SHERMAN COUNTY —The cold weather provided the perfect conditions for a rare&nbsp;atmospheric optical phenomenon late Thursday.

The National Weather Service in Goodland shared a photo of light pillars seen from their headquarters at 920 Armory Road.

"It's gotten pretty cold, but the nice treat was worth it. Light pillars coming from town with our sign in the foreground."

Light pillars form when a bright light source reflects off the surfaces of millions of falling ice crystals associated with thin, high-level clouds, for example, cirrostratus clouds, according to the National Weather Service.

Overnight temperatures Thursday in northwest Kansas were in the single digits with wind chill temperatures well below zero. The forecast calls for Friday night low temperature around -8 in Goodland.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705069872735.png" alt="Photo NWS Goodland" />
 <figcaption>Photo NWS Goodland</figcaption>
 </figure>SHERMAN COUNTY —The cold weather provided the perfect conditions for a rare&nbsp;atmospheric optical phenomenon late Thursday.The National Weather Service in Goodland shared a photo of light pillars seen from their headquarters at 920 Armory Road."It's gotten pretty cold, but the nice treat was worth it. Light pillars coming from town with our sign in the foreground."Light pillars form when a bright light source reflects off the surfaces of millions of falling ice crystals associated with thin, high-level clouds, for example, cirrostratus clouds, according to the National Weather Service.Overnight temperatures Thursday in northwest Kansas were in the single digits with wind chill temperatures well below zero. The forecast calls for Friday night low temperature around -8 in Goodland.

Light pillars dazzle in the extreme NW Kansas cold

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels vowed fierce retaliation Friday for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">American and British strikes against them</a>, further raising the prospect of a wider conflict in a region already beset by Israel's war in Gaza.

The bombardment — launched in response to a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">campaign of drone and missile attacks</a>&nbsp;on commercial ships in the vital Red Sea — killed at least five people and wounded six, the Houthis said.

As the bombing lit the predawn sky over multiple sites held by the Iranian-backed rebels, it forced the world to again focus on Yemen's yearslong war, which began when the Houthis seized the country's capital.

Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's offensive in Gaza against Hamas</a>. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade and energy shipments.

Though the Biden administration and its allies have tried to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-iran-hezbollah-yemen-0373be2e21b5a832d71f5bf828f67959">calm tensions in the Middle East</a>&nbsp;for weeks and prevent any wider conflict, the strikes threatened to ignite one.

Saudi Arabia — which supports the government-in-exile that the Houthis are fighting — quickly sought to distance itself from the attacks as it seeks to maintain a delicate détente with Iran and a cease-fire it has in Yemen.

The Houthis’ military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, said in a recorded address that the strikes would "not go unanswered or unpunished.”

He said strikes on regions of Yemen under their control killed five and wounded six from the rebels’ military forces. It remained unclear how extensive the damage was, though the Houthis said at least five sites, including airfields, had been attacked.

The United Kingdom said strikes hit a site in Bani allegedly used by the Houthis to launch drones and an airfield in Abbs used to launch cruise missiles and drones.

Hussein al-Ezzi, a Houthi official in their Foreign Ministry, that “America and Britain will undoubtedly have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences of this blatant aggression.”

The Red Sea route is a crucial waterway, and attacks there have caused severe disruptions to global trade. Benchmark Brent crude oil traded up some 4% Friday at over $80 a barrel. Tesla, meanwhile, said it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-germany-factory-production-halt-red-sea-2a13fa207ac3d4670264e47bba427e10">temporarily halt</a>&nbsp;most production at its German factory because of attacks in the Red Sea.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy acknowledged an attack days earlier on a ship in the far reaches of the Indian Ocean — an attack that may signal Iran's willingness to strike vessels as part of a wider maritime campaign over the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Tehran on Thursday separately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/persian-gulf-oman-strait-hormuz-3a906e909be2ce63c87c1b208ed05baa">seized another tanker</a>.

In Saada, the Houthis' stronghold in northwest Yemen, hundreds gathered for a rally Friday, denouncing the U.S. and Israel. Another drew thousands in Sanaa, the capital.

Yemen has been targeted by U.S. military action over the last four American presidencies. A campaign of drone strikes began under President George W. Bush to target the local affiliate of al-Qaida, attacks that have continued under the Biden administration. Meanwhile, the U.S. has launched raids and other military operations amid the ongoing war in Yemen.

That war began when the Houthis swept into Sanaa in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition including the United Arab Emirates launched a war to back Yemen's exiled government in 2015, quickly morphing the conflict into a regional confrontation as Iran backed the Houthis with weapons and other support.

That war, however, has slowed as the Houthis maintain their grip on the territory they hold. In March, Saudi Arabia reached a Chinese-mediated deal to restart relations with Iran in hopes of ultimately withdrawing from the war.

However, an overall deal has yet to be reached, likely sparking Saudi Arabia's expression Friday of “great concern” over the airstrikes.

“While the kingdom stresses the importance of preserving the security and stability of the Red Sea region ... it calls for restraint and avoiding escalation,” its Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Iran condemned the attack in a statement from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani.

“Arbitrary attacks will have no result other than fueling insecurity and instability in the region," he said.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning called on nations not to escalate tensions in the Red Sea.

Oman, long a regional interlocutor for the U.S. and the West with Iran, condemned the airstrikes. It called the attack a “great concern while Israel continued its brutal war and siege of the Gaza Strip without accountability or punishment.”

Meanwhile Friday, the U.S. Navy confirmed an attack days earlier near the coasts of India and Sri Lanka. The chemical tanker Pacific Gold was struck Jan. 4 by what the Navy called “an Iranian one-way attack” drone, causing some damage to the vessel but no injuries.

The Pacific Gold is managed by Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping, a company that is ultimately controlled by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer. Iran itself has not acknowledged carrying out the attack.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699124273212.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels vowed fierce retaliation Friday for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">American and British strikes against them</a>, further raising the prospect of a wider conflict in a region already beset by Israel's war in Gaza.The bombardment — launched in response to a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">campaign of drone and missile attacks</a>&nbsp;on commercial ships in the vital Red Sea — killed at least five people and wounded six, the Houthis said.As the bombing lit the predawn sky over multiple sites held by the Iranian-backed rebels, it forced the world to again focus on Yemen's yearslong war, which began when the Houthis seized the country's capital.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's offensive in Gaza against Hamas</a>. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade and energy shipments.Though the Biden administration and its allies have tried to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-iran-hezbollah-yemen-0373be2e21b5a832d71f5bf828f67959">calm tensions in the Middle East</a>&nbsp;for weeks and prevent any wider conflict, the strikes threatened to ignite one.Saudi Arabia — which supports the government-in-exile that the Houthis are fighting — quickly sought to distance itself from the attacks as it seeks to maintain a delicate détente with Iran and a cease-fire it has in Yemen.The Houthis’ military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, said in a recorded address that the strikes would "not go unanswered or unpunished.”He said strikes on regions of Yemen under their control killed five and wounded six from the rebels’ military forces. It remained unclear how extensive the damage was, though the Houthis said at least five sites, including airfields, had been attacked.The United Kingdom said strikes hit a site in Bani allegedly used by the Houthis to launch drones and an airfield in Abbs used to launch cruise missiles and drones.Hussein al-Ezzi, a Houthi official in their Foreign Ministry, that “America and Britain will undoubtedly have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences of this blatant aggression.”The Red Sea route is a crucial waterway, and attacks there have caused severe disruptions to global trade. Benchmark Brent crude oil traded up some 4% Friday at over $80 a barrel. Tesla, meanwhile, said it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-germany-factory-production-halt-red-sea-2a13fa207ac3d4670264e47bba427e10">temporarily halt</a>&nbsp;most production at its German factory because of attacks in the Red Sea.Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy acknowledged an attack days earlier on a ship in the far reaches of the Indian Ocean — an attack that may signal Iran's willingness to strike vessels as part of a wider maritime campaign over the Israel-Hamas conflict.Tehran on Thursday separately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/persian-gulf-oman-strait-hormuz-3a906e909be2ce63c87c1b208ed05baa">seized another tanker</a>.In Saada, the Houthis' stronghold in northwest Yemen, hundreds gathered for a rally Friday, denouncing the U.S. and Israel. Another drew thousands in Sanaa, the capital.Yemen has been targeted by U.S. military action over the last four American presidencies. A campaign of drone strikes began under President George W. Bush to target the local affiliate of al-Qaida, attacks that have continued under the Biden administration. Meanwhile, the U.S. has launched raids and other military operations amid the ongoing war in Yemen.That war began when the Houthis swept into Sanaa in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition including the United Arab Emirates launched a war to back Yemen's exiled government in 2015, quickly morphing the conflict into a regional confrontation as Iran backed the Houthis with weapons and other support.That war, however, has slowed as the Houthis maintain their grip on the territory they hold. In March, Saudi Arabia reached a Chinese-mediated deal to restart relations with Iran in hopes of ultimately withdrawing from the war.However, an overall deal has yet to be reached, likely sparking Saudi Arabia's expression Friday of “great concern” over the airstrikes.“While the kingdom stresses the importance of preserving the security and stability of the Red Sea region ... it calls for restraint and avoiding escalation,” its Foreign Ministry said in a statement.Iran condemned the attack in a statement from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani.“Arbitrary attacks will have no result other than fueling insecurity and instability in the region," he said.In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning called on nations not to escalate tensions in the Red Sea.Oman, long a regional interlocutor for the U.S. and the West with Iran, condemned the airstrikes. It called the attack a “great concern while Israel continued its brutal war and siege of the Gaza Strip without accountability or punishment.”Meanwhile Friday, the U.S. Navy confirmed an attack days earlier near the coasts of India and Sri Lanka. The chemical tanker Pacific Gold was struck Jan. 4 by what the Navy called “an Iranian one-way attack” drone, causing some damage to the vessel but no injuries.The Pacific Gold is managed by Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping, a company that is ultimately controlled by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer. Iran itself has not acknowledged carrying out the attack.

Mideast crisis: Rebels vow fierce retaliation against U.S. 

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after an arrest.

This week, a police officer was proactively patrolling in Lenexa when he stopped to investigate a suspicious car parked in a hotel parking lot around 95th and I-35 highway, according to a social media report from Lenexa Police.

During the officer's investigation, he was able to learn that the car was stolen and also identified a couple of suspects who were staying at the hotel.

While officers were investigating the matter, the two suspects were located outside the hotel. Officers detained one suspect, but a female suspect stole another vehicle and drove off, nearly striking officers. 

A short time later, officers located that vehicle abandoned near 92nd and Antioch in Overland Park. 

Together, Lenexa and Overland Park officers worked to secure a perimeter in the area with the hopes the female suspect would "hunker down" and hide. 

Officers used a police K9 and drone to search the area, while rain and snow began falling. A Lenexa detective eventually located the woman hiding in a vehicle.

The Johnson County District Attorney's Office has since charged the male suspect with identity theft, theft, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The female was also charged with 2 counts of aggravated assault on a police officer, possession of methamphetamine, felony theft, and interference with law enforcement. 

Additionally. officers also uncovered evidence of check fraud occurring by one of the suspects.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704996942621.png" alt="Image Lenexa Police" />
 <figcaption>Image Lenexa Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after an arrest.This week, a police officer was proactively patrolling in Lenexa when he stopped to investigate a suspicious car parked in a hotel parking lot around 95th and I-35 highway, according to a social media report from Lenexa Police.During the officer's investigation, he was able to learn that the car was stolen and also identified a couple of suspects who were staying at the hotel.While officers were investigating the matter, the two suspects were located outside the hotel. Officers detained one suspect, but a female suspect stole another vehicle and drove off, nearly striking officers. A short time later, officers located that vehicle abandoned near 92nd and Antioch in Overland Park. Together, Lenexa and Overland Park officers worked to secure a perimeter in the area with the hopes the female suspect would "hunker down" and hide. Officers used a police K9 and drone to search the area, while rain and snow began falling. A Lenexa detective eventually located the woman hiding in a vehicle.The Johnson County District Attorney's Office has since charged the male suspect with identity theft, theft, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The female was also charged with 2 counts of aggravated assault on a police officer, possession of methamphetamine, felony theft, and interference with law enforcement. Additionally. officers also uncovered evidence of check fraud occurring by one of the suspects.

Wanted woman nearly struck Kan. officer with stolen vehicle

NEW YORK (AP) — Barred from giving a formal closing argument,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;wrested an opportunity to speak in court at the conclusion of his New York&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">civil fraud trial</a>&nbsp;Thursday, unleashing a barrage of attacks in a six-minute diatribe before being cut off by the judge.

In an extraordinary move for any defendant, Trump not only sought to make his own summation but then brushed past a question from the judge about whether he would follow rules requiring him to keep his remarks focused on matters related to the trial.

“I am an innocent man,” Trump protested. “I’m being persecuted by someone running for office, and I think you have to go outside the bounds.”

Judge Arthur Engoron let him continue almost uninterrupted for what amounted to a brief personal summation, then cut him off for a scheduled lunch break.

Trump's in-court remarks, which were not televised, ensured a tumultuous final day for a trial over allegations that he habitually exaggerated his wealth on financial statements, deceiving a bank and insurance companies into giving him plum deals.

Engoron said he hoped to have a verdict by Jan. 31. He is deciding the case because state law doesn’t allow for juries in this type of lawsuit.

New York Attorney General Letitia James sued Trump in 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-sued-new-york-letitia-james-ec6b3b91b6c8594495ada7d0a2b80a2f">under a state law</a>&nbsp;that gives her broad power to investigate allegations of persistent fraud in business dealings. She wants the judge to impose $370 million in penalties and forbid Trump from doing business in New York.

Adding to the day's tension, the exchanges took place hours after authorities&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/swatting-calls-marjorie-taylor-greene-rick-scott-d568818925c99c8cf17467f737b99e97">responded to a bomb threat</a>&nbsp;at the judge’s house in New York City's suburbs. The scare didn't delay the start of court proceedings, and Engoron didn't mention it in court.

Trump, the leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination, has disparaged Engoron throughout the trial, accusing him in a social media post Wednesday night of working closely with James. Both she and Engoron are Democrats.

The court action came days before the presidential primary season kicks off with the Monday's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-caucuses-trump-desantis-haley-president-dd99db756efd940a7822157e1e9b09e8">Iowa caucuses</a>.

Engoron had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-trial-closing-arguments-420997f889922423dbce8a0945f0c348">rejected an unusual plan</a>&nbsp;by Trump to deliver his own closing remarks in the courtroom, in addition to summations from his legal team. The sticking point was that Trump's lawyers would not agree to the judge’s demand that he stick to “relevant” matters and not try to introduce new evidence, make a campaign speech or lob personal attacks at the judge, James or the court system.

After three Trump lawyers delivered traditional closing arguments Thursday, one of them, Christopher Kise, asked the judge again whether Trump could speak. Engoron asked Trump whether he would abide by the guidelines.

Trump didn't agree to do so, instead launching into his remarks.

“What’s happened here, sir, is a fraud on me," Trump said, claiming he was being targeted by officials who “want to make sure I don't win again.” He later accused the judge of not listening to him: “I know this is boring to you.”

“Control your client,” Engoron warned Kise.

Engoron then told Trump he had a minute left, let him speak a little more, and then adjourned.

James later said she wasn't bothered by Trump's personal attacks.

“This case has never been about politics or personal vendetta or about name-calling,” she said outside court. "This case is about the facts and the law. And Mr. Donald Trump violated the law.”

A lawyer for her office, Kevin Wallace, had argued in court that “fraud was central to the operation" of Trump's business. Wallace asserted that inflating Trump’s fortune led to interest rate savings that “kept the company afloat” for a time when it was spending big on various projects, though Kise objected that there was no testimony to that effect.

The state insisted that the falsehoods were intentional and that Trump should be held accountable for them.

“Ask yourself: Would any of this persistent fraud have happened, over the course of 11 years, if it wasn’t directed from the top by Mr. Trump?” state lawyer Andrew Amer posited during summations.

Trump skipped the state's closing arguments to hold a news conference that served as counter-programming. He reiterated his insistence that “they have no case.”

His lawyers had argued as much in their summations. Kise said Trump “should get a medal” for his business acumen instead of a potential punishment he deemed the “corporate death penalty.”

While he acknowledged that Trump's financial statements may have made “immaterial” overstatements about some of his holdings, the lawyer maintained that many assets "were undervalued by substantial sums.”

The day began with police on Long Island checking out what they called a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/swatting-calls-marjorie-taylor-greene-rick-scott-d568818925c99c8cf17467f737b99e97">“swatting incident</a>&nbsp;at Engoron’s home. Nassau County police said they found nothing amiss.

The false report came days after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-judge-swatting-threats-fe70d2254f2da4a1cb9e6e55c79e1d40">fake emergency call</a>&nbsp;reporting a shooting at the home of the judge in Trump’s Washington, D.C., criminal case. The incidents are among a recent spate of similar false reports at the homes of public officials.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-letitia-james-fraud-lawsuit-1569245a9284427117b8d3ba5da74249">Engoron</a>&nbsp;ruled before the trial that Trump had committed years of fraud by lying about his riches on financial statements with tricks like claiming his Trump Tower penthouse was nearly three times its actual size.

The trial involves six undecided claims of conspiracy, insurance fraud and falsifying business records. Trump’s company and two of his sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., are also defendants. Eric Trump was also in court for closing arguments.

In a ruling last month, the judge suggested he’s inclined to find Trump and his co-defendants liable on at least some claims. Assets can be valued in different ways, the judge wrote, "but a lie is still a lie.”

However, Engoron asked the state lawyers Thursday what evidence they had that Trump's sons knew of the alleged fraud. “I just haven't seen it,” the judge said.

Amer responded that the sons, as top executives, bore responsibility even if they claimed to be unaware of the purported wrongdoing.

Since the trial began Oct. 2, the former president has gone to court nine times to observe, testify and complain to TV cameras about the case.

He clashed with Engoron and state lawyers during 3½ hours&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-trial-testimony-dca74420da0f92ee9bc9caff7a92c3b2">on the witness stand in November</a>&nbsp;and remains under a limited gag order after making a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-letitia-james-fraud-lawsuit-new-york-371675a2482c1de01f516f29b5a43d33">disparaging and false social media post about the judge's law clerk</a>.

On Tuesday, he was in court in Washington, D.C., to watch appeals court arguments over whether he is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jan-6-justice-department-special-counsel-f82dbd294cd7b963dd69f1ecdf90aded">immune from prosecution</a>&nbsp;on charges that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">plotted to overturn</a>&nbsp;the 2020 election — one of four criminal cases against him. Trump has pleaded not guilty.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705058384379.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Barred from giving a formal closing argument,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;wrested an opportunity to speak in court at the conclusion of his New York&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">civil fraud trial</a>&nbsp;Thursday, unleashing a barrage of attacks in a six-minute diatribe before being cut off by the judge.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump: &quot;My legal issues, every one of them, every one, civil and the criminal ones, are set up by Joe Biden, crooked Joe Biden.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/AlHyZ3hF5o">pic.twitter.com/AlHyZ3hF5o</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1745533927777792336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump: &quot;I want to go to all of my trials. These are all set up by Biden and the Democrats. This is their new form of cheating.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/mV7mLJt6qt">pic.twitter.com/mV7mLJt6qt</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1745533998267269122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In an extraordinary move for any defendant, Trump not only sought to make his own summation but then brushed past a question from the judge about whether he would follow rules requiring him to keep his remarks focused on matters related to the trial.“I am an innocent man,” Trump protested. “I’m being persecuted by someone running for office, and I think you have to go outside the bounds.”Judge Arthur Engoron let him continue almost uninterrupted for what amounted to a brief personal summation, then cut him off for a scheduled lunch break.Trump's in-court remarks, which were not televised, ensured a tumultuous final day for a trial over allegations that he habitually exaggerated his wealth on financial statements, deceiving a bank and insurance companies into giving him plum deals.Engoron said he hoped to have a verdict by Jan. 31. He is deciding the case because state law doesn’t allow for juries in this type of lawsuit.New York Attorney General Letitia James sued Trump in 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-sued-new-york-letitia-james-ec6b3b91b6c8594495ada7d0a2b80a2f">under a state law</a>&nbsp;that gives her broad power to investigate allegations of persistent fraud in business dealings. She wants the judge to impose $370 million in penalties and forbid Trump from doing business in New York.Adding to the day's tension, the exchanges took place hours after authorities&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/swatting-calls-marjorie-taylor-greene-rick-scott-d568818925c99c8cf17467f737b99e97">responded to a bomb threat</a>&nbsp;at the judge’s house in New York City's suburbs. The scare didn't delay the start of court proceedings, and Engoron didn't mention it in court.Trump, the leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination, has disparaged Engoron throughout the trial, accusing him in a social media post Wednesday night of working closely with James. Both she and Engoron are Democrats.The court action came days before the presidential primary season kicks off with the Monday's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-caucuses-trump-desantis-haley-president-dd99db756efd940a7822157e1e9b09e8">Iowa caucuses</a>.Engoron had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-trial-closing-arguments-420997f889922423dbce8a0945f0c348">rejected an unusual plan</a>&nbsp;by Trump to deliver his own closing remarks in the courtroom, in addition to summations from his legal team. The sticking point was that Trump's lawyers would not agree to the judge’s demand that he stick to “relevant” matters and not try to introduce new evidence, make a campaign speech or lob personal attacks at the judge, James or the court system.After three Trump lawyers delivered traditional closing arguments Thursday, one of them, Christopher Kise, asked the judge again whether Trump could speak. Engoron asked Trump whether he would abide by the guidelines.Trump didn't agree to do so, instead launching into his remarks.“What’s happened here, sir, is a fraud on me," Trump said, claiming he was being targeted by officials who “want to make sure I don't win again.” He later accused the judge of not listening to him: “I know this is boring to you.”“Control your client,” Engoron warned Kise.Engoron then told Trump he had a minute left, let him speak a little more, and then adjourned.James later said she wasn't bothered by Trump's personal attacks.“This case has never been about politics or personal vendetta or about name-calling,” she said outside court. "This case is about the facts and the law. And Mr. Donald Trump violated the law.”A lawyer for her office, Kevin Wallace, had argued in court that “fraud was central to the operation" of Trump's business. Wallace asserted that inflating Trump’s fortune led to interest rate savings that “kept the company afloat” for a time when it was spending big on various projects, though Kise objected that there was no testimony to that effect.The state insisted that the falsehoods were intentional and that Trump should be held accountable for them.“Ask yourself: Would any of this persistent fraud have happened, over the course of 11 years, if it wasn’t directed from the top by Mr. Trump?” state lawyer Andrew Amer posited during summations.Trump skipped the state's closing arguments to hold a news conference that served as counter-programming. He reiterated his insistence that “they have no case.”His lawyers had argued as much in their summations. Kise said Trump “should get a medal” for his business acumen instead of a potential punishment he deemed the “corporate death penalty.”While he acknowledged that Trump's financial statements may have made “immaterial” overstatements about some of his holdings, the lawyer maintained that many assets "were undervalued by substantial sums.”The day began with police on Long Island checking out what they called a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/swatting-calls-marjorie-taylor-greene-rick-scott-d568818925c99c8cf17467f737b99e97">“swatting incident</a>&nbsp;at Engoron’s home. Nassau County police said they found nothing amiss.The false report came days after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-judge-swatting-threats-fe70d2254f2da4a1cb9e6e55c79e1d40">fake emergency call</a>&nbsp;reporting a shooting at the home of the judge in Trump’s Washington, D.C., criminal case. The incidents are among a recent spate of similar false reports at the homes of public officials.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-letitia-james-fraud-lawsuit-1569245a9284427117b8d3ba5da74249">Engoron</a>&nbsp;ruled before the trial that Trump had committed years of fraud by lying about his riches on financial statements with tricks like claiming his Trump Tower penthouse was nearly three times its actual size.The trial involves six undecided claims of conspiracy, insurance fraud and falsifying business records. Trump’s company and two of his sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., are also defendants. Eric Trump was also in court for closing arguments.In a ruling last month, the judge suggested he’s inclined to find Trump and his co-defendants liable on at least some claims. Assets can be valued in different ways, the judge wrote, "but a lie is still a lie.”However, Engoron asked the state lawyers Thursday what evidence they had that Trump's sons knew of the alleged fraud. “I just haven't seen it,” the judge said.Amer responded that the sons, as top executives, bore responsibility even if they claimed to be unaware of the purported wrongdoing.Since the trial began Oct. 2, the former president has gone to court nine times to observe, testify and complain to TV cameras about the case.He clashed with Engoron and state lawyers during 3½ hours&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-trial-testimony-dca74420da0f92ee9bc9caff7a92c3b2">on the witness stand in November</a>&nbsp;and remains under a limited gag order after making a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-letitia-james-fraud-lawsuit-new-york-371675a2482c1de01f516f29b5a43d33">disparaging and false social media post about the judge's law clerk</a>.On Tuesday, he was in court in Washington, D.C., to watch appeals court arguments over whether he is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jan-6-justice-department-special-counsel-f82dbd294cd7b963dd69f1ecdf90aded">immune from prosecution</a>&nbsp;on charges that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">plotted to overturn</a>&nbsp;the 2020 election — one of four criminal cases against him. Trump has pleaded not guilty.___

🎥Trump: Legal woes are Biden, Democratic Party 'new form of cheating'

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of a house fire that injured two.

Just after 10a.m. Thursday, crews responded to a reported house fire in the 3000 block of College Avenue in Kansas City, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

First responders observed heavy smoke and fire from the two-story residence. During the initial search of the home crews discovered an occupant on a rear stairwell who had been overcome by the heavy smoke conditions. 

Firefighters quickly extricated&nbsp; the 60-year-old man from the home. He was treated and evaluated on scene by KCFD EMS before being transported in serious condition to a local hospital for further evaluation. 

&nbsp;KCFD was able to get the fire under control at approximately 1040a.m&nbsp; One firefighter was also transported for evaluation of minor injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705000632770.png" alt="Photos KCFD" />
 <figcaption>Photos KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of a house fire that injured two.Just after 10a.m. Thursday, crews responded to a reported house fire in the 3000 block of College Avenue in Kansas City, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.First responders observed heavy smoke and fire from the two-story residence. During the initial search of the home crews discovered an occupant on a rear stairwell who had been overcome by the heavy smoke conditions. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705000663280.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Firefighters quickly extricated&nbsp; the 60-year-old man from the home. He was treated and evaluated on scene by KCFD EMS before being transported in serious condition to a local hospital for further evaluation. &nbsp;KCFD was able to get the fire under control at approximately 1040a.m&nbsp; One firefighter was also transported for evaluation of minor injuries.

Man in serious condition after pulled from KC house fire

&nbsp;WASHINGTON —U.S. and British militaries are bombing more than a dozen sites used by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, in a massive retaliatory strike using warship-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets.

In a statement from the White House, President Biden said," at my direction, U.S. military forces—together with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands—successfully conducted strikes against a number of targets in Yemen used by Houthi rebels to endanger freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways."

"These strikes are in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea—including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history. These attacks have endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners, and our partners, jeopardized trade, and threatened freedom of navigation. More than 50 nations have been affected in 27 attacks on international commercial shipping."

"Crews from more than 20 countries have been threatened or taken hostage in acts of piracy.&nbsp; More than 2,000 ships have been forced to divert thousands of miles to avoid the Red Sea—which can cause weeks of delays in product shipping times. And on January 9, Houthis launched their largest attack to date—directly targeting American ships.The response of the international community to these reckless attacks has been united and resolute."

"Last month, the United States launched Operation Prosperity Guardian—a coalition of more than 20 nations committed to defending international shipping and deterring Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.&nbsp; We also joined more than 40 nations in condemning Houthi threats."

"Last week, together with 13 allies and partners, we issued an unequivocal warning that Houthi rebels would bear the consequences if their attacks did not cease. And yesterday, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution demanding the Houthis end attacks on merchant and commercial vessels.Today’s (Thursday) defensive action follows this extensive diplomatic campaign and Houthi rebels’ escalating attacks against commercial vessels."

"These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes. I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary."

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and British militaries were bombing more than a dozen sites used by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen on Thursday, in a massive retaliatory strike using warship-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets, several U.S. officials told The Associated Press. The military targets included logistical hubs, air defense systems and weapons storage and launching locations, they said.

Associated Press journalists in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, heard four explosions early Friday local time but saw no sign of warplanes. Two residents of Hodieda, Amin Ali Saleh and Hani Ahmed, said they heard five strong explosions hitting the western port area of the city, which lies on the Red Sea and is the largest port city controlled by the Houthis. Explosions also were heard by residents of Taiz, a southwestern city near the Red Sea.

The strikes marked the first U.S. military response to what has been a persistent campaign of drone and missile attacks on commercial ships since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. And the coordinated military assault comes just a week after the White House and a host of partner nations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-israel-hamas-houthis-red-sea-fef8d446852b6eae33d38ffd8f6b2d64">issued a final warning</a>&nbsp;to the Houthis to cease the attacks or face potential military action. The officials confirmed the strikes on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. Members of Congress were briefed earlier Thursday on the strike plans.

The warning appeared to have had at least some short-lived impact, as attacks stopped for several days. On Tuesday, however, the Houthi rebels fired their largest-ever barrage of drones and missiles&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-shipping-houthi-attacks-drones-missiles-1acc4ca5ebcaf6fee932a2061d451f59">targeting shipping in the Red Sea</a>, with U.S. and British ships and American fighter jets responding by shooting down 18 drones, two cruise missiles and an anti-ship missile. And on Thursday, the Houthis fired an anti-ship ballistic missile into the Gulf of Aden, which was seen by a commercial ship but did not hit the ship.

The rebels, who have carried out 27 attacks involving dozens of drones and missiles just since Nov. 19, said Thursday that any attack by American forces on its sites in Yemen will spark a fierce military response.

“The response to any American attack will not only be at the level of the operation that was recently carried out with more than 24 drones and several missiles,” said Abdel Malek al-Houthi, the group’s supreme leader, during an hour-long speech. “It will be greater than that.”

The Houthis say their assaults are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/israel-hamas-war-yemen-red-sea-rebellions-and-uprisings-yemen-government-35148e6fbef64ec8b6fa074d4da2551c">aimed at stopping Israel’s war on Hamas</a>&nbsp;in the Gaza Strip. But their targets increasingly have little or no connection to Israel and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-yemen-houthis-attack-ships-f67d941c260528ac40315ecab4c34ca3">imperil a crucial trade route</a>&nbsp;linking Asia and the Middle East with Europe.

Meanwhile, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution Wednesday that demanded the Houthis immediately cease the attacks and implicitly condemned their weapons supplier, Iran. It was approved by a vote of 11-0 with four abstentions — by Russia, China, Algeria and Mozambique.

Britain’s participation in the strikes underscored the Biden administration’s effort to use a broad international coalition to battle the Houthis, rather than appear to be going it alone. More than 20 nations are already participating in a U.S.-led maritime mission to increase ship protection in the Red Sea.

U.S. officials for weeks had declined to signal when international patience would run out and they would strike back at the Houthis, even as multiple commercial vessels were struck by missiles and drones, prompting companies to look at rerouting their ships.

On Wednesday, however, U.S. officials again warned of consequences.

“I’m not going to telegraph or preview anything that might happen,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters during a stop in Bahrain. He said the U.S. has made clear “that if this continues as it did yesterday, there will be consequences. And I’m going to leave it at that.”

The Biden administration’s reluctance over the past several months to retaliate reflected political sensitivities and stemmed largely from broader worries about upending the shaky truce in Yemen and triggering a wider conflict in the region. The White House wants to preserve the truce and has been wary of taking action in Yemen that could open up another war front.

The impact on international shipping and the escalating attacks, however, triggered the coalition warning, which was signed by the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom. Separately, the U.S. called on the United Nations Security Council to take action against the Houthis and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-un-yemen-houthis-shipping-red-sea-08d42a18873ce55979c755ea1a9cc1b5">warned their financier Iran</a>&nbsp;that it has a choice to make about continuing to provide support to the rebels.

Transit through the Red Sea, from the Suez Canal to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, is a crucial shipping lane for global commerce. About 12% of the world’s trade typically passes through the waterway that separates Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, including oil, natural gas, grain and everything from toys to electronics.

In response to the attacks, the U.S. created a new maritime security mission, dubbed Operation Prosperity Guardian, to increase security in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden, with about 22 countries are participating. U.S. warships, and those from other nations, have been routinely sailing back and forth through the narrow strait to provide protection for ships and to deter attacks. The coalition has also ramped up airborne surveillance.

The decision to set up the expanded patrol operation came after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-houthi-yemen-ships-attack-israel-hamas-war-gaza-strip-716770f0a780160e9abed98d3c48fbde">three commercial vessels were struck by missiles</a>&nbsp;fired by Houthis in Yemen on Dec. 3.

The Pentagon increased its military presence in the region after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel to deter Iran from widening the war into a regional conflict, including by the Houthis and Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696968173377.png" alt="File photo White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;WASHINGTON —U.S. and British militaries are bombing more than a dozen sites used by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, in a massive retaliatory strike using warship-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets.In a statement from the White House, President Biden said," at my direction, U.S. military forces—together with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands—successfully conducted strikes against a number of targets in Yemen used by Houthi rebels to endanger freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways.""These strikes are in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea—including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history. These attacks have endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners, and our partners, jeopardized trade, and threatened freedom of navigation. More than 50 nations have been affected in 27 attacks on international commercial shipping.""Crews from more than 20 countries have been threatened or taken hostage in acts of piracy.&nbsp; More than 2,000 ships have been forced to divert thousands of miles to avoid the Red Sea—which can cause weeks of delays in product shipping times. And on January 9, Houthis launched their largest attack to date—directly targeting American ships.The response of the international community to these reckless attacks has been united and resolute.""Last month, the United States launched Operation Prosperity Guardian—a coalition of more than 20 nations committed to defending international shipping and deterring Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.&nbsp; We also joined more than 40 nations in condemning Houthi threats.""Last week, together with 13 allies and partners, we issued an unequivocal warning that Houthi rebels would bear the consequences if their attacks did not cease. And yesterday, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution demanding the Houthis end attacks on merchant and commercial vessels.Today’s (Thursday) defensive action follows this extensive diplomatic campaign and Houthi rebels’ escalating attacks against commercial vessels.""These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes. I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary."------------WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and British militaries were bombing more than a dozen sites used by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen on Thursday, in a massive retaliatory strike using warship-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets, several U.S. officials told The Associated Press. The military targets included logistical hubs, air defense systems and weapons storage and launching locations, they said.Associated Press journalists in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, heard four explosions early Friday local time but saw no sign of warplanes. Two residents of Hodieda, Amin Ali Saleh and Hani Ahmed, said they heard five strong explosions hitting the western port area of the city, which lies on the Red Sea and is the largest port city controlled by the Houthis. Explosions also were heard by residents of Taiz, a southwestern city near the Red Sea.The strikes marked the first U.S. military response to what has been a persistent campaign of drone and missile attacks on commercial ships since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. And the coordinated military assault comes just a week after the White House and a host of partner nations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-israel-hamas-houthis-red-sea-fef8d446852b6eae33d38ffd8f6b2d64">issued a final warning</a>&nbsp;to the Houthis to cease the attacks or face potential military action. The officials confirmed the strikes on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. Members of Congress were briefed earlier Thursday on the strike plans.The warning appeared to have had at least some short-lived impact, as attacks stopped for several days. On Tuesday, however, the Houthi rebels fired their largest-ever barrage of drones and missiles&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-shipping-houthi-attacks-drones-missiles-1acc4ca5ebcaf6fee932a2061d451f59">targeting shipping in the Red Sea</a>, with U.S. and British ships and American fighter jets responding by shooting down 18 drones, two cruise missiles and an anti-ship missile. And on Thursday, the Houthis fired an anti-ship ballistic missile into the Gulf of Aden, which was seen by a commercial ship but did not hit the ship.The rebels, who have carried out 27 attacks involving dozens of drones and missiles just since Nov. 19, said Thursday that any attack by American forces on its sites in Yemen will spark a fierce military response.“The response to any American attack will not only be at the level of the operation that was recently carried out with more than 24 drones and several missiles,” said Abdel Malek al-Houthi, the group’s supreme leader, during an hour-long speech. “It will be greater than that.”The Houthis say their assaults are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/israel-hamas-war-yemen-red-sea-rebellions-and-uprisings-yemen-government-35148e6fbef64ec8b6fa074d4da2551c">aimed at stopping Israel’s war on Hamas</a>&nbsp;in the Gaza Strip. But their targets increasingly have little or no connection to Israel and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-yemen-houthis-attack-ships-f67d941c260528ac40315ecab4c34ca3">imperil a crucial trade route</a>&nbsp;linking Asia and the Middle East with Europe.Meanwhile, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution Wednesday that demanded the Houthis immediately cease the attacks and implicitly condemned their weapons supplier, Iran. It was approved by a vote of 11-0 with four abstentions — by Russia, China, Algeria and Mozambique.Britain’s participation in the strikes underscored the Biden administration’s effort to use a broad international coalition to battle the Houthis, rather than appear to be going it alone. More than 20 nations are already participating in a U.S.-led maritime mission to increase ship protection in the Red Sea.U.S. officials for weeks had declined to signal when international patience would run out and they would strike back at the Houthis, even as multiple commercial vessels were struck by missiles and drones, prompting companies to look at rerouting their ships.On Wednesday, however, U.S. officials again warned of consequences.“I’m not going to telegraph or preview anything that might happen,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters during a stop in Bahrain. He said the U.S. has made clear “that if this continues as it did yesterday, there will be consequences. And I’m going to leave it at that.”The Biden administration’s reluctance over the past several months to retaliate reflected political sensitivities and stemmed largely from broader worries about upending the shaky truce in Yemen and triggering a wider conflict in the region. The White House wants to preserve the truce and has been wary of taking action in Yemen that could open up another war front.The impact on international shipping and the escalating attacks, however, triggered the coalition warning, which was signed by the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom. Separately, the U.S. called on the United Nations Security Council to take action against the Houthis and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-un-yemen-houthis-shipping-red-sea-08d42a18873ce55979c755ea1a9cc1b5">warned their financier Iran</a>&nbsp;that it has a choice to make about continuing to provide support to the rebels.Transit through the Red Sea, from the Suez Canal to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, is a crucial shipping lane for global commerce. About 12% of the world’s trade typically passes through the waterway that separates Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, including oil, natural gas, grain and everything from toys to electronics.In response to the attacks, the U.S. created a new maritime security mission, dubbed Operation Prosperity Guardian, to increase security in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden, with about 22 countries are participating. U.S. warships, and those from other nations, have been routinely sailing back and forth through the narrow strait to provide protection for ships and to deter attacks. The coalition has also ramped up airborne surveillance.The decision to set up the expanded patrol operation came after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-houthi-yemen-ships-attack-israel-hamas-war-gaza-strip-716770f0a780160e9abed98d3c48fbde">three commercial vessels were struck by missiles</a>&nbsp;fired by Houthis in Yemen on Dec. 3.The Pentagon increased its military presence in the region after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel to deter Iran from widening the war into a regional conflict, including by the Houthis and Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria.

Biden's statement on U.S. retaliatory strike against Iranian terrorists

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">U.S.-led airstrikes</a>&nbsp;on Yemen's Houthi rebels in response to their attacks on Red Sea shipping pulled the world's focus Friday back on the yearslong war raging there, even as tensions rise across a Middle East already torn by Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The strikes killed at least five people and wounded six, the Houthis said, without elaborating on what was targeted.

As the bombing lit the predawn sky over multiple sites held by the Iranian-backed rebels, Saudi Arabia quickly sought to distance itself from the attacks as it seeks to maintain a delicate détente with Iran and a cease-fire in the Yemen war from which it hopes to finally withdraw.

The attack also threatened to ignite a regional conflict over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's war on Hamas</a>, which the Biden administration and its allies have been trying to calm for weeks.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy acknowledged an attack days earlier on a ship in the far reaches of the Indian Ocean — an attack that may signal Iran's willingness to strike vessels as part of a wider maritime campaign over the Israel-Hamas conflict. Tehran on Thursday separately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/persian-gulf-oman-strait-hormuz-3a906e909be2ce63c87c1b208ed05baa">seized another tanker</a>&nbsp;involved in an earlier crisis over America seizing oil targeted by international sanctions on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program.

It remained unclear how extensive the damage from the U.S. strikes were, though the Houthis said at least five sites, including airfields, had been attacked. The United Kingdom described its strikes hitting a site in Bani allegedly used by the Houthis to launch drones and an airfield in Abbs used to launch cruise missiles and drones.

Hussein al-Ezzi, a Houthi official in their Foreign Ministry, acknowledged “a massive aggressive attack by American and British ships, submarines and warplanes."

“America and Britain will undoubtedly have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences of this blatant aggression,” al-Ezzi wrote online.

Mohammed Abdul-Salam, the Houthis’ chief negotiator and spokesperson, separately described the U.S. and Britain as having “committed foolishness with this treacherous aggression.”

“They were wrong if they thought that they would deter Yemen from supporting Palestine and Gaza,” he wrote online. Houthi “targeting will continue to affect Israeli ships or those heading to the ports of occupied Palestine,” he wrote.

Since the attacks began in November, however, the Houthis have begun targeting vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade.

The Houthis' military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, in a recorded address, said 73 strikes hit five regions of Yemen under their control, killing five and wounding six. He did not elaborate on who was killed.

“The American and British enemy bears full responsibility for its criminal aggression against our Yemeni people, and it will not go unanswered and unpunished,” Saree said.

In Saada, the Houthis' stronghold in northwest Yemen, hundreds gathered for a rally Friday. The crowd shouted at times the Houthi slogan: “God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse the Jews; victory to Islam.”

That war began when the Houthis swept into the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition including the United Arab Emirates launched a war to back Yemen's exiled government in 2015, quickly morphing the conflict into a regional confrontation as Iran backed the Houthis with weapons and other support.

That war, however, has slowed as the Houthis maintain their grip on the territory they hold. The UAE even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-israel-dubai-united-arab-emirates-abu-dhabi-d37770c718713461a4dc2592e1d291b6">came under Houthi missile fire</a>&nbsp;multiple times in 2022. After the Emirates left the war, Saudi Arabia reached a Chinese-mediated deal with Iran to ease tensions in hopes of finally withdrawing from the war.

“While the kingdom stresses the importance of preserving the security and stability of the Red Sea region, ... it calls for restraint and avoiding escalation,” its Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Iran, which has supplied weapons and aid to the Houthis, condemned the attack in a statement from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani.

The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, also backed by Iran and engaged in cross-border fire with Israel, criticized the strikes as showing America as being a "full partner in catastrophes and massacres committed by the Zionist entity in Gaza.” Hamas as well condemned the attack.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning called on nations not to escalate tensions in the Red Sea, asking all countries and parties to exercise restraint.

“We hope that all parties concerned will play a constructive and responsible role in the security and stability of the Red Sea region, which is in the common interest of the international community,” she said.

The Red Sea route is also crucial for energy shipments. Benchmark Brent crude traded up some 2.5% Friday at over $79 a barrel.

“Iran’s actions are contrary to international law and threaten maritime security and stability,” said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of the Navy's Mideast-based 5th Fleet.

The Pacific Gold is managed by Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping, a company that is ultimately controlled by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer. Eastern Pacific, as well as naval officials in India and Sri Lanka, had not responded to multiple requests for comment from The Associated Press over the attack. Eastern Pacific previously has been targeted in suspected Iranian attacks.

A private security official previously acknowledged to the AP that the attack took place. The attack had been first reported by the Lebanese broadcaster Al-Mayadeen, a channel politically affiliated with Hezbollah that has previously announced other Iran-linked attacks in the region. Iran itself has not acknowledged carrying out the attack.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and British militaries bombed more than a dozen sites used by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen on Thursday, in a massive retaliatory strike using warship- and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets, U.S. officials said. The military targets included logistical hubs, air defense systems and weapons storage and launching locations, they said.

President Joe Biden said the strikes were meant to demonstrate that the U.S. and its allies “will not tolerate” the militant group’s ceaseless attacks on the Red Sea. And he said they only made the move after attempts at diplomatic negotiations and careful deliberation.

“These strikes are in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea — including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history,” Biden said in a statement. He noted the attacks endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners and jeopardized trade, and he added, “I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.”

Associated Press journalists in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, heard four explosions early Friday local time. Two residents of Hodieda, Amin Ali Saleh and Hani Ahmed, said they heard five strong explosions hitting the western port area of the city, which lies on the Red Sea and is the largest port city controlled by the Houthis. Explosions also were heard by residents of Taiz, a southwestern city near the Red Sea.

The strikes marked the first U.S. military response to what has been a persistent campaign of drone and missile attacks on commercial ships since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. And the coordinated military assault comes just a week after the White House and a host of partner nations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-israel-hamas-houthis-red-sea-fef8d446852b6eae33d38ffd8f6b2d64">issued a final warning</a>&nbsp;to the Houthis to cease the attacks or face potential military action. The officials described the strikes on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. Members of Congress were briefed earlier Thursday on the strike plans.

In a call with reporters, senior administration and military officials said that after the Tuesday attacks, Biden convened his national security team and was presented with military options for a response. He then directed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to carry out the retaliatory strikes.

In a separate statement, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the Royal Air Force carried out targeted strikes against military facilities used by the Houthis. The Defense Ministry said four fighter jets based in Cyprus took part in the strikes.

Noting the militants have carried out a series of dangerous attacks on shipping, he added, “This cannot stand. He said the U.K. took “limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defense, alongside the United States with non-operational support from the Netherlands, Canada and Bahrain against targets tied to these attacks, to degrade Houthi military capabilities and protect global shipping.”

And the governments of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand and South Korea joined the U.S. and U.K. in issuing a statement saying that while the aim is to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, the allies won't hesitate to defend lives and protect commerce in the critical waterway.

The rebels, who have carried out 27 attacks involving dozens of drones and missiles just since Nov. 19, had warned that any attack by American forces on its sites in Yemen will spark a fierce military response.

A high-ranking Houthi official, Ali al-Qahoum, vowed there would be retaliation. “The battle will be bigger…. and beyond the imagination and expectation of the Americans and the British," he said in a post on X.

Al-Masirah, a Houthi-run satellite news channel, described strikes hitting the Al-Dailami Air Base north of Sanaa, the airport in the port city of the Hodeida, a camp east of Saada, the airport in the city of Taiz and an airport near Hajjah. And eyewitnesses who spoke with The Associated Press said they saw strikes in four areas, including Dhamar, Hodeida, Sanaa and Taiz.

The Houthis did not immediately offer any damage or casualty information.

A senior administration official said that while the U.S. expects the strikes will degrade the Houthi's capabilities, “we would not be surprised to see some sort of response,” although they haven't seen anything yet.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704853180043.png" alt="USS Eisenhower (CVN 69) conducts flight operations, photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>USS Eisenhower (CVN 69) conducts flight operations, photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">U.S.-led airstrikes</a>&nbsp;on Yemen's Houthi rebels in response to their attacks on Red Sea shipping pulled the world's focus Friday back on the yearslong war raging there, even as tensions rise across a Middle East already torn by Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.The strikes killed at least five people and wounded six, the Houthis said, without elaborating on what was targeted.As the bombing lit the predawn sky over multiple sites held by the Iranian-backed rebels, Saudi Arabia quickly sought to distance itself from the attacks as it seeks to maintain a delicate détente with Iran and a cease-fire in the Yemen war from which it hopes to finally withdraw.The attack also threatened to ignite a regional conflict over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's war on Hamas</a>, which the Biden administration and its allies have been trying to calm for weeks.Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy acknowledged an attack days earlier on a ship in the far reaches of the Indian Ocean — an attack that may signal Iran's willingness to strike vessels as part of a wider maritime campaign over the Israel-Hamas conflict. Tehran on Thursday separately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/persian-gulf-oman-strait-hormuz-3a906e909be2ce63c87c1b208ed05baa">seized another tanker</a>&nbsp;involved in an earlier crisis over America seizing oil targeted by international sanctions on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program.It remained unclear how extensive the damage from the U.S. strikes were, though the Houthis said at least five sites, including airfields, had been attacked. The United Kingdom described its strikes hitting a site in Bani allegedly used by the Houthis to launch drones and an airfield in Abbs used to launch cruise missiles and drones.Hussein al-Ezzi, a Houthi official in their Foreign Ministry, acknowledged “a massive aggressive attack by American and British ships, submarines and warplanes."“America and Britain will undoubtedly have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences of this blatant aggression,” al-Ezzi wrote online.Mohammed Abdul-Salam, the Houthis’ chief negotiator and spokesperson, separately described the U.S. and Britain as having “committed foolishness with this treacherous aggression.”“They were wrong if they thought that they would deter Yemen from supporting Palestine and Gaza,” he wrote online. Houthi “targeting will continue to affect Israeli ships or those heading to the ports of occupied Palestine,” he wrote.Since the attacks began in November, however, the Houthis have begun targeting vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade.The Houthis' military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, in a recorded address, said 73 strikes hit five regions of Yemen under their control, killing five and wounding six. He did not elaborate on who was killed.“The American and British enemy bears full responsibility for its criminal aggression against our Yemeni people, and it will not go unanswered and unpunished,” Saree said.In Saada, the Houthis' stronghold in northwest Yemen, hundreds gathered for a rally Friday. The crowd shouted at times the Houthi slogan: “God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse the Jews; victory to Islam.”Yemen has been targeted by U.S. military action over the last four American presidencies. A campaign of drone strikes began under President George W. Bush to target the local affiliate of al-Qaida, attacks that have continued under the Biden administration. Meanwhile, the U.S. has launched raids and other military operations amid the ongoing war in Yemen.That war began when the Houthis swept into the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition including the United Arab Emirates launched a war to back Yemen's exiled government in 2015, quickly morphing the conflict into a regional confrontation as Iran backed the Houthis with weapons and other support.That war, however, has slowed as the Houthis maintain their grip on the territory they hold. The UAE even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-israel-dubai-united-arab-emirates-abu-dhabi-d37770c718713461a4dc2592e1d291b6">came under Houthi missile fire</a>&nbsp;multiple times in 2022. After the Emirates left the war, Saudi Arabia reached a Chinese-mediated deal with Iran to ease tensions in hopes of finally withdrawing from the war.However, an overall deal has yet to be reached, likely sparking Saudi Arabia's expression Friday of “great concern” over the airstrikes.“While the kingdom stresses the importance of preserving the security and stability of the Red Sea region, ... it calls for restraint and avoiding escalation,” its Foreign Ministry said in a statement.Iran, which has supplied weapons and aid to the Houthis, condemned the attack in a statement from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani.“Arbitrary attacks will have no result other than fueling insecurity and instability in the region," he said.The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, also backed by Iran and engaged in cross-border fire with Israel, criticized the strikes as showing America as being a "full partner in catastrophes and massacres committed by the Zionist entity in Gaza.” Hamas as well condemned the attack.In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning called on nations not to escalate tensions in the Red Sea, asking all countries and parties to exercise restraint.“We hope that all parties concerned will play a constructive and responsible role in the security and stability of the Red Sea region, which is in the common interest of the international community,” she said.The Red Sea route is also crucial for energy shipments. Benchmark Brent crude traded up some 2.5% Friday at over $79 a barrel.Meanwhile Friday, the U.S. Navy confirmed an attack days earlier near the coasts of India and Sri Lanka. The chemical tanker Pacific Gold was struck Jan. 4 by what the Navy called “an Iranian one-way attack” drone, causing some damage to the vessel but no injuries.“Iran’s actions are contrary to international law and threaten maritime security and stability,” said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of the Navy's Mideast-based 5th Fleet.The Pacific Gold is managed by Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping, a company that is ultimately controlled by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer. Eastern Pacific, as well as naval officials in India and Sri Lanka, had not responded to multiple requests for comment from The Associated Press over the attack. Eastern Pacific previously has been targeted in suspected Iranian attacks.A private security official previously acknowledged to the AP that the attack took place. The attack had been first reported by the Lebanese broadcaster Al-Mayadeen, a channel politically affiliated with Hezbollah that has previously announced other Iran-linked attacks in the region. Iran itself has not acknowledged carrying out the attack.WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and British militaries bombed more than a dozen sites used by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen on Thursday, in a massive retaliatory strike using warship- and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets, U.S. officials said. The military targets included logistical hubs, air defense systems and weapons storage and launching locations, they said.President Joe Biden said the strikes were meant to demonstrate that the U.S. and its allies “will not tolerate” the militant group’s ceaseless attacks on the Red Sea. And he said they only made the move after attempts at diplomatic negotiations and careful deliberation.“These strikes are in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea — including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history,” Biden said in a statement. He noted the attacks endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners and jeopardized trade, and he added, “I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.”Associated Press journalists in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, heard four explosions early Friday local time. Two residents of Hodieda, Amin Ali Saleh and Hani Ahmed, said they heard five strong explosions hitting the western port area of the city, which lies on the Red Sea and is the largest port city controlled by the Houthis. Explosions also were heard by residents of Taiz, a southwestern city near the Red Sea.The strikes marked the first U.S. military response to what has been a persistent campaign of drone and missile attacks on commercial ships since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. And the coordinated military assault comes just a week after the White House and a host of partner nations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-israel-hamas-houthis-red-sea-fef8d446852b6eae33d38ffd8f6b2d64">issued a final warning</a>&nbsp;to the Houthis to cease the attacks or face potential military action. The officials described the strikes on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. Members of Congress were briefed earlier Thursday on the strike plans.The warning appeared to have had at least some short-lived impact, as attacks stopped for several days. On Tuesday, however, the Houthi rebels fired their largest-ever barrage of drones and missiles&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-shipping-houthi-attacks-drones-missiles-1acc4ca5ebcaf6fee932a2061d451f59">targeting shipping in the Red Sea</a>, with U.S. and British ships and American fighter jets responding by shooting down 18 drones, two cruise missiles and an anti-ship missile. And on Thursday, the Houthis fired an anti-ship ballistic missile into the Gulf of Aden, which was seen by a commercial ship but did not hit the ship.In a call with reporters, senior administration and military officials said that after the Tuesday attacks, Biden convened his national security team and was presented with military options for a response. He then directed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to carry out the retaliatory strikes.In a separate statement, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the Royal Air Force carried out targeted strikes against military facilities used by the Houthis. The Defense Ministry said four fighter jets based in Cyprus took part in the strikes.Noting the militants have carried out a series of dangerous attacks on shipping, he added, “This cannot stand. He said the U.K. took “limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defense, alongside the United States with non-operational support from the Netherlands, Canada and Bahrain against targets tied to these attacks, to degrade Houthi military capabilities and protect global shipping.”And the governments of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand and South Korea joined the U.S. and U.K. in issuing a statement saying that while the aim is to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, the allies won't hesitate to defend lives and protect commerce in the critical waterway.The rebels, who have carried out 27 attacks involving dozens of drones and missiles just since Nov. 19, had warned that any attack by American forces on its sites in Yemen will spark a fierce military response.A high-ranking Houthi official, Ali al-Qahoum, vowed there would be retaliation. “The battle will be bigger…. and beyond the imagination and expectation of the Americans and the British," he said in a post on X.Al-Masirah, a Houthi-run satellite news channel, described strikes hitting the Al-Dailami Air Base north of Sanaa, the airport in the port city of the Hodeida, a camp east of Saada, the airport in the city of Taiz and an airport near Hajjah. And eyewitnesses who spoke with The Associated Press said they saw strikes in four areas, including Dhamar, Hodeida, Sanaa and Taiz.The Houthis did not immediately offer any damage or casualty information.A senior administration official said that while the U.S. expects the strikes will degrade the Houthi's capabilities, “we would not be surprised to see some sort of response,” although they haven't seen anything yet.The Houthis say their assaults are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/israel-hamas-war-yemen-red-sea-rebellions-and-uprisings-yemen-government-35148e6fbef64ec8b6fa074d4da2551c">aimed at stopping Israel’s war on Hamas</a>&nbsp;in the Gaza Strip. But their targets increasingly have little or no connection to Israel and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-yemen-houthis-attack-ships-f67d941c260528ac40315ecab4c34ca3">imperil a crucial trade route</a>&nbsp;linking Asia and the Middle East with Europe.Meanwhile, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution Wednesday that demanded the Houthis immediately cease the attacks and implicitly condemned their weapons supplier, Iran. It was approved by a vote of 11-0 with four abstentions — by Russia, China, Algeria and Mozambique.Britain’s participation in the strikes underscored the Biden administration’s effort to use a broad international coalition to battle the Houthis, rather than appear to be going it alone. More than 20 nations are already participating in a U.S.-led maritime mission to increase ship protection in the Red Sea.U.S. officials for weeks had declined to signal when international patience would run out and they would strike back at the Houthis, even as multiple commercial vessels were struck by missiles and drones, prompting companies to look at rerouting their ships.On Wednesday, however, U.S. officials again warned of consequences.“I’m not going to telegraph or preview anything that might happen,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters during a stop in Bahrain. He said the U.S. has made clear “that if this continues as it did yesterday, there will be consequences. And I’m going to leave it at that.”The Biden administration’s reluctance over the past several months to retaliate reflected political sensitivities and stemmed largely from broader worries about upending the shaky truce in Yemen and triggering a wider conflict in the region. The White House wants to preserve the truce and has been wary of taking action in Yemen that could open up another war front.The impact on international shipping and the escalating attacks, however, triggered the coalition warning, which was signed by the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom. Separately, the U.S. called on the United Nations Security Council to take action against the Houthis and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-un-yemen-houthis-shipping-red-sea-08d42a18873ce55979c755ea1a9cc1b5">warned their financier Iran</a>&nbsp;that it has a choice to make about continuing to provide support to the rebels.Transit through the Red Sea, from the Suez Canal to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, is a crucial shipping lane for global commerce. About 12% of the world’s trade typically passes through the waterway that separates Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, including oil, natural gas, grain and everything from toys to electronics.In response to the attacks, the U.S. created a new maritime security mission, dubbed Operation Prosperity Guardian, to increase security in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden, with about 22 countries are participating. U.S. warships, and those from other nations, have been routinely sailing back and forth through the narrow strait to provide protection for ships and to deter attacks. The coalition has also ramped up airborne surveillance.The decision to set up the expanded patrol operation came after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-houthi-yemen-ships-attack-israel-hamas-war-gaza-strip-716770f0a780160e9abed98d3c48fbde">three commercial vessels were struck by missiles</a>&nbsp;fired by Houthis in Yemen on Dec. 3.The Pentagon increased its military presence in the region after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel to deter Iran from widening the war into a regional conflict, including by the Houthis and Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria.

US-led strikes in Yemen killed 5 and wounded 6, raising Mideast tensions

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A man captured in Mexico is going to prison for a double-murder in Kansas. This week, Judge Jeff Goering sentenced 37-year-old Kyle Young to life in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

In October, Young plead guilty to the murder of&nbsp;22-year-old Alicia Roman and 27-year-old George Kirksey, according to the district attorney's office.

In the early morning of January 2, 2020, police responded to a shooting call at the Hotel at WaterWalk in the 700 block of South Main, in Wichita, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.

Upon arrival, officers located the bodies of Roman and Kirksey with multiple gunshot wounds, according to Wheeler.

The investigation revealed that Roman and Kirksey were inside of the hotel room when a suspect identified as Young entered the room and fired multiple shots, striking them and then he ran from the scene.

Investigators learned of Young's involvement and six months later located him in Mexico and made an arrest, according to Wheeler.

According to court documents Young was upset that his former girlfriend had moved on and found someone else. Young will be eligible for parole consideration after he serves 100-years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593795027094.png" alt="Young-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Young-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A man captured in Mexico is going to prison for a double-murder in Kansas. This week, Judge Jeff Goering sentenced 37-year-old Kyle Young to life in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;In October, Young plead guilty to the murder of&nbsp;22-year-old Alicia Roman and 27-year-old George Kirksey, according to the district attorney's office.In the early morning of January 2, 2020, police responded to a shooting call at the Hotel at WaterWalk in the 700 block of South Main, in Wichita, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.Upon arrival, officers located the bodies of Roman and Kirksey with multiple gunshot wounds, according to Wheeler.The investigation revealed that Roman and Kirksey were inside of the hotel room when a suspect identified as Young entered the room and fired multiple shots, striking them and then he ran from the scene.Investigators learned of Young's involvement and six months later located him in Mexico and made an arrest, according to Wheeler.According to court documents Young was upset that his former girlfriend had moved on and found someone else. Young will be eligible for parole consideration after he serves 100-years.

Man captured in Mexico killed ex-girlfriend at Kansas hotel

Legislation draws objections from abortion rights proponents and opponents

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

TOPEKA — Eight Kansas House Republicans introduced a bill crafted to implement a near-total ban on clinical abortions and forbid distribution of pharmaceutical drugs to end pregnancies, while also authorizing individuals to file lawsuits against doctors and others who helped someone obtain an abortion.

Concepts folded into the 59 pages of House bill 2492 were endorsed by Reps. Trevor Jacobs of Fort Scott, Brett Fairchild of St. Johns, Randy Garber of Sabetha and others — all hardline opponents of abortion. The bill introduced Wednesday on the first day of the annual session did include an exemption allowing legal abortion for the purpose of saving the life of a pregnant woman involved in a medical emergency.

A bill criminalizing abortion was introduced during the 2023 legislative session in Kansas, but it failed to gain broad traction. These types of bills have been viewed as “messaging” tools given likelihood of a veto by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and the 2019 abortion decision by the Kansas Supreme Court.

The state’s highest court determined the Kansas Constitution’s Bill of Rights included a fundamental right of women to make decisions about bodily autonomy that included termination of a pregnancy. The state Supreme Court’s decision was tied to the Legislature’s ban on a common second-term abortion procedure.

“Ultimately, I believe that we should provide equal protection under the law for all unborn children,” Fairchild said. “I believe that science proves that life begins at conception, and the government has a responsibility to protect that life from conception until natural death.”

In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court set aside nearly 50-years of precedent and overturned the Roe v. Wade decision that gave rise to a national right to abortion. The reversal meant states were free to set individual standards on reproductive health care. In Kansas, however, abortion would remain legal due to the Hodes v. Nauser decision by the state Supreme Court.

Voters in Kansas overwhelmingly decided in August 2022 to reject a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would have nullified the Hodes language and would have made it easier for the GOP-led Legislature to pass abortion bans or otherwise undercut abortion rights.

Amber Sellers, advocacy director of Trust Women, said only 16 months had elapsed since Kansas voters were the first in the nation to reject a ballot measure developed to restrict abortion rights. The Value Them Both amendment was “handily” defeated by more than 20 percentage points, she said.

“Kansans spoke — loudly — on the issue,” Sellers said. “No more abortion bans. No more government barriers between pregnant people and their health care providers. No more time and resources wasted on go-nowhere bills when there are real and serious problems that our government must address for the health and safety of all of our Kansas communities.”

“It’s time for anti-abortion lawmakers to wake up, remember and finally listen to the message that voters continue to send,” she said.

Mackenzie Haddix, deputy communications director of Kansans for Life, said the new House bill had no chance of surviving in the 2024 legislative session.

“Kansans for Life is focused on what the abortion industry does not do: Showing authentic care and compassion for women facing unexpected pregnancies,” Haddix said. “Now, more than ever, is the time to focus on policies that actually save lives instead of proposals that have zero chance of becoming law and will never save a single life due to the Kansas Supreme Court’s extreme 2019 Hodes ruling.”

The bill was introduced on the same day Kansans for Life released its legislative agenda that excluded support for a potentially unconstitutional limit on abortion. The state’s largest organization said it would campaign for state statutes requiring child support to start at conception, protecting women from “coerced” abortions, safeguarding health of women with the “ultrasound safety act” and enacting “life-affirming” tax changes.

“It is clear far too many women are being pushed to believe abortion is their only choice. Our legislative agenda seeks to provide compassionate help for any woman in need,” Haddix said.

Under the House bill, Kansas would make it unlawful for a person to knowingly attempt or perform an abortion “except when necessary to preserve the life of a pregnant woman in a medical emergency.” The state constitutional amendment rejected by Kansas voters by a 60-40 margin didn’t include such an exemption.

The new bill would make it illegal for a person in Kansas to prescribe, distribute, sell or donate mifepristone, mifegyne, mifeperex or any other similar generic abortion drug.

Civil enforcement lawsuits could be filed against people who assisted women with an abortion prohibited by Kansas law, but the woman receiving the abortion wouldn’t face liability. Physicians and others found to have broken the law would face a minimum $10,000 penalty for each abortion performed in Kansas. The House legislation would establish a six-year statute of limitations.

The bill said a medical professional would carry the burden to proof that a reasonable investigation was conducted to determine the abortion necessary to preserve the life of a woman in “imminent harm arising from the pregnancy by a physical disorder, illness or injury.”

In addition, a person named in an abortion lawsuit wouldn’t be able to rely on arguments the woman consented to the procedure or that state law limiting abortion was unconstitutional, the bill said.

The number of abortions performed in Kansas has risen as surrounding states adopted bans or substantive limitations on reproductive health care. In 2022, Kansas set a record with 8,475 abortions for women or girls residing outside the state. It was more than twice the 3,912 abortions provided out-of-state clients in 2021.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported a total of 12,318 abortions during 2022. That represented a surge from 7,849 abortions in 2021, KDHE said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705011350195.png" alt="Legislation draws objections from abortion rights proponents and opponents" />
 <figcaption>Legislation draws objections from abortion rights proponents and opponents</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Legislation draws objections from abortion rights proponents and opponents</h2>BY:&nbsp;TIM CARPENTER&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Eight Kansas House Republicans introduced a bill crafted to implement a near-total ban on clinical abortions and forbid distribution of pharmaceutical drugs to end pregnancies, while also authorizing individuals to file lawsuits against doctors and others who helped someone obtain an abortion.Concepts folded into the 59 pages of House bill 2492 were endorsed by Reps. Trevor Jacobs of Fort Scott, Brett Fairchild of St. Johns, Randy Garber of Sabetha and others — all hardline opponents of abortion. The bill introduced Wednesday on the first day of the annual session did include an exemption allowing legal abortion for the purpose of saving the life of a pregnant woman involved in a medical emergency.A bill criminalizing abortion was introduced during the 2023 legislative session in Kansas, but it failed to gain broad traction. These types of bills have been viewed as “messaging” tools given likelihood of a veto by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and the 2019 abortion decision by the Kansas Supreme Court.The state’s highest court determined the Kansas Constitution’s Bill of Rights included a fundamental right of women to make decisions about bodily autonomy that included termination of a pregnancy. The state Supreme Court’s decision was tied to the Legislature’s ban on a common second-term abortion procedure.“Ultimately, I believe that we should provide equal protection under the law for all unborn children,” Fairchild said. “I believe that science proves that life begins at conception, and the government has a responsibility to protect that life from conception until natural death.”In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court set aside nearly 50-years of precedent and overturned the Roe v. Wade decision that gave rise to a national right to abortion. The reversal meant states were free to set individual standards on reproductive health care. In Kansas, however, abortion would remain legal due to the Hodes v. Nauser decision by the state Supreme Court.Voters in Kansas overwhelmingly decided in August 2022 to reject a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would have nullified the Hodes language and would have made it easier for the GOP-led Legislature to pass abortion bans or otherwise undercut abortion rights.Amber Sellers, advocacy director of Trust Women, said only 16 months had elapsed since Kansas voters were the first in the nation to reject a ballot measure developed to restrict abortion rights. The Value Them Both amendment was “handily” defeated by more than 20 percentage points, she said.“Kansans spoke — loudly — on the issue,” Sellers said. “No more abortion bans. No more government barriers between pregnant people and their health care providers. No more time and resources wasted on go-nowhere bills when there are real and serious problems that our government must address for the health and safety of all of our Kansas communities.”“It’s time for anti-abortion lawmakers to wake up, remember and finally listen to the message that voters continue to send,” she said.Mackenzie Haddix, deputy communications director of Kansans for Life, said the new House bill had no chance of surviving in the 2024 legislative session.“Kansans for Life is focused on what the abortion industry does not do: Showing authentic care and compassion for women facing unexpected pregnancies,” Haddix said. “Now, more than ever, is the time to focus on policies that actually save lives instead of proposals that have zero chance of becoming law and will never save a single life due to the Kansas Supreme Court’s extreme 2019 Hodes ruling.”The bill was introduced on the same day Kansans for Life released its legislative agenda that excluded support for a potentially unconstitutional limit on abortion. The state’s largest organization said it would campaign for state statutes requiring child support to start at conception, protecting women from “coerced” abortions, safeguarding health of women with the “ultrasound safety act” and enacting “life-affirming” tax changes.“It is clear far too many women are being pushed to believe abortion is their only choice. Our legislative agenda seeks to provide compassionate help for any woman in need,” Haddix said.Under the House bill, Kansas would make it unlawful for a person to knowingly attempt or perform an abortion “except when necessary to preserve the life of a pregnant woman in a medical emergency.” The state constitutional amendment rejected by Kansas voters by a 60-40 margin didn’t include such an exemption.The new bill would make it illegal for a person in Kansas to prescribe, distribute, sell or donate mifepristone, mifegyne, mifeperex or any other similar generic abortion drug.Civil enforcement lawsuits could be filed against people who assisted women with an abortion prohibited by Kansas law, but the woman receiving the abortion wouldn’t face liability. Physicians and others found to have broken the law would face a minimum $10,000 penalty for each abortion performed in Kansas. The House legislation would establish a six-year statute of limitations.The bill said a medical professional would carry the burden to proof that a reasonable investigation was conducted to determine the abortion necessary to preserve the life of a woman in “imminent harm arising from the pregnancy by a physical disorder, illness or injury.”In addition, a person named in an abortion lawsuit wouldn’t be able to rely on arguments the woman consented to the procedure or that state law limiting abortion was unconstitutional, the bill said.The number of abortions performed in Kansas has risen as surrounding states adopted bans or substantive limitations on reproductive health care. In 2022, Kansas set a record with 8,475 abortions for women or girls residing outside the state. It was more than twice the 3,912 abortions provided out-of-state clients in 2021.The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported a total of 12,318 abortions during 2022. That represented a surge from 7,849 abortions in 2021, KDHE said.

House GOP lawmakers introduce bill imposing near-total ban on abortion in Kansas

JOHNSON COUNTY —One person was injured in a multi-vehicle accident just after 6a.m. Thursday in Johnson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; 2019 Chevy Silverado driven by Russell Pittman, 63, Kansas City, Kansas was southbound on U.S. 69 Highway just south of 143rd Street.

The pickup struck a 2022 Dodge Durango that was unoccupied with emergency lights activated and the officer was closing the road for another unrelated crash.

A 2012 Ford Fusion driven by Quincy&nbsp;Wiley, 45, Overland Park, also struck the Durango. A 2022 Chevy Bolt driven by Bradley Banning, 60, Kansas City, Missouri, struck the Durango, the Fusion and a 2010 Acura MDX driven by Marisela&nbsp;Galvan, 52, Kansas City, Kansas.

After impact the Durango was pushed into a 2017 Nissan Versa driven by Esbeydi&nbsp;Villalobos, 34, Kansas City, Missouri and another 2022 Dodge Durango that also was unoccupied with emergency lights activated and the officer was closing the road for another unrelated crash.

EMS transported Pittman to&nbsp;Advent Health South. There were no other injuries reported. All the drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

JOHNSON COUNTY —First responders were busy working 3 crashes on&nbsp; southbound U.S. 69 Highway south of W.135th Street in Overland PARK Thursday morning, according Officer John Lacy.

One crash included an Overland Patrol car. The highway is icy at this location. KDOT was expected treat the roadway and the Kansas Highway Patrol is also assisting.

There are no reports of serious injuries. Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704980483684.png" alt="Photo Overland&nbsp; Park Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Overland&nbsp; Park Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —One person was injured in a multi-vehicle accident just after 6a.m. Thursday in Johnson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; 2019 Chevy Silverado driven by Russell Pittman, 63, Kansas City, Kansas was southbound on U.S. 69 Highway just south of 143rd Street.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This is a friendly reminder to slow down and move over when you observe emergency vehicles with their emergency lights activated on the side of the roadway. The driver in this crash was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. The Officer was not injured. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MoveOver?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MoveOver</a> <a href="https://t.co/uLgsffTxOV">pic.twitter.com/uLgsffTxOV</a>&mdash; Overland Park Police (@OverlandPark_PD) <a href="https://twitter.com/OverlandPark_PD/status/1745555005107577164?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The pickup struck a 2022 Dodge Durango that was unoccupied with emergency lights activated and the officer was closing the road for another unrelated crash.A 2012 Ford Fusion driven by Quincy&nbsp;Wiley, 45, Overland Park, also struck the Durango. A 2022 Chevy Bolt driven by Bradley Banning, 60, Kansas City, Missouri, struck the Durango, the Fusion and a 2010 Acura MDX driven by Marisela&nbsp;Galvan, 52, Kansas City, Kansas.After impact the Durango was pushed into a 2017 Nissan Versa driven by Esbeydi&nbsp;Villalobos, 34, Kansas City, Missouri and another 2022 Dodge Durango that also was unoccupied with emergency lights activated and the officer was closing the road for another unrelated crash.EMS transported Pittman to&nbsp;Advent Health South. There were no other injuries reported. All the drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.-------JOHNSON COUNTY —First responders were busy working 3 crashes on&nbsp; southbound U.S. 69 Highway south of W.135th Street in Overland PARK Thursday morning, according Officer John Lacy.One crash included an Overland Patrol car. The highway is icy at this location. KDOT was expected treat the roadway and the Kansas Highway Patrol is also assisting.There are no reports of serious injuries. Check the Post for additional details as they become available.