NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks hit records on Friday after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-inflation-trump-prices-economy-wall-street-fed-consumers-280a2fd30de3bb44bd87cd0248082322">an update on inflation</a>&nbsp;came in a bit less painful than feared.

The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.8% and topped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-gold-ai-yen-3b5d8a978d326c59cbf484a14868ce66">its prior all-time high</a>, which was set earlier this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 472 points, or 1%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.1%. Both also set records.

The data on inflation is encouraging because it could mean less pain for lower- and middle-income households struggling with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inflation-federal-reserve-powell-88358f4955fd86ef3c86f5e8e089e775">still-high increases in prices</a>&nbsp;every month. Even more importantly for Wall Street, it could also clear the way for the Federal Reserve to keep cutting interest rates in hopes of giving a boost to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jobs-openings-unemployment-inflation-federal-reserve-60b8f481cdbc56f96829817a2992e508">the slowing job market</a>.

The Fed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-trump-2d05401d7c9cb2393925f494aac71d89">just cut its main interest rate</a>&nbsp;last month for the first time this year, but it’s been hesitant to promise more relief because lower rates can make inflation worse, beyond goosing the economy and prices for investments. Following the inflation report, traders continue to bet on a near certainty that the Fed will cut rates at its next two meetings, including one next week.

“Right now, Fed officials are more concerned about the labor market than about inflation,” according to Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management. “Without any evidence to the contrary, there’s nothing to really change their minds about cutting.”

Stocks had been shaky in recent weeks following a tremendous rally of 35% for the S&amp;P 500 from a low in April. Criticism climbed that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-market-rates-records-shutdown-earnings-ai-251fefd075ac658ce498c9d1953efc70">stocks became too expensive</a>&nbsp;after their prices rose much faster than corporate profits. Worries also flared about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-china-trump-earnings-21887690dfa4c47d05eebf6153f2e7c4">potentially bad loans</a>&nbsp;that banks made following a period of calm that may have encouraged too much risk-taking. And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-ai-f2c8bcc1f46043ab504cf4b0281e3401">President Donald Trump rattled markets</a>&nbsp;after threatening much higher tariffs on China, the world’s second-largest economy.

But stocks have rebounded each time, only to push higher. Banks have characterized the industry’s hiccups as just a collection of one-offs, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-japan-south-korea-investments-b83f47d14f68422ecd7bde740ffe7d94">Trump is set to meet China’s leader</a>, Xi Jinping, at a conference next week.

And most big U.S. companies are reporting stronger profits for the latest quarter than analysts expected, as is usually the case.

Ford Motor revved 12.2% higher to lead all companies in the S&amp;P 500 after the automaker topped analysts’ expectations for profit in the latest quarter. The company said its business is running at the high end of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ford-electric-vehicles-earnings-outlook-aa6244801f3f51c7ab1b07da0bfc4f06">forecasted range</a>&nbsp;for financial performance this year that it set out in February.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/intel-chips-trump-investment-d904acd88a50fda36876353258f42a40">Intel added</a>&nbsp;0.3% after reporting profit for the latest quarter that blew past analysts’ expectations. CEO Lip-Bu Tan credited the artificial-intelligence boom with “accelerating demand for compute and creating attractive opportunities.”

Google’s parent company climbed 2.7% after Anthropic announced an expansion worth&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-google-275df9e291bbb361962dfc6ba868506c">tens of billions of dollars</a>, through which it would increase usage of Google cloud technologies for its AI chatbot, Claude. Given its massive size, Alphabet was one of the strongest forces lifting the S&amp;P 500 index, along with other AI beneficiaries like Nvidia.

Procter &amp; Gamble’s profit beat analysts’ forecasts, despite what CEO Jon Moeller called “a challenging consumer and geopolitical environment,” and the stock of the company behind the Charmin, Oral-B and Pampers brands rose 0.9%.

They helped offset a drop for Newmont Mining, which fell 6.2% even though it also reported a stronger profit than expected.

The miner’s stock came into the day with a stunning gain of nearly 139% for the year so far, thanks to the surging price of gold. But gold’s run has stalled in the past few days since setting its latest record.

No investment’s price goes up forever, and criticism had been growing that gold’s price had gone too far, too fast after it shot up even more than the U.S. stock market.

Many of the same factors that attracted buyers to gold this year are still there, including concerns about the mountains of debt that the U.S. and other governments worldwide are amassing. The U.S. government’s gross national debt&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-treasury-debt-ceiling-bessent-09575f13ca95c2f1beb38234b2cbe85b">topped $38 trillion</a>&nbsp;this week, and the worry is that a continued acceleration will only worsen inflation.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 53.25 points to 6,791.69. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 472.51 to 47,207.12, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 263.07 to 23,204.87.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Europe and Asia. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 2.5%, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 rallied 1.4% for two of the world’s bigger moves.

In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady, as the inflation solidified already high expectations for coming cuts to rates by the Fed. The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged down to 3.99% from 4.01% late Thursday.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks hit records on Friday after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-inflation-trump-prices-economy-wall-street-fed-consumers-280a2fd30de3bb44bd87cd0248082322">an update on inflation</a>&nbsp;came in a bit less painful than feared.The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.8% and topped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-gold-ai-yen-3b5d8a978d326c59cbf484a14868ce66">its prior all-time high</a>, which was set earlier this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 472 points, or 1%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.1%. Both also set records.The data on inflation is encouraging because it could mean less pain for lower- and middle-income households struggling with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inflation-federal-reserve-powell-88358f4955fd86ef3c86f5e8e089e775">still-high increases in prices</a>&nbsp;every month. Even more importantly for Wall Street, it could also clear the way for the Federal Reserve to keep cutting interest rates in hopes of giving a boost to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jobs-openings-unemployment-inflation-federal-reserve-60b8f481cdbc56f96829817a2992e508">the slowing job market</a>.The Fed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-trump-2d05401d7c9cb2393925f494aac71d89">just cut its main interest rate</a>&nbsp;last month for the first time this year, but it’s been hesitant to promise more relief because lower rates can make inflation worse, beyond goosing the economy and prices for investments. Following the inflation report, traders continue to bet on a near certainty that the Fed will cut rates at its next two meetings, including one next week.“Right now, Fed officials are more concerned about the labor market than about inflation,” according to Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management. “Without any evidence to the contrary, there’s nothing to really change their minds about cutting.”Stocks had been shaky in recent weeks following a tremendous rally of 35% for the S&amp;P 500 from a low in April. Criticism climbed that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-market-rates-records-shutdown-earnings-ai-251fefd075ac658ce498c9d1953efc70">stocks became too expensive</a>&nbsp;after their prices rose much faster than corporate profits. Worries also flared about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-china-trump-earnings-21887690dfa4c47d05eebf6153f2e7c4">potentially bad loans</a>&nbsp;that banks made following a period of calm that may have encouraged too much risk-taking. And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-ai-f2c8bcc1f46043ab504cf4b0281e3401">President Donald Trump rattled markets</a>&nbsp;after threatening much higher tariffs on China, the world’s second-largest economy.But stocks have rebounded each time, only to push higher. Banks have characterized the industry’s hiccups as just a collection of one-offs, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-japan-south-korea-investments-b83f47d14f68422ecd7bde740ffe7d94">Trump is set to meet China’s leader</a>, Xi Jinping, at a conference next week.And most big U.S. companies are reporting stronger profits for the latest quarter than analysts expected, as is usually the case.Ford Motor revved 12.2% higher to lead all companies in the S&amp;P 500 after the automaker topped analysts’ expectations for profit in the latest quarter. The company said its business is running at the high end of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ford-electric-vehicles-earnings-outlook-aa6244801f3f51c7ab1b07da0bfc4f06">forecasted range</a>&nbsp;for financial performance this year that it set out in February.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/intel-chips-trump-investment-d904acd88a50fda36876353258f42a40">Intel added</a>&nbsp;0.3% after reporting profit for the latest quarter that blew past analysts’ expectations. CEO Lip-Bu Tan credited the artificial-intelligence boom with “accelerating demand for compute and creating attractive opportunities.”Google’s parent company climbed 2.7% after Anthropic announced an expansion worth&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-google-275df9e291bbb361962dfc6ba868506c">tens of billions of dollars</a>, through which it would increase usage of Google cloud technologies for its AI chatbot, Claude. Given its massive size, Alphabet was one of the strongest forces lifting the S&amp;P 500 index, along with other AI beneficiaries like Nvidia.Procter &amp; Gamble’s profit beat analysts’ forecasts, despite what CEO Jon Moeller called “a challenging consumer and geopolitical environment,” and the stock of the company behind the Charmin, Oral-B and Pampers brands rose 0.9%.They helped offset a drop for Newmont Mining, which fell 6.2% even though it also reported a stronger profit than expected.The miner’s stock came into the day with a stunning gain of nearly 139% for the year so far, thanks to the surging price of gold. But gold’s run has stalled in the past few days since setting its latest record.No investment’s price goes up forever, and criticism had been growing that gold’s price had gone too far, too fast after it shot up even more than the U.S. stock market.Many of the same factors that attracted buyers to gold this year are still there, including concerns about the mountains of debt that the U.S. and other governments worldwide are amassing. The U.S. government’s gross national debt&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-treasury-debt-ceiling-bessent-09575f13ca95c2f1beb38234b2cbe85b">topped $38 trillion</a>&nbsp;this week, and the worry is that a continued acceleration will only worsen inflation.All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 53.25 points to 6,791.69. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 472.51 to 47,207.12, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 263.07 to 23,204.87.In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Europe and Asia. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 2.5%, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 rallied 1.4% for two of the world’s bigger moves.In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady, as the inflation solidified already high expectations for coming cuts to rates by the Fed. The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged down to 3.99% from 4.01% late Thursday.

Wall Street hits records following encouraging update on inflation

NEW YORK (AP) — The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services will temporarily bring all its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-trump-furloughs-firings-economy-federal-workers-efced4c32282087c8c53aeab535230a0" rel="nofollow">furloughed employees</a>&nbsp;back to work starting Monday to manage health insurance open enrollment, according to an agency spokesperson.

The recall to duty amid the more than three-week-long&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown" rel="nofollow">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;is what’s needed to “best serve the American people amid the Medicare and Marketplace open enrollment seasons,” the spokesperson said Thursday.

It will be paid for by user fees gathered from sharing data with researchers, the agency said.

The decision to call the employees back shows how significantly shutting down the government and losing staffing has impacted federal government operations during a crucial season, as millions of Americans are selecting their health insurance plans for next year.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oz-hhs-cms-kennedy-health-medicare-medicaid-ef02cafd3100a4794d8e882fdf2ad7b0" rel="nofollow">CMS</a>&nbsp;provides health coverage to more than 160 million people, according to its website.

It also comes during a moment of uncertainty for Affordable Care Act enrollees, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-aca-obamacare-subsidies-congress-trump-da06fcbc940e661234fac2ea9ee717a0" rel="nofollow">Congress deadlocked</a>&nbsp;on how to handle&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-tax-credits-obamacare-shutdown-f1ee636ddba7f65baa5234c55cb0c96e" rel="nofollow">expiring subsidies</a>&nbsp;that have made marketplace health insurance less expensive for millions since 2021. Democratic lawmakers are demanding a deal to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-congress-shutdown-democrats-republicans-bb3464820a347fd2c0399e78e335881e" rel="nofollow">extend the COVID-era subsidies</a>&nbsp;before they agree to fund the government, while Republican lawmakers want to reopen the government before negotiating that question.

As their stalemate and the resulting government shutdown continue, the cost of next year’s health insurance for many of the 24 million ACA enrollees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aca-credits-health-care-subsidies-government-shutdown-7f7a3609bf78dd7e43be9a041a090220" rel="nofollow">is still unknown</a>, even with open enrollment beginning in a week.

Though CMS didn’t specify for how long the employees will return, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicare-part-d-prescription-coverage-enrollment-8cf0b1460e84367cdba7002147165a50" rel="nofollow">open enrollment period for Medicare</a>&nbsp;runs between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7, while the open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act marketplace runs between Nov. 1 and Jan. 15.

While the agency didn’t answer questions about how many employees would return to work, about 3,300 of CMS’s staff, or a little over half, were expected to be retained during the shutdown, according to the agency’s contingency plans. That would mean about 3,000 furloughed workers are being called back to work Monday.

While CMS has not seen any layoffs during the current shutdown, its parent agency — the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — was among the hardest hit by the government-wide reduction in force. Nearly 1,000 HHS staff were abruptly fired earlier this month, though a judge has temporarily paused those layoffs from taking effe

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761332931706.png" alt="CMS Administrator, Dr. Mehmet Oz during an Oval Office press conference last month -image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>CMS Administrator, Dr. Mehmet Oz during an Oval Office press conference last month -image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services will temporarily bring all its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-trump-furloughs-firings-economy-federal-workers-efced4c32282087c8c53aeab535230a0" rel="nofollow">furloughed employees</a>&nbsp;back to work starting Monday to manage health insurance open enrollment, according to an agency spokesperson.The recall to duty amid the more than three-week-long&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown" rel="nofollow">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;is what’s needed to “best serve the American people amid the Medicare and Marketplace open enrollment seasons,” the spokesperson said Thursday.It will be paid for by user fees gathered from sharing data with researchers, the agency said.The decision to call the employees back shows how significantly shutting down the government and losing staffing has impacted federal government operations during a crucial season, as millions of Americans are selecting their health insurance plans for next year.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oz-hhs-cms-kennedy-health-medicare-medicaid-ef02cafd3100a4794d8e882fdf2ad7b0" rel="nofollow">CMS</a>&nbsp;provides health coverage to more than 160 million people, according to its website.It also comes during a moment of uncertainty for Affordable Care Act enrollees, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-aca-obamacare-subsidies-congress-trump-da06fcbc940e661234fac2ea9ee717a0" rel="nofollow">Congress deadlocked</a>&nbsp;on how to handle&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-tax-credits-obamacare-shutdown-f1ee636ddba7f65baa5234c55cb0c96e" rel="nofollow">expiring subsidies</a>&nbsp;that have made marketplace health insurance less expensive for millions since 2021. Democratic lawmakers are demanding a deal to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-congress-shutdown-democrats-republicans-bb3464820a347fd2c0399e78e335881e" rel="nofollow">extend the COVID-era subsidies</a>&nbsp;before they agree to fund the government, while Republican lawmakers want to reopen the government before negotiating that question.As their stalemate and the resulting government shutdown continue, the cost of next year’s health insurance for many of the 24 million ACA enrollees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aca-credits-health-care-subsidies-government-shutdown-7f7a3609bf78dd7e43be9a041a090220" rel="nofollow">is still unknown</a>, even with open enrollment beginning in a week.Though CMS didn’t specify for how long the employees will return, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicare-part-d-prescription-coverage-enrollment-8cf0b1460e84367cdba7002147165a50" rel="nofollow">open enrollment period for Medicare</a>&nbsp;runs between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7, while the open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act marketplace runs between Nov. 1 and Jan. 15.While the agency didn’t answer questions about how many employees would return to work, about 3,300 of CMS’s staff, or a little over half, were expected to be retained during the shutdown, according to the agency’s contingency plans. That would mean about 3,000 furloughed workers are being called back to work Monday.While CMS has not seen any layoffs during the current shutdown, its parent agency — the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — was among the hardest hit by the government-wide reduction in force. Nearly 1,000 HHS staff were abruptly fired earlier this month, though a judge has temporarily paused those layoffs from taking effe

Some furloughed workers will return to manage health insurance open enrollment 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military is sending an aircraft carrier to the waters off South America, in the latest escalation and buildup of military forces in the region, the Pentagon announced Friday.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group to deploy to U.S. Southern Command to “bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a social media post.

The USS Ford is currently deployed to the Mediterranean Sea along with three destroyers. It would likely take several days for the ships to make the journey to South America.

Deploying an aircraft carrier is a major escalation of military power in a region that has already seen an unusually&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-buildup-caribbean-venezuela-ships-troops-810f6181371f53536c723ea562c5277c">large U.S. military buildup</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and the waters off Venezuela.

Hours before Parnell announced the news, Hegseth said the military had conducted the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">10th strike on a suspected drug-running boat</a>, leaving six people dead and bringing the death count for the strikes that began in early September to at least 43 people.

The Pentagon told reporters it had nothing further to add beyond the statement.

Hegseth said the vessel struck overnight was operated by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-caribbean-rubio-trump-tren-de-aragua-9e0dac7dee5a3fb14a16370508fc460d">Tren de Aragua gang</a>. It was the second time the Trump administration has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-rubio-trump-0f901b2a30ee20e314bcab1385ffb0c0">tied one of its operations to the gang</a>&nbsp;that originated in a Venezuelan prison.

The pace of the strikes has quickened in recent days from one every few weeks when they first began to three this week, killing a total of at least 43 people since September.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-drug-boat-strike-ffb1b720fa018336316238463924b78a">Two of the most recent strikes</a>&nbsp;were carried out in the eastern Pacific Ocean, expanding the area where the military has launched attacks and shifting to where much of the cocaine from the world’s largest producers is smuggled.

In a 20-second black and white video of the strike posted to social media, a small boat can be seen apparently sitting motionless on the water when a long thin projectile descends, triggering an explosion. The video ends before the blast dies down enough for the remains of the boat to be seen again.

Hegseth said the strike happened in international waters and boasted that it was the first one conducted at night.

“If you are a narco-terrorist smuggling drugs in our hemisphere, we will treat you like we treat Al-Qaeda,” Hegseth said in the post. “Day or NIGHT, we will map your networks, track your people, hunt you down, and kill you.”

The strike drew parallels to the first announced by the U.S. last month by focusing on Tren de Aragua, which the Trump administration has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-foreign-terrorist-organizations-eb35567b69fc66f13f7f79fb90906a50">designated a foreign terrorist organization</a>&nbsp;and blamed for being at the root of the violence and drug dealing that plague some cities.

While not mentioning the origin of the latest boat, the Republican administration says at least four of the boats it has hit have come from Venezuela.

The attacks and an unusually&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-buildup-caribbean-venezuela-ships-troops-810f6181371f53536c723ea562c5277c">large U.S. military buildup</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and the waters off Venezuela have raised speculation that the administration could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-strike-caribbean-drug-trafficking-trump-1061debe2f983ef7bc9666d3f002b3a0">try to topple Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro</a>, who faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f">charges of narcoterrorism in the U.S.</a>

In the latest move, the U.S. military&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-maduro-supersonic-bombers-03b246ca6cf7ed9fa6d39e1f716b1754">flew a pair of supersonic heavy bombers</a>&nbsp;up to the coast of Venezuela on Thursday.

The Trump administration maintains that it’s combating drug trafficking into the United States, but Maduro argues that the operations are the latest effort to force him out of office.

Maduro on Thursday praised security forces and a civilian militia for defense exercises along some 2,000 kilometers (about 1,200 miles) of coastline to prepare for the possibility of a U.S. attack.

In the span of six hours, “100% of all the country’s coastline was covered in real time, with all the equipment and heavy weapons to defend all of Venezuela’s coasts if necessary,” Maduro said during a government event shown on state television.

The U.S. military’s presence is less about drugs than sending a message to countries in the region to align with U.S. interests, according to Elizabeth Dickinson, the International Crisis Group’s senior analyst for the Andes region.

“An expression that I’m hearing a lot is ‘Drugs are the excuse.’ And everyone knows that,” Dickinson said. “And I think that message is very clear in regional capitals. So the messaging here is that the U.S. is intent on pursuing specific objectives. And it will use military force against leaders and countries that don’t fall in line.”

Comparing the drug crackdown to the war on terror

Hegseth’s remarks around the strikes have recently begun to draw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e">a direct comparison</a>&nbsp;between the war on terrorism that the U.S. declared after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the Trump administration’s crackdown on drug traffickers.

President Donald Trump this month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">declared drug cartels to be unlawful combatants</a>&nbsp;and said the U.S. was in an “armed conflict” with them, relying on the same legal authority used by the Bush administration after 9/11.

When reporters asked Trump on Thursday whether he would request Congress issue a declaration of war against the cartels, he said that wasn’t the plan.

“I think we’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country, OK? We’re going to kill them, you know? They’re going to be like, dead,” Trump said during a roundtable at the White House with homeland security officials.

Lawmakers from both major political parties have expressed concerns about Trump ordering the military actions without receiving authorization from Congress or providing many details. Democrats have insisted the strikes violate international law.

“I’ve never seen anything quite like this before,” said Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., who previously worked in the Pentagon and the State Department, including as an adviser in Afghanistan.

“We have no idea how far this is going, how this could potentially bring in, you know, is it going to be boots on the ground? Is it going to be escalatory in a way where we could see us get bogged down for a long time?” he said.

But Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, who has long been involved in foreign affairs in the hemisphere, said of Trump’s approach: “It’s about time.”

While Trump is a president who “obviously hates war,” he also is not afraid to use the U.S. military in targeted operations, Diaz-Balart said.

“I would not want to be in the shoes of any of these narco-cartels,” he added.

Associated Press writers Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, and Ben Finley and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696803172229.png" alt="File photo The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in mid October 2024-photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in mid October 2024-photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military is sending an aircraft carrier to the waters off South America, in the latest escalation and buildup of military forces in the region, the Pentagon announced Friday.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group to deploy to U.S. Southern Command to “bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a social media post.The USS Ford is currently deployed to the Mediterranean Sea along with three destroyers. It would likely take several days for the ships to make the journey to South America.Deploying an aircraft carrier is a major escalation of military power in a region that has already seen an unusually&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-buildup-caribbean-venezuela-ships-troops-810f6181371f53536c723ea562c5277c">large U.S. military buildup</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and the waters off Venezuela.Hours before Parnell announced the news, Hegseth said the military had conducted the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">10th strike on a suspected drug-running boat</a>, leaving six people dead and bringing the death count for the strikes that began in early September to at least 43 people.The Pentagon told reporters it had nothing further to add beyond the statement.Hegseth said the vessel struck overnight was operated by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-caribbean-rubio-trump-tren-de-aragua-9e0dac7dee5a3fb14a16370508fc460d">Tren de Aragua gang</a>. It was the second time the Trump administration has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-rubio-trump-0f901b2a30ee20e314bcab1385ffb0c0">tied one of its operations to the gang</a>&nbsp;that originated in a Venezuelan prison.The pace of the strikes has quickened in recent days from one every few weeks when they first began to three this week, killing a total of at least 43 people since September.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-drug-boat-strike-ffb1b720fa018336316238463924b78a">Two of the most recent strikes</a>&nbsp;were carried out in the eastern Pacific Ocean, expanding the area where the military has launched attacks and shifting to where much of the cocaine from the world’s largest producers is smuggled.In a 20-second black and white video of the strike posted to social media, a small boat can be seen apparently sitting motionless on the water when a long thin projectile descends, triggering an explosion. The video ends before the blast dies down enough for the remains of the boat to be seen again.Hegseth said the strike happened in international waters and boasted that it was the first one conducted at night.“If you are a narco-terrorist smuggling drugs in our hemisphere, we will treat you like we treat Al-Qaeda,” Hegseth said in the post. “Day or NIGHT, we will map your networks, track your people, hunt you down, and kill you.”<h2>US focus on Venezuela and Tren de Aragua</h2>The strike drew parallels to the first announced by the U.S. last month by focusing on Tren de Aragua, which the Trump administration has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-foreign-terrorist-organizations-eb35567b69fc66f13f7f79fb90906a50">designated a foreign terrorist organization</a>&nbsp;and blamed for being at the root of the violence and drug dealing that plague some cities.While not mentioning the origin of the latest boat, the Republican administration says at least four of the boats it has hit have come from Venezuela.The attacks and an unusually&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-buildup-caribbean-venezuela-ships-troops-810f6181371f53536c723ea562c5277c">large U.S. military buildup</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and the waters off Venezuela have raised speculation that the administration could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-strike-caribbean-drug-trafficking-trump-1061debe2f983ef7bc9666d3f002b3a0">try to topple Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro</a>, who faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f">charges of narcoterrorism in the U.S.</a>In the latest move, the U.S. military&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-maduro-supersonic-bombers-03b246ca6cf7ed9fa6d39e1f716b1754">flew a pair of supersonic heavy bombers</a>&nbsp;up to the coast of Venezuela on Thursday.The Trump administration maintains that it’s combating drug trafficking into the United States, but Maduro argues that the operations are the latest effort to force him out of office.Maduro on Thursday praised security forces and a civilian militia for defense exercises along some 2,000 kilometers (about 1,200 miles) of coastline to prepare for the possibility of a U.S. attack.In the span of six hours, “100% of all the country’s coastline was covered in real time, with all the equipment and heavy weapons to defend all of Venezuela’s coasts if necessary,” Maduro said during a government event shown on state television.The U.S. military’s presence is less about drugs than sending a message to countries in the region to align with U.S. interests, according to Elizabeth Dickinson, the International Crisis Group’s senior analyst for the Andes region.“An expression that I’m hearing a lot is ‘Drugs are the excuse.’ And everyone knows that,” Dickinson said. “And I think that message is very clear in regional capitals. So the messaging here is that the U.S. is intent on pursuing specific objectives. And it will use military force against leaders and countries that don’t fall in line.”<h2>Comparing the drug crackdown to the war on terror</h2>Hegseth’s remarks around the strikes have recently begun to draw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e">a direct comparison</a>&nbsp;between the war on terrorism that the U.S. declared after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the Trump administration’s crackdown on drug traffickers.President Donald Trump this month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">declared drug cartels to be unlawful combatants</a>&nbsp;and said the U.S. was in an “armed conflict” with them, relying on the same legal authority used by the Bush administration after 9/11.When reporters asked Trump on Thursday whether he would request Congress issue a declaration of war against the cartels, he said that wasn’t the plan.“I think we’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country, OK? We’re going to kill them, you know? They’re going to be like, dead,” Trump said during a roundtable at the White House with homeland security officials.Lawmakers from both major political parties have expressed concerns about Trump ordering the military actions without receiving authorization from Congress or providing many details. Democrats have insisted the strikes violate international law.“I’ve never seen anything quite like this before,” said Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., who previously worked in the Pentagon and the State Department, including as an adviser in Afghanistan.“We have no idea how far this is going, how this could potentially bring in, you know, is it going to be boots on the ground? Is it going to be escalatory in a way where we could see us get bogged down for a long time?” he said.But Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, who has long been involved in foreign affairs in the hemisphere, said of Trump’s approach: “It’s about time.”While Trump is a president who “obviously hates war,” he also is not afraid to use the U.S. military in targeted operations, Diaz-Balart said.“I would not want to be in the shoes of any of these narco-cartels,” he added.___Associated Press writers Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, and Ben Finley and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.___

Drug war: US sending aircraft carrier to Latin America 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a shooting&nbsp; in Wichita continue asking the public for help to locate&nbsp;16-year-old Cesar Govea, according to a statement from Wichita Police.

Govea is wanted in connection with a shooting on August 24, that injured his 16-year-old ex-girlfriend and a 17-year-old boy. The victims were inside a vehicle near Wichita and Waterwalk when Govea opened fire.

Govea is considered armed and dangerous. Do not approach him.

If you know his whereabouts, do not approach him and call 911 immediately. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756165563203.png" alt="Govea photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Govea photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a shooting&nbsp; in Wichita continue asking the public for help to locate&nbsp;16-year-old Cesar Govea, according to a statement from Wichita Police.Govea is wanted in connection with a shooting on August 24, that injured his 16-year-old ex-girlfriend and a 17-year-old boy. The victims were inside a vehicle near Wichita and Waterwalk when Govea opened fire.Govea is considered armed and dangerous. Do not approach him.If you know his whereabouts, do not approach him and call 911 immediately. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Hiding 2 months: Kan. teen accused of shooting ex-girlfriend 

JOHNSON COUNTY—A Kansas boy injured when a vehicle struck the electric scooter he was riding on October 13 has died.

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/prayers-and-support-for-duke-ommert">Click here to see the online fundraiser</a>

At approximately 6 p.m. on Monday, emergency crews responded to an injury crash on Lee Boulevard just north of W 103rd Street, according to a media release from Leawood Police.

Duke Ommert, a 4th grader at Brockwood Elementary in Leawood, was on an e-scooter crossing Lee Boulevard in Leawood after an afternoon of playing with friends when he was struck by a vehicle, according to the online fundraiser.

He had a severe head injury and a fractured leg from the crash. He was taken to an area hospital before being transferred to Children's Mercy. He died earlier this week, according to the online fundraiser.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761301582903.png" alt="Duke Ommert-photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Duke Ommert-photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—A Kansas boy injured when a vehicle struck the electric scooter he was riding on October 13 has died.<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/prayers-and-support-for-duke-ommert">Click here to see the online fundraiser</a>At approximately 6 p.m. on Monday, emergency crews responded to an injury crash on Lee Boulevard just north of W 103rd Street, according to a media release from Leawood Police.Duke Ommert, a 4th grader at Brockwood Elementary in Leawood, was on an e-scooter crossing Lee Boulevard in Leawood after an afternoon of playing with friends when he was struck by a vehicle, according to the online fundraiser.He had a severe head injury and a fractured leg from the crash. He was taken to an area hospital before being transferred to Children's Mercy. He died earlier this week, according to the online fundraiser.

Kan. boy dies days after struck by a car while riding a scooter

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-social-security-administration" rel="nofollow">Social Security</a>&nbsp;cost-of-living increase will go up by 2.8% in 2026, which translates to an average increase of more than $56 for retirees every month, agency officials said Friday.

The benefits increase for nearly 71 million Social Security recipients will go into effect beginning in January. And increased payments to nearly 7.5 million people receiving Supplemental Security Income will begin on Dec. 31.

Friday’s announcement was meant to be made last week but was delayed because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown" rel="nofollow">the federal government shutdown</a>.

<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/news/press/factsheets/colafacts2025.pdf" target="_blank">The cost-of-living adjustment</a>, or COLA, for retirees and disabled beneficiaries is financed by payroll taxes collected from workers and their employers, up to a certain annual salary, which is slated to increase to $184,500 in 2026, from $176,100 in 2025.

Recipients received&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-cost-of-living-inflation-increase-e25d292b6c0af80fc9cce9d309e48f02" rel="nofollow">a 2.5% cost-of-living boost in 2025</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-cost-of-living-adjustment-cola-ef9255c0da3c3d2391dadac4515db2e7" rel="nofollow">a 3.2% increase in their benefits</a>&nbsp;in 2024, after a historically large&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-cola-increase-8778d4aa9da4102edc79762ea622196f" rel="nofollow">8.7% benefit increase</a>&nbsp;in 2023, brought on by record&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/inflation" rel="nofollow">40-year-high inflation</a>.

The smaller increase for 2026 reflects moderating inflation.

Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano said in a statement Friday that the annual cost of living adjustment “is one way we are working to make sure benefits reflect today’s economic realities and continue to provide a foundation of security.”

Emerson Sprick, the Bipartisan Policy Center’s director of retirement and labor policy, said in a statement that cost-of-living increases “can’t solve all the financial challenges households face or all the shortcomings of the program.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-social-security-administration" rel="nofollow">Social Security</a>&nbsp;cost-of-living increase will go up by 2.8% in 2026, which translates to an average increase of more than $56 for retirees every month, agency officials said Friday.The benefits increase for nearly 71 million Social Security recipients will go into effect beginning in January. And increased payments to nearly 7.5 million people receiving Supplemental Security Income will begin on Dec. 31.Friday’s announcement was meant to be made last week but was delayed because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown" rel="nofollow">the federal government shutdown</a>.<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/news/press/factsheets/colafacts2025.pdf" target="_blank">The cost-of-living adjustment</a>, or COLA, for retirees and disabled beneficiaries is financed by payroll taxes collected from workers and their employers, up to a certain annual salary, which is slated to increase to $184,500 in 2026, from $176,100 in 2025.Recipients received&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-cost-of-living-inflation-increase-e25d292b6c0af80fc9cce9d309e48f02" rel="nofollow">a 2.5% cost-of-living boost in 2025</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-cost-of-living-adjustment-cola-ef9255c0da3c3d2391dadac4515db2e7" rel="nofollow">a 3.2% increase in their benefits</a>&nbsp;in 2024, after a historically large&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-cola-increase-8778d4aa9da4102edc79762ea622196f" rel="nofollow">8.7% benefit increase</a>&nbsp;in 2023, brought on by record&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/inflation" rel="nofollow">40-year-high inflation</a>.The smaller increase for 2026 reflects moderating inflation.Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano said in a statement Friday that the annual cost of living adjustment “is one way we are working to make sure benefits reflect today’s economic realities and continue to provide a foundation of security.”Emerson Sprick, the Bipartisan Policy Center’s director of retirement and labor policy, said in a statement that cost-of-living increases “can’t solve all the financial challenges households face or all the shortcomings of the program.”

Social Security COLA for 2026 revealed following government shutdown delay

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the U.S. military conducted its 10th strike on a vessel suspected of carrying drugs overnight, killing six people and bringing the death toll of the campaign against drug cartels to at least 46 people.

In a post to social media, Hegseth said that the vessel was operated by the Tren de Aragua gang and the strike occurred in the Caribbean.

The pace of the strikes has quickened in recent days from one every few weeks in September when they first began to three in one week now.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-drug-boat-strike-ffb1b720fa018336316238463924b78a" rel="nofollow">Two of the strikes this week</a>&nbsp;were also carried out in the eastern Pacific, expanding the area in which the military was willing to conduct the strikes.

(Click below to watch President Trump's answer on a possible declaration of war for the drug boat attacks)

In a 20-second black and white video of the strike that was posted to social media, a small boat can be seen apparently sitting motionless on the water when a long thin projectile descends on it resulting in an explosion. The video ends before the explosion dies down enough for the remains of the boat to become visible again.

In his post, Hegseth said that the strike was conducted in international waters and boasted that it was the first one conducted at night.

The strike also came hours after the U.S. military&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-maduro-supersonic-bombers-03b246ca6cf7ed9fa6d39e1f716b1754" rel="nofollow">flew a pair of supersonic, heavy bombers</a>&nbsp;up to the coast of Venezuela on Thursday. The flight was just the most recent move in what has been an unusually large military buildup in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d" rel="nofollow">the Caribbean Sea</a>&nbsp;and the waters off Venezuela that has raised speculation that President Donald Trump could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-strike-caribbean-drug-trafficking-trump-1061debe2f983ef7bc9666d3f002b3a0" rel="nofollow">try to topple Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro</a>. Maduro faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f" rel="nofollow">charges of narcoterrorism in the U.S.</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the U.S. military conducted its 10th strike on a vessel suspected of carrying drugs overnight, killing six people and bringing the death toll of the campaign against drug cartels to at least 46 people.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Overnight, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Tren de Aragua (TdA), a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO), trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean Sea. The vessel was known by our… <a href="https://t.co/lVlw0FLBv4">pic.twitter.com/lVlw0FLBv4</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1981706596972372446?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a post to social media, Hegseth said that the vessel was operated by the Tren de Aragua gang and the strike occurred in the Caribbean.The pace of the strikes has quickened in recent days from one every few weeks in September when they first began to three in one week now.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-drug-boat-strike-ffb1b720fa018336316238463924b78a" rel="nofollow">Two of the strikes this week</a>&nbsp;were also carried out in the eastern Pacific, expanding the area in which the military was willing to conduct the strikes.(Click below to watch President Trump's answer on a possible declaration of war for the drug boat attacks)<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Drugs = Dead <a href="https://t.co/rbM8IgsOFU">pic.twitter.com/rbM8IgsOFU</a>&mdash; Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/1981553144099147809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a 20-second black and white video of the strike that was posted to social media, a small boat can be seen apparently sitting motionless on the water when a long thin projectile descends on it resulting in an explosion. The video ends before the explosion dies down enough for the remains of the boat to become visible again.In his post, Hegseth said that the strike was conducted in international waters and boasted that it was the first one conducted at night.“If you are a narco-terrorist smuggling drugs in our hemisphere, we will treat you like we treat Al-Qaeda,” Hegseth said in the post. “Day or NIGHT, we will map your networks, track your people, hunt you down, and kill you.”The strike also came hours after the U.S. military&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-maduro-supersonic-bombers-03b246ca6cf7ed9fa6d39e1f716b1754" rel="nofollow">flew a pair of supersonic, heavy bombers</a>&nbsp;up to the coast of Venezuela on Thursday. The flight was just the most recent move in what has been an unusually large military buildup in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d" rel="nofollow">the Caribbean Sea</a>&nbsp;and the waters off Venezuela that has raised speculation that President Donald Trump could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-strike-caribbean-drug-trafficking-trump-1061debe2f983ef7bc9666d3f002b3a0" rel="nofollow">try to topple Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro</a>. Maduro faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f" rel="nofollow">charges of narcoterrorism in the U.S.</a>

🎥Trump: They're going to be like, dead; U.S. strikes another drug boat 

LYON COUNTY —Law enforcement ar investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a high-speed chase.

Just after 9p.m. Oct. 22, the Kansas Highway Patrol asked police in Emporia to assist in locating a suspected intoxicated driver operating a white Chevy Tahoe with temporary tags, according to a media release from police. The vehicle was located at the Dollar General store at 1202 E. 12th Avenue, Emporia.

Officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop as the vehicle left the business, but the driver, later identified as 38-year-old Brandon E. Mangus, refused to comply. A pursuit ensued through the northeast and east-central areas of Emporia, continuing north on Highway 99 into Lyon County.

The pursuit was brought to a safe conclusion after the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office successfully deployed stop sticks, deflating all four tires of the suspect’s vehicle. Mangus was taken into custody without further incident and transported to the Lyon County Jail. He is being held on multiple requested charges including felony flee and elude, reckless driving, and driving while suspended.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761251633793.png" alt="Mangus photo Lyon County" />
 <figcaption>Mangus photo Lyon County</figcaption>
 </figure>LYON COUNTY —Law enforcement ar investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a high-speed chase.Just after 9p.m. Oct. 22, the Kansas Highway Patrol asked police in Emporia to assist in locating a suspected intoxicated driver operating a white Chevy Tahoe with temporary tags, according to a media release from police. The vehicle was located at the Dollar General store at 1202 E. 12th Avenue, Emporia.Officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop as the vehicle left the business, but the driver, later identified as 38-year-old Brandon E. Mangus, refused to comply. A pursuit ensued through the northeast and east-central areas of Emporia, continuing north on Highway 99 into Lyon County.The pursuit was brought to a safe conclusion after the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office successfully deployed stop sticks, deflating all four tires of the suspect’s vehicle. Mangus was taken into custody without further incident and transported to the Lyon County Jail. He is being held on multiple requested charges including felony flee and elude, reckless driving, and driving while suspended.

Suspected intoxicated Kan. driver jailed after chase

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a deadly shooting at a youth football game in Wichita.

Just afater 7p.m. Thursday,&nbsp; police responded to a shooting at Grove Park, also know as Glen Day Park, located in the 2800 block of North Grove in Wichita, according to a statement from police.

An off-duty detective was on scene working security for the youth football game with an estimated 200 to 300 spectators in attendance.

During the event, the off duty detective heard the gunshots and responded to the direction of where the shots were fired. A 32-year-old man was located near the parking area suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body.&nbsp;

The off-duty detective immediately began providing life-saving measures until EMS arrived. The victim was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased&nbsp;at 7:29 p.m.

Police had no suspect description available early Friday.

Investigators are asking anyone who may have witnessed this incident or has information to contact the Wichita Police Department Investigations Section at&nbsp;316-268-4407. Those wishing to remain anonymous can submit tips through Crime Stoppers at&nbsp;316-267-2111

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761306486802.png" alt="Image courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a deadly shooting at a youth football game in Wichita.Just afater 7p.m. Thursday,&nbsp; police responded to a shooting at Grove Park, also know as Glen Day Park, located in the 2800 block of North Grove in Wichita, according to a statement from police.An off-duty detective was on scene working security for the youth football game with an estimated 200 to 300 spectators in attendance.During the event, the off duty detective heard the gunshots and responded to the direction of where the shots were fired. A 32-year-old man was located near the parking area suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761306884484.png" alt="Image courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>The off-duty detective immediately began providing life-saving measures until EMS arrived. The victim was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased&nbsp;at 7:29 p.m.Police had no suspect description available early Friday.Investigators are asking anyone who may have witnessed this incident or has information to contact the Wichita Police Department Investigations Section at&nbsp;316-268-4407. Those wishing to remain anonymous can submit tips through Crime Stoppers at&nbsp;316-267-2111

Kansas man dies after shooting near youth football game

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A third suspect accused in a fatal drug overdose involving a 15-year-old Kansas girl&nbsp; is no longer in custody.

Danielle D. Wheeler, 53, made her first court appearance on Tuesday and was charged with&nbsp; involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment in the death of 15-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cozine.com/obituaries/kennedy-herren" target="_blank">Kennedy Herren</a>, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

Just after 10a.m. Wednesday, she was booked into the Sedgwick County jail. She met the requirement of bond and was released just after 5p.m. Wednesday, according to online jail records.

On September 14, police responded to the report of a deceased 15-year-old in Wichita, according to a media release from police. The investigation determined the death of Kennedy Herren was the result of a drug overdose.

Since then, Wichita police overdose analyst worked to pursue justice and ensure accountability for the people responsible for this senseless death.&nbsp;

On October 15,&nbsp;K-9 officers arrested 24-year-old Isaac L. Hord and on October 19 they arrested 24-year-old Niklas Wiley in connection with this case. 

They have both been harged with first-degree murder and aggravated  endangering a child. Wiley is also facing charges of criminal sodomy,&nbsp; sexual exploitation of a child and&nbsp; aggravated indecent liberties with a child, according to the district attorney's office.

Both remain in custody in the Sedgwick Count Jail on a one-million dollar bond, according to online jail records.

All three suspects are scheduled to return to court on November 3.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760610637070.png" alt="Hord photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Hord photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A third suspect accused in a fatal drug overdose involving a 15-year-old Kansas girl&nbsp; is no longer in custody.Danielle D. Wheeler, 53, made her first court appearance on Tuesday and was charged with&nbsp; involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment in the death of 15-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cozine.com/obituaries/kennedy-herren" target="_blank">Kennedy Herren</a>, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761260796231.png" alt="Wheeler photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Wheeler photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 10a.m. Wednesday, she was booked into the Sedgwick County jail. She met the requirement of bond and was released just after 5p.m. Wednesday, according to online jail records.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761079684304.png" alt="<a href="https://www.cozine.com/obituaries/kennedy-herren" target="_blank">Kennedy Herren</a>&nbsp;-photo courtesy Cozine Memorial Group" />
 <figcaption><a href="https://www.cozine.com/obituaries/kennedy-herren" target="_blank">Kennedy Herren</a>&nbsp;-photo courtesy Cozine Memorial Group</figcaption>
 </figure>On September 14, police responded to the report of a deceased 15-year-old in Wichita, according to a media release from police. The investigation determined the death of Kennedy Herren was the result of a drug overdose.Since then, Wichita police overdose analyst worked to pursue justice and ensure accountability for the people responsible for this senseless death.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761265375529.png" alt="Wiley-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Wiley-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>On October 15,&nbsp;K-9 officers arrested 24-year-old Isaac L. Hord and on October 19 they arrested 24-year-old Niklas Wiley in connection with this case. They have both been harged with first-degree murder and aggravated endangering a child. Wiley is also facing charges of criminal sodomy,&nbsp; sexual exploitation of a child and&nbsp; aggravated indecent liberties with a child, according to the district attorney's office.Both remain in custody in the Sedgwick Count Jail on a one-million dollar bond, according to online jail records.All three suspects are scheduled to return to court on November 3.

Woman accused in Kan. teen's overdose death is out of jail

Portland Trail Blazers head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trail-blazers-chauncey-billups-57c920d0fcace5dbce25cd474468cd40">Chauncey Billups</a>, Miami Heat guard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/terry-rozier">Terry Rozier</a>&nbsp;and former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rozier-billups-jones-betting-arrests-4241238cb43d998f1b9eac47b8d326a7">Damon Jones</a>&nbsp;are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-terry-rozier-gambling-probe-de98ecb76bb8f13b85f4c5ac62f66221">among 34 people charged</a>&nbsp;in connection with schemes involving illegal sports betting and rigged poker games backed by the Mafia, authorities said on Thursday.

<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eT7xaYmsbTNbHsaP1mTkMy2MSPYQiV0G/view">Click here to read the complete charging documents.</a>

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

FBI Director Kash Patel and other law enforcement officials said the multiple charges involve four of the five leading mafia families and organized crime networks, and “mind-boggling” amounts of fraud. Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, accused the FBI of aiming for “misplaced glory” by embarrassing the professional athlete with a perp walk, rather than allowing him to self-surrender.

More defendants appear in federal court in Brooklyn

Roughly 20 of the defendants — from alleged high-ranking mobsters to money launderers — appeared in Brooklyn federal court late Thursday. Most pleaded not guilty during packed court hearings attended by family members.

Many of those charged with violent crimes or with lengthy criminal records and ties to organized crime were detained.

Others, including some of the poker players who participated in the rigged games, were released on bond.

Defense attorney discusses Rozier exit from 2023 game key to case

Rozier’s attorney told reporters outside the federal courthouse after Thursday’s hearing about the March 23, 2023, game between Charlotte and New Orleans that was the focus of the charges. The NBA star played the first 9 minutes and 36 seconds in the first quarter before exiting and did not play again in that game or the final eight games of the season.

Some bettors were furious with sportsbooks, posting on social media that something “shady” had gone on regarding the prop bets involving Rozier’s stats for that night.

Trusty said that Rozier had confided in several people that he was injured that night.

“He’s like, ‘Why am I going to make this injury worse? I shouldn’t be playing,’” Trusty said.

Rozier was interviewed twice during an NBA investigation, and officials downloaded his phone, Trusty said.

“And at the end of the day, they said, ‘There’s nothing to see here,’ and cleared him,” Trusty said. “And that was a very professional investigation. It wasn’t something that was perfunctory.”

Billups made his first federal court appearance in Portland on Thursday afternoon, wearing a brown hooded sweatshirt as he sat next to his attorney before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jolie Russo.

Lawyers from both sides told the judge they have agreed on Billups’ release from custody pending trial on certain conditions.

Under the release conditions, Billups must secure “a substantial bond” with the court in the Eastern District of New York, where the case was filed; abide by certain travel restrictions; and surrender his passport, among others. He is also prohibited from gambling related activity. The dollar amount of the bond was not discussed during the court hearing.

Billups’ attorney, Chris Heywood, declined to comment after the hearing.

Rozier attorney describes ‘chicaner’ by prosecutors and federal agents

Trusty, Rozier’s attorney, described what he said was “chicanery” of prosecutors and federal agents. The defense attorney said he got a predawn call saying that federal agents were downstairs at Rozier’s hotel in downtown Orlando and that the attorney should call his client to tell him to go downstairs.

Within minutes, federal agents were at the door to Rozier’s hotel room, Trusty told the judge.

“It has had a damaging effect on his career,” Trusty said.

Another condition of Rozier’s release is that he can have no contact with any others named in the indictment, as well as any listed individuals the government provides.

Judge says Rozier can be released by putting house up as bond and surrendering passport

A federal magistrate judge said Thursday that Rozier could be released from custody by putting up his Florida home as bond and surrendering his passport. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Norway also restricted Rozier’s travel to the continental United States and prohibited him from gambling as conditions for his release.

Federal prosecutors had asked for a $10 million bond but Rozier’s attorney said that was excessive given that the NBA star had no prior record.

“I think it’s Draconian,” said Jim Trusty, Rozier’s attorney. “He is a man of high character.”

In court, Rozier wore a black Charlotte Hornets sweatshirt with green lettering and was shackled and handcuffed. He didn’t speak much except when answering basic questions from the judge.

Rozier is facing two counts: conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Hu. Each count carries no more than 20 years in prison.

Trail Blazers name Tiago Splitter as interim head coach

Assistant coach and former NBA player Tiago Splitter has been named as the team’s interim head coach, according to a statement released Thursday by the Portland Trail Blazers.

“We are aware of the allegations involving head coach Chauncey Billups, and the Trail Blazers are fully cooperating with the investigation. Billups has been placed on immediate leave, and Tiago Splitter will assume head coaching duties in the interim. Any further questions should be directed to the NBA,” the brief statement said.

The six defendants in the sports betting indictment include former NBA player and coach Damon Jones, current NBA player Terry Rozier, one of Rozier’s close friends. Two of the defendants portrayed themselves on Instagram as successful sports bettors and sold sports betting picks through their profiles, according to the indictment.

Jones is also a defendant in the rigged poker game indictment, as is Portland Trail Blazers Coach Chauncey Billups.

The 31 defendants named in the second indictment include 12 people who are identified as either members or associates of the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese or Lucchese Crime Families.

Portland Trail Blazers cancel scheduled practice

The Portland Trail Blazers canceled their scheduled practice on Thursday.

The team is set to play its first game without head coach Chauncey Billups on Friday night at Portland’s Moda Center against the Golden State Warriors.

Indictments describe several unnamed NBA players

The indictments contain the description of several unnamed NBA players whose injury status and availability for certain games were the source of betting activity. Those players are not accused of any wrongdoing and there is no indication that they would have even known what was being said about their status for those games.

Those players include LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard. Their identities are clear based on a review of corresponding injury reports surrounding games mentioned in the indictment.

The indictments show that certain defendants shared information about the availability of those players in games on March 24, 2023, involving the Portland Trail Blazers, and two in 2023 and 2024 involving the Los Angeles Lakers.

For the Portland game, defendant Eric Earnest, investigators said, was given information that a player who had been listed as probable and then questionable to play that day would not play at all. Those details perfectly match how Lillard was listed on injury reports that day.Similar patterns were found with Lakers games involving James and Davis, with Jones alleged to have shared their injury information before it was publicly known. In one of the cases, investigators said, Jones got the details wrong and caused some bettors who placed large wagers to lose.

Prosecutors ask judge to detain 13 defendants

Federal prosecutors asked a judge to detain 13 defendants pending trial, including six reputed crime family members, and to not release other defendants unless they post substantial bonds.

“The Court should consider that each of those defendants has taken a lifetime oath to commit crimes and put their crime families above all else,” prosecutors said about the alleged mob associates in a court filing. “Those crime families have a long history of committing crimes, including obstruction of justice.”

Court documents describe violent encounter at poker game run by Gambino associate

Court documents also describe a violent encounter in 2023 at a poker game in Manhattan run by a Gambino crime family associate. Two members of rival crime families that had a poker game in another location on the same night busted into the Gambino associate’s game armed with a gun and baton, sparked a brawl and assaulted the Gambino member, the documents say.

Court documents say proceeds from the rigged card games were laundered through shell companies and cryptocurrency.

FanDuel calls allegations ‘deeply disturbing’

FanDuel, one of the largest sportsbooks, released a statement expressing its concern over Thursday’s developments.

“Today’s events are deeply disturbing, and should concern fans, athletes, and everyone who loves sports and values integrity and fair play,” the company said. “They also illustrate the stark contrast between legal and illegal betting markets. At FanDuel, we use advanced technology and real-time monitoring to identify suspicious activity and work closely with leagues, data monitoring groups, and law enforcement. We are unwavering in our commitment to rooting out abuses by those who seek to undermine fair competition and the games we love.”

The National Basketball Players Association said it would do all it can to protect the league’s players, including Rozier.

“The integrity of the game is paramount to NBA players, but so is the presumption of innocence, and both are hindered when player popularity is misused to gain attention,” the union said. “We will ensure our members are protected and afforded their due process rights through this process.“

Black Sox, Ohtani’s interpreter and more: A look at notable sports betting scandals

Betting scandals have been a concern for professional sports leagues for as long as they’ve existed, but a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f3fa1f71b8f44378a7e2c51d321b13b4">U.S. Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;in May 2018 has led to a wave of gambling incidents involving athletes and officials.

The ruling struck down a federal law that barred sports betting in most states and opened the doors for online sportsbooks to take up a prominent space in the sports ecosystem.

▶ Here is a lineup of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-gambling-suspensions-nba-mlb-nhl-54b526162ebd86b1f1d8886cc46efc6b">betting scandals involving pro sports</a>

What polling shows Americans think about legal sports betting

As legalized&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/sports-betting">sports betting</a>&nbsp;expands, recent polling suggests Americans are increasingly critical of its role in U.S. society and sports — although they’re more tolerant of it for professional sports.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biggest-sports-betting-scandals-0098b62195eab133d4d03f143db42445">Betting scandals</a>&nbsp;have multiplied since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f3fa1f71b8f44378a7e2c51d321b13b4">a U.S. Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;in May 2018 struck down a federal law that barred sports betting in most states. Waves of cases have involved athletes and officials — including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-terry-rozier-gambling-probe-de98ecb76bb8f13b85f4c5ac62f66221">those arrested Thursday</a>.

In the years since the Supreme Court’s ruling, sports betting has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-sports-betting-taxes-571a3fe28a9986ff8f4a4334f71b783f">brought revenue to state governments</a>, but it’s also prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-baseball-coach-fired-bets-bohannon-0471b144a9348caa456a22cab23b9a8b">concerns about the potential for wrongdoing</a>, as well as the impact on athletes.

▶ Read about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-betting-gambling-poll-b7a989cf5ad01f4e224a3f62cecabbeb">what polls suggest Americans think about the impact of legal sports betting</a>

FBI probe poked at the massive industry in legal sports betting

The indictments unsealed in New York create a massive cloud for the NBA — which opened its season this week — and show how certain types of wagers are vulnerable to massive fraud in the growing, multi-billion-dollar legal sports-betting industry.

“We’re talking about tens of millions of dollars in fraud and theft and robbery across a multi-year investigation,” FBI Director Kash Patel said. “This is the insider trader saga of the NBA — that’s why we are going to take heat for this.”

Former NBA assistant coach Damon Jones also charged

Jones is accused in both indictments announced Thursday — of participating in rigged poker games as well as an illegal sports betting scheme using private insider NBA information.

Messages were left Thursday at a phone number and email address listed in public records for Jones.

Jones, 49, has been coaching since at least 2014 after an 11-year NBA playing career. He was an unofficial assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2022-23 when he allegedly was involved with the sports betting scheme, according to the indictment.

Jones is from Galveston, Texas, and played for Houston in college before suiting up in New Jersey, Boston, Golden State, Dallas, Vancouver, Detroit, Sacramento, Milwaukee, Miami and Cleveland. He also worked as a TV analyst for ESPN in 2018.

Authorities say Jones was coached — in real time — about how to play his hands during the poker games, and that at one point, he snapped back, saying: “Y’all know I know what I’m doing!! Let me hibachi like Gilbert Arenas.”

Billups was winning so much, he had to lose on purpose, prosecutors say

The detention memo says Billups and Damon Jones, a former NBA player, served as “face cards” in the scheme, luring victims drawn by the chance to play alongside former professional athletes. Others were charged with supplying the cheating technology, or arranging the underground games and bringing in the “fish” as well as big-money players known as “whales.”

Text messages between the defendants as they carried out their scheme show that in one such game in Las Vegas on April 2019, Billups was winning so many improbable hands with the help of a rigged shuffling machine that his overseers said he needed to lose on purpose, to avoid being suspected of cheating.

Following another rigged game in October 2020, Billups was wired $50,000 for his participation, the memo states.