By ALVARO PUIG Consumer Education Specialist

<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/10/ftc-takes-action-against-marriott-starwood-over-multiple-data-breaches">Marriott settled charges related to a data breach</a>&nbsp;that exposed the information of millions of guests. The company will take steps to better protect customers’ personal information. And it will give customers more control over their information.

If you’re a Marriott customer, here’s what the settlement means for you:

To learn more about protecting yourself after a data breach, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.identitytheft.gov/Info-Lost-or-Stolen">IdentityTheft.gov</a>.

By ALVARO PUIG Consumer Education Specialist<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/10/ftc-takes-action-against-marriott-starwood-over-multiple-data-breaches">Marriott settled charges related to a data breach</a>&nbsp;that exposed the information of millions of guests. The company will take steps to better protect customers’ personal information. And it will give customers more control over their information.If you’re a Marriott customer, here’s what the settlement means for you:<ol>
 <li>You may ask Marriott to review your Bonvoy account for unauthorized, suspicious activity. If, after an investigation, Marriott determines your loyalty points were stolen through unauthorized access to your account, Marriott will restore your stolen points.</li><li>You may request through Marriott's website or mobile app the deletion of your personal information associated with your email address or Bonvoy account number.</li><li><a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/now-leaving?external_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.marriott.com%2Fabout%2Fprivacy.mi&amp;back_url=https%3A%2F%2Fconsumer.ftc.gov%2Fconsumer-alerts%2F2024%2F10%2Fmarriott-data-breach-settlement-what-it-means-consumers%3Futm_source%3Dgovdelivery">Marriott’s privacy policy</a>&nbsp;must clearly state why it’s collecting your personal information and the business need for keeping it.</li><li>You can enable multi-factor authentication on your Bonvoy account to add an extra layer of security.</li>
 </ol>Additionally, Marriott will<ul>
 <li>put in place a comprehensive information security program that includes multi-factor authentication, encryption, and other safeguards</li><li>cooperate with third party audits of its information security program</li><li>only collect and keep personal information if it has a business need for it</li><li>only use the information it collects for the purpose for which it was collected</li><li>delete collected information when it no longer has a need for it</li><li>not use for marketing purposes information you asked Marriott to delete</li>
 </ul>To learn more about protecting yourself after a data breach, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.identitytheft.gov/Info-Lost-or-Stolen">IdentityTheft.gov</a>.

Marriott data breach settlement: What it means for consumers

SALINE COUNTY —The Salina Police are investigating an alleged threat against Salina Central High School,&nbsp;650 E Crawford Street in Salina, after a threatening message was sent to the school's social media page on Tuesday night, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman. The message was sent to the school's page at approximately 9 p.m.&nbsp;

"The threat, which was sent via Instagram, claimed that an individual would 'shoot up the school' on Wednesday around 10 a.m."

Feldman said USD 305 officials immediately contacted the school resource officer and Salina Police to investigate. Salina Police worked through the night with Instagram and Google's assistance to trace the origin of the threat.

The message was tracked to Ravenna, Ohio, a town south of Cleveland. 

On Wednesday morning, Ravenna Police Department officers were able to identify and take the suspect, who is a minor, into custody.

Feldman said the suspect is a high school student previously involved in a relationship with a Salina Central student. The suspect allegedly made the threat after the couple broke up.

To ensure the safety of students and staff, additional officers were deployed at Salina Central on Monday morning, according to Salina Police.&nbsp; Two patrol officers were stationed at the school along with the School Resource Officer, who normally provides security for both Central High and other schools in the district.

SPD continues to coordinate with Ravenna Police and charges are pending against the suspect.

SALINE COUNTY —The Salina Police are investigating an alleged threat against Salina Central High School,&nbsp;650 E Crawford Street in Salina, after a threatening message was sent to the school's social media page on Tuesday night, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman. The message was sent to the school's page at approximately 9 p.m.&nbsp;"The threat, which was sent via Instagram, claimed that an individual would 'shoot up the school' on Wednesday around 10 a.m."Feldman said USD 305 officials immediately contacted the school resource officer and Salina Police to investigate. Salina Police worked through the night with Instagram and Google's assistance to trace the origin of the threat.The message was tracked to Ravenna, Ohio, a town south of Cleveland. On Wednesday morning, Ravenna Police Department officers were able to identify and take the suspect, who is a minor, into custody.Feldman said the suspect is a high school student previously involved in a relationship with a Salina Central student. The suspect allegedly made the threat after the couple broke up.To ensure the safety of students and staff, additional officers were deployed at Salina Central on Monday morning, according to Salina Police.&nbsp; Two patrol officers were stationed at the school along with the School Resource Officer, who normally provides security for both Central High and other schools in the district.SPD continues to coordinate with Ravenna Police and charges are pending against the suspect.

Student in Ohio accused of threat to shoot up Kan. high school

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a> <a href="https://statesnewsroom.com/">States Newsroom</a>

Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled a plan Tuesday that would strengthen Medicare coverage to include long-term care for seniors in their homes, tackling one of the biggest challenges in U.S. health care.

The Democratic presidential nominee revealed the proposal while on “The View” — one of several high-profile media appearances this week as she and the GOP presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump, sprint to the November finish line.

“There are so many people in our country who are right in the middle: They’re taking care of their kids and they’re taking care of their aging parents, and it’s just almost impossible to do it all, especially if they work,” Harris said during the live interview. “We’re finding that so many are then having to leave their job, which means losing a source of income, not to mention the emotional stress.”

Harris is focusing on the “sandwich generation,” which refers to Americans who are caring for their children while also caring for aging parents.

Under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25196234-harrismedicareathomeplan" target="_blank">the plan</a>, Medicare — the nation’s health insurance program for people 65 and older and some under 65 with certain disabilities or conditions — would cover an at-home health benefit for those enrolled in the program, as well as hearing and vision benefits, according to her campaign in a Tuesday fact sheet.

Medicare for the most part now does not cover long-term care services like home health aides.

The benefits would be funded by “expanding Medicare drug price negotiations, increasing the discounts drug manufacturers cover for certain brand-name drugs in Medicare, and addressing Medicare fraud,” per her campaign.

Harris also plans to “crack down on pharmaceutical benefit managers (PBMs) to increase transparency, disclose more information on costs, and regulate other practices that raise prices,” according to her campaign, which said she will also “implement international tax reform.”

The campaign did not cite a price tag but noted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/a-home-care-benefit-for-medicare/" target="_blank">similar plans</a>&nbsp;have been estimated to cost $40 billion annually, “before considering ​​savings from avoiding hospitalizations and more expensive institutional care, or the additional revenues that would generate from more unpaid family caregivers going back to work if they need to.”

The proposal comes along with the nominee’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/harris-pitches-opportunity-economy-debut-one-one-tv-interview" target="_blank">sweeping economic plan</a>, part of which involves cutting taxes for more than 100 million Americans, including $6,000 in tax relief for new parents in the first year of their child’s life.

In response to the proposal, the Trump campaign said the former president “will always fight for America’s senior citizens — who have been left behind by Kamala Harris,” per a Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/news/3da13bf5-4a2d-47e9-bfaf-69cc77f14bbc" target="_blank">news release</a>.

The campaign also cited Medicare Advantage&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-changes-medicare-advantage-and-part-d-provide-better-coverage-and" target="_blank">policies</a>&nbsp;extended by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Trump’s first term.

The campaign reiterated the&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn.nucleusfiles.com/be/beb1a388-1d88-4389-a67d-c1e2d7f8bedf/2024-gop-platform-july-7-final.pdf?_nlid=m5eUxFGPUe&amp;_nhids=RmedtdnxlK" target="_blank">2024 GOP platform</a>’s chapter on protecting seniors, saying Trump will “prioritize home care benefits by shifting resources back to at-home senior care, overturning disincentives that lead to care worker shortages, and supporting unpaid family caregivers through tax credits and reduced red tape.”

While appearing live on “The Howard Stern Show” on Tuesday shortly after “The View,” Harris dubbed Trump an “unserious man,” saying the consequences of him serving another term are “brutally serious.”

She also again criticized Trump for nominating three of the five members to the U.S. Supreme Court who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022 — a reversal that ended nearly half a century of the constitutional right to abortion.

“And it’s not about abortion, you have basically now a system that says you as an individual do not have the right to make a decision about your own body. The government has the right to make that decision for you,” she said.

Harris, who said she would appoint a Republican to her Cabinet if elected, was asked whether she would choose former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney.

Cheney was the vice chair of the U.S. House Jan. 6 committee tasked with investigating the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Harris did not disclose a preference, but said Cheney is “smart,” “remarkable” and a “dedicated public servant.”

Cheney is among some prominent Republicans to endorse Harris. She&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democrats-flaunt-republican-endorsements-harris-presidential-bid" target="_blank">campaigned with the veep in Ripon, Wisconsin</a>&nbsp;— the birthplace of the Republican Party — just last week.

Meanwhile, Trump said Harris is “grossly incompetent” during an interview that aired Tuesday on “The Ben Shapiro Show.”

“Biden was incompetent, she is equally incompetent and in a certain way, she’s more incompetent,” Trump told Shapiro, a conservative political commentator and co-founder of The Daily Wire, referring to President Joe Biden.

Trump also criticized Harris’ Monday interview on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/harris-60-minutes-says-congress-would-work-her-president-if-shes-elected" target="_blank">CBS News’ “60 Minutes,”</a>&nbsp;saying the veep “answers questions like a child.”

“She’s answering questions in the most basic way and getting killed over it,” Trump added.

Harris was also set to also appear on CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Tuesday night. She will also appear at a Univision town hall in Las Vegas, Nevada, that airs Thursday.

Trump was slated to participate in a roundtable with Latino leaders and a Univision town hall on Tuesday in Miami, but both events were postponed due to Hurricane Milton.

Trump is set to give remarks Wednesday in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Later that day, he will continue campaigning in the Keystone State with a rally in Reading.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623708723138.jpeg" alt="-&nbsp;The Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, on Tuesday announced a proposal on long-term care under Medicare focused on the “sandwich generation,” which refers to Americans who are caring for their children while also caring for aging parents.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>-&nbsp;The Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, on Tuesday announced a proposal on long-term care under Medicare focused on the “sandwich generation,” which refers to Americans who are caring for their children while also caring for aging parents.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a> <a href="https://statesnewsroom.com/">States Newsroom</a>Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled a plan Tuesday that would strengthen Medicare coverage to include long-term care for seniors in their homes, tackling one of the biggest challenges in U.S. health care.The Democratic presidential nominee revealed the proposal while on “The View” — one of several high-profile media appearances this week as she and the GOP presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump, sprint to the November finish line.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">I took care of my mother when she was sick with cancer—I know that caregiving is about dignity. My plan will allow Medicare to cover in-home health care, which will lower costs and reduce the financial and emotional stress for families across the country. <a href="https://t.co/NR5ROKCzfl">pic.twitter.com/NR5ROKCzfl</a>&mdash; Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris/status/1843716356069327005?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“There are so many people in our country who are right in the middle: They’re taking care of their kids and they’re taking care of their aging parents, and it’s just almost impossible to do it all, especially if they work,” Harris said during the live interview. “We’re finding that so many are then having to leave their job, which means losing a source of income, not to mention the emotional stress.”Harris is focusing on the “sandwich generation,” which refers to Americans who are caring for their children while also caring for aging parents.Under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25196234-harrismedicareathomeplan" target="_blank">the plan</a>, Medicare — the nation’s health insurance program for people 65 and older and some under 65 with certain disabilities or conditions — would cover an at-home health benefit for those enrolled in the program, as well as hearing and vision benefits, according to her campaign in a Tuesday fact sheet.Medicare for the most part now does not cover long-term care services like home health aides.The benefits would be funded by “expanding Medicare drug price negotiations, increasing the discounts drug manufacturers cover for certain brand-name drugs in Medicare, and addressing Medicare fraud,” per her campaign.Harris also plans to “crack down on pharmaceutical benefit managers (PBMs) to increase transparency, disclose more information on costs, and regulate other practices that raise prices,” according to her campaign, which said she will also “implement international tax reform.”The campaign did not cite a price tag but noted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/a-home-care-benefit-for-medicare/" target="_blank">similar plans</a>&nbsp;have been estimated to cost $40 billion annually, “before considering ​​savings from avoiding hospitalizations and more expensive institutional care, or the additional revenues that would generate from more unpaid family caregivers going back to work if they need to.”The proposal comes along with the nominee’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/harris-pitches-opportunity-economy-debut-one-one-tv-interview" target="_blank">sweeping economic plan</a>, part of which involves cutting taxes for more than 100 million Americans, including $6,000 in tax relief for new parents in the first year of their child’s life.<h2>Trump responds</h2>In response to the proposal, the Trump campaign said the former president “will always fight for America’s senior citizens — who have been left behind by Kamala Harris,” per a Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/news/3da13bf5-4a2d-47e9-bfaf-69cc77f14bbc" target="_blank">news release</a>.The campaign also cited Medicare Advantage&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-changes-medicare-advantage-and-part-d-provide-better-coverage-and" target="_blank">policies</a>&nbsp;extended by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Trump’s first term.The campaign reiterated the&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn.nucleusfiles.com/be/beb1a388-1d88-4389-a67d-c1e2d7f8bedf/2024-gop-platform-july-7-final.pdf?_nlid=m5eUxFGPUe&amp;_nhids=RmedtdnxlK" target="_blank">2024 GOP platform</a>’s chapter on protecting seniors, saying Trump will “prioritize home care benefits by shifting resources back to at-home senior care, overturning disincentives that lead to care worker shortages, and supporting unpaid family caregivers through tax credits and reduced red tape.”<h2>Harris and Howard Stern</h2>While appearing live on “The Howard Stern Show” on Tuesday shortly after “The View,” Harris dubbed Trump an “unserious man,” saying the consequences of him serving another term are “brutally serious.”She also again criticized Trump for nominating three of the five members to the U.S. Supreme Court who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022 — a reversal that ended nearly half a century of the constitutional right to abortion.“And it’s not about abortion, you have basically now a system that says you as an individual do not have the right to make a decision about your own body. The government has the right to make that decision for you,” she said.Harris, who said she would appoint a Republican to her Cabinet if elected, was asked whether she would choose former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney.Cheney was the vice chair of the U.S. House Jan. 6 committee tasked with investigating the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.Harris did not disclose a preference, but said Cheney is “smart,” “remarkable” and a “dedicated public servant.”Cheney is among some prominent Republicans to endorse Harris. She&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democrats-flaunt-republican-endorsements-harris-presidential-bid" target="_blank">campaigned with the veep in Ripon, Wisconsin</a>&nbsp;— the birthplace of the Republican Party — just last week.<h2>Trump talks with Ben Shapiro</h2>Meanwhile, Trump said Harris is “grossly incompetent” during an interview that aired Tuesday on “The Ben Shapiro Show.”“Biden was incompetent, she is equally incompetent and in a certain way, she’s more incompetent,” Trump told Shapiro, a conservative political commentator and co-founder of The Daily Wire, referring to President Joe Biden.Trump also criticized Harris’ Monday interview on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/harris-60-minutes-says-congress-would-work-her-president-if-shes-elected" target="_blank">CBS News’ “60 Minutes,”</a>&nbsp;saying the veep “answers questions like a child.”“She’s answering questions in the most basic way and getting killed over it,” Trump added.<h2>Look ahead for Harris, Trump campaigns</h2>Harris was also set to also appear on CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Tuesday night. She will also appear at a Univision town hall in Las Vegas, Nevada, that airs Thursday.Trump was slated to participate in a roundtable with Latino leaders and a Univision town hall on Tuesday in Miami, but both events were postponed due to Hurricane Milton.Trump is set to give remarks Wednesday in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Later that day, he will continue campaigning in the Keystone State with a rally in Reading.

Harris rolls out broad Medicare plan to provide long-term care in the home

The Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office reported the Kansas Highway Patrol located Dwane Monroe on Kansas Highway 4 in Valley Falls, Kansas, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

He is now home safe. The statewide silver alert is canceled.&nbsp;

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY —The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has issued a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Kansas man, according to&nbsp; Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office.

The whereabouts of 90-year-old Dwane Monroe are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him. Monroe was last seen Tuesday evening, around 6 p.m., according to the KBI.

He is likely driving a tan 2008 Ford Taurus bearing Kansas tag 2236AFG. He may have been seen in Riley County on Wednesday morning .Monroe is a white male who is 5-feet-11 inches tall and weighs around 175 pounds. 

He has brown eyes and is balding. Monroe wears glasses and has a gray mustache. He was last seen wearing jean overalls, a long sleeve flannel shirt and black tennis shoes. He is possibly wearing a red, white, and blue ball cap with the inscription, “swim brothers”. 

Monroe has been experiencing memory issues for the last few months.  If you see Dwane Monroe, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office at (913) 682-5724.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728487370435.png" alt="Dwayne Monroe courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Dwayne Monroe courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office reported the Kansas Highway Patrol located Dwane Monroe on Kansas Highway 4 in Valley Falls, Kansas, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.He is now home safe. The statewide silver alert is canceled.&nbsp;---------------LEAVENWORTH COUNTY —The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has issued a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Kansas man, according to&nbsp; Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office.The whereabouts of 90-year-old Dwane Monroe are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him. Monroe was last seen Tuesday evening, around 6 p.m., according to the KBI.He is likely driving a tan 2008 Ford Taurus bearing Kansas tag 2236AFG. He may have been seen in Riley County on Wednesday morning .Monroe is a white male who is 5-feet-11 inches tall and weighs around 175 pounds. He has brown eyes and is balding. Monroe wears glasses and has a gray mustache. He was last seen wearing jean overalls, a long sleeve flannel shirt and black tennis shoes. He is possibly wearing a red, white, and blue ball cap with the inscription, “swim brothers”. Monroe has been experiencing memory issues for the last few months. If you see Dwane Monroe, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office at (913) 682-5724.

KBI: Silver Alert canceled, KHP found missing man

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect in connection with a violent crash in southwest Kansas.

Just before 2:30a.m. Monday, police responded to the intersection of 8th and Fulton Street in Garden City where a vehicle driven by 22-year-old Joseph Huerta of Garden City struck a building, according to a media release.

The investigation revealed that Huerta was driving southbound on 8th Street at a high rate of speed and was unable to stop at the stop sign and struck the corner of Pro-Tek Dent &amp; Windshield Repair, 202 W. Fulton Street.

Huerta ran from the scene and was subsequently located in the area before being transported to St. Catherine Hospital for treatment of injuries.

Through further investigation, it was determined Huerta was driving under the influence and was taken into custody.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728405708853.png" alt="Huerta-photo Finney County" />
 <figcaption>Huerta-photo Finney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect in connection with a violent crash in southwest Kansas.Just before 2:30a.m. Monday, police responded to the intersection of 8th and Fulton Street in Garden City where a vehicle driven by 22-year-old Joseph Huerta of Garden City struck a building, according to a media release.The investigation revealed that Huerta was driving southbound on 8th Street at a high rate of speed and was unable to stop at the stop sign and struck the corner of Pro-Tek Dent &amp; Windshield Repair, 202 W. Fulton Street.Huerta ran from the scene and was subsequently located in the area before being transported to St. Catherine Hospital for treatment of injuries.Through further investigation, it was determined Huerta was driving under the influence and was taken into custody.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kan. driver jailed after crash into dent & windshield repair business

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has had as many as seven private phone calls with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;since leaving office and secretly sent the Russian president COVID-19 test machines during the height of the pandemic, Bob Woodward reported in his new book, “War."

The famed Watergate reporter also details President Joe Biden's frustrations with Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;and Saudi Crown Prince&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mohammad-bin-salman-bin-abdulaziz-al-saud">Mohammed bin Salman</a>&nbsp;'s assortment of burner phones. The Associated Press obtained an early copy of the book, which is due out next week.

Trump denied the reporting, telling ABC News' Jonathan Karl that Woodward is “a storyteller. A bad one. And he’s lost his marbles.”

Trump had previously spoken to Woodward for the journalist's 2021 book, “Rage.” Trump later sued over it, claiming Woodward never had permission to publicly release recordings of their interviews for the book. The publisher and Woodward denied his allegations.

Trump has had multiple calls with Putin since his White House term ended

Woodward reports that Trump asked an aide to leave his office at his Florida resort,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mar-a-lago">Mar-a-Lago</a>, so that the former president could have a private call with Putin in early 2024. The aide, whom Woodward doesn’t name, said there have been multiple calls between Trump and Putin since Trump left office, perhaps as many as seven, according to the book, though it does not detail what they discussed.

Trump senior adviser and longtime aide Jason Miller told Woodward that he had not heard Trump was having calls with Putin and said, “I'd push back on that.” But Miller also said, according to the book, “I’m sure they’d know how to get in touch with each other."

Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, said none of the stories in Woodward’s books are true. In a statement on Tuesday, he called them “the work of a truly demented and deranged man who suffers from a debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the reporting about the calls was “not true.”

Trump's relationship with Putin has been scrutinized since his 2016 campaign for president, when he memorably called on Russia to find and make public missing emails deleted by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hillary-clinton">Hillary Clinton</a>, his Democratic opponent. “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,” he said.

U.S. intelligence agencies later determined that Russia had meddled in the 2016 election to help Trump, though an investigation by special counsel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-mueller">Robert Mueller</a>&nbsp;found&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f109a539220b41218860fa68176a9c98">no conspiracy</a>&nbsp;between the Trump team and Russia. In 2018, Trump publicly questioned that finding following an in-person meeting with Putin in Helsinki.

In recent years, Trump has criticized U.S. support for Ukraine as it fights off Russia’s invasion. He has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ukraine-putin-zelenskyy-0f4d539aa73a943474d779716e5fe42a">said Ukraine should have made concessions</a>&nbsp;to Putin before Russia invaded in 2022. He also previously touted his good relationship with Putin and called the Russian leader “pretty smart” for invading Ukraine.

Trump sent COVID-19 test machines to Putin for his personal use

Woodward reports that Trump sent Putin COVID-19 test machines for his personal use as the virus began spreading in 2020.

Putin told Trump not to tell anyone because people would be mad at Trump over it, but Trump said he didn’t care if anyone knew, according to the book. Trump ended up agreeing not to tell anyone.

The book doesn’t specify when the machines were sent but describes it as being when the virus spread rapidly through Russia. It was previously reported by The Associated Press and other agencies that Trump’s administration in May 2020&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-mi-state-wire-politics-virus-outbreak-e08621567fd8758c89b0c5aed5ac5d72">sent</a>&nbsp;ventilators and other equipment to several countries, including Russia.

“There were no secret shipments. The pandemic was starting back then," Peskov said Wednesday via a messaging app. “Many countries were exchanging equipment. We sent ventilators. Testers came from America.”

Vice President Kamala Harris, in an interview Tuesday with radio host Howard Stern, accused Trump of giving the machines to a “murderous dictator” at a time when “everyone was scrambling" to get tests.

“This person who wants to be president again, who secretly is helping out an an adversary while the American people are dying by the hundreds every day," said Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate.

Biden highlighted the report during a stop in Pennsylvania on Tuesday.

“You see what came out today?” Biden said at a fundraiser for Sen. Bob Casey. “So he calls his good friend Putin — not a joke — and makes sure he had the tests. He had the tests.”

Biden's anger at Netanyahu has boiled over in private

The book also details Biden’s complicated relationship with Netanyahu as well as private moments when the president has been fed up with him over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>.

Biden’s “frustrations and distrust” of Netanyahu “erupted” this past spring, Woodward writes. The president privately unleashed a profanity-laden tirade, calling him a “son of a bitch” and a “bad f——— guy," according to the book. Biden said he felt, in Woodward’s accounting, that Netanyahu “had been lying to him regularly.” With Netanyahu “continuing to say he was going to kill every last member of Hamas.” Woodward wrote, “Biden had told him that was impossible, threatening both privately and publicly to withhold offensive U.S. weapons shipment.”

Biden and Netanyahu have long been acquainted, although their relationship has not been known to be close or overly friendly. Last week, Biden said he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-election-mideast-israel-d9f53ba8c7b3b4db953be020f676274c">didn’t know whether</a>&nbsp;the Israeli leader was holding up a Mideast peace deal in order to influence the outcome of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

Asked about the book's reporting, White House spokesperson Emilie Simons told reporters Tuesday that “The commitment that we have to the state of Israel is ironclad.”

Simons, when pressed on the details, said she wouldn't comment on every anecdote that may come out in reporting. She added of Biden and Netanyahu: “They have a long-term relationship. They have a very honest and direct relationship, and I don’t have a comment on those specific anecdotes.”

Biden criticized Obama's handling of the Russian invasion of Crimea

The book details Biden’s criticism late last year of President Barack Obama’s handling of Putin’s earlier invasion of Ukraine, when Russia seized Crimea and a section of the Donbas in 2014, at a time when Biden was serving as the Democrat’s vice president.

“They f----- up in 2014,” Woodward wrote that Biden said to a close friend in December, blaming the lack of action for Putin’s actions in Ukraine. “Barack never took Putin seriously.”

Biden was angry while speaking to the friend and said they “never should have let Putin just walk in there” in 2014 and that the U.S. “did nothing.”

Biden regrets choosing Garland as attorney general

Woodward reports Biden was privately furious with Attorney General Merrick Garland for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-investigation-justice-garland-ad1034e274570d65032f8e4f47c0c8f6">appointing a special counsel</a>&nbsp;to investigate Biden’s son Hunter in a tax-and-gun prosecution.

“Should never have picked Garland,” Biden told an associate, according to Woodward. The journalist did not name the associate.

Hunter Biden was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-trial-federal-charges-delaware-5dd8a9380235c6360a1ddb691ef24a06">convicted in June</a>&nbsp;on federal gun charges and faces sentencing in federal court in Delaware in December. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-tax-trial-justice-department-6873692c030244b450e27826e7097946">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;to federal tax charges in California and is also set to be sentenced in that case in December.

The Justice Department declined to comment.

Graham says going to Mar-a-Lago is ‘a little bit like going to North Korea’

One of Trump’s longest-term allies, South Carolina Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/lindsey-graham">Lindsey Graham</a>, blamed Trump’s ongoing false claims that the 2020 election was rigged to a cult of personality in which the former president’s ensconcement at Mar-a-Lago and circle of aides and advisers “constantly feed this narrative,” according to the book.

The weekend after Russia invaded Ukraine, Graham was with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, which the senator characterized as “a little bit like going to North Korea.” Graham added that “everybody stands up and claps every time Trump comes in.”

On politics, Woodward wrote that Graham’s counsel was part of what persuaded Trump to run again for the presidency.

In March, during one of his many visits to the Middle East since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, Graham told Woodward that he had been meeting with the Saudi crown prince when Graham suggested they call Trump. From “a bag containing about 50 burner phones,” Prince Mohammed “pulled out one labeled ‘TRUMP 45.’” On another trip, Woodward wrote, the Saudi leader retrieved another burner phone, "this time labeled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jake-sullivan">JAKE SULLIVAN</a>&nbsp;” when the men called Biden’s national security adviser.

Price reported from New York. Associated Press writers Hillel Italie in New York, Eric Tucker and Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington and Aamer Madhani aboard Air Force One contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728413843207.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has had as many as seven private phone calls with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;since leaving office and secretly sent the Russian president COVID-19 test machines during the height of the pandemic, Bob Woodward reported in his new book, “War."The famed Watergate reporter also details President Joe Biden's frustrations with Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;and Saudi Crown Prince&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mohammad-bin-salman-bin-abdulaziz-al-saud">Mohammed bin Salman</a>&nbsp;'s assortment of burner phones. The Associated Press obtained an early copy of the book, which is due out next week.Trump denied the reporting, telling ABC News' Jonathan Karl that Woodward is “a storyteller. A bad one. And he’s lost his marbles.”Trump had previously spoken to Woodward for the journalist's 2021 book, “Rage.” Trump later sued over it, claiming Woodward never had permission to publicly release recordings of their interviews for the book. The publisher and Woodward denied his allegations.Here is more from the new book:<h2>Trump has had multiple calls with Putin since his White House term ended</h2>Woodward reports that Trump asked an aide to leave his office at his Florida resort,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mar-a-lago">Mar-a-Lago</a>, so that the former president could have a private call with Putin in early 2024. The aide, whom Woodward doesn’t name, said there have been multiple calls between Trump and Putin since Trump left office, perhaps as many as seven, according to the book, though it does not detail what they discussed.Trump senior adviser and longtime aide Jason Miller told Woodward that he had not heard Trump was having calls with Putin and said, “I'd push back on that.” But Miller also said, according to the book, “I’m sure they’d know how to get in touch with each other."Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, said none of the stories in Woodward’s books are true. In a statement on Tuesday, he called them “the work of a truly demented and deranged man who suffers from a debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.”Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the reporting about the calls was “not true.”Trump's relationship with Putin has been scrutinized since his 2016 campaign for president, when he memorably called on Russia to find and make public missing emails deleted by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hillary-clinton">Hillary Clinton</a>, his Democratic opponent. “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,” he said.U.S. intelligence agencies later determined that Russia had meddled in the 2016 election to help Trump, though an investigation by special counsel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-mueller">Robert Mueller</a>&nbsp;found&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f109a539220b41218860fa68176a9c98">no conspiracy</a>&nbsp;between the Trump team and Russia. In 2018, Trump publicly questioned that finding following an in-person meeting with Putin in Helsinki.In recent years, Trump has criticized U.S. support for Ukraine as it fights off Russia’s invasion. He has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ukraine-putin-zelenskyy-0f4d539aa73a943474d779716e5fe42a">said Ukraine should have made concessions</a>&nbsp;to Putin before Russia invaded in 2022. He also previously touted his good relationship with Putin and called the Russian leader “pretty smart” for invading Ukraine.<h2>Trump sent COVID-19 test machines to Putin for his personal use</h2>Woodward reports that Trump sent Putin COVID-19 test machines for his personal use as the virus began spreading in 2020.Putin told Trump not to tell anyone because people would be mad at Trump over it, but Trump said he didn’t care if anyone knew, according to the book. Trump ended up agreeing not to tell anyone.The book doesn’t specify when the machines were sent but describes it as being when the virus spread rapidly through Russia. It was previously reported by The Associated Press and other agencies that Trump’s administration in May 2020&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-mi-state-wire-politics-virus-outbreak-e08621567fd8758c89b0c5aed5ac5d72">sent</a>&nbsp;ventilators and other equipment to several countries, including Russia.“There were no secret shipments. The pandemic was starting back then," Peskov said Wednesday via a messaging app. “Many countries were exchanging equipment. We sent ventilators. Testers came from America.”Vice President Kamala Harris, in an interview Tuesday with radio host Howard Stern, accused Trump of giving the machines to a “murderous dictator” at a time when “everyone was scrambling" to get tests.“This person who wants to be president again, who secretly is helping out an an adversary while the American people are dying by the hundreds every day," said Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate.Biden highlighted the report during a stop in Pennsylvania on Tuesday.“You see what came out today?” Biden said at a fundraiser for Sen. Bob Casey. “So he calls his good friend Putin — not a joke — and makes sure he had the tests. He had the tests.”<h2>Biden's anger at Netanyahu has boiled over in private</h2>The book also details Biden’s complicated relationship with Netanyahu as well as private moments when the president has been fed up with him over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>.Biden’s “frustrations and distrust” of Netanyahu “erupted” this past spring, Woodward writes. The president privately unleashed a profanity-laden tirade, calling him a “son of a bitch” and a “bad f——— guy," according to the book. Biden said he felt, in Woodward’s accounting, that Netanyahu “had been lying to him regularly.” With Netanyahu “continuing to say he was going to kill every last member of Hamas.” Woodward wrote, “Biden had told him that was impossible, threatening both privately and publicly to withhold offensive U.S. weapons shipment.”Biden and Netanyahu have long been acquainted, although their relationship has not been known to be close or overly friendly. Last week, Biden said he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-election-mideast-israel-d9f53ba8c7b3b4db953be020f676274c">didn’t know whether</a>&nbsp;the Israeli leader was holding up a Mideast peace deal in order to influence the outcome of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.Asked about the book's reporting, White House spokesperson Emilie Simons told reporters Tuesday that “The commitment that we have to the state of Israel is ironclad.”Simons, when pressed on the details, said she wouldn't comment on every anecdote that may come out in reporting. She added of Biden and Netanyahu: “They have a long-term relationship. They have a very honest and direct relationship, and I don’t have a comment on those specific anecdotes.”<h2>Biden criticized Obama's handling of the Russian invasion of Crimea</h2>The book details Biden’s criticism late last year of President Barack Obama’s handling of Putin’s earlier invasion of Ukraine, when Russia seized Crimea and a section of the Donbas in 2014, at a time when Biden was serving as the Democrat’s vice president.“They f----- up in 2014,” Woodward wrote that Biden said to a close friend in December, blaming the lack of action for Putin’s actions in Ukraine. “Barack never took Putin seriously.”Biden was angry while speaking to the friend and said they “never should have let Putin just walk in there” in 2014 and that the U.S. “did nothing.”<h2>Biden regrets choosing Garland as attorney general</h2>Woodward reports Biden was privately furious with Attorney General Merrick Garland for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-investigation-justice-garland-ad1034e274570d65032f8e4f47c0c8f6">appointing a special counsel</a>&nbsp;to investigate Biden’s son Hunter in a tax-and-gun prosecution.“Should never have picked Garland,” Biden told an associate, according to Woodward. The journalist did not name the associate.Hunter Biden was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-trial-federal-charges-delaware-5dd8a9380235c6360a1ddb691ef24a06">convicted in June</a>&nbsp;on federal gun charges and faces sentencing in federal court in Delaware in December. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-tax-trial-justice-department-6873692c030244b450e27826e7097946">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;to federal tax charges in California and is also set to be sentenced in that case in December.The Justice Department declined to comment.<h2>Graham says going to Mar-a-Lago is ‘a little bit like going to North Korea’</h2>One of Trump’s longest-term allies, South Carolina Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/lindsey-graham">Lindsey Graham</a>, blamed Trump’s ongoing false claims that the 2020 election was rigged to a cult of personality in which the former president’s ensconcement at Mar-a-Lago and circle of aides and advisers “constantly feed this narrative,” according to the book.The weekend after Russia invaded Ukraine, Graham was with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, which the senator characterized as “a little bit like going to North Korea.” Graham added that “everybody stands up and claps every time Trump comes in.”On politics, Woodward wrote that Graham’s counsel was part of what persuaded Trump to run again for the presidency.In March, during one of his many visits to the Middle East since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, Graham told Woodward that he had been meeting with the Saudi crown prince when Graham suggested they call Trump. From “a bag containing about 50 burner phones,” Prince Mohammed “pulled out one labeled ‘TRUMP 45.’” On another trip, Woodward wrote, the Saudi leader retrieved another burner phone, "this time labeled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jake-sullivan">JAKE SULLIVAN</a>&nbsp;” when the men called Biden’s national security adviser.___Price reported from New York. Associated Press writers Hillel Italie in New York, Eric Tucker and Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington and Aamer Madhani aboard Air Force One contributed to this report.

Woodward's new book: Shocking claims about Trump and Biden

JACKSON COUNTY — Police and officials with Health and Animal Services are investigating a dog attack that injured a 5-year-old girl.

Just after 10a.m. Tuesday, police and emergency medical crews responded to report of a dog attack at a home in the&nbsp;19000 Block of East RD Mize Road in Independence, according to a media release.

First responders located the child and an adult outside the home.  The child appeared to have severe lacerations from the bite.  Medical aid was given at the scene and EMS transported the child to an area hospital.

Investigators learned an unrestrained dog entered the fenced backyard of the home where the child and adult were.&nbsp; Animal Control took the dog into custody. Police released no additional details.

JACKSON COUNTY — Police and officials with Health and Animal Services are investigating a dog attack that injured a 5-year-old girl.Just after 10a.m. Tuesday, police and emergency medical crews responded to report of a dog attack at a home in the&nbsp;19000 Block of East RD Mize Road in Independence, according to a media release.First responders located the child and an adult outside the home. The child appeared to have severe lacerations from the bite. Medical aid was given at the scene and EMS transported the child to an area hospital.Investigators learned an unrestrained dog entered the fenced backyard of the home where the child and adult were.&nbsp; Animal Control took the dog into custody. Police released no additional details.

5-year-old injured in dog attack at home near Kansas City

JOHNSON COUNTY —Members of the Olathe Fire Department welcomed home a portion of Kansas Task Force 1. The group, including three from Olathe helped in Florida and North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. Others in the group were from the Junction City Fire Department, the Kansas Fire Marshall's office and Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center. 

The Task Force left Kansas on September 24 from Olathe and Wichita. The Kansas Division of Emergency Management received a request from Florida and the task force was sent as part of an Emergency Management Assistance Compact, which is a multistate, mutual aid agreement that facilitates interstate assistance in response and recovery operations during a disaster.

The team conducted search and rescue operations. Their objective was to Search for and rescue individuals, provide basic life support (BLS) medical care, transport humans and animals to the nearest location for secondary air or land transport, provide shore-based and boat-based water rescue, provide animal rescues, and support helicopter and urban search and rescue in water environments.&nbsp;

In accordance with the EMAC agreement, Kansas will be reimbursed for cost associated with the deployment.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Members of the Olathe Fire Department welcomed home a portion of Kansas Task Force 1. The group, including three from Olathe helped in Florida and North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. Others in the group were from the Junction City Fire Department, the Kansas Fire Marshall's office and Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center. <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Today we welcomed home part of KS Task Force 1. The group, including three of our own, helped in FL and NC after <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HurricaneHelene?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HurricaneHelene</a>. Others in the group were from the Junction City Fire Dept., <a href="https://twitter.com/ksfiremarshal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ksfiremarshal</a> and Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center. The TF left KS on Sept. 24. <a href="https://t.co/hm5UlbYptW">pic.twitter.com/hm5UlbYptW</a>&mdash; Olathe Fire Dept. (@OlatheFire) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlatheFire/status/1843810369573400818?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Task Force left Kansas on September 24 from Olathe and Wichita. The Kansas Division of Emergency Management received a request from Florida and the task force was sent as part of an Emergency Management Assistance Compact, which is a multistate, mutual aid agreement that facilitates interstate assistance in response and recovery operations during a disaster.The team conducted search and rescue operations. Their objective was to Search for and rescue individuals, provide basic life support (BLS) medical care, transport humans and animals to the nearest location for secondary air or land transport, provide shore-based and boat-based water rescue, provide animal rescues, and support helicopter and urban search and rescue in water environments.&nbsp;In accordance with the EMAC agreement, Kansas will be reimbursed for cost associated with the deployment.

Kansas Task Force returns from Florida after hurricane Helene

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI has arrested an Afghan man who officials say was inspired by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/islamic-state-group">Islamic State militant organization</a>&nbsp;and was plotting an Election Day attack targeting large crowds in the U.S., the Justice Department said Tuesday.

Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, of Oklahoma City told investigators after his arrest Monday that he had planned his attack to coincide with Election Day next month and that he and a co-conspirator expected to die as martyrs, according to charging documents.

Tawhedi, who arrived in the U.S. in September 2021, had taken steps in recent weeks to advance his attack plans, including by ordering AK-47 rifles, liquidating his family's assets and buying one-way tickets for his wife and child to travel home to Afghanistan, officials said.

The arrest comes as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-director-christopher-wray-threats-minneapolis-8633ed78ee3eb333e76a54792976327a">FBI confronts heightened concerns</a>&nbsp;over the possibility of extremist violence on U.S. soil, with Director Christopher Wray telling The Associated Press in August that he was "hard pressed to think of a time in my career where so many different kinds of threats are all elevated at once.”

“Terrorism is still the FBI’s number one priority, and we will use every resource to protect the American people,” Wray said in a statement Tuesday.

An FBI affidavit does not reveal precisely how Tawhedi came onto investigators' radar, but cites what it says is evidence from recent months showing his determination in planning an attack. A photograph from July included in the affidavit depicts a man investigators identified as Tawhedi reading to two young children, including his daughter, “a text that describes the rewards a martyr receives in the afterlife.”

Officials say Tawhedi also consumed Islamic State propaganda, contributed to a charity that functions as a front for the militant group and communicated with a person who the FBI determined from a prior investigation was involved in recruitment and indoctrination of people interested in extremism. He also viewed webcams for the White House and the Washington Monument in July.

Tawhedi's alleged co-conspirator was not identified by the Justice Department, which described him only as a juvenile, a fellow Afghan national and the brother of Tawhedi's wife.

After the two advertised the sale of personal property on Facebook, the FBI enlisted an informant last month to respond to the offer and strike up a relationship. The informant later invited them to a gun range, where they ordered weapons from an undercover FBI official who was posing as a business partner of the informant, according to court papers.

Tawhedi was arrested Monday after taking possession of two AK-47 rifles and ammunition he had ordered, officials said. The unidentified co-conspirator was also arrested but the Justice Department did not provide details because he is a juvenile.

After he was arrested, the Justice Department said, Tawhedi told investigators he had planned an attack for Election Day that would target large gatherings of people.

Tawhedi was charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State, which is designated by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

He appeared in court Tuesday and was ordered detained. An email to an attorney listed as representing him did not immediately return an email seeking comment.

It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.

A for-sale sign stood in the yard outside a modest, two-story brick home listed as being connected to Tawhedi’s family in the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore.

A woman who identified herself as Tawhedi’s wife declined to discuss the case.

“We don’t want to talk in the media,” said the woman, who did not give her name.

Tawhedi entered the U.S. on a special immigrant visa, a program that permits eligible Afghans who helped Americans despite great personal risk to themselves and their loved ones to apply for entry into America with their families.

Eligible Afghans include interpreters for the U.S. military as well as individuals integral to the American embassy in Kabul. While the program has existed since 2009, the number of applicants skyrocketed after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-afghanistan-al-qaida-ayman-zawahri-f00d745cb7cf00e3ada60017401f6784">the chaotic U.S. withdrawal</a>&nbsp;from Afghanistan in August 2021.

Shawn VanDiver, the president of #AfghanEvac, a coalition of organizations dedicated to helping Afghans trying to leave Afghanistan, said that though the charges are serious, “it’s critical that we do not assign blame to an entire community for the actions of one individual. Thousands of Afghans who resettled in the United States are working to build new lives and contribute to our shared future.”

“These are the same individuals who stood shoulder to shoulder with us in Afghanistan for over two decades, defending the values we hold dear,” he said in a statement. “Now, they are our neighbors, and we must support them as they seek safety and stability in their new home.”

Associated Press writers Rebecca Santana in Washington and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728439166488.png" alt="The criminal complaint, filed by the Justice Department, against Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27,of Oklahoma City is photographed Tuesday, Oct. 8, after the FBI arrested the man who officials say was inspired by the Islamic State militant organization and was plotting an Election Day attack targeting large crowds in the U.S. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)" />
 <figcaption>The criminal complaint, filed by the Justice Department, against Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27,of Oklahoma City is photographed Tuesday, Oct. 8, after the FBI arrested the man who officials say was inspired by the Islamic State militant organization and was plotting an Election Day attack targeting large crowds in the U.S. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI has arrested an Afghan man who officials say was inspired by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/islamic-state-group">Islamic State militant organization</a>&nbsp;and was plotting an Election Day attack targeting large crowds in the U.S., the Justice Department said Tuesday.Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, of Oklahoma City told investigators after his arrest Monday that he had planned his attack to coincide with Election Day next month and that he and a co-conspirator expected to die as martyrs, according to charging documents.Tawhedi, who arrived in the U.S. in September 2021, had taken steps in recent weeks to advance his attack plans, including by ordering AK-47 rifles, liquidating his family's assets and buying one-way tickets for his wife and child to travel home to Afghanistan, officials said.The arrest comes as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-director-christopher-wray-threats-minneapolis-8633ed78ee3eb333e76a54792976327a">FBI confronts heightened concerns</a>&nbsp;over the possibility of extremist violence on U.S. soil, with Director Christopher Wray telling The Associated Press in August that he was "hard pressed to think of a time in my career where so many different kinds of threats are all elevated at once.”“Terrorism is still the FBI’s number one priority, and we will use every resource to protect the American people,” Wray said in a statement Tuesday.An FBI affidavit does not reveal precisely how Tawhedi came onto investigators' radar, but cites what it says is evidence from recent months showing his determination in planning an attack. A photograph from July included in the affidavit depicts a man investigators identified as Tawhedi reading to two young children, including his daughter, “a text that describes the rewards a martyr receives in the afterlife.”Officials say Tawhedi also consumed Islamic State propaganda, contributed to a charity that functions as a front for the militant group and communicated with a person who the FBI determined from a prior investigation was involved in recruitment and indoctrination of people interested in extremism. He also viewed webcams for the White House and the Washington Monument in July.Tawhedi's alleged co-conspirator was not identified by the Justice Department, which described him only as a juvenile, a fellow Afghan national and the brother of Tawhedi's wife.After the two advertised the sale of personal property on Facebook, the FBI enlisted an informant last month to respond to the offer and strike up a relationship. The informant later invited them to a gun range, where they ordered weapons from an undercover FBI official who was posing as a business partner of the informant, according to court papers.Tawhedi was arrested Monday after taking possession of two AK-47 rifles and ammunition he had ordered, officials said. The unidentified co-conspirator was also arrested but the Justice Department did not provide details because he is a juvenile.After he was arrested, the Justice Department said, Tawhedi told investigators he had planned an attack for Election Day that would target large gatherings of people.Tawhedi was charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State, which is designated by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.He appeared in court Tuesday and was ordered detained. An email to an attorney listed as representing him did not immediately return an email seeking comment.It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.A for-sale sign stood in the yard outside a modest, two-story brick home listed as being connected to Tawhedi’s family in the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore.A woman who identified herself as Tawhedi’s wife declined to discuss the case.“We don’t want to talk in the media,” said the woman, who did not give her name.Tawhedi entered the U.S. on a special immigrant visa, a program that permits eligible Afghans who helped Americans despite great personal risk to themselves and their loved ones to apply for entry into America with their families.Eligible Afghans include interpreters for the U.S. military as well as individuals integral to the American embassy in Kabul. While the program has existed since 2009, the number of applicants skyrocketed after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-afghanistan-al-qaida-ayman-zawahri-f00d745cb7cf00e3ada60017401f6784">the chaotic U.S. withdrawal</a>&nbsp;from Afghanistan in August 2021.Shawn VanDiver, the president of #AfghanEvac, a coalition of organizations dedicated to helping Afghans trying to leave Afghanistan, said that though the charges are serious, “it’s critical that we do not assign blame to an entire community for the actions of one individual. Thousands of Afghans who resettled in the United States are working to build new lives and contribute to our shared future.”“These are the same individuals who stood shoulder to shoulder with us in Afghanistan for over two decades, defending the values we hold dear,” he said in a statement. “Now, they are our neighbors, and we must support them as they seek safety and stability in their new home.”_____Associated Press writers Rebecca Santana in Washington and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed to this report.

FBI: Afghan man planned terror attack on Election Day in the US

BOSTON (AP) — The family of Ethel Kennedy, the widow of Robert F. Kennedy, says she's been hospitalized after suffering a stroke.

In a statement on X posted Tuesday night by her daughter Kerry Kennedy, the family said it happened Thursday morning in her sleep and that she was brought to a hospital where she was receiving treatment and resting comfortably. They did not identify the hospital, nor where she suffered the stroke.

“She is comfortable, she is getting the best care possible and she is surrounded by family,” the statement said. “She is, as you know, a strong woman who has led a remarkably fulfilling life. We are looking after her.”

The 96-year-old matriarch is one of the last remaining members of the extended family’s generation that included President John F. Kennedy.

“She has had a great summer and transition into fall,” the family statement said. “Every day she enjoyed time with her children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was able to get out on the water, visit the pier, and enjoy many lunches and dinners with family. It has been a gift to all of us and to her as well.”

For a generation of Americans, the Democratic Party clan represented the closest thing the U.S. had to the royalty it has always admired elsewhere. The JFK era was dubbed “Camelot” because the youthful president and his glamorous wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, evoked a sense of national optimism, expressed in a line from the Broadway musical.

She was by Robert F. Kennedy’s side when he was fatally shot in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968, just after winning the Democratic presidential primary in California. Her brother-in-law, President John F. Kennedy, had been assassinated in Dallas less than five years earlier.

The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, which she founded later in 1968, is dedicated to advancing human rights through litigation, advocacy, education and inspiration. The nonprofit also gives annual awards to journalists, authors and others who have made a significant contribution to human rights. She also was active in the Coalition of Gun Control, Special Olympics and the Earth Conservation Corps.

She remained socially active into her 90s, participating in a 2016 demonstration in support of higher pay for farmworkers in Florida and a 2018 hunger strike against the Trump administration’s immigration policies. She divided her time between homes in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, and Palm Beach, Florida.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728495330718.png" alt="FILE - Ethel Kennedy, widow of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, watches a video about her late husband during the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights awards ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 5, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Ethel Kennedy, widow of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, watches a video about her late husband during the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights awards ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 5, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>BOSTON (AP) — The family of Ethel Kennedy, the widow of Robert F. Kennedy, says she's been hospitalized after suffering a stroke.In a statement on X posted Tuesday night by her daughter Kerry Kennedy, the family said it happened Thursday morning in her sleep and that she was brought to a hospital where she was receiving treatment and resting comfortably. They did not identify the hospital, nor where she suffered the stroke.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I am sharing a statement on my mother’s health. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. <a href="https://t.co/6EiOW3DVnS">pic.twitter.com/6EiOW3DVnS</a>&mdash; Kerry Kennedy (@KerryKennedyRFK) <a href="https://twitter.com/KerryKennedyRFK/status/1843795599143120951?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“She is comfortable, she is getting the best care possible and she is surrounded by family,” the statement said. “She is, as you know, a strong woman who has led a remarkably fulfilling life. We are looking after her.”The 96-year-old matriarch is one of the last remaining members of the extended family’s generation that included President John F. Kennedy.“She has had a great summer and transition into fall,” the family statement said. “Every day she enjoyed time with her children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was able to get out on the water, visit the pier, and enjoy many lunches and dinners with family. It has been a gift to all of us and to her as well.”For a generation of Americans, the Democratic Party clan represented the closest thing the U.S. had to the royalty it has always admired elsewhere. The JFK era was dubbed “Camelot” because the youthful president and his glamorous wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, evoked a sense of national optimism, expressed in a line from the Broadway musical.She was by Robert F. Kennedy’s side when he was fatally shot in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968, just after winning the Democratic presidential primary in California. Her brother-in-law, President John F. Kennedy, had been assassinated in Dallas less than five years earlier.The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, which she founded later in 1968, is dedicated to advancing human rights through litigation, advocacy, education and inspiration. The nonprofit also gives annual awards to journalists, authors and others who have made a significant contribution to human rights. She also was active in the Coalition of Gun Control, Special Olympics and the Earth Conservation Corps.She remained socially active into her 90s, participating in a 2016 demonstration in support of higher pay for farmworkers in Florida and a 2018 hunger strike against the Trump administration’s immigration policies. She divided her time between homes in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, and Palm Beach, Florida.

Robert F. Kennedy widow Ethel Kennedy, 96, suffers stroke 

ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Florida—Law enforcement authorities in Florida are investigating a Kansas woman for a shooting that sent her husband to a hospital.

Just after 10:30p.m. Monday, Beach Deputies responded to a 'shot fired' disturbance at the Fairfield Inn on&nbsp;Via De Luna Drive in Pensacola Beach, according to Sheriff's Sgt.&nbsp;Melony Peterson.

Deputies determined the victim was shot by his wife during a disturbance. The husband was air-lifted to a hospital and is expected to recover, according to Peterson.&nbsp; Deputies arrested his wife 31-year-old Jacqueline W. King on requested charges of attempted murder. She&nbsp;is being held without bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728421322800.png" alt="King photo Escambia County" />
 <figcaption>King photo Escambia County</figcaption>
 </figure>ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Florida—Law enforcement authorities in Florida are investigating a Kansas woman for a shooting that sent her husband to a hospital.Just after 10:30p.m. Monday, Beach Deputies responded to a 'shot fired' disturbance at the Fairfield Inn on&nbsp;Via De Luna Drive in Pensacola Beach, according to Sheriff's Sgt.&nbsp;Melony Peterson.Deputies determined the victim was shot by his wife during a disturbance. The husband was air-lifted to a hospital and is expected to recover, according to Peterson.&nbsp; Deputies arrested his wife 31-year-old Jacqueline W. King on requested charges of attempted murder. She&nbsp;is being held without bond, according to online jail records.

Sheriff: Kan. woman tried to kill husband on the beach in Florida

WARREN COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating suspects on drug allegations. On Monday, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported&nbsp;troopers conducted a traffic stop last week on Interstate 70 just before Rout B Truxton Exit.

During a consent search, troopers located several hundred blank checks, a stolen check with a value over $1,000 and a baby bottle containing a liquid that field tested positive for fentanyl.

The Patrol reported no additional details including those who were arrested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728326585765.png" alt="photo MSHP" />
 <figcaption>photo MSHP</figcaption>
 </figure>WARREN COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating suspects on drug allegations. On Monday, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported&nbsp;troopers conducted a traffic stop last week on Interstate 70 just before Rout B Truxton Exit.During a consent search, troopers located several hundred blank checks, a stolen check with a value over $1,000 and a baby bottle containing a liquid that field tested positive for fentanyl.The Patrol reported no additional details including those who were arrested.

Trooper found fentanyl in baby bottle during I-70 traffic stop

NEW YORK —Vice President Kamala Harris is in a media blitz this week with only a month left before election day.

Harris taped an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes” that aired Monday night. On Tuesday she appeared on Howard Stern’s satellite radio show, ABC’s “The View” and “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert on CBS.&nbsp;

On social media, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall said Harris made "a career ending statement after what we've seen unfold the past four years."

Harris has been criticized for not doing more media interviews.

House Speaker Mike Johnson agreed with Senator Marshall. He wrote, "We told you. And now Kamala Harris has told you. She openly admits she would not have done anything differently than Joe Biden. 

NEW YORK —Vice President Kamala Harris is in a media blitz this week with only a month left before election day.Harris taped an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes” that aired Monday night. On Tuesday she appeared on Howard Stern’s satellite radio show, ABC’s “The View” and “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert on CBS.&nbsp;On social media, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall said Harris made "a career ending statement after what we've seen unfold the past four years."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This is a career ending statement after what we&#39;ve seen unfold the past four years. WATCH: <a href="https://t.co/1NkwpgbCDt">pic.twitter.com/1NkwpgbCDt</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1843696180620079511?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Harris has been criticized for not doing more media interviews.House Speaker Mike Johnson agreed with Senator Marshall. He wrote, "We told you. And now Kamala Harris has told you. She openly admits she would not have done anything differently than Joe Biden.

🎥 Kansas U.S. Senator: Kamala made a career ending statement

NEW YORK (AP) —More than a dozen states and the District of Columbia filed lawsuits against TikTok on Tuesday, saying that the popular short-form video app is designed to be addictive to kids and harms their mental health.

The lawsuits stem from a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-health-mental-health-1925956c0f4baa672aa75bd490d24e3a">national investigation into TikTok</a>, which was launched in March 2022 by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from many states, including New York, California, Kentucky and New Jersey. All of the complaints were filed in state courts.

At the heart of each lawsuit is the TikTok algorithm, which powers what users see on the platform by populating the app’s main “For You” feed with content tailored to people’s interests. The lawsuits note TikTok design features that they say addict children to the platform, such as the ability to scroll endlessly through content, push notifications that come with built-in “buzzes” and face filters that create unattainable appearances for users.

“They’ve chosen profit over the health and safety, well-being and future of our children," California Attorney General Rob Bonta said at a news conference in San Francisco. "And that is not something we can accept. So we’ve sued.”

The latest lawsuits come nearly a year after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/instagram-facebook-children-teens-harms-lawsuit-attorney-general-1805492a38f7cee111cbb865cc786c28">dozens of states sued Instagram parent Meta Platforms Inc.</a>&nbsp;in state and federal courts for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing addictive features that keep kids hooked on their platforms.

The legal challenges, which also include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/youtube-google-arkansas-lawsuit-youth-mental-health-a8087ff8b99c9452f01ae42417338120">Google's YouTube</a>, are part of a growing reckoning against social media companies and their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-mental-health-advice-620e277528728498c1202690d0512f85">effects on young people's lives</a>. In some cases, the challenges have been coordinated in a way that resembles how states previously organized against the tobacco and pharmaceutical industries.

TikTok, though, is facing an even bigger obstacle, as its very existence in the U.S. is in question. Under a federal law that took effect earlier this year, TikTok could be banned from the U.S. by mid-January if its China-based parent company, ByteDance, doesn’t sell the platform by then. Both TikTok and ByteDance are challenging the law at an appeals court in Washington. A panel of three judges heard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-when-bytedance-china-9bb5407c93b2ab99548db17b95dc2259">oral arguments</a>&nbsp;in the case last month and are expected to issue a ruling, which could be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

In its filings Tuesday, the District of Columbia called the algorithm “dopamine-inducing,” and said it was created to be intentionally addictive so the company could trap many young users into excessive use and keep them on its app for hours on end. TikTok does this despite knowing that these behaviors will lead to profound psychological and physiological harms, such as anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia and other long-lasting problems, the district said.

TikTok is disappointed that the lawsuits were filed after the company had been working with the attorneys general for two years on addressing to the issues, a spokesman said.

“We strongly disagree with these claims, many of which we believe to be inaccurate and misleading," the TikTok spokesman. Alex Haurek, said. "We’re proud of and remain deeply committed to the work we’ve done to protect teens and we will continue to update and improve our product.”

The social media company does not allow children under 13 to sign up for its main service and restricts some content for everyone under 18. But Washington and several other states said in their filings that children can easily bypass those restrictions, allowing them to access the service adults use despite the company's claims that its platform is safe for children.

The District of Columbia alleges TikTok is operating as an “unlicensed virtual economy" by allowing people to purchase TikTok Coins – a virtual currency within the platform – and send “Gifts” to streamers on TikTok LIVE who can cash it out for real money. TikTok takes a 50% commission on these financial transactions but hasn’t registered as a money transmitter with the U.S. Treasury Department or authorities in the district, according to the complaint.

Officials say teens are frequently exploited for sexually explicit content through TikTok’s LIVE streaming feature, which has allowed the app to operate essentially as a “virtual strip club" without any age restrictions. They say the cut the company gets from the financial transactions allows it to profit from exploitation.

The 14 attorneys general say the goal of their lawsuits is to stop TikTok from using these features, impose financial penalties for their alleged illegal practices and collect damages for users that have been harmed.

The use of social media among teens is nearly universal in the U.S. and many other parts of the world.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/">Almost all teens</a>&nbsp;ages 13 to 17 in the U.S. report using a social media platform, with about a third saying they use social media “almost constantly,” according to the Pew Research Center.

High school students who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/su/su7304a3.htm?s_cid=su7304a3_w">frequently use social media</a>&nbsp;more commonly have persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, according to a new survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted last year in which about 20,000 teenagers participated.

Last week, Texas Attorney General&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/directory/ken-paxton/">Ken Paxton</a>&nbsp;sued TikTok, alleging the company was sharing and selling minors' personal information in violation of a new state law that prohibits these practices. TikTok, which disputes the allegations, is also fighting against a similar data-oriented federal lawsuit filed in August by the Department of Justice.

Several Republican-led states, including Nebraska, Kansas, New Hampshire, Kansas, Iowa and Arkansas, also previously sued the company,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-attorney-general-tiktok-lawsuit-3592dfa79586940c353e9d6fa9597c0e">some unsuccessfully</a>, over allegations it is harming children's mental health, exposing them to “inappropriate” content or allowing young people to be sexually exploited on its platform.

Associated Press writers from around the U.S. contributed to this story.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728417358368.png" alt="California Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks during a press conference announcing a bipartisan coalition of attorney generals filing lawsuits against TikTok for violation of state consumer protection laws Tuesday, Oct. 8. courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>California Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks during a press conference announcing a bipartisan coalition of attorney generals filing lawsuits against TikTok for violation of state consumer protection laws Tuesday, Oct. 8. courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —More than a dozen states and the District of Columbia filed lawsuits against TikTok on Tuesday, saying that the popular short-form video app is designed to be addictive to kids and harms their mental health.The lawsuits stem from a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-health-mental-health-1925956c0f4baa672aa75bd490d24e3a">national investigation into TikTok</a>, which was launched in March 2022 by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from many states, including New York, California, Kentucky and New Jersey. All of the complaints were filed in state courts.At the heart of each lawsuit is the TikTok algorithm, which powers what users see on the platform by populating the app’s main “For You” feed with content tailored to people’s interests. The lawsuits note TikTok design features that they say addict children to the platform, such as the ability to scroll endlessly through content, push notifications that come with built-in “buzzes” and face filters that create unattainable appearances for users.“They’ve chosen profit over the health and safety, well-being and future of our children," California Attorney General Rob Bonta said at a news conference in San Francisco. "And that is not something we can accept. So we’ve sued.”The latest lawsuits come nearly a year after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/instagram-facebook-children-teens-harms-lawsuit-attorney-general-1805492a38f7cee111cbb865cc786c28">dozens of states sued Instagram parent Meta Platforms Inc.</a>&nbsp;in state and federal courts for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing addictive features that keep kids hooked on their platforms.The legal challenges, which also include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/youtube-google-arkansas-lawsuit-youth-mental-health-a8087ff8b99c9452f01ae42417338120">Google's YouTube</a>, are part of a growing reckoning against social media companies and their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-mental-health-advice-620e277528728498c1202690d0512f85">effects on young people's lives</a>. In some cases, the challenges have been coordinated in a way that resembles how states previously organized against the tobacco and pharmaceutical industries.TikTok, though, is facing an even bigger obstacle, as its very existence in the U.S. is in question. Under a federal law that took effect earlier this year, TikTok could be banned from the U.S. by mid-January if its China-based parent company, ByteDance, doesn’t sell the platform by then. Both TikTok and ByteDance are challenging the law at an appeals court in Washington. A panel of three judges heard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-when-bytedance-china-9bb5407c93b2ab99548db17b95dc2259">oral arguments</a>&nbsp;in the case last month and are expected to issue a ruling, which could be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.In its filings Tuesday, the District of Columbia called the algorithm “dopamine-inducing,” and said it was created to be intentionally addictive so the company could trap many young users into excessive use and keep them on its app for hours on end. TikTok does this despite knowing that these behaviors will lead to profound psychological and physiological harms, such as anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia and other long-lasting problems, the district said.TikTok is disappointed that the lawsuits were filed after the company had been working with the attorneys general for two years on addressing to the issues, a spokesman said.“We strongly disagree with these claims, many of which we believe to be inaccurate and misleading," the TikTok spokesman. Alex Haurek, said. "We’re proud of and remain deeply committed to the work we’ve done to protect teens and we will continue to update and improve our product.”The social media company does not allow children under 13 to sign up for its main service and restricts some content for everyone under 18. But Washington and several other states said in their filings that children can easily bypass those restrictions, allowing them to access the service adults use despite the company's claims that its platform is safe for children.The District of Columbia alleges TikTok is operating as an “unlicensed virtual economy" by allowing people to purchase TikTok Coins – a virtual currency within the platform – and send “Gifts” to streamers on TikTok LIVE who can cash it out for real money. TikTok takes a 50% commission on these financial transactions but hasn’t registered as a money transmitter with the U.S. Treasury Department or authorities in the district, according to the complaint.Officials say teens are frequently exploited for sexually explicit content through TikTok’s LIVE streaming feature, which has allowed the app to operate essentially as a “virtual strip club" without any age restrictions. They say the cut the company gets from the financial transactions allows it to profit from exploitation.The 14 attorneys general say the goal of their lawsuits is to stop TikTok from using these features, impose financial penalties for their alleged illegal practices and collect damages for users that have been harmed.The use of social media among teens is nearly universal in the U.S. and many other parts of the world.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/">Almost all teens</a>&nbsp;ages 13 to 17 in the U.S. report using a social media platform, with about a third saying they use social media “almost constantly,” according to the Pew Research Center.High school students who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/su/su7304a3.htm?s_cid=su7304a3_w">frequently use social media</a>&nbsp;more commonly have persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, according to a new survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted last year in which about 20,000 teenagers participated.Last week, Texas Attorney General&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/directory/ken-paxton/">Ken Paxton</a>&nbsp;sued TikTok, alleging the company was sharing and selling minors' personal information in violation of a new state law that prohibits these practices. TikTok, which disputes the allegations, is also fighting against a similar data-oriented federal lawsuit filed in August by the Department of Justice.Several Republican-led states, including Nebraska, Kansas, New Hampshire, Kansas, Iowa and Arkansas, also previously sued the company,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-attorney-general-tiktok-lawsuit-3592dfa79586940c353e9d6fa9597c0e">some unsuccessfully</a>, over allegations it is harming children's mental health, exposing them to “inappropriate” content or allowing young people to be sexually exploited on its platform.___Associated Press writers from around the U.S. contributed to this story.

Lawsuit: TikTok is designed to be addictive to kids and causes them harm

Richard Muma says WSU’s internal review finds ‘technical oversights’ not plagiarism

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Wichita State University president Richard Muma said Monday a university inquiry revealed up to 5% of his dissertation lacked full attribution to original scholars and that corrections would be made to the research document that helped him earn a doctorate.

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/10/07/wichita-state-university-presidents-doctoral-dissertation-raises-concerns-of-academic-misconduct/">On Monday</a>, Kansas Reflector published a story pointing to the WSU president’s reuse in his 2004 dissertation of text written by more than 20 scholars, but lacking quotation marks to properly identify words of the original authors. More than 10 faculty members at different colleges and universities said Muma’s borrowing of verbatim sentences and paragraphs without full credit met the definition of plagiarism.

In a letter sent Monday to Wichita State faculty, staff and students, Muma said that when contacted weeks ago by Kansas Reflector he directed WSU’s provost and the university’s research officer to lead an investigation of his 88-page dissertation. The president’s letter said a plagiarism expert selected by WSU, who wasn’t publicly identified, took part in the review.

Muma said the university’s analysis confirmed attribution in his dissertation “should have included the use of quotation marks around reuse of text.”

“I was advised that the amount of affected text consists of less than 5% of my entire dissertation,” Muma’s letter said. “These are technical oversights … and I am taking steps to make corrections.”

Muma didn’t include a copy of the internal review in the message to WSU students, staff and faculty, but the president’s letter said the analysis led by his administrative subordinates showed “technical omissions” in the dissertation that didn’t “rise to the level of misconduct.”

The letter said that as far as Muma was concerned “the matter was closed.” The president didn’t set a deadline for submitting the corrected dissertation to University of Missouri at St. Louis.

Muma’s letter incorrectly asserted Kansas Reflector didn’t share information with WSU before publication about allegations of academic misconduct. In advance of publication, WSU had sufficient information from the Reflector to release a statement on Muma’s behalf saying research, analysis and conclusions in the dissertation were “entirely original” and all reference material “properly cited.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728384460650.png" alt=" In response to a story published by Kansas Reflector, Wichita State University president Richard Muma said up to 5% of his doctoral dissertation was comprised of inadequately attributed text written by other scholars. He promised to submit a corrected dissertation to University of Missouri-St. Louis. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> In response to a story published by Kansas Reflector, Wichita State University president Richard Muma said up to 5% of his doctoral dissertation was comprised of inadequately attributed text written by other scholars. He promised to submit a corrected dissertation to University of Missouri-St. Louis. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Richard Muma says WSU’s internal review finds ‘technical oversights’ not plagiarism</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Wichita State University president Richard Muma said Monday a university inquiry revealed up to 5% of his dissertation lacked full attribution to original scholars and that corrections would be made to the research document that helped him earn a doctorate.<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/10/07/wichita-state-university-presidents-doctoral-dissertation-raises-concerns-of-academic-misconduct/">On Monday</a>, Kansas Reflector published a story pointing to the WSU president’s reuse in his 2004 dissertation of text written by more than 20 scholars, but lacking quotation marks to properly identify words of the original authors. More than 10 faculty members at different colleges and universities said Muma’s borrowing of verbatim sentences and paragraphs without full credit met the definition of plagiarism.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728303448862.png" alt=" Wichita State University President Richard Muma earned a doctorate in 2004 from University of Missouri-St. Louis with a dissertation that includes dozens of passages from more than 20 scholars without quotation marks to properly cite original authors. Academics interviewed by Kansas Reflector say Muma’s dissertation includes plagiarism. (Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Wichita State University President Richard Muma earned a doctorate in 2004 from University of Missouri-St. Louis with a dissertation that includes dozens of passages from more than 20 scholars without quotation marks to properly cite original authors. Academics interviewed by Kansas Reflector say Muma’s dissertation includes plagiarism. (Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>In a letter sent Monday to Wichita State faculty, staff and students, Muma said that when contacted weeks ago by Kansas Reflector he directed WSU’s provost and the university’s research officer to lead an investigation of his 88-page dissertation. The president’s letter said a plagiarism expert selected by WSU, who wasn’t publicly identified, took part in the review.Muma said the university’s analysis confirmed attribution in his dissertation “should have included the use of quotation marks around reuse of text.”“I was advised that the amount of affected text consists of less than 5% of my entire dissertation,” Muma’s letter said. “These are technical oversights … and I am taking steps to make corrections.”Muma didn’t include a copy of the internal review in the message to WSU students, staff and faculty, but the president’s letter said the analysis led by his administrative subordinates showed “technical omissions” in the dissertation that didn’t “rise to the level of misconduct.”The letter said that as far as Muma was concerned “the matter was closed.” The president didn’t set a deadline for submitting the corrected dissertation to University of Missouri at St. Louis.Muma’s letter incorrectly asserted Kansas Reflector didn’t share information with WSU before publication about allegations of academic misconduct. In advance of publication, WSU had sufficient information from the Reflector to release a statement on Muma’s behalf saying research, analysis and conclusions in the dissertation were “entirely original” and all reference material “properly cited.”In five chapters of Muma’s dissertation, which included findings of an opinion survey of health educators and professionals, Kansas Reflector identified approximately 55 passages of inadequately attributed material.“That’s a problem in my eyes,” Jonathan Bailey, founder of Plagiarism Today and a copyright and plagiarism consultant in New Orleans told the Reflector. “When you copy and paste wholesale like that, you’re not proving you have the knowledge and understanding. This person did a shortcut.”Muma, who has been on the WSU faculty for 28 years, was named president in 2020 by the Kansas Board of Regents. The nine-member board has jurisdiction over Wichita State and five other public state universities.Blake Flanders, president and CEO of the Board of Regents, issued a statement acknowledging Wichita State’s confidential inquiry.“When he became aware of the allegations about his work, President Muma reached out to me and communicated that he would follow the appropriate procedures that Wichita State has in place to ensure academic integrity,” Flanders said. “As he noted, an independent review conducted by an expert concluded that there was no academic misconduct in his doctoral dissertation. We have no further comment.”Prior to publication of the Reflector’s story, Board of Regents’ spokesperson Matt Keith said Flanders didn’t want to be interviewed on the subject of academic misconduct by university faculty because it would be wrong “to speculate on how the board might act in hypothetical situations.”The Board of Regents has no systemwide policy on plagiarism. Members of the board defer to the state universities in terms of policy on academic misconduct.The next monthly meeting of the Board of Regents will be conducted Oct. 16-17 on the Wichita State campus. It will occur in conjunction with the Oct. 16 observance of International Day of Action for Academic Integrity.Before hired at Wichita State, Muma earned a master’s degree in community health from University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston. He was a tenured professor at WSU when awarded the doctorate from UMSL.