gamblers to bet on whether a player will exceed a certain statistical number, such as whether the player will finish over or under a certain total of points, rebounds, assists and more.

Durkin Richer reported from Washington, and Reynolds reported from Miami. Associated Press reporters David Collins in Hartford, Conn., and Larry Lage in Detroit contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761225884441.png" alt="Chauncey Billups played for the University of Colorado, which was part of the Big 12 conference, leading the team to a second-place finish and an NCAA tournament appearance in the inaugural season of the Big 12 in 1996-97. He earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors that season. photo courtesy Portland Trail Blazers" />
 <figcaption>Chauncey Billups played for the University of Colorado, which was part of the Big 12 conference, leading the team to a second-place finish and an NCAA tournament appearance in the inaugural season of the Big 12 in 1996-97. He earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors that season. photo courtesy Portland Trail Blazers</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Portland Trail Blazers head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trail-blazers-chauncey-billups-57c920d0fcace5dbce25cd474468cd40">Chauncey Billups</a>&nbsp;and Miami Heat guard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/terry-rozier">Terry Rozier</a>&nbsp;are among more than 30 people charged in connection with schemes involving illegal sports betting and rigged poker games backed by Mafia, authorities said on Thursday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">FBI Director Patel: &quot;Individuals such as Chauncey Billups, Damon Jones and Terry Rozier were taking into custody today, former,current NBA players and coaches...this is an illegal gambling operation and sports rigging operation that spanned the course of years.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/L5vLj1XtvM">pic.twitter.com/L5vLj1XtvM</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1981367790025027918?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Rozier is accused in participating in an illegal sports betting scheme using private insider NBA information, officials said. Billups is charged in a separate indictment alleging a wide-ranging scheme to rig underground poker games that were backed by Mafia families, authorities said.The indictments are related to two major cases, one involving sports betting and the second involving rigged poker games, U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said at a news conference with FBI Director Kash Patel. In the first case, six defendants are accused of participating in an insider sports betting conspiracy that exploited confidential information about NBA athletes and teams, Nocella said. He called it “one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the United States.”The second case involves 31 defendants in a nationwide scheme to rig illegal poker games, Nocella said. The defendants include former professional athletes accused of using technology to steal millions of dollars from victims in underground poker games in the New York area that were backed by Mafia families, he said.In the sports betting scheme, players sometimes altered their performance or took themselves out of games early, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. In one instance, Rozier, while playing for the Hornets, told other he was planning to leave the game early with a “supposed injury,” allowing others to place wagers that raked in thousands of dollars, Tisch said.The indictment of Rozier and others says there are nine unnamed co-conspirators including a Florida resident who was an NBA player and an Oregon resident who was an NBA player from about 1997 to 2014 and an NBA coach since at least 2021, as well as a relative of Rozier.Rozier and other defendants “had access to private information known by NBA players or NBA coaches” that was likely to affect the outcome of games or players’ performances and provided that information to other co-conspirators in exchange for either a flat fee or a share of betting profits, the indictment says.The NBA had no immediate comment. The league has investigated Rozier previously and still is looking into the actions of former Detroit player Malik Beasley, one of the sources told the AP.Rozier was in uniform as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/heat-magic-score-0c4b69ecf699348bd90f91def98538e0">the Heat played the Magic</a>&nbsp;in Orlando, Florida, in the season opener for both teams on Wednesday evening, though he did not play in the game. He was taken into custody in Orlando early Thursday morning. The team didn’t immediately comment on the arrest.A message was left with Rozier's lawyer, Jim Trusty, on Thursday. Trusty previously told ESPN that Rozier was told that an initial investigation determined he did nothing wrong after he met with NBA and FBI officials in 2023, the sports network reported.A message seeking comment was left with Billups on Thursday morning.The case was brought by the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn that previously prosecuted ex-NBA player Jontay Porter. The former Toronto Raptors center&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-jontay-porter-banned-criminal-case-betting-b26d6a136baafdf8e538be260338bb28">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;to charges that he withdrew early from games, claiming illness or injury, so that those in the know could win big by betting on him to underperform expectations.Billups was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last year. The five-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA point guard led the Detroit Pistons to their third league title in 2004 as NBA Finals MVP. Boston drafted the former Colorado star with the No. 3 pick overall in 1997. The player known as Mr. Big Shot also played for Toronto, Denver, Minnesota, the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Clippers. Billups won the Joe Dumars Trophy, the NBA’s sportsmanship award, in 2009 while playing for his hometown Denver Nuggets.The 49-year-old Billups is in his fifth season as Portland’s coach, compiling a 117-212 record. He played for the University of Colorado, which was part of the Big 12 conference, leading the team to a second-place finish and an NCAA tournament appearance in the inaugural season of the Big 12 in 1996-97. He earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors that season. The Trail Blazers opened the season Wednesday night at home with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/timberwolves-trail-blazers-score-5e983f9ad18e0c685ef0b64ce08a0857">a 118-114 loss to Minnesota</a>.A game involving Rozier that has been in question was played on March 23, 2023, a matchup between the Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans. Rozier played the first 9 minutes and 36 seconds of that game — and not only did not return that night, citing a foot issue, but did not play again that season. Charlotte had eight games remaining and was not in playoff contention, so it did not seem particularly unusual that Rozier was shut down for the season’s final games.In that March 23 game, Rozier finished with five points, four rebounds and two assists in that opening period — a productive quarter but well below his usual total output for a full game.Posts still online from March 23, 2023, show that some bettors were furious with sportsbooks that evening when it became evident that Rozier was not going to return to the Charlotte-New Orleans game after the first quarter, with many turning to social media to say that something “shady” had gone on regarding the prop bets involving his stats for that night.A prop is a type of wager that allows gamblers to bet on whether a player will exceed a certain statistical number, such as whether the player will finish over or under a certain total of points, rebounds, assists and more.___Durkin Richer reported from Washington, and Reynolds reported from Miami. Associated Press reporters David Collins in Hartford, Conn., and Larry Lage in Detroit contributed.

🎥Former Big 12 star arrested in NBA, Mafia-linked gambling scandal

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a weekend homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 23-year-old Jorden Wynn, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Just before 3a.m. Sunday police&nbsp;in the area of Westport and Mill Street in Kansas City, Missoui when they heard the sound of gunfire to the north of that intersection, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

Officers immediately responded to the area to investigate and located a Wynn unresponsive to the north and west of Westport and Mill in the restaurant parking lot.

Officers rendered aid and called for EMS. EMS transported him to the hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.

Preliminary indication Wynn was at the location in the business parking lot when he had an interaction with one or more suspect(s) that led to gunfire and he was struck. Police released no additional details.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a weekend homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 23-year-old Jorden Wynn, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.Just before 3a.m. Sunday police&nbsp;in the area of Westport and Mill Street in Kansas City, Missoui when they heard the sound of gunfire to the north of that intersection, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.Officers immediately responded to the area to investigate and located a Wynn unresponsive to the north and west of Westport and Mill in the restaurant parking lot.Officers rendered aid and called for EMS. EMS transported him to the hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.Preliminary indication Wynn was at the location in the business parking lot when he had an interaction with one or more suspect(s) that led to gunfire and he was struck. Police released no additional details.

Police ID victim killed in KC restaurant parking lot

WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp; U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hawley-vows-hold-democrats-feet-fire-new-government-shutdown-funding-bills">introduced</a>&nbsp;two bills to reinstate Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and critical farm programs during the government shutdown, according to a statement from his office.

“Since the Democrats refuse to fund the government, I’m introducing legislation to reinstate food stamps and farm programs immediately,”&nbsp;said Senator Hawley.“Missourians shouldn’t go hungry because of the Left’s incompetence. Our kids deserve to eat.”

More than 650,000 Missourians, 188,000 Kansans and 155,000 Nebraskans stand to lose their access to food benefits next month because Democrats refuse to fund the government. The vast majority of those Missourians are families with children.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;Keep SNAP Funded Act&nbsp;would ensure full funding for the SNAP program during the government shutdown. Under the bill, Congress would appropriate the necessary funding to provide uninterrupted SNAP benefits, retroactive to the start of the shutdown.

The&nbsp;Fund Farm Programs Act&nbsp;would reopen all Farm Service Agency (FSA) Offices and&nbsp;ensure resumed services for all FSA programs that farmers rely on. The USDA will be appropriated the necessary funding to provide resumed services for farmers through FSA offices, retroactive to the start of the shutdown.

Read the full bill text for the&nbsp;Keep SNAP Funded Act&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=15365.11191843.8917142.8424141&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2025%2f10%2fKeep-SNAP-Funded-Act.pdf&amp;redir_log=707316794103533" target="_blank">here.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

Read the full bill text for the&nbsp;Fund Farm Programs Act&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=15365.11191843.8917142.8424141&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2025%2f10%2fFund-Our-Farmers-Act.pdf&amp;redir_log=996771207702541" target="_blank">here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750772403338.png" alt="Photo by Lance Cheung/USDA" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Lance Cheung/USDA</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp; U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hawley-vows-hold-democrats-feet-fire-new-government-shutdown-funding-bills">introduced</a>&nbsp;two bills to reinstate Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and critical farm programs during the government shutdown, according to a statement from his office.“Since the Democrats refuse to fund the government, I’m introducing legislation to reinstate food stamps and farm programs immediately,”&nbsp;said Senator Hawley.“Missourians shouldn’t go hungry because of the Left’s incompetence. Our kids deserve to eat.”More than 650,000 Missourians, 188,000 Kansans and 155,000 Nebraskans stand to lose their access to food benefits next month because Democrats refuse to fund the government. The vast majority of those Missourians are families with children.&nbsp;The&nbsp;Keep SNAP Funded Act&nbsp;would ensure full funding for the SNAP program during the government shutdown. Under the bill, Congress would appropriate the necessary funding to provide uninterrupted SNAP benefits, retroactive to the start of the shutdown.The&nbsp;Fund Farm Programs Act&nbsp;would reopen all Farm Service Agency (FSA) Offices and&nbsp;ensure resumed services for all FSA programs that farmers rely on. The USDA will be appropriated the necessary funding to provide resumed services for farmers through FSA offices, retroactive to the start of the shutdown.Read the full bill text for the&nbsp;Keep SNAP Funded Act&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=15365.11191843.8917142.8424141&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2025%2f10%2fKeep-SNAP-Funded-Act.pdf&amp;redir_log=707316794103533" target="_blank">here.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;Read the full bill text for the&nbsp;Fund Farm Programs Act&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=15365.11191843.8917142.8424141&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2025%2f10%2fFund-Our-Farmers-Act.pdf&amp;redir_log=996771207702541" target="_blank">here.</a>

Bill would fund SNAP and farm programs during government shutdown

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating a bank robbery that that occurred Wednesday afternoon in Kansas City, according to a statement from the FBI.

The masked suspect demanded money from the U.S. Bank branch at 221 W. Gregory Boulevard.&nbsp; &nbsp;The suspect is described as approximately 5-foot-10 with a medium build and was&nbsp; wearing a grey hoodie with a black New Balance jacked and sunglasses over a mask that covered the lower half of his face.

After the robbery, the suspect ran on foot from the bank. There were no injuries reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761179822531.png" alt="Image from security cameras FBI" />
 <figcaption>Image from security cameras FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating a bank robbery that that occurred Wednesday afternoon in Kansas City, according to a statement from the FBI.The masked suspect demanded money from the U.S. Bank branch at 221 W. Gregory Boulevard.&nbsp; &nbsp;The suspect is described as approximately 5-foot-10 with a medium build and was&nbsp; wearing a grey hoodie with a black New Balance jacked and sunglasses over a mask that covered the lower half of his face.After the robbery, the suspect ran on foot from the bank. There were no injuries reported.

Suspect wearing sunglasses over a mask robbed Kansas City bank

WASHINGTON (AP) — In the midst of a federal government shutdown, the U.S. government’s gross national debt surpassed $38 trillion Wednesday, a record number that highlights the accelerating accumulation of debt on America’s balance sheet.

It’s also the fastest accumulation of a trillion dollars in debt outside of the COVID-19 pandemic — the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/treasury-debt-spending-trump-obbb-6f807c4aae78dcc96f29ff07a3c926f4" rel="nofollow">U.S. hit $37 trillion in gross</a>&nbsp;national debt in August this year.

The $38 trillion update is found in the&nbsp;<a href="https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/datasets/daily-treasury-statement/operating-cash-balance" target="_blank">latest Treasury Department report</a>, which logs the nation’s daily finances.

Kent Smetters of the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Wharton Budget Model, who served in President George W. Bush’s Treasury Department, told The Associated Press that a growing debt load over time leads ultimately to higher inflation, eroding Americans’ purchasing power.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gao.gov/americas-fiscal-future/how-could-federal-debt-affect-you" target="_blank">Government Accountability Office</a>&nbsp;outlines some of the impacts of rising government debt on Americans — including higher borrowing costs for things like mortgages and cars, lower wages from businesses having less money available to invest, and more expensive goods and services.

“I think a lot of people want to know that their kids and grandkids are going to be in good, decent shape in the future — that they will be able to afford a house,” Smetters said. “That additional inflation compounds” and erodes consumers’ purchasing power, he said, making it less possible for future generations to achieve home ownership goals.

The Trump administration says its policies are helping to slow government spending and will shrink the nation’s massive deficit. A new analysis by Treasury Department officials states that from April to September, the cumulative deficit totaled $468 billion. In a post on X Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that’s the lowest reading since 2019.

“During his first eight months in office, President Trump has reduced the deficit by $350 billion compared to the same period in 2024 by cutting spending and boosting revenue,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement, adding that the administration would pursue robust economic growth, lower inflation, tariff revenue, lower borrowing costs and cuts to waste, fraud and abuse.

The Joint Economic Committee&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/republicans/debt-dashboard#:~:text=July%202025%20%7C%20Released%20July%2008,reached%20in%20approximately%20194%20days." target="_blank">estimates</a>&nbsp;that the total national debt has grown by $69,713.82 per second for the past year.

Michael Peterson, chair and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, said in a statement that “reaching $38 trillion in debt during a government shutdown is the latest troubling sign that lawmakers are not meeting their basic fiscal duties.”

“Along with increasing debt, you get higher interest costs, which are now the fastest growing part of the budget,” Peterson added. “We spent $4 trillion on interest over the last decade, but will spend $14 trillion in the next ten years. Interest costs crowd out important public and private investments in our future, harming the economy for every American.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761180692635.png" alt="U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaking to reporters outside the White House Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaking to reporters outside the White House Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — In the midst of a federal government shutdown, the U.S. government’s gross national debt surpassed $38 trillion Wednesday, a record number that highlights the accelerating accumulation of debt on America’s balance sheet.It’s also the fastest accumulation of a trillion dollars in debt outside of the COVID-19 pandemic — the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/treasury-debt-spending-trump-obbb-6f807c4aae78dcc96f29ff07a3c926f4" rel="nofollow">U.S. hit $37 trillion in gross</a>&nbsp;national debt in August this year.The $38 trillion update is found in the&nbsp;<a href="https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/datasets/daily-treasury-statement/operating-cash-balance" target="_blank">latest Treasury Department report</a>, which logs the nation’s daily finances.Kent Smetters of the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Wharton Budget Model, who served in President George W. Bush’s Treasury Department, told The Associated Press that a growing debt load over time leads ultimately to higher inflation, eroding Americans’ purchasing power.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gao.gov/americas-fiscal-future/how-could-federal-debt-affect-you" target="_blank">Government Accountability Office</a>&nbsp;outlines some of the impacts of rising government debt on Americans — including higher borrowing costs for things like mortgages and cars, lower wages from businesses having less money available to invest, and more expensive goods and services.“I think a lot of people want to know that their kids and grandkids are going to be in good, decent shape in the future — that they will be able to afford a house,” Smetters said. “That additional inflation compounds” and erodes consumers’ purchasing power, he said, making it less possible for future generations to achieve home ownership goals.The Trump administration says its policies are helping to slow government spending and will shrink the nation’s massive deficit. A new analysis by Treasury Department officials states that from April to September, the cumulative deficit totaled $468 billion. In a post on X Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that’s the lowest reading since 2019.“During his first eight months in office, President Trump has reduced the deficit by $350 billion compared to the same period in 2024 by cutting spending and boosting revenue,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement, adding that the administration would pursue robust economic growth, lower inflation, tariff revenue, lower borrowing costs and cuts to waste, fraud and abuse.The Joint Economic Committee&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/republicans/debt-dashboard#:~:text=July%202025%20%7C%20Released%20July%2008,reached%20in%20approximately%20194%20days." target="_blank">estimates</a>&nbsp;that the total national debt has grown by $69,713.82 per second for the past year.Michael Peterson, chair and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, said in a statement that “reaching $38 trillion in debt during a government shutdown is the latest troubling sign that lawmakers are not meeting their basic fiscal duties.”“Along with increasing debt, you get higher interest costs, which are now the fastest growing part of the budget,” Peterson added. “We spent $4 trillion on interest over the last decade, but will spend $14 trillion in the next ten years. Interest costs crowd out important public and private investments in our future, harming the economy for every American.”

Report on surge in national debt comes in midst of government shutdown

JOHNSON COUNTY, MO. — On Wednesday,&nbsp;the Johnson County Sheriff's Office, in collaboration with Leeton Police Chief Rick Stropes and the Missouri State Fire Marshal's Office, assisted in the investigation of the arson incident at the Leeton United Methodist Church, according to a media release.

During the investigation, authorities identified juveniles as having committed the arson fire. Due to their age, further information regarding their identities cannot be released in compliance with Missouri law governing juvenile information.

This case will be referred to the Johnson County Juvenile Office for appropriate actions.

JOHNSON COUNTY, Missouri- Investigators confirmed that a fire Monday night at the Leeton United Methodist Church was intentionally set, prompting an arson investigation led by the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office, according to a statement from the Johnson County Fire Protection District.

Just after 9p.m. Monday, firefighters from the Johnson County Fire Protection District and the Warrensburg Fire Department, responding through automatic mutual aid for a ladder truck to 106 N. Wall Street in Leeton.

When crews arrived, heavy smoke and flames were visible from inside the 129-year-old church. Firefighters initiated an aggressive interior and exterior attack, bringing the fire under control after nearly three hours.

Despite extensive damage throughout the structure, the church remains standing, and crews were able to save some items from inside.

The Leeton United Methodist Church, built in 1896, has long served as a cornerstone of the Leeton community.

The Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office conducted the initial investigation into the origin and cause of the fire with assistance from the Johnson County Fire Protection District, Leeton Police Department, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Johnson County Fire Investigation Unit.

Investigators determined the fire was intentionally set, prompting a formal arson investigation.“

It’s heartbreaking to see a place that has stood for generations be deliberately set on fire,” said JCFPD Captain Joe Jennings. “This church isn’t just a building; it’s part of the history and identity of Leeton.

Seeing it damaged in this way is difficult for the entire community.”Captain Jennings urged anyone with information to come forward.“Someone knows something,” Jennings said. “We’re asking the public to do the right thing and help bring whoever is responsible to justice. No tip is too small.”

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761096204652.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY, MO. — On Wednesday,&nbsp;the Johnson County Sheriff's Office, in collaboration with Leeton Police Chief Rick Stropes and the Missouri State Fire Marshal's Office, assisted in the investigation of the arson incident at the Leeton United Methodist Church, according to a media release.During the investigation, authorities identified juveniles as having committed the arson fire. Due to their age, further information regarding their identities cannot be released in compliance with Missouri law governing juvenile information.This case will be referred to the Johnson County Juvenile Office for appropriate actions.----------JOHNSON COUNTY, Missouri- Investigators confirmed that a fire Monday night at the Leeton United Methodist Church was intentionally set, prompting an arson investigation led by the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office, according to a statement from the Johnson County Fire Protection District.Just after 9p.m. Monday, firefighters from the Johnson County Fire Protection District and the Warrensburg Fire Department, responding through automatic mutual aid for a ladder truck to 106 N. Wall Street in Leeton.When crews arrived, heavy smoke and flames were visible from inside the 129-year-old church. Firefighters initiated an aggressive interior and exterior attack, bringing the fire under control after nearly three hours.Despite extensive damage throughout the structure, the church remains standing, and crews were able to save some items from inside.The Leeton United Methodist Church, built in 1896, has long served as a cornerstone of the Leeton community.The Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office conducted the initial investigation into the origin and cause of the fire with assistance from the Johnson County Fire Protection District, Leeton Police Department, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Johnson County Fire Investigation Unit.Investigators determined the fire was intentionally set, prompting a formal arson investigation.“It’s heartbreaking to see a place that has stood for generations be deliberately set on fire,” said JCFPD Captain Joe Jennings. “This church isn’t just a building; it’s part of the history and identity of Leeton.Seeing it damaged in this way is difficult for the entire community.”Captain Jennings urged anyone with information to come forward.“Someone knows something,” Jennings said. “We’re asking the public to do the right thing and help bring whoever is responsible to justice. No tip is too small.”

Arson: Sheriff reports who started fire at 129-year-old Methodist church

KANSAS CITY —The staff at the Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium are mourning the loss of African elephant Lois, who lived at the KCZoo for more than four decades, according to a statement from the zoo.

At 47-years old, Lois was considered a geriatric elephant, so her long life is really a testament to the excellent care of the Zoo’s animal care and veterinary health teams. 

Lois was beloved by Zoo staff and guests, and most easily identified by her pointed left tusk and red hair on top of her head. Lois was born in 1978 and arrived in Kansas City on September 17, 1982, with another African elephant, Lea, who still resides at the Zoo. 

Due to her age, Lois showed signs of degenerative joints and had also ruptured the caudal cruciate ligament (CCL) in one of her hind legs 15 years ago. 

This type of injury would have been fatal in her native range, but the specialized care provided at the Zoo gave her many more years of wellbeing. 

While treating an elephant is complex, Lois responded well to laser therapy, anti-inflammatories, changes to the substrate in the barn stall, and other accommodations to make her comfortable. 

Recently, Lois had been experiencing more challenges with movement, and she did not respond to additional treatment options over the past week. 

The difficult decision to euthanize her was made on October 21 due to diminished quality of life. The care specialists that knew her best described Lois as “a strong-willed girl with an unwavering spirit.”

 They say she was a fiery redhead with a spunky personality who loved snacks and lots of attention. Her favorite game was showering her unsuspecting caregivers with water, soaking them and all their paperwork and supplies. Those early morning showers will be remembered fondly.

With the loss of Lois, the Zoo is home to eight elephants, four of which are considered geriatric. Lady is the oldest African elephant in North America at the age of 57, and Lea, Megan, and Tattoo, are also all 47 years old. Zoe, 40, Christy, 38, Zuri, 15, and Tamani, a 20-year-old male, round out the herd

.Lois was a beloved ambassador for her endangered species and helped to inspire the Zoo’s conservation efforts to save elephants and other wildlife through programs in Zambia and South Africa.  Lois will be dearly missed by all her Zoo family, including staff, volunteers, and guests.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761178925460.png" alt="Lois photo Kansas City Zoo" />
 <figcaption>Lois photo Kansas City Zoo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —The staff at the Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium are mourning the loss of African elephant Lois, who lived at the KCZoo for more than four decades, according to a statement from the zoo.At 47-years old, Lois was considered a geriatric elephant, so her long life is really a testament to the excellent care of the Zoo’s animal care and veterinary health teams. Lois was beloved by Zoo staff and guests, and most easily identified by her pointed left tusk and red hair on top of her head. Lois was born in 1978 and arrived in Kansas City on September 17, 1982, with another African elephant, Lea, who still resides at the Zoo. Due to her age, Lois showed signs of degenerative joints and had also ruptured the caudal cruciate ligament (CCL) in one of her hind legs 15 years ago. This type of injury would have been fatal in her native range, but the specialized care provided at the Zoo gave her many more years of wellbeing. While treating an elephant is complex, Lois responded well to laser therapy, anti-inflammatories, changes to the substrate in the barn stall, and other accommodations to make her comfortable. Recently, Lois had been experiencing more challenges with movement, and she did not respond to additional treatment options over the past week. The difficult decision to euthanize her was made on October 21 due to diminished quality of life. The care specialists that knew her best described Lois as “a strong-willed girl with an unwavering spirit.” They say she was a fiery redhead with a spunky personality who loved snacks and lots of attention. Her favorite game was showering her unsuspecting caregivers with water, soaking them and all their paperwork and supplies. Those early morning showers will be remembered fondly.With the loss of Lois, the Zoo is home to eight elephants, four of which are considered geriatric. Lady is the oldest African elephant in North America at the age of 57, and Lea, Megan, and Tattoo, are also all 47 years old. Zoe, 40, Christy, 38, Zuri, 15, and Tamani, a 20-year-old male, round out the herd.Lois was a beloved ambassador for her endangered species and helped to inspire the Zoo’s conservation efforts to save elephants and other wildlife through programs in Zambia and South Africa. Lois will be dearly missed by all her Zoo family, including staff, volunteers, and guests.

 Kansas City Zoo mourns loss of 47-year-old elephant

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces felony charges in connection with the fatal overdose of a teenager in 2023, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2744/Sajdak-Redacted-Complaint">Blake A. Sajdak</a>, 22, faces 2nd Degree Felony Murder and Delivery of a Controlled Substance to a Minor.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2743/Sajdak-Redacted-Probable-Cause-2">According to court records</a>, Independence police responded to an address on a call for medical service on January 10, 2023, and located the juvenile victim. She was transported to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;

The Jackson County Medical Examiner listed her cause of death as acute fentanyl intoxication.&nbsp; During the investigation over the last couple years, detectives identified Sajdak through messages between him and the victim clearly indicating drug transactions.&nbsp;

Based on the messages, the Sajdak delivered narcotics to the victim the day before her death. On the message thread that day, Sajdak said, “these ain’t the regular ones these are stronger…” He is being held on a $200,000/10% bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761077945031.png" alt="Sajdak photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Sajdak photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces felony charges in connection with the fatal overdose of a teenager in 2023, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2744/Sajdak-Redacted-Complaint">Blake A. Sajdak</a>, 22, faces 2nd Degree Felony Murder and Delivery of a Controlled Substance to a Minor.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2743/Sajdak-Redacted-Probable-Cause-2">According to court records</a>, Independence police responded to an address on a call for medical service on January 10, 2023, and located the juvenile victim. She was transported to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;The Jackson County Medical Examiner listed her cause of death as acute fentanyl intoxication.&nbsp; During the investigation over the last couple years, detectives identified Sajdak through messages between him and the victim clearly indicating drug transactions.&nbsp;Based on the messages, the Sajdak delivered narcotics to the victim the day before her death. On the message thread that day, Sajdak said, “these ain’t the regular ones these are stronger…” He is being held on a $200,000/10% bond.&nbsp;

KC fentanyl dealer: These ain’t the regular ones, these are stronger

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military on Wednesday launched its ninth&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d" rel="nofollow">strike against an alleged drug-carrying vessel</a>, killing three people in the waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday, further expanding the Trump administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-military-strikes-drugs-caribbean-ecuador-colombia-c1d4c025e1dfe21cc7ee67d7aa4e05bd" rel="nofollow">campaign against drug trafficking in South America</a>.

Wednesday’s strike followed a strike Tuesday night, also in the eastern Pacific, that killed two people, according to Hegseth.

The attacks Tuesday and Wednesday were departures from the seven previous U.S. strikes that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-buildup-caribbean-venezuela-ships-troops-810f6181371f53536c723ea562c5277c" rel="nofollow">had targeted vessels</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean. They bring the death toll to at least 37 from attacks that began last month.

The strikes represent an expansion of the military’s targeting area as well as a shift to the waters off South America where much of the cocaine from the world’s largest producers is smuggled. Hegseth’s social media posts also drew a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e" rel="nofollow">direct comparison between the war on terrorism</a>&nbsp;that the U.S. declared after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the Trump administration’s crackdown.

“Just as Al Qaeda waged war on our homeland, these cartels are waging war on our border and our people,” Hegseth said, adding “there will be no refuge or forgiveness — only justice.”

Later Wednesday, he referred to the alleged drug-runners as “the ‘Al Qaeda’ of our hemisphere.”

Republican President Donald Trump has justified the strikes by asserting that the United States is engaged in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d" rel="nofollow">an “armed conflict” with drug cartels</a>&nbsp;and proclaiming the criminal organizations unlawful combatants, relying on the same legal authority used by President George W. Bush’s administration for the war on terrorism.

Asked about the latest boat attack, Trump insisted that “we have legal authority. We’re allowed to do that.” He said similar strikes could eventually come on land.

“We will hit them very hard when they come in by land,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “We’re totally prepared to do that. And we’ll probably go back to Congress and explain exactly what we’re doing when we come to the land.”

Lawmakers from both political parties have expressed concerns about Trump ordering the military actions without receiving authorization from Congress or providing many details.

Appearing alongside Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended such strikes, saying, “If people want to stop seeing drug boats blow up, stop sending drugs to the United States.”

Targeting a boat in a thoroughfare for cocaine smuggling

In the first brief video Hegseth posted Wednesday, a small boat, half-filled with brown packages, is seen moving along the water. Several seconds into the video, the boat explodes and is seen floating motionless on the water in flames.

The second video shows another boat moving quickly before being struck by an explosion. Video apparently recorded after the explosion shows packages floating in the water.

The U.S. military has built up an unusually large&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d" rel="nofollow">force in the Caribbean Sea</a>&nbsp;and the waters off the coast of Venezuela since this summer, raising speculation that Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-strike-caribbean-drug-trafficking-trump-1061debe2f983ef7bc9666d3f002b3a0" rel="nofollow">could try to topple</a>&nbsp;Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Maduro faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f" rel="nofollow">charges of narcoterrorism in the U.S.</a>

In his posts on the strikes, Trump has repeatedly argued that illegal narcotics and the drug fentanyl carried by the vessels have been poisoning Americans.

While the bulk of American overdose deaths are from fentanyl, the drug is transported by land from Mexico. Venezuela is a major drug transit zone, but the eastern Pacific Ocean, not the Caribbean, is the primary area for smuggling cocaine.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/colombia-coca-crop-033c449cf1124b4ce23cec3716e1aeef" rel="nofollow">Colombia</a>&nbsp;and Peru, countries with coastlines on the eastern Pacific, are the world’s top cocaine producers.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ecuador-bananas-cocaine-europe-drug-trafficking-6d6529e2b1d8f3cbd16aea74ade0b93d" rel="nofollow">Wedged between them is Ecuador</a>, whose world-class ports and myriad maritime shipping containers filled with bananas have become the perfect vehicle for drug traffickers to move their product.

The administration has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-military-strikes-drugs-caribbean-ecuador-colombia-c1d4c025e1dfe21cc7ee67d7aa4e05bd" rel="nofollow">sidestepped prosecuting any occupants</a>&nbsp;of alleged drug-running vessels after returning two survivors of an earlier strike to their home countries of Ecuador and Colombia.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ecuador-strike-caribbean-trump-fentanyl-colombia-venezuela-0f8f1c004064857046398b388ddb8df5" rel="nofollow">Ecuadorian officials later said</a>&nbsp;they released the man who was returned because they had no evidence he committed a crime in their country.

Questions from Congress as strikes continue

Some Republican lawmakers have asked the White House for more clarification on its legal justification and specifics on how the strikes are conducted, while Democrats insist they are violations of U.S. and international law.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democratic member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he was alarmed and angry about a lack of information on the strikes.

“Expanding the geography simply expands the lawlessness and the recklessness in the use of the American military without seeming legal or practical justification,” Blumenthal said.

He said the way to target trafficking would be stopping the boats and interrogating those aboard to find the source of the drugs, “not just destroy the smugglers who are likely to be at the bottom of the smuggling chain.”

The Republican-controlled Senate recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-war-power-congress-2c8c491f88836249801b6b15b19217b5" rel="nofollow">voted down</a>&nbsp;a Democratic-sponsored&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/war-powers-act-trump-congress-9e6832fb5f5f844acf8992008d3a8d63" rel="nofollow">war powers</a>&nbsp;resolution, mostly along party lines, that would have required the president to seek authorization from Congress before further military strikes.

Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said he’s met with Rubio.

“He has researched the legal ramifications carefully and he believes we’re on solid ground in attacking these narcoterrorists,” Kennedy said. “I trust his judgment.”

Associated Press writers Will Weissert and Kevin Freking in Washington and Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military conducted its eighth&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-drugs-venezuela-boat-strike-af1a784864268707a76755a98615563e">strike against an alleged drug vessel</a>, killing two people, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday.

The Tuesday night strike occurred in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The seven previous strikes all targeted vessels in the Caribbean. According to Hegseth in a social media post, the strike killed two people, bringing the death toll from all the strikes to at least 34 people.

In a brief video released by Hegseth, a small boat, half-filled with brown packages, is seen moving along the water. Several seconds into the video, the boat explodes and is seen floating motionless on the water in flames.

In his post, Hegseth took the unusual step of equating the alleged drug traffickers to the group behind the Sept. 11, 2001, attack.

President Donald Trump has justified the strikes by asserting that the United States is engaged in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e">an “armed conflict”</a>&nbsp;with drug cartels and is relying on the same legal authority used by President George W. Bush's administration when it declared a war on terrorism after the Sept. 11 attack.

However, the Trump administration has also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-military-strikes-drugs-caribbean-ecuador-colombia-c1d4c025e1dfe21cc7ee67d7aa4e05bd">sidestepped prosecuting any of the occupants</a>&nbsp;of the alleged drug-running vessels after it returned two survivors of an earlier strike to their home countries of Ecuador and Colombia.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ecuador-strike-caribbean-trump-fentanyl-colombia-venezuela-0f8f1c004064857046398b388ddb8df5">Ecuadorian officials later said</a>&nbsp;that they released the man that was returned to their country, saying that they had no evidence he committed a crime in their country.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military on Wednesday launched its ninth&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d" rel="nofollow">strike against an alleged drug-carrying vessel</a>, killing three people in the waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday, further expanding the Trump administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-military-strikes-drugs-caribbean-ecuador-colombia-c1d4c025e1dfe21cc7ee67d7aa4e05bd" rel="nofollow">campaign against drug trafficking in South America</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out yet another lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO). Yet again, the now-deceased terrorists were engaged in narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific. The… <a href="https://t.co/PEaKmakivD">pic.twitter.com/PEaKmakivD</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1981167670989926902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel being operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization and conducting narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific. The vessel was known by our intelligence to be… <a href="https://t.co/BayDhUZ4Ac">pic.twitter.com/BayDhUZ4Ac</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1981049943306752361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Wednesday’s strike followed a strike Tuesday night, also in the eastern Pacific, that killed two people, according to Hegseth.The attacks Tuesday and Wednesday were departures from the seven previous U.S. strikes that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-buildup-caribbean-venezuela-ships-troops-810f6181371f53536c723ea562c5277c" rel="nofollow">had targeted vessels</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean. They bring the death toll to at least 37 from attacks that began last month.The strikes represent an expansion of the military’s targeting area as well as a shift to the waters off South America where much of the cocaine from the world’s largest producers is smuggled. Hegseth’s social media posts also drew a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e" rel="nofollow">direct comparison between the war on terrorism</a>&nbsp;that the U.S. declared after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the Trump administration’s crackdown.“Just as Al Qaeda waged war on our homeland, these cartels are waging war on our border and our people,” Hegseth said, adding “there will be no refuge or forgiveness — only justice.”Later Wednesday, he referred to the alleged drug-runners as “the ‘Al Qaeda’ of our hemisphere.”Republican President Donald Trump has justified the strikes by asserting that the United States is engaged in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d" rel="nofollow">an “armed conflict” with drug cartels</a>&nbsp;and proclaiming the criminal organizations unlawful combatants, relying on the same legal authority used by President George W. Bush’s administration for the war on terrorism.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on strikes against narcoterrorists: &quot;This is a national security problem... They killed 300,000 Americans last year.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/eKwaKMgGnT">pic.twitter.com/eKwaKMgGnT</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1981109926526132687?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a>: &quot;These are drug boats. If people want to stop seeing drug boats blown up, stop sending drugs to the United States.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/qACz92D54g">pic.twitter.com/qACz92D54g</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1981109821031272738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Trump says strikes on land could be next</h2>Asked about the latest boat attack, Trump insisted that “we have legal authority. We’re allowed to do that.” He said similar strikes could eventually come on land.“We will hit them very hard when they come in by land,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “We’re totally prepared to do that. And we’ll probably go back to Congress and explain exactly what we’re doing when we come to the land.”Lawmakers from both political parties have expressed concerns about Trump ordering the military actions without receiving authorization from Congress or providing many details.Appearing alongside Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended such strikes, saying, “If people want to stop seeing drug boats blow up, stop sending drugs to the United States.”<h2>Targeting a boat in a thoroughfare for cocaine smuggling</h2>In the first brief video Hegseth posted Wednesday, a small boat, half-filled with brown packages, is seen moving along the water. Several seconds into the video, the boat explodes and is seen floating motionless on the water in flames.The second video shows another boat moving quickly before being struck by an explosion. Video apparently recorded after the explosion shows packages floating in the water.The U.S. military has built up an unusually large&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d" rel="nofollow">force in the Caribbean Sea</a>&nbsp;and the waters off the coast of Venezuela since this summer, raising speculation that Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-strike-caribbean-drug-trafficking-trump-1061debe2f983ef7bc9666d3f002b3a0" rel="nofollow">could try to topple</a>&nbsp;Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Maduro faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f" rel="nofollow">charges of narcoterrorism in the U.S.</a>In his posts on the strikes, Trump has repeatedly argued that illegal narcotics and the drug fentanyl carried by the vessels have been poisoning Americans.While the bulk of American overdose deaths are from fentanyl, the drug is transported by land from Mexico. Venezuela is a major drug transit zone, but the eastern Pacific Ocean, not the Caribbean, is the primary area for smuggling cocaine.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/colombia-coca-crop-033c449cf1124b4ce23cec3716e1aeef" rel="nofollow">Colombia</a>&nbsp;and Peru, countries with coastlines on the eastern Pacific, are the world’s top cocaine producers.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ecuador-bananas-cocaine-europe-drug-trafficking-6d6529e2b1d8f3cbd16aea74ade0b93d" rel="nofollow">Wedged between them is Ecuador</a>, whose world-class ports and myriad maritime shipping containers filled with bananas have become the perfect vehicle for drug traffickers to move their product.The administration has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-military-strikes-drugs-caribbean-ecuador-colombia-c1d4c025e1dfe21cc7ee67d7aa4e05bd" rel="nofollow">sidestepped prosecuting any occupants</a>&nbsp;of alleged drug-running vessels after returning two survivors of an earlier strike to their home countries of Ecuador and Colombia.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ecuador-strike-caribbean-trump-fentanyl-colombia-venezuela-0f8f1c004064857046398b388ddb8df5" rel="nofollow">Ecuadorian officials later said</a>&nbsp;they released the man who was returned because they had no evidence he committed a crime in their country.<h2>Questions from Congress as strikes continue</h2>Some Republican lawmakers have asked the White House for more clarification on its legal justification and specifics on how the strikes are conducted, while Democrats insist they are violations of U.S. and international law.Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democratic member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he was alarmed and angry about a lack of information on the strikes.“Expanding the geography simply expands the lawlessness and the recklessness in the use of the American military without seeming legal or practical justification,” Blumenthal said.He said the way to target trafficking would be stopping the boats and interrogating those aboard to find the source of the drugs, “not just destroy the smugglers who are likely to be at the bottom of the smuggling chain.”The Republican-controlled Senate recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-war-power-congress-2c8c491f88836249801b6b15b19217b5" rel="nofollow">voted down</a>&nbsp;a Democratic-sponsored&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/war-powers-act-trump-congress-9e6832fb5f5f844acf8992008d3a8d63" rel="nofollow">war powers</a>&nbsp;resolution, mostly along party lines, that would have required the president to seek authorization from Congress before further military strikes.Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said he’s met with Rubio.“He has researched the legal ramifications carefully and he believes we’re on solid ground in attacking these narcoterrorists,” Kennedy said. “I trust his judgment.”___Associated Press writers Will Weissert and Kevin Freking in Washington and Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report.WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military conducted its eighth&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-drugs-venezuela-boat-strike-af1a784864268707a76755a98615563e">strike against an alleged drug vessel</a>, killing two people, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel being operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization and conducting narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific. The vessel was known by our intelligence to be… <a href="https://t.co/BayDhUZ4Ac">pic.twitter.com/BayDhUZ4Ac</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1981049943306752361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Tuesday night strike occurred in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The seven previous strikes all targeted vessels in the Caribbean. According to Hegseth in a social media post, the strike killed two people, bringing the death toll from all the strikes to at least 34 people.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on strikes against narcoterrorists: &quot;This is a national security problem... They killed 300,000 Americans last year.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/eKwaKMgGnT">pic.twitter.com/eKwaKMgGnT</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1981109926526132687?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a>: &quot;These are drug boats. If people want to stop seeing drug boats blown up, stop sending drugs to the United States.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/qACz92D54g">pic.twitter.com/qACz92D54g</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1981109821031272738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a brief video released by Hegseth, a small boat, half-filled with brown packages, is seen moving along the water. Several seconds into the video, the boat explodes and is seen floating motionless on the water in flames.In his post, Hegseth took the unusual step of equating the alleged drug traffickers to the group behind the Sept. 11, 2001, attack.“Just as Al Qaeda waged war on our homeland, these cartels are waging war on our border and our people,” Hegseth said, adding “there will be no refuge or forgiveness — only justice.”President Donald Trump has justified the strikes by asserting that the United States is engaged in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e">an “armed conflict”</a>&nbsp;with drug cartels and is relying on the same legal authority used by President George W. Bush's administration when it declared a war on terrorism after the Sept. 11 attack.However, the Trump administration has also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-military-strikes-drugs-caribbean-ecuador-colombia-c1d4c025e1dfe21cc7ee67d7aa4e05bd">sidestepped prosecuting any of the occupants</a>&nbsp;of the alleged drug-running vessels after it returned two survivors of an earlier strike to their home countries of Ecuador and Colombia.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ecuador-strike-caribbean-trump-fentanyl-colombia-venezuela-0f8f1c004064857046398b388ddb8df5">Ecuadorian officials later said</a>&nbsp;that they released the man that was returned to their country, saying that they had no evidence he committed a crime in their country.

US strikes two alleged drug boats, expanding attacks to the Pacific

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL is not considering dropping Bad Bunny&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2026-super-bowl-halftime-show-bad-bunny-8d39f256c8ff8922871f1d613ba51c3d" rel="nofollow">as its Super Bowl halftime headline performer</a>, Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday, reaffirming a decision to put the Grammy-winning Puerto Rican artist on the league’s biggest stage that led to criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump and some of his supporters.

Goodell addressed the Bad Bunny controversy at his news conference following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-kickoffs-owners-meeting-d1b40461b4c0a5a1311a620d1bad5410" rel="nofollow">the annual fall owners meeting</a>. It is the first time he has commented on the move announced in late September that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-bad-bunny-6d49dd171a6d46b5e302c541bb88d258" rel="nofollow">garnered</a>&nbsp;worldwide attention,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bad-bunny-streams-super-bowl-halftime-show-c7ab405d51032ae3e56614d1a1158a2a" rel="nofollow">including an increase</a>&nbsp;in streams of Bad Bunny’s music, along with backlash.

“It’s carefully thought through,” Goodell said. “I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we didn’t have some blowback or criticism. It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people that are watching.”

The 31-year-old born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio has been vocal in his opposition to Trump and his policies. He decided to do a 31-day residency in Puerto Rico, avoiding stops in the mainland U.S., citing concerns about the mass deportation of Latinos.

He performs in Spanish and is expected to do so at the Super Bowl.

“We’re confident it’s going to be a great show,” Goodell said, acknowledging there could be more talent added to the lineup along with Bad Bunny. “He understands the platform that he’s on, and I think it’s going to be exciting and a united moment.”

The San Francisco 49ers are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2026-site-49ers-b00c8fafa20d31290ad58580f3ee1a4e" rel="nofollow">hosting the Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. It is unclear if Trump plans to be there, though he has made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-yankees-baseball-first-pitch-sporting-event-trips-79ad4edabf534e1a42e637eece2446ed" rel="nofollow">appearing in person at major sporting events</a>&nbsp;a significant part of his second term in the White House.

Trump in an interview on conservative news network Newsmax said he had “never heard of” Bad Bunny.

“I don’t know who he is,” Trump said. “I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s, like, crazy. And then they blame it on some promoter they hired to pick up entertainment. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”

Goodell defended the decision on Wednesday, explaining it was made because of Bad Bunny’s immense popularity.

“He’s one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world,” Goodell said. “That’s what we try to achieve. It’s an important stage for us. It’s an important element to the entertainment value.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759140801620.png" alt="Bad Bunny image from AP video" />
 <figcaption>Bad Bunny image from AP video</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL is not considering dropping Bad Bunny&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2026-super-bowl-halftime-show-bad-bunny-8d39f256c8ff8922871f1d613ba51c3d" rel="nofollow">as its Super Bowl halftime headline performer</a>, Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday, reaffirming a decision to put the Grammy-winning Puerto Rican artist on the league’s biggest stage that led to criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump and some of his supporters.Goodell addressed the Bad Bunny controversy at his news conference following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-kickoffs-owners-meeting-d1b40461b4c0a5a1311a620d1bad5410" rel="nofollow">the annual fall owners meeting</a>. It is the first time he has commented on the move announced in late September that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-bad-bunny-6d49dd171a6d46b5e302c541bb88d258" rel="nofollow">garnered</a>&nbsp;worldwide attention,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bad-bunny-streams-super-bowl-halftime-show-c7ab405d51032ae3e56614d1a1158a2a" rel="nofollow">including an increase</a>&nbsp;in streams of Bad Bunny’s music, along with backlash.“It’s carefully thought through,” Goodell said. “I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we didn’t have some blowback or criticism. It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people that are watching.”The 31-year-old born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio has been vocal in his opposition to Trump and his policies. He decided to do a 31-day residency in Puerto Rico, avoiding stops in the mainland U.S., citing concerns about the mass deportation of Latinos.He performs in Spanish and is expected to do so at the Super Bowl.“We’re confident it’s going to be a great show,” Goodell said, acknowledging there could be more talent added to the lineup along with Bad Bunny. “He understands the platform that he’s on, and I think it’s going to be exciting and a united moment.”The San Francisco 49ers are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2026-site-49ers-b00c8fafa20d31290ad58580f3ee1a4e" rel="nofollow">hosting the Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. It is unclear if Trump plans to be there, though he has made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-yankees-baseball-first-pitch-sporting-event-trips-79ad4edabf534e1a42e637eece2446ed" rel="nofollow">appearing in person at major sporting events</a>&nbsp;a significant part of his second term in the White House.Trump in an interview on conservative news network Newsmax said he had “never heard of” Bad Bunny.“I don’t know who he is,” Trump said. “I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s, like, crazy. And then they blame it on some promoter they hired to pick up entertainment. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”Goodell defended the decision on Wednesday, explaining it was made because of Bad Bunny’s immense popularity.“He’s one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world,” Goodell said. “That’s what we try to achieve. It’s an important stage for us. It’s an important element to the entertainment value.”

NFL responds to critics of Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show 

WASHINGTON (AP) — A man was taken into custody late Tuesday after driving his car into a security barrier outside the White House, authorities said.

The U. S. Secret Service said the man crashed into the security gate at a White House entrance at 10:37 p.m. on Tuesday. The man was immediately arrested by officers from the Secret Service’s uniformed division, the agency said.

Investigators searched his car and deemed it to be safe, Secret Service officials said in a statement.

The man, whose name wasn’t immediately released, was taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation, according to a Secret Service spokesperson. He is expected to be charged with unlawful entry and destruction of government property, the spokesperson said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756996833819.png" alt="File Image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>File Image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A man was taken into custody late Tuesday after driving his car into a security barrier outside the White House, authorities said.The U. S. Secret Service said the man crashed into the security gate at a White House entrance at 10:37 p.m. on Tuesday. The man was immediately arrested by officers from the Secret Service’s uniformed division, the agency said.Investigators searched his car and deemed it to be safe, Secret Service officials said in a statement.The man, whose name wasn’t immediately released, was taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation, according to a Secret Service spokesperson. He is expected to be charged with unlawful entry and destruction of government property, the spokesperson said.

Man arrested after driving car into security gate outside White House

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

Decision allows lawsuit against Capitol Federal to proceed in Shawnee County

TOPEKA — The Kansas Supreme Court unanimously affirmed reversal of a district court judge who dismissed legal challenges to a Kansas bank’s policy on assessing overdraft fees.

The Supreme Court sent the case back to Shawnee County District Court, where Judge Merlin Wheeler had dismissed claims of plaintiffs alleging Capitol Federal Savings Bank’s practice of applying overdraft penalties on checking accounts was flawed.

One plaintiff claimed a breach of contract when Topeka-headquartered Capitol Federal charged multiple overdraft fees for repeated attempts to process a single payment that was returned for insufficient funds. Another plaintiff alleged the bank violated its contract by charging multiple fees on transactions that wouldn’t have initially overdrawn the account, but were later processed when the account was deficient.

Wheeler granted in October 2024 the bank’s motion to dismiss the plaintiffs’ petition after concluding overdraft provisions of the contract with customers mandated each report “errors or improper charges” within 30 days of receiving an account statement.

The judge said plaintiffs Jennifer Harding and Samantha Ramirez failed to comply with the bank’s “very clear notice provision” regarding challenges of fees and both were prohibited from proceeding with claims.

The Kansas Court of Appeals reversed the district court after concluding Capitol Federal’s use of the term “improper charges” in its contract wasn’t “inherently clear” to consumers. Capitol Federal, which serves clients in Missouri and Kansas, appealed to the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court Justice Caleb Stegall, appointed in 2014 by Gov. Sam Brownback, wrote the unanimous opinion affirming the Court of Appeals’ view that ambiguity in Capitol Federal’s contract meant the 30-day notice provision couldn’t be applied to the bank’s overdraft fees.

“We agree with the Court of Appeals that the contractual term ‘improper charges’ is ambiguous,” Stegall wrote in the opinion. “When a court properly finds a contract to be ambiguous, the court must construe that ambiguity against the drafter. Our task, at this point, becomes simple. The ambiguity inherent in the contested phrase ‘improper charges’ must be construed against Capitol Federal to exclude the fees the bank itself imposes upon its own customers.”

The case was remanded by the Supreme Court back to district court for further proceedings. The plaintiffs have sought to represent a class action against the bank.

Harding’s lawyers filed suit in 2022 asserting Capitol Federal assessed a overdraft fee for a purchase that was authorized when she had a positive balance in her checking account. The conflict arose when a subsequent, unrelated transaction that further lowered her account balance pushed the balance into overdraft status. When the original electronic transaction was presented for settlement, the transaction was declared an overdraft and the fee charged.

Harding claimed this sequence was a violation of the bank’s customer agreement to charge a $32 overdraft fee on the original transaction.

Ramirez’ counsel alleged Capitol Federal broke the account agreement by charging a fee each time AT&amp;T attempted to collect on a $164.87 bill. She alleged nothing in the customer agreement gave Capitol Federal authority to assess the $32 overdraft fee three separate times on a single debit card item.

Here is the key portion of Capitol Federal’s contract with customers that became a focus of the court case: “If your account statement contains any errors or improper charges, you agree to notify us of any such errors or improper charges within 30 days of the date on which we mailed or otherwise made the affected statement available to you. If you do not notify us within that time, you are barred from bringing any action against us that is in any way related to the errors or improper charges.”

Kersten Holzhueter, a Kansas City, Missouri, attorney who represented Capitol Federal in oral arguments last month before the Supreme Court, said the challenged fee structure was permitted by language contained in the contract with customers. She said the 30-day limit on challenges of fees was reasonable.

“Having a bank account comes with obligations on the bank, but it also has responsibility for the account holder,” she told Supreme Court justices. “This includes an obligation to notify Capitol Federal of certain disputes.”

However, the Supreme Court decided the bank’s notice provision didn’t clearly say “improper charges” included “bank fees.”

“The context within the notice provision itself is actually focused on forgeries and alterations and is clearly concerned with fraudulent activity on a customer’s account,” Stegall wrote in the opinion. “That is, it is talking about a disputed ‘charge’ made by a third party against the balance in a customer’s account. It is confusing at best to conflate this with a ‘charge’ made by the bank against the customer for services rendered” such as covering an overdraft.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761159136896.png" alt="Kansas Supreme Court Justice Caleb Stegall, right, authored the high court's unanimous opinion rejecting arguments by Capitol Federal Savings Bank, headquartered in Topeka, that plaintiffs shouldn't be allowed to pursue a lawsuit claiming the bank's customer contract didn't clearly outline rules on overdraft fees. The Supreme Court affirmed a decision by the Kansas Court Appeals against Capitol Federal, which sends the case back to Shawnee County District Court. In this image from Jan. 15, 2025, Stegall is with Supreme Court Justice Dan Biles. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Supreme Court Justice Caleb Stegall, right, authored the high court's unanimous opinion rejecting arguments by Capitol Federal Savings Bank, headquartered in Topeka, that plaintiffs shouldn't be allowed to pursue a lawsuit claiming the bank's customer contract didn't clearly outline rules on overdraft fees. The Supreme Court affirmed a decision by the Kansas Court Appeals against Capitol Federal, which sends the case back to Shawnee County District Court. In this image from Jan. 15, 2025, Stegall is with Supreme Court Justice Dan Biles. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>Decision allows lawsuit against Capitol Federal to proceed in Shawnee County</h2>TOPEKA — The Kansas Supreme Court unanimously affirmed reversal of a district court judge who dismissed legal challenges to a Kansas bank’s policy on assessing overdraft fees.The Supreme Court sent the case back to Shawnee County District Court, where Judge Merlin Wheeler had dismissed claims of plaintiffs alleging Capitol Federal Savings Bank’s practice of applying overdraft penalties on checking accounts was flawed.One plaintiff claimed a breach of contract when Topeka-headquartered Capitol Federal charged multiple overdraft fees for repeated attempts to process a single payment that was returned for insufficient funds. Another plaintiff alleged the bank violated its contract by charging multiple fees on transactions that wouldn’t have initially overdrawn the account, but were later processed when the account was deficient.Wheeler granted in October 2024 the bank’s motion to dismiss the plaintiffs’ petition after concluding overdraft provisions of the contract with customers mandated each report “errors or improper charges” within 30 days of receiving an account statement.The judge said plaintiffs Jennifer Harding and Samantha Ramirez failed to comply with the bank’s “very clear notice provision” regarding challenges of fees and both were prohibited from proceeding with claims.The Kansas Court of Appeals reversed the district court after concluding Capitol Federal’s use of the term “improper charges” in its contract wasn’t “inherently clear” to consumers. Capitol Federal, which serves clients in Missouri and Kansas, appealed to the Supreme Court.Supreme Court Justice Caleb Stegall, appointed in 2014 by Gov. Sam Brownback, wrote the unanimous opinion affirming the Court of Appeals’ view that ambiguity in Capitol Federal’s contract meant the 30-day notice provision couldn’t be applied to the bank’s overdraft fees.“We agree with the Court of Appeals that the contractual term ‘improper charges’ is ambiguous,” Stegall wrote in the opinion. “When a court properly finds a contract to be ambiguous, the court must construe that ambiguity against the drafter. Our task, at this point, becomes simple. The ambiguity inherent in the contested phrase ‘improper charges’ must be construed against Capitol Federal to exclude the fees the bank itself imposes upon its own customers.”The case was remanded by the Supreme Court back to district court for further proceedings. The plaintiffs have sought to represent a class action against the bank.Harding’s lawyers filed suit in 2022 asserting Capitol Federal assessed a overdraft fee for a purchase that was authorized when she had a positive balance in her checking account. The conflict arose when a subsequent, unrelated transaction that further lowered her account balance pushed the balance into overdraft status. When the original electronic transaction was presented for settlement, the transaction was declared an overdraft and the fee charged.Harding claimed this sequence was a violation of the bank’s customer agreement to charge a $32 overdraft fee on the original transaction.Ramirez’ counsel alleged Capitol Federal broke the account agreement by charging a fee each time AT&amp;T attempted to collect on a $164.87 bill. She alleged nothing in the customer agreement gave Capitol Federal authority to assess the $32 overdraft fee three separate times on a single debit card item.Here is the key portion of Capitol Federal’s contract with customers that became a focus of the court case: “If your account statement contains any errors or improper charges, you agree to notify us of any such errors or improper charges within 30 days of the date on which we mailed or otherwise made the affected statement available to you. If you do not notify us within that time, you are barred from bringing any action against us that is in any way related to the errors or improper charges.”Kersten Holzhueter, a Kansas City, Missouri, attorney who represented Capitol Federal in oral arguments last month before the Supreme Court, said the challenged fee structure was permitted by language contained in the contract with customers. She said the 30-day limit on challenges of fees was reasonable.“Having a bank account comes with obligations on the bank, but it also has responsibility for the account holder,” she told Supreme Court justices. “This includes an obligation to notify Capitol Federal of certain disputes.”However, the Supreme Court decided the bank’s notice provision didn’t clearly say “improper charges” included “bank fees.”“The context within the notice provision itself is actually focused on forgeries and alterations and is clearly concerned with fraudulent activity on a customer’s account,” Stegall wrote in the opinion. “That is, it is talking about a disputed ‘charge’ made by a third party against the balance in a customer’s account. It is confusing at best to conflate this with a ‘charge’ made by the bank against the customer for services rendered” such as covering an overdraft.

Kan. Supreme Court unanimously rejects bank’s overdraft fee policy as ‘ambiguous’

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday directed drills of the country’s strategic nuclear forces that featured practice missile launches, an exercise that came as his planned summit on Ukraine with U.S. President Donald Trump was put on hold.

The Kremlin said that as part of the maneuvers involving all parts of Moscow’s nuclear triad, a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile was test-fired from the Plesetsk launch facility in northwestern Russia, and a Sineva ICBM was launched by a submarine in the Barents Sea. The drills also involved Tu-95 strategic bombers firing long-range cruise missiles.

The exercise tested the skills of military command structures, the Kremlin said in a statement.

The chief of the military’s General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, reported to Putin via video link that the drills were intended to “practice procedures for authorizing the use of nuclear weapons.”

While Putin emphasized that the maneuvers had been planned in advance, they came hours after President Donald Trump said Tuesday his plan for a swift meeting with Putin in Budapest was on hold because he didn’t want it to be a “waste of time.”

The decision about the meeting in Budapest, Hungary, which Trump had announced last week, was made following a call Monday between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Lavrov made clear in comments Tuesday that Russia is opposed to an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine. Trump, meanwhile, has been shifting his stance all year on key issues in the conflict, including whether a ceasefire should come before longer-term peace talks, and whether Ukraine could win back land seized by Russia during almost four years of fighting.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday emphasized that the planned Putin-Trump summit needs to be thoroughly prepared.

“No one wants to waste time: neither President Trump nor President Putin,” Peskov told reporters. “These are the two presidents who are accustomed to working efficiently with high productivity. But effectiveness always requires preparation.”

The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.carnegie.org/" target="_blank">the Carnegie Corporation of New York</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://outrider.org/" target="_blank">Outrider Foundation</a>. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755307816617.png" alt="President Trump and Russian President Putin during their meeting in August -White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Trump and Russian President Putin during their meeting in August -White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday directed drills of the country’s strategic nuclear forces that featured practice missile launches, an exercise that came as his planned summit on Ukraine with U.S. President Donald Trump was put on hold.The Kremlin said that as part of the maneuvers involving all parts of Moscow’s nuclear triad, a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile was test-fired from the Plesetsk launch facility in northwestern Russia, and a Sineva ICBM was launched by a submarine in the Barents Sea. The drills also involved Tu-95 strategic bombers firing long-range cruise missiles.The exercise tested the skills of military command structures, the Kremlin said in a statement.The chief of the military’s General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, reported to Putin via video link that the drills were intended to “practice procedures for authorizing the use of nuclear weapons.”While Putin emphasized that the maneuvers had been planned in advance, they came hours after President Donald Trump said Tuesday his plan for a swift meeting with Putin in Budapest was on hold because he didn’t want it to be a “waste of time.”The decision about the meeting in Budapest, Hungary, which Trump had announced last week, was made following a call Monday between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.Lavrov made clear in comments Tuesday that Russia is opposed to an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine. Trump, meanwhile, has been shifting his stance all year on key issues in the conflict, including whether a ceasefire should come before longer-term peace talks, and whether Ukraine could win back land seized by Russia during almost four years of fighting.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday emphasized that the planned Putin-Trump summit needs to be thoroughly prepared.“No one wants to waste time: neither President Trump nor President Putin,” Peskov told reporters. “These are the two presidents who are accustomed to working efficiently with high productivity. But effectiveness always requires preparation.”___The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.carnegie.org/" target="_blank">the Carnegie Corporation of New York</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://outrider.org/" target="_blank">Outrider Foundation</a>. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Russia holds nuclear drills after delay to Trump-Putin summit

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Agriculture Department will reopen about 2,100 county offices all across the country Thursday despite the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-republicans-senate-trump-white-house-8cac539f2a553ced68bc9e0b32bc7b94">ongoing government shutdown</a>&nbsp;to help farmers and ranchers get access to $3 billion of aid from existing programs.

The USDA said each Farm Service Agency office will have two workers who will be paid even though the government remains&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">shutdown</a>. These offices help farmers apply for farm loans, crop insurance, disaster aid and other programs. Thousands of other federal employees like air traffic controllers are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-trump-furloughs-firings-economy-federal-workers-efced4c32282087c8c53aeab535230a0">working without pay</a>&nbsp;during the shutdown.

A USDA spokesperson said this move reflects President Trump's commitment to helping farmers and ranchers, who are traditionally some of his strongest supporters. Recently, some of them have been unhappy with Trump's latest moves although his support remains strong across rural America.

Just this week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/beef-prices-cattle-imports-trump-argentina-9f8e9efd6e74e958c586ea1e32797ba2">ranchers were unhappy</a>&nbsp;with Trump's idea to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/beef-argentina-us-consumers-prices-f7fadbe1b3fef4646f9c3623f901209a">import more beef</a>&nbsp;from Argentina because that could hurt their profits, and earlier this month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/soybeans-trade-tariff-china-united-states-export-025792707c4e4e91d975f8558edae1d8">soybean farmers complained</a>&nbsp;that a $20 billion aid package for Argentina allowed that country to sell soybeans to China. Farmers are also still waiting on details of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-china-soybean-farmers-trade-war-aid-1a848735ba89c2673d44489eea5a0e35">aid package Trump promised</a>&nbsp;to help them survive his trade war with China, but that aid has been put on hold because of the shutdown.

“President Trump will not let the radical left Democrat shutdown impact critical USDA services while harvest is underway across the country,” the USDA spokesman said.

A White House official said the administration is using funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation, a USDA agency that addresses agricultural prices. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the administration’s plans were not yet publicized.

Republicans like Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley and North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven along with farm groups like the National Corn Growers Association and Illinois Soybean Association praised the move while Democrats accused the administration of using farmers as political pawns in the shutdown fight. Both parties have been unable to reach an agreement to fund the government and end the shutdown that began Oct. 1.

Thune said reopening these offices, like he has been urging the administration to do, will give farmers access to critical services in the midst of harvest season.

“Like many hardworking Americans, producers in South Dakota and across the country – who work tirelessly to provide high-quality food for our nation – are being hurt by Senate Democrats’ reckless government shutdown,” Thune said.

Kenneth Hartman Jr., who is chairman of the Corn Growers Association, said this is a crucial time because farmers are getting ready to place orders for next year's seed and fertilizer right now as well as settling up with the bankers for this year's operating loans. And farmers are grappling with soaring costs.

“Because of the inflation factor, the farm economy is really in a critical situation here. So anything that the farmers can get when it comes to support from the farm programs from the farm bill of last year, we need to get that open and get that money out to them,” said Hartman, who is in the middle of harvesting his crop near Waterloo, Illinois.

The House Agriculture Committee Democrats said on X that this shows that Trump and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins “could have supported farmers all along, but you chose not to because you’d rather use farmers’ pain to score cheap political points while increasing the cost of living for ordinary Americans by making food and health care more expensive.”

Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig, who is the ranking Democrat on the Agriculture Committee, said the administration should have done this sooner to ensure that farmers can get the help they need.

“I am glad the administration is finally doing right by America’s farmers by partially opening FSA offices, though I question why the administration waited so long and made this decision only after putting farmers through three weeks of uncertainty," Craig said.

Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim contributed to this story from Washington.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761151096326.png" alt="USDA image" />
 <figcaption>USDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The Agriculture Department will reopen about 2,100 county offices all across the country Thursday despite the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-republicans-senate-trump-white-house-8cac539f2a553ced68bc9e0b32bc7b94">ongoing government shutdown</a>&nbsp;to help farmers and ranchers get access to $3 billion of aid from existing programs.The USDA said each Farm Service Agency office will have two workers who will be paid even though the government remains&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">shutdown</a>. These offices help farmers apply for farm loans, crop insurance, disaster aid and other programs. Thousands of other federal employees like air traffic controllers are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-trump-furloughs-firings-economy-federal-workers-efced4c32282087c8c53aeab535230a0">working without pay</a>&nbsp;during the shutdown.A USDA spokesperson said this move reflects President Trump's commitment to helping farmers and ranchers, who are traditionally some of his strongest supporters. Recently, some of them have been unhappy with Trump's latest moves although his support remains strong across rural America.Just this week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/beef-prices-cattle-imports-trump-argentina-9f8e9efd6e74e958c586ea1e32797ba2">ranchers were unhappy</a>&nbsp;with Trump's idea to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/beef-argentina-us-consumers-prices-f7fadbe1b3fef4646f9c3623f901209a">import more beef</a>&nbsp;from Argentina because that could hurt their profits, and earlier this month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/soybeans-trade-tariff-china-united-states-export-025792707c4e4e91d975f8558edae1d8">soybean farmers complained</a>&nbsp;that a $20 billion aid package for Argentina allowed that country to sell soybeans to China. Farmers are also still waiting on details of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-china-soybean-farmers-trade-war-aid-1a848735ba89c2673d44489eea5a0e35">aid package Trump promised</a>&nbsp;to help them survive his trade war with China, but that aid has been put on hold because of the shutdown.“President Trump will not let the radical left Democrat shutdown impact critical USDA services while harvest is underway across the country,” the USDA spokesman said.A White House official said the administration is using funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation, a USDA agency that addresses agricultural prices. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the administration’s plans were not yet publicized.Republicans like Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley and North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven along with farm groups like the National Corn Growers Association and Illinois Soybean Association praised the move while Democrats accused the administration of using farmers as political pawns in the shutdown fight. Both parties have been unable to reach an agreement to fund the government and end the shutdown that began Oct. 1.Thune said reopening these offices, like he has been urging the administration to do, will give farmers access to critical services in the midst of harvest season.“Like many hardworking Americans, producers in South Dakota and across the country – who work tirelessly to provide high-quality food for our nation – are being hurt by Senate Democrats’ reckless government shutdown,” Thune said.Kenneth Hartman Jr., who is chairman of the Corn Growers Association, said this is a crucial time because farmers are getting ready to place orders for next year's seed and fertilizer right now as well as settling up with the bankers for this year's operating loans. And farmers are grappling with soaring costs.“Because of the inflation factor, the farm economy is really in a critical situation here. So anything that the farmers can get when it comes to support from the farm programs from the farm bill of last year, we need to get that open and get that money out to them,” said Hartman, who is in the middle of harvesting his crop near Waterloo, Illinois.The House Agriculture Committee Democrats said on X that this shows that Trump and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins “could have supported farmers all along, but you chose not to because you’d rather use farmers’ pain to score cheap political points while increasing the cost of living for ordinary Americans by making food and health care more expensive.”Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig, who is the ranking Democrat on the Agriculture Committee, said the administration should have done this sooner to ensure that farmers can get the help they need.“I am glad the administration is finally doing right by America’s farmers by partially opening FSA offices, though I question why the administration waited so long and made this decision only after putting farmers through three weeks of uncertainty," Craig said.___Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim contributed to this story from Washington.

USDA reopening some 2,100 offices to help farmers

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A man jailed for a deadly shooting on a&nbsp;City of Wichita bus made his first court appearance on Tuesday.

&nbsp;Travis L. Finney, 34, was charged with first degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon and probation violation, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 3:30 p.m. October 16, police responded to a report of a shooting at South Meridian and West Burton. When officers arrived, they found a 54-year-old&nbsp; Reginald Griffith suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper body. Sedgwick County EMS pronounced him deceased on scene.

Investigators determined that both Finney and Griffith were passengers on the bus and knew each other.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760655721036.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A man jailed for a deadly shooting on a&nbsp;City of Wichita bus made his first court appearance on Tuesday.&nbsp;Travis L. Finney, 34, was charged with first degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon and probation violation, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760696407932.png" alt="Finney photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Finney photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 3:30 p.m. October 16, police responded to a report of a shooting at South Meridian and West Burton. When officers arrived, they found a 54-year-old&nbsp; Reginald Griffith suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper body. Sedgwick County EMS pronounced him deceased on scene.Investigators determined that both Finney and Griffith were passengers on the bus and knew each other.Finney remains jailed on bonds of&nbsp;$2,575,000.00, according to online jail records.