By JEFF MARTIN, ANDREW DeMILLO and SAFIYAH RIDDLE&nbsp;

There are plenty of hideouts in the rugged terrain of the Ozark Mountains, from abandoned cabins and campsites in vast forests where searchers are hunting for an ex-lawman known as the "Devil in the Ozarks."

Others are not only off the grid but beneath it, in the hundreds of caves that lead to vast subterranean spaces. As local, state and federal law enforcement entered the third day of the search, they continued to scour the region around the prison.

"Until we have credible evidence that he is not in the area, we assume that he's probably still in the area," Rand Champion, a spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Corrections, said at a press conference on Wednesday.

Fugitive Grant Hardin, 56, "knows where the caves are," said Darla Nix, a cafe owner in Pea Ridge, Arkansas, whose sons grew up around him. Nix, who describes Hardin as a survivor, remembers him as a "very, very smart" and mostly quiet person.

For the searchers, "caves have definitely been a source of concern and a point of emphasis," said Champion.

"That's one of the challenges of this area — there are a lot of places to hide and take shelter, a lot of abandoned sheds, and there are a lot of caves in this area, so that's been a priority for the search team," Champion said. "It adds to the challenge of a search in this area, for sure."

Hardin, the former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border, was serving lengthy sentences for murder and rape. He was the subject of the TV documentary "Devil in the Ozarks."

He escaped Sunday from the North Central Unit — a medium-security prison also known as the Calico Rock prison — by tailoring an outfit to mimic a law enforcement uniform, according to Champion. A prison officer opened a secure gate, allowing him to leave the facility. Champion said that someone should have checked Hardin's identity before he was allowed to leave the facility, describing the lack of verification as a "lapse" that is being investigated.

It took authorities approximately 30 minutes to notice Hardin had escaped.

Champion said that inmates are evaluated and given a classification when they first enter the prison system, and "based on what he's assessed is the reason he was sent here." There are portions of the Calico Rock facility that are maximum-security.

While incarcerated, Hardin did not have any major disciplinary issues, Champion said.

Authorities have been using canines, drones and helicopters to search for Hardin in the rugged northern Arkansas terrain, Champion said. The sheriffs of several counties across the Arkansas Ozarks had urged residents to lock their homes and vehicles and call 911 if they notice anything suspicious.

In some ways, the terrain is similar to the site of one of the most notorious manhunts in U.S. history.

Bomber Eric Rudolph, described by authorities as a skilled outdoorsman, evaded law officers for years in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. It was a five-year manhunt that finally ended in 2003 with his capture.

Rudolph knew of many cabins in the area owned by out-of-town people, and he also knew of caves in the area, former FBI executive Chris Swecker, who led the agency's Charlotte, North Carolina, office at the time, said in the FBI's historical account of the case.

"He was anticipating a great conflict and he had clearly lined up caves and campsites where he could go," Swecker said.

Rudolph pleaded guilty to federal charges associated with four bombings in Georgia and Alabama, including one in Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta during the 1996 Olympic Games.

There are about 2,000 documented caves in northern Arkansas, state officials say. Many of them have entrances only a few feet wide that are not obvious to passersby, said Michael Ray Taylor, who has written multiple books on caves, including "Hidden Nature: Wild Southern Caves."

The key is finding the entrance, Taylor said.

"The entrance may look like a rabbit hole, but if you wriggle through it, suddenly you find enormous passageways," he said.

It would be quite possible to hide out underground for an extended period, but "you have to go out for food, and you're more likely to be discovered," he said.

Hardin had a checkered and brief law enforcement career. He worked about nine months at the Fayetteville Police Department from August 1990 to May 1991, but was let go because he didn't meet the standards of his training period, a department spokesman said.

Hardin worked about six months at the Huntsville Police Department before resigning, but records do not give a reason for his resignation, according to Police Chief Todd Thomas, who joined the department after Hardin worked there.

Hardin later worked at the Eureka Springs Police Department from 1993 to 1996. Former Chief Earl Hyatt described Hardin as "volatile." Hardin resigned because Hyatt was going to fire him over incidents that included the use of excessive force.

"He did not need to be a police officer at all," Hyatt told television station KNWA.

Hardin pleaded guilty in 2017 to first-degree murder for the killing of James Appleton, 59. Appleton worked for the Gateway water department when he was shot in the head Feb. 23, 2017, near Garfield. Police found Appleton's body inside a car. Hardin was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

He was also serving 50 years for the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers, north of Fayetteville.

He had been held in the Calico Rock prison since 2017.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748354598066.png" alt="Photo ADC" />
 <figcaption>Photo ADC</figcaption>
 </figure>By JEFF MARTIN, ANDREW DeMILLO and SAFIYAH RIDDLE&nbsp;There are plenty of hideouts in the rugged terrain of the Ozark Mountains, from abandoned cabins and campsites in vast forests where searchers are hunting for an ex-lawman known as the "Devil in the Ozarks."Others are not only off the grid but beneath it, in the hundreds of caves that lead to vast subterranean spaces. As local, state and federal law enforcement entered the third day of the search, they continued to scour the region around the prison."Until we have credible evidence that he is not in the area, we assume that he's probably still in the area," Rand Champion, a spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Corrections, said at a press conference on Wednesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748309291610.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Fugitive Grant Hardin, 56, "knows where the caves are," said Darla Nix, a cafe owner in Pea Ridge, Arkansas, whose sons grew up around him. Nix, who describes Hardin as a survivor, remembers him as a "very, very smart" and mostly quiet person.For the searchers, "caves have definitely been a source of concern and a point of emphasis," said Champion."That's one of the challenges of this area — there are a lot of places to hide and take shelter, a lot of abandoned sheds, and there are a lot of caves in this area, so that's been a priority for the search team," Champion said. "It adds to the challenge of a search in this area, for sure."Impersonating an officerHardin, the former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border, was serving lengthy sentences for murder and rape. He was the subject of the TV documentary "Devil in the Ozarks."He escaped Sunday from the North Central Unit — a medium-security prison also known as the Calico Rock prison — by tailoring an outfit to mimic a law enforcement uniform, according to Champion. A prison officer opened a secure gate, allowing him to leave the facility. Champion said that someone should have checked Hardin's identity before he was allowed to leave the facility, describing the lack of verification as a "lapse" that is being investigated.It took authorities approximately 30 minutes to notice Hardin had escaped.Champion said that inmates are evaluated and given a classification when they first enter the prison system, and "based on what he's assessed is the reason he was sent here." There are portions of the Calico Rock facility that are maximum-security.While incarcerated, Hardin did not have any major disciplinary issues, Champion said.Authorities have been using canines, drones and helicopters to search for Hardin in the rugged northern Arkansas terrain, Champion said. The sheriffs of several counties across the Arkansas Ozarks had urged residents to lock their homes and vehicles and call 911 if they notice anything suspicious.Dark places to hideIn some ways, the terrain is similar to the site of one of the most notorious manhunts in U.S. history.Bomber Eric Rudolph, described by authorities as a skilled outdoorsman, evaded law officers for years in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. It was a five-year manhunt that finally ended in 2003 with his capture.Rudolph knew of many cabins in the area owned by out-of-town people, and he also knew of caves in the area, former FBI executive Chris Swecker, who led the agency's Charlotte, North Carolina, office at the time, said in the FBI's historical account of the case."He was anticipating a great conflict and he had clearly lined up caves and campsites where he could go," Swecker said.Rudolph pleaded guilty to federal charges associated with four bombings in Georgia and Alabama, including one in Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta during the 1996 Olympic Games.There are about 2,000 documented caves in northern Arkansas, state officials say. Many of them have entrances only a few feet wide that are not obvious to passersby, said Michael Ray Taylor, who has written multiple books on caves, including "Hidden Nature: Wild Southern Caves."The key is finding the entrance, Taylor said."The entrance may look like a rabbit hole, but if you wriggle through it, suddenly you find enormous passageways," he said.It would be quite possible to hide out underground for an extended period, but "you have to go out for food, and you're more likely to be discovered," he said.Checkered pastHardin had a checkered and brief law enforcement career. He worked about nine months at the Fayetteville Police Department from August 1990 to May 1991, but was let go because he didn't meet the standards of his training period, a department spokesman said.Hardin worked about six months at the Huntsville Police Department before resigning, but records do not give a reason for his resignation, according to Police Chief Todd Thomas, who joined the department after Hardin worked there.Hardin later worked at the Eureka Springs Police Department from 1993 to 1996. Former Chief Earl Hyatt described Hardin as "volatile." Hardin resigned because Hyatt was going to fire him over incidents that included the use of excessive force."He did not need to be a police officer at all," Hyatt told television station KNWA.Hardin pleaded guilty in 2017 to first-degree murder for the killing of James Appleton, 59. Appleton worked for the Gateway water department when he was shot in the head Feb. 23, 2017, near Garfield. Police found Appleton's body inside a car. Hardin was sentenced to 30 years in prison.He was also serving 50 years for the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers, north of Fayetteville.He had been held in the Calico Rock prison since 2017.

Cave systems, abandoned cabins searched in hunt for ‘Devil in the Ozarks’ 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday the U.S. will begin revoking the visas of some Chinese students, including those studying in “critical fields.”

China is the second-largest country of origin for international students in the United States, behind only India. In the 2023-2024 school year, more than 270,000 international students were from China, making up roughly a quarter of all foreign students in the United States.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, the U.S. State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields,” Rubio wrote.

The action comes at a time of intensifying scrutiny of the ties between U.S. higher education and China. House Republicans this month pressed Duke University to cut its ties with a Chinese university, saying it allowed Chinese students to gain access to federally funded research at Duke.

Last year, House Republicans issued a report warning that hundreds of millions of dollars in defense funding was going to research partnerships linked to the Chinese government, providing “back-door access to the very foreign adversary nation whose aggression these capabilities are necessary to protect against.”

The Department of Homeland Security raised similar issues in a letter barring international students at Harvard University last week. Secretary Kristi Noem accused Harvard of “coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party,” citing research collaborations with Chinese scholars. It also accused Harvard of training members of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, a Chinese paramilitary group.

The announcement came a day after Rubio&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-visa-social-media-d71aa33ff756c1383b362f69bf5b7a17">halted the scheduling</a>&nbsp;of new visa interviews for international students as the department prepares guidelines for increased vetting of their activity on social media.

The crackdown on visas adds to uncertainty for international students

Together, the announcements from the State Department added to uncertainty for America’s international students, who have faced intensifying scrutiny from President Donald Trump’s administration.

Earlier this year, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested and tried to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mahmoud-khalil-columbia-protester-ruling-deport-fd9e80583af3109d7de0a5264e79ea61">deport students</a>&nbsp;who had been involved in campus protests against the Israel-Hamas war. And the Trump administration abruptly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-student-f1-visa-revoked-college-f12320b435b6bf9cf723f1e8eb8c67ae">terminated the legal status</a>&nbsp;of thousands of international students before reversing itself and then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-student-visa-f1-sevis-status-716ce8e67e2c3093eba4092e57ba1612">expanding the grounds</a>&nbsp;on which students can lose permission to study in the U.S.

University of Wisconsin student Vladyslav Plyaka was planning to visit Poland to see his mother and renew his visa, but he doesn’t know when that will be possible now that visa appointments are suspended. He also doesn’t feel safe leaving the U.S. even when appointments resume.

“I don’t think I have enough trust in the system at this point,” said Plyaka, who came to the U.S. from Ukraine as an exchange student in high school and stayed for college. “I understand it probably is done for security measures, but I would probably just finish my education for the next two or three years and then come back to Ukraine.”

The Trump administration last week moved to block Harvard University from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-international-students-trump-what-to-know-6defa20d617f1ef297402e0d84c55e1e">enrolling any international students</a>, a decision that has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-foreign-students-enrollment-trump-lawsuit-94b65866c563e67a7a7a3c79e90144d6">put on hold</a>&nbsp;by a federal judge, pending a lawsuit.

Trump said Wednesday that Harvard, whose current student population is made up of more than a quarter of international students, should limit that percentage to about 15%.

“I want to make sure the foreign students are people that can love our country,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

The action on Chinese students renews a priority from Trump’s first administration to clamp down on academic ties between the United States and China, which Republicans have called a threat to national security. In April, Trump ordered the Education Department to ramp up enforcement of a federal rule requiring colleges to disclose information about funding from foreign sources.

During his first term, the Education Department opened 19 investigations into foreign funding at U.S. universities and found that they underreported money flowing from China, Russia and other countries described as foreign adversaries.

Hours before Rubio announced the change, Eastern Michigan University announced it was ending engineering partnerships with two Chinese universities, responding to Republican pressure. Rep. John Moolenaar, the Republican chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, recently urged Eastern Michigan and other universities to end partnerships with Chinese universities.

Around 1.1 million international students were in the United States last year — a source of essential revenue for tuition-driven colleges. International students are not eligible for federal financial aid. Often, they pay full price.

Northeastern University, which has more than 20,000 international students, has set up “contingency plans” for those who hit visa delays, said spokesperson Renata Nyul, without elaborating.

“This is a very dynamic situation, and we are closely monitoring the developments in real time to assess any potential impacts,” she said.

The US plans more in-depth reviews of visa applicants’ social media

In his announcement on China, Rubio said the government also will “revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong.”

Visa applicants have been required to provide social media handles to the State Department since 2019. The cable Tuesday did not indicate what kind of additional scrutiny the new guidelines would cover, but suggested the new reviews may be more resource-intensive.

The additional vetting will deter students from coming to the U.S., said Jonathan Friedman of PEN America, a literary and free expression organization.

“The details remain vague, but this policy risks upending the long-standing place of the U.S. as a beacon for intellectual and cultural exchange with the world,” Friedman said.

The move to cut off international enrollment at Harvard stems from a dispute with the Department of Homeland Security, which has demanded that it provide information about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harvard-tax-exempt-status-international-students-07a10958bf078cb04b59d1fc9a3a27a8">foreign students</a>&nbsp;that might implicate them in violence or protests that could lead to their deportation. Harvard says it complied with the records request, but the agency said its response fell short.

On Wednesday, Trump said more scrutiny of Harvard’s students is necessary.

“They’re taking people from areas of the world that are very radicalized, and we don’t want them making trouble in our country,” Trump said.

The Trump administration has cut over $2.6 billion in federal grants for Harvard as it presses demands for changes to policies and governance at the Ivy League school, which the president has described as a hotbed of liberalism and antisemitism. Harvard has pushed back and filed a lawsuit against the administration.

Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim in Washington and Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco contributed to this report.

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/" target="_blank">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/" target="_blank">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1746019461996.png" alt="Student Visa image courtesy SUNY Schenectady" />
 <figcaption>Student Visa image courtesy SUNY Schenectady</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday the U.S. will begin revoking the visas of some Chinese students, including those studying in “critical fields.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The U.S. will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.&mdash; Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio/status/1927859105282015532?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>China is the second-largest country of origin for international students in the United States, behind only India. In the 2023-2024 school year, more than 270,000 international students were from China, making up roughly a quarter of all foreign students in the United States.“Under President Trump’s leadership, the U.S. State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields,” Rubio wrote.The action comes at a time of intensifying scrutiny of the ties between U.S. higher education and China. House Republicans this month pressed Duke University to cut its ties with a Chinese university, saying it allowed Chinese students to gain access to federally funded research at Duke.Last year, House Republicans issued a report warning that hundreds of millions of dollars in defense funding was going to research partnerships linked to the Chinese government, providing “back-door access to the very foreign adversary nation whose aggression these capabilities are necessary to protect against.”The Department of Homeland Security raised similar issues in a letter barring international students at Harvard University last week. Secretary Kristi Noem accused Harvard of “coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party,” citing research collaborations with Chinese scholars. It also accused Harvard of training members of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, a Chinese paramilitary group.The announcement came a day after Rubio&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-visa-social-media-d71aa33ff756c1383b362f69bf5b7a17">halted the scheduling</a>&nbsp;of new visa interviews for international students as the department prepares guidelines for increased vetting of their activity on social media.<h2>The crackdown on visas adds to uncertainty for international students</h2>Together, the announcements from the State Department added to uncertainty for America’s international students, who have faced intensifying scrutiny from President Donald Trump’s administration.Earlier this year, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested and tried to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mahmoud-khalil-columbia-protester-ruling-deport-fd9e80583af3109d7de0a5264e79ea61">deport students</a>&nbsp;who had been involved in campus protests against the Israel-Hamas war. And the Trump administration abruptly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-student-f1-visa-revoked-college-f12320b435b6bf9cf723f1e8eb8c67ae">terminated the legal status</a>&nbsp;of thousands of international students before reversing itself and then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-student-visa-f1-sevis-status-716ce8e67e2c3093eba4092e57ba1612">expanding the grounds</a>&nbsp;on which students can lose permission to study in the U.S.University of Wisconsin student Vladyslav Plyaka was planning to visit Poland to see his mother and renew his visa, but he doesn’t know when that will be possible now that visa appointments are suspended. He also doesn’t feel safe leaving the U.S. even when appointments resume.“I don’t think I have enough trust in the system at this point,” said Plyaka, who came to the U.S. from Ukraine as an exchange student in high school and stayed for college. “I understand it probably is done for security measures, but I would probably just finish my education for the next two or three years and then come back to Ukraine.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748477767825.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Trump administration last week moved to block Harvard University from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-international-students-trump-what-to-know-6defa20d617f1ef297402e0d84c55e1e">enrolling any international students</a>, a decision that has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-foreign-students-enrollment-trump-lawsuit-94b65866c563e67a7a7a3c79e90144d6">put on hold</a>&nbsp;by a federal judge, pending a lawsuit.Trump said Wednesday that Harvard, whose current student population is made up of more than a quarter of international students, should limit that percentage to about 15%.“I want to make sure the foreign students are people that can love our country,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.The action on Chinese students renews a priority from Trump’s first administration to clamp down on academic ties between the United States and China, which Republicans have called a threat to national security. In April, Trump ordered the Education Department to ramp up enforcement of a federal rule requiring colleges to disclose information about funding from foreign sources.During his first term, the Education Department opened 19 investigations into foreign funding at U.S. universities and found that they underreported money flowing from China, Russia and other countries described as foreign adversaries.Hours before Rubio announced the change, Eastern Michigan University announced it was ending engineering partnerships with two Chinese universities, responding to Republican pressure. Rep. John Moolenaar, the Republican chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, recently urged Eastern Michigan and other universities to end partnerships with Chinese universities.Around 1.1 million international students were in the United States last year — a source of essential revenue for tuition-driven colleges. International students are not eligible for federal financial aid. Often, they pay full price.Northeastern University, which has more than 20,000 international students, has set up “contingency plans” for those who hit visa delays, said spokesperson Renata Nyul, without elaborating.“This is a very dynamic situation, and we are closely monitoring the developments in real time to assess any potential impacts,” she said.<h2>The US plans more in-depth reviews of visa applicants’ social media</h2>In his announcement on China, Rubio said the government also will “revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong.”Visa applicants have been required to provide social media handles to the State Department since 2019. The cable Tuesday did not indicate what kind of additional scrutiny the new guidelines would cover, but suggested the new reviews may be more resource-intensive.The additional vetting will deter students from coming to the U.S., said Jonathan Friedman of PEN America, a literary and free expression organization.“The details remain vague, but this policy risks upending the long-standing place of the U.S. as a beacon for intellectual and cultural exchange with the world,” Friedman said.The move to cut off international enrollment at Harvard stems from a dispute with the Department of Homeland Security, which has demanded that it provide information about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harvard-tax-exempt-status-international-students-07a10958bf078cb04b59d1fc9a3a27a8">foreign students</a>&nbsp;that might implicate them in violence or protests that could lead to their deportation. Harvard says it complied with the records request, but the agency said its response fell short.On Wednesday, Trump said more scrutiny of Harvard’s students is necessary.“They’re taking people from areas of the world that are very radicalized, and we don’t want them making trouble in our country,” Trump said.The Trump administration has cut over $2.6 billion in federal grants for Harvard as it presses demands for changes to policies and governance at the Ivy League school, which the president has described as a hotbed of liberalism and antisemitism. Harvard has pushed back and filed a lawsuit against the administration.___Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim in Washington and Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco contributed to this report.___The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/" target="_blank">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/" target="_blank">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

US to begin revoking visas of some Chinese students

LYON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged murder and&nbsp; have properly identified the homicide victim as 57-year-old Adolfo Callejo Viniegra, according to Emporia Police Captain Lisa Hayes.

Callejo Viniegra has been living in Emporia under the alias of Raul Rosado Reyes since the early 2000s.

Around 7a.m. on Sunday, the Lyon County Communications Center received a 911 call of an unconscious person at a residence in the 200 block of W 10th Avenue in Emporia, according to Hayes. An ambulance and Emporia Police Officers responded and found Reyes dead inside the residence.

Emporia Investigations Division led the investigation and identified 36-year-old Alexei Perez-Ricardo as a primary suspect. Perez-Ricardo was apprehended a short time later in eastern Emporia, questioned, and ultimately booked into to the Lyon County Detention Center on requested charges of Murder, Simple Assault and a Weapons Violation.&nbsp;

Detectives believe a confrontation between Reyes and Perez-Ricardo took place on Saturday. Following the confrontation, Perez-Ricardo is believed to have left the scene on foot to areas in eastern Emporia. He was later seen with a bicycle.

Emporia Detectives gathered information from eyewitnesses, home surveillance videos, and cell phones.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748365013935.png" alt="Perez-Ricardo photo Lyon Co." />
 <figcaption>Perez-Ricardo photo Lyon Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>LYON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged murder and&nbsp; have properly identified the homicide victim as 57-year-old Adolfo Callejo Viniegra, according to Emporia Police Captain Lisa Hayes.Callejo Viniegra has been living in Emporia under the alias of Raul Rosado Reyes since the early 2000s.Around 7a.m. on Sunday, the Lyon County Communications Center received a 911 call of an unconscious person at a residence in the 200 block of W 10th Avenue in Emporia, according to Hayes. An ambulance and Emporia Police Officers responded and found Reyes dead inside the residence.Emporia Investigations Division led the investigation and identified 36-year-old Alexei Perez-Ricardo as a primary suspect. Perez-Ricardo was apprehended a short time later in eastern Emporia, questioned, and ultimately booked into to the Lyon County Detention Center on requested charges of Murder, Simple Assault and a Weapons Violation.&nbsp;Detectives believe a confrontation between Reyes and Perez-Ricardo took place on Saturday. Following the confrontation, Perez-Ricardo is believed to have left the scene on foot to areas in eastern Emporia. He was later seen with a bicycle.Emporia Detectives gathered information from eyewitnesses, home surveillance videos, and cell phones.&nbsp;

Police:  Kansas homicide victim had been living under an alias for years

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;is leaving his government role as a top adviser to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;after spearheading efforts to reduce and overhaul the federal bureaucracy.

His departure, announced Wednesday evening, marks the end of a turbulent chapter that included thousands of layoffs, the evisceration of government agencies and reams of litigation. Despite the upheaval, the billionaire entrepreneur struggled in the unfamiliar environment of Washington, and he accomplished far less than he hoped.

He dramatically reduced his target for cutting spending — from $2 trillion to $1 trillion to $150 billion — and increasingly expressed frustration about resistance to his goals. Sometimes he clashed with other top members of Trump's administration, who chafed at the newcomer's efforts to reshape their departments, and he faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-doge-tesla-d1206a96983b30b9cef7b18eaa8c48a7">fierce political blowback</a>&nbsp;for his efforts.

Musk's role working for Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-tesla-government-cuts-c47211544c5382a6207779ee95c6060b">always intended to be temporary</a>, and he had recently signaled that he would be shifting his attention back to running his businesses, such as the electric automaker Tesla and the rocket company SpaceX.

But administration officials were often vague about when Musk would step back from his position spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, and he abruptly revealed that he was leaving in a post on X, his social media website.

“As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” he wrote. “The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”

A White House official, who requested anonymity to talk about the change, confirmed Musk's departure.

Musk announced his decision one day after CBS released&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLbx2PJ4pqE">part of an interview</a>&nbsp;in which he criticized the centerpiece of Trump’s legislative agenda by saying he was “disappointed” by what the president calls his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/big-beautiful-bill-trump-tax-cuts-medicaid-00ce1ff8a7b7fea7a894d38398748c6b">“big beautiful bill.”</a>

The legislation includes a mix of tax cuts and enhanced immigration enforcement. Musk described it as a “massive spending bill” that increases the federal deficit and “undermines the work” of his Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE.

“I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful,” Musk said. “But I don’t know if it could be both.”

Trump, speaking in the Oval Office on Wednesday, defended his agenda by talking about the delicate politics involved with negotiating the legislation.

“I’m not happy about certain aspects of it, but I’m thrilled by other aspects of it,” he said.

Trump also suggested that more changes could be made.

“We’re going to see what happens,” he said. “It’s got a way to go.”

Republicans recently pushed the measure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-tax-cuts-trump-f2c60ae5c7c1313de69446f9ac7176e6">through the House</a>&nbsp;and are debating it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-medicaid-congress-senate-trump-bill-2825f8fa0e96a00cf72a6de6a5a88a25">in the Senate</a>.

Musk's concerns are shared by some Republican lawmakers. “I sympathize with Elon being discouraged,” said Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson.

Speaking at a Milwaukee Press Club event on Wednesday, Johnson added that he was “pretty confident” there was enough opposition “to slow this process down until the president, our leadership, gets serious” about reducing spending. He said there was no amount of pressure Trump could put on him to change his position.

Speaker Mike Johnson has asked senators to make as few changes to the legislation as possible, saying that House Republicans reached a “very delicate balance” that could be upended with major changes. The narrowly divided House will have to vote again on final passage once the Senate alters the bill.

On Wednesday, Johnson thanked Musk for his work and promised to pursue more spending cuts in the future, saying “the House is eager and ready to act on DOGE’s findings.”

The White House is sending some proposed rescissions, a mechanism used to cancel previously authorized spending, to Capitol Hill to solidify some of DOGE’s cuts. A spokesperson for the Office of Management and Budget said the package will include $1.1 billion from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR and PBS, and $8.3 billion in foreign assistance.

Musk occasionally seemed chastened by his experience working in government.

“The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized,” he told The Washington Post. “I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in D.C., to say the least.”

He also recently said that he'll&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-campaign-donations-ff47d9b4cf02b2e63633edf37823c8ff">reduce his political spending</a>, because “I think I’ve done enough.”

Musk had previously been energized by the opportunity to reshape Washington. After putting at least $250 million behind Trump's candidacy, he wore campaign hats in the White House, held his own campaign rallies, and talked about excessive spending as an existential crisis. He often tended to be effusive in his praise of Trump.

“The more I’ve gotten to know President Trump, the more I like the guy,” Musk said in February. “Frankly, I love him.”

Trump repaid the favor, describing Musk as “a truly great American.” When Tesla faced declining sales, he turned the White House driveway into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-tesla-9a43c57a0591a4c7ed8d3f1b2c7ef8d9">a makeshift showroom</a>&nbsp;to illustrate his support.

It's unclear what, if any, impact that Musk's comments about the bill would have on the legislative debate, especially given his departure from the administration. During the transition period, when his influence was on the rise,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-budget-debt-ceiling-shutdown-musk-johnson-e0258d31a9018c7af09afc11a8634707">he helped whip up opposition</a>&nbsp;to a spending measure as the country stood on the brink of a federal government shutdown.

His latest criticism could embolden Republicans who want bigger spending cuts. Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee reposted a Fox News story about Musk's interview while also adding his own take on the measure, saying there was “still time to fix it.”

“The Senate version will be more aggressive,” Lee said. “It can, it must, and it will be. Or it won’t pass.”

Only two Republicans — Reps. Warren Davidson of Ohio and Thomas Massie of Kentucky — voted against the bill when the House took up the measure last week.

Davidson took note of Musk’s comments on social media.

“Hopefully, the Senate will succeed with the Big Beautiful Bill where the House missed the moment,” he wrote. “Don’t hope someone else will cut deficits someday, know it has been done this Congress.”

The Congressional Budget Office, in a preliminary estimate, said the tax provisions would increase federal deficits by $3.8 trillion over the decade, while the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-cuts-trump-tax-cuts-bill-1e2b12a91a3d12ceb0420ce7053de58e">changes to Medicaid</a>, food stamps and other services would reduce spending by slightly more than $1 trillion over the same period.

House Republican leaders say increased economic growth would allow the bill to be deficit-neutral or deficit-reducing, but outside watchdogs are skeptical. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates the bill would add $3 trillion to the debt, including interest, over the next decade.

___ Associated Press writers Scott Bauer in Milwaukee, and Kevin Freking, Lisa Mascaro and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741607065509.png" alt="File photo Elon Musk image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>File photo Elon Musk image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;is leaving his government role as a top adviser to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;after spearheading efforts to reduce and overhaul the federal bureaucracy.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending. The <a href="https://twitter.com/DOGE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DOGE</a> mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1927877957852266518?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>His departure, announced Wednesday evening, marks the end of a turbulent chapter that included thousands of layoffs, the evisceration of government agencies and reams of litigation. Despite the upheaval, the billionaire entrepreneur struggled in the unfamiliar environment of Washington, and he accomplished far less than he hoped.He dramatically reduced his target for cutting spending — from $2 trillion to $1 trillion to $150 billion — and increasingly expressed frustration about resistance to his goals. Sometimes he clashed with other top members of Trump's administration, who chafed at the newcomer's efforts to reshape their departments, and he faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-doge-tesla-d1206a96983b30b9cef7b18eaa8c48a7">fierce political blowback</a>&nbsp;for his efforts.Musk's role working for Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-tesla-government-cuts-c47211544c5382a6207779ee95c6060b">always intended to be temporary</a>, and he had recently signaled that he would be shifting his attention back to running his businesses, such as the electric automaker Tesla and the rocket company SpaceX.But administration officials were often vague about when Musk would step back from his position spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, and he abruptly revealed that he was leaving in a post on X, his social media website.“As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” he wrote. “The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”A White House official, who requested anonymity to talk about the change, confirmed Musk's departure.Musk announced his decision one day after CBS released&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLbx2PJ4pqE">part of an interview</a>&nbsp;in which he criticized the centerpiece of Trump’s legislative agenda by saying he was “disappointed” by what the president calls his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/big-beautiful-bill-trump-tax-cuts-medicaid-00ce1ff8a7b7fea7a894d38398748c6b">“big beautiful bill.”</a>The legislation includes a mix of tax cuts and enhanced immigration enforcement. Musk described it as a “massive spending bill” that increases the federal deficit and “undermines the work” of his Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE.“I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful,” Musk said. “But I don’t know if it could be both.”Trump, speaking in the Oval Office on Wednesday, defended his agenda by talking about the delicate politics involved with negotiating the legislation.“I’m not happy about certain aspects of it, but I’m thrilled by other aspects of it,” he said.Trump also suggested that more changes could be made.“We’re going to see what happens,” he said. “It’s got a way to go.”Republicans recently pushed the measure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-tax-cuts-trump-f2c60ae5c7c1313de69446f9ac7176e6">through the House</a>&nbsp;and are debating it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-medicaid-congress-senate-trump-bill-2825f8fa0e96a00cf72a6de6a5a88a25">in the Senate</a>.Musk's concerns are shared by some Republican lawmakers. “I sympathize with Elon being discouraged,” said Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson.Speaking at a Milwaukee Press Club event on Wednesday, Johnson added that he was “pretty confident” there was enough opposition “to slow this process down until the president, our leadership, gets serious” about reducing spending. He said there was no amount of pressure Trump could put on him to change his position.Speaker Mike Johnson has asked senators to make as few changes to the legislation as possible, saying that House Republicans reached a “very delicate balance” that could be upended with major changes. The narrowly divided House will have to vote again on final passage once the Senate alters the bill.On Wednesday, Johnson thanked Musk for his work and promised to pursue more spending cuts in the future, saying “the House is eager and ready to act on DOGE’s findings.”The White House is sending some proposed rescissions, a mechanism used to cancel previously authorized spending, to Capitol Hill to solidify some of DOGE’s cuts. A spokesperson for the Office of Management and Budget said the package will include $1.1 billion from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR and PBS, and $8.3 billion in foreign assistance.Musk occasionally seemed chastened by his experience working in government.“The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized,” he told The Washington Post. “I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in D.C., to say the least.”He also recently said that he'll&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-campaign-donations-ff47d9b4cf02b2e63633edf37823c8ff">reduce his political spending</a>, because “I think I’ve done enough.”Musk had previously been energized by the opportunity to reshape Washington. After putting at least $250 million behind Trump's candidacy, he wore campaign hats in the White House, held his own campaign rallies, and talked about excessive spending as an existential crisis. He often tended to be effusive in his praise of Trump.“The more I’ve gotten to know President Trump, the more I like the guy,” Musk said in February. “Frankly, I love him.”Trump repaid the favor, describing Musk as “a truly great American.” When Tesla faced declining sales, he turned the White House driveway into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-tesla-9a43c57a0591a4c7ed8d3f1b2c7ef8d9">a makeshift showroom</a>&nbsp;to illustrate his support.It's unclear what, if any, impact that Musk's comments about the bill would have on the legislative debate, especially given his departure from the administration. During the transition period, when his influence was on the rise,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-budget-debt-ceiling-shutdown-musk-johnson-e0258d31a9018c7af09afc11a8634707">he helped whip up opposition</a>&nbsp;to a spending measure as the country stood on the brink of a federal government shutdown.His latest criticism could embolden Republicans who want bigger spending cuts. Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee reposted a Fox News story about Musk's interview while also adding his own take on the measure, saying there was “still time to fix it.”“The Senate version will be more aggressive,” Lee said. “It can, it must, and it will be. Or it won’t pass.”Only two Republicans — Reps. Warren Davidson of Ohio and Thomas Massie of Kentucky — voted against the bill when the House took up the measure last week.Davidson took note of Musk’s comments on social media.“Hopefully, the Senate will succeed with the Big Beautiful Bill where the House missed the moment,” he wrote. “Don’t hope someone else will cut deficits someday, know it has been done this Congress.”The Congressional Budget Office, in a preliminary estimate, said the tax provisions would increase federal deficits by $3.8 trillion over the decade, while the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-cuts-trump-tax-cuts-bill-1e2b12a91a3d12ceb0420ce7053de58e">changes to Medicaid</a>, food stamps and other services would reduce spending by slightly more than $1 trillion over the same period.House Republican leaders say increased economic growth would allow the bill to be deficit-neutral or deficit-reducing, but outside watchdogs are skeptical. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates the bill would add $3 trillion to the debt, including interest, over the next decade.___ Associated Press writers Scott Bauer in Milwaukee, and Kevin Freking, Lisa Mascaro and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.

Elon Musk is leaving Trump admin. after leading effort to slash federal government

TOPEKA, KAN. — A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with defrauding the federal government, by selling crops that he used as collateral for a federal government loan, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Steven W. Porubsky, 48, of Topeka is charged with one count of conversion of mortgaged collateral.

Porubsky is accused of intentionally defrauding the Farm Service Agency, which is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), by converting to his own use agricultural products that were mortgaged to the USDA.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investigating the case. 

TOPEKA, KAN. — A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with defrauding the federal government, by selling crops that he used as collateral for a federal government loan, according to the United State's Attorney.According to court documents, Steven W. Porubsky, 48, of Topeka is charged with one count of conversion of mortgaged collateral.Porubsky is accused of intentionally defrauding the Farm Service Agency, which is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), by converting to his own use agricultural products that were mortgaged to the USDA.The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investigating the case.

Kansas farmer accused of defrauding federal government 

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal trade court on Wednesday blocked President Donald Trump from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-chickening-out-taco-trade-tariff-chinau-69569d771c28ef972f80b87bac0d54d6">imposing sweeping tariffs</a>&nbsp;on imports under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-liberation-day-2a031b3c16120a5672a6ddd01da09933">an emergency-powers law</a>.

The ruling from a three-judge panel at the New York-based Court of International Trade came after several lawsuits arguing Trump has exceeded his authority, left U.S. trade policy dependent on his whims and unleashed economic chaos.

“The Worldwide and Retaliatory Tariff Orders exceed any authority granted to the President by IEEPA to regulate importation by means of tariffs," the court wrote, referring to the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

The White House did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. The Trump administration is expected to appeal.

At least seven lawsuits are challenging the levies, the centerpiece of Trump’s trade policy.

Tariffs must typically be approved by Congress, but Trump says he has the power to act because the country’s trade deficits amount to a national emergency. He imposed tariffs on most of the countries in the world at one point, sending markets reeling.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-lawsuits-supreme-court-national-emergency-6f5fa2daee0e1519035391328b456a9a">The plaintiffs</a>&nbsp;argued that the emergency powers law does not authorize the use of tariffs, and even if it did, the trade deficit does not meet the law’s requirement that an emergency be triggered only by an "unusual and extraordinary threat." The U.S. has run a trade deficit with the rest of the world for 49 consecutive years.

Trump imposed tariffs on most of the countries in the world in an effort to reverse America’s massive and longstanding trade deficits. He earlier plastered levies on imports from Canada, China and Mexico to combat the illegal flow of immigrants and the synthetic opioids across the U.S. border.

His administration argues that courts approved then-President Richard Nixon’s emergency use of tariffs in 1971, and that only Congress, and not the courts, can determine the "political" question of whether the president’s rationale for declaring an emergency complies with the law.

Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs shook global financial markets and led many economists to downgrade the outlook for U.S. economic growth. So far, though, the tariffs appear to have had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-inflation-economy-prices-eaf0b00bbdfa50c694590c70467a6cd4">little impact on the world’s largest economy</a>.

The lawsuit was filed by a group of small businesses, including a wine importer, V.O.S. Selections, whose owner has said the tariffs are having a major impact and his company may not survive.

A dozen states also filed suit, led by Oregon. “This ruling reaffirms that our laws matter, and that trade decisions can’t be made on the president’s whim,” Attorney General Dan Rayfield said.

Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Paul Wiseman contributed to this story.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743626000304.png" alt="File photo White House image" />
 <figcaption>File photo White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal trade court on Wednesday blocked President Donald Trump from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-chickening-out-taco-trade-tariff-chinau-69569d771c28ef972f80b87bac0d54d6">imposing sweeping tariffs</a>&nbsp;on imports under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-liberation-day-2a031b3c16120a5672a6ddd01da09933">an emergency-powers law</a>.The ruling from a three-judge panel at the New York-based Court of International Trade came after several lawsuits arguing Trump has exceeded his authority, left U.S. trade policy dependent on his whims and unleashed economic chaos.“The Worldwide and Retaliatory Tariff Orders exceed any authority granted to the President by IEEPA to regulate importation by means of tariffs," the court wrote, referring to the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act.The White House did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. The Trump administration is expected to appeal.At least seven lawsuits are challenging the levies, the centerpiece of Trump’s trade policy.Tariffs must typically be approved by Congress, but Trump says he has the power to act because the country’s trade deficits amount to a national emergency. He imposed tariffs on most of the countries in the world at one point, sending markets reeling.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-lawsuits-supreme-court-national-emergency-6f5fa2daee0e1519035391328b456a9a">The plaintiffs</a>&nbsp;argued that the emergency powers law does not authorize the use of tariffs, and even if it did, the trade deficit does not meet the law’s requirement that an emergency be triggered only by an "unusual and extraordinary threat." The U.S. has run a trade deficit with the rest of the world for 49 consecutive years.Trump imposed tariffs on most of the countries in the world in an effort to reverse America’s massive and longstanding trade deficits. He earlier plastered levies on imports from Canada, China and Mexico to combat the illegal flow of immigrants and the synthetic opioids across the U.S. border.His administration argues that courts approved then-President Richard Nixon’s emergency use of tariffs in 1971, and that only Congress, and not the courts, can determine the "political" question of whether the president’s rationale for declaring an emergency complies with the law.Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs shook global financial markets and led many economists to downgrade the outlook for U.S. economic growth. So far, though, the tariffs appear to have had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-inflation-economy-prices-eaf0b00bbdfa50c694590c70467a6cd4">little impact on the world’s largest economy</a>.The lawsuit was filed by a group of small businesses, including a wine importer, V.O.S. Selections, whose owner has said the tariffs are having a major impact and his company may not survive.A dozen states also filed suit, led by Oregon. “This ruling reaffirms that our laws matter, and that trade decisions can’t be made on the president’s whim,” Attorney General Dan Rayfield said.___Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Paul Wiseman contributed to this story.

Court blocks Trump from imposing tariffs under emergency powers law

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22CARLA%20K.%20JOHNSON%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By CARLA K. JOHNSON AP Medical Writer</a>

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-variant-omicron-deaths-wuhan-lab-1ae8a7b3e6e034e03722f17e7aad34cb">COVID-19 cases</a>&nbsp;are rising again as a new variant begins to circulate in some parts of the world. The World Health Organization said Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON572">the rise in cases</a>&nbsp;is primarily in the eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and western Pacific regions.

Airport screening&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-pandemic-masks-anniversary-34f2fb0ea729e71c0809295d3e62744b">in the United States</a>&nbsp;has detected the new variant in travelers arriving from those regions to destinations in California, Washington state, Virginia and New York.

The new variant is called NB.1.8.1. It arrives as the United States’ official stance on COVID-19 vaccination is changing. On Tuesday, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-pregnant-women-children-70c358cad726e57d680234c3ecdec926">announced</a>&nbsp;that COVID-19 shots are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women — a move immediately questioned by several public health experts.

The new variant, increasing globally, had by mid-May reached nearly 11% of sequenced samples reported. The WHO has designated it a “variant under monitoring” and considers the&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/documents/epp/tracking-sars-cov-2/23052025_nb.1.8.1_ire.pdf">public health risk low at the global level</a>&nbsp;with current vaccines expected to remain effective.

The WHO said some western Pacific countries have reported increases in COVID cases and hospitalizations, but there’s nothing so far to suggest that the disease associated with the new variant is more severe compared to other variants.

The variant called LP.8.1 is currently the dominant version in the U.S. and globally. ___

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

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22CARLA%20K.%20JOHNSON%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By CARLA K. JOHNSON AP Medical Writer</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-variant-omicron-deaths-wuhan-lab-1ae8a7b3e6e034e03722f17e7aad34cb">COVID-19 cases</a>&nbsp;are rising again as a new variant begins to circulate in some parts of the world. The World Health Organization said Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON572">the rise in cases</a>&nbsp;is primarily in the eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and western Pacific regions.Airport screening&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-pandemic-masks-anniversary-34f2fb0ea729e71c0809295d3e62744b">in the United States</a>&nbsp;has detected the new variant in travelers arriving from those regions to destinations in California, Washington state, Virginia and New York.The new variant is called NB.1.8.1. It arrives as the United States’ official stance on COVID-19 vaccination is changing. On Tuesday, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-pregnant-women-children-70c358cad726e57d680234c3ecdec926">announced</a>&nbsp;that COVID-19 shots are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women — a move immediately questioned by several public health experts.The new variant, increasing globally, had by mid-May reached nearly 11% of sequenced samples reported. The WHO has designated it a “variant under monitoring” and considers the&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/documents/epp/tracking-sars-cov-2/23052025_nb.1.8.1_ire.pdf">public health risk low at the global level</a>&nbsp;with current vaccines expected to remain effective.The WHO said some western Pacific countries have reported increases in COVID cases and hospitalizations, but there’s nothing so far to suggest that the disease associated with the new variant is more severe compared to other variants.The variant called LP.8.1 is currently the dominant version in the U.S. and globally. ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

WHO: New variant of COVID may be driving up cases in parts of the world

BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest.&nbsp;

On May 22, police began investigating a report of auto burglary and theft from a fenced-in business in the 900 block of MacArthur in Great Bend, according to a media release.

 A short time later, officers discovered a campsite along the shore of MacArthur Lake in the community.

 Among the campsite, there was a large amount of trash and debris.The lake is managed as a public park and city ordinance prohibits camping or littering in the area. Officers located 40-year-old Ashley Corn and 26-year-old Tre Fiesterman at the campsite. While speaking with Corn, officers observed several items that had been reported stolen from the earlier incident.

Detectives arrived on scene and learned of a second location where stolen items from a separate incident were being stored. During the investigation, methamphetamine and marijuana were also located and seized. Both Corn and Fiesterman were arrested and booked into the Barton County Jail

Several other items were collected from the campsite and police released pictures of the items. Due to the nature of the crimes involved, the possibility exists that some of these items may also have been stolen. If you have any information regarding these items, please contact the Great Bend Police Department at 620-793-4120.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748462022086.jpeg" alt="Photo Great Bend Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Great Bend Police</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest.&nbsp;On May 22, police began investigating a report of auto burglary and theft from a fenced-in business in the 900 block of MacArthur in Great Bend, according to a media release.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748462349234.jpeg" alt="Fiesterman photo Great Bend Police" />
 <figcaption>Fiesterman photo Great Bend Police</figcaption>
 </figure> A short time later, officers discovered a campsite along the shore of MacArthur Lake in the community.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748515644932.png" alt="Corn photo Great Bend Police" />
 <figcaption>Corn photo Great Bend Police</figcaption>
 </figure> Among the campsite, there was a large amount of trash and debris.The lake is managed as a public park and city ordinance prohibits camping or littering in the area. Officers located 40-year-old Ashley Corn and 26-year-old Tre Fiesterman at the campsite. While speaking with Corn, officers observed several items that had been reported stolen from the earlier incident.Detectives arrived on scene and learned of a second location where stolen items from a separate incident were being stored. During the investigation, methamphetamine and marijuana were also located and seized. Both Corn and Fiesterman were arrested and booked into the Barton County JailSeveral other items were collected from the campsite and police released pictures of the items. Due to the nature of the crimes involved, the possibility exists that some of these items may also have been stolen. If you have any information regarding these items, please contact the Great Bend Police Department at 620-793-4120.

Police make arrest, recover items from Kansas  burglary

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas violent offender accused of attacking two woman in downtown Wichita earlier this month made his first court appearance for the crime on Tuesday.

Ishara Samson, 34 of Wichita, is charged with two counts of battery and&nbsp; an offender registration violation, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On May 3, two women reported a suspect, later identified as Samson, attacked them while they were walking near Douglas and St. Francis in downtown Wichita, according to police.&nbsp; Samson was was arrested at a homeless shelter.

He has been listed as a registered violent offender in Kansas since October 2022 after conviction on charges of&nbsp; Aggravated battery; Knowingly use weapon cause great body harm/disfigure/death after an&nbsp;attack with a sword.&nbsp;

He’s being held in the Sedgwick County Jail on a $100,000 bond and is due back in court on June 9, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748381720990.png" alt="Samson photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Samson photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas violent offender accused of attacking two woman in downtown Wichita earlier this month made his first court appearance for the crime on Tuesday.Ishara Samson, 34 of Wichita, is charged with two counts of battery and&nbsp; an offender registration violation, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On May 3, two women reported a suspect, later identified as Samson, attacked them while they were walking near Douglas and St. Francis in downtown Wichita, according to police.&nbsp; Samson was was arrested at a homeless shelter.He has been listed as a registered violent offender in Kansas since October 2022 after conviction on charges of&nbsp; Aggravated battery; Knowingly use weapon cause great body harm/disfigure/death after an&nbsp;attack with a sword.&nbsp;He’s being held in the Sedgwick County Jail on a $100,000 bond and is due back in court on June 9, according to the district attorney's office.

Kansas registered offender back in jail after alleged attack

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed pardons for reality TV stars Julie and Todd Chrisley, who have been serving federal prison sentences since being convicted three years ago of bank fraud and tax evasion.

Trump's pardons pave the way for the couple best known for the TV series “Chrisley Knows Best” to be freed from prison. Todd Chrisley, 57, has been incarcerated at a minimum security prison camp in Pensacola, Florida. Julie Chrisley, 52, was imprisoned at a facility in Lexington, Kentucky.

The Chrisleys' TV show portrayed them as a tight-knit family with an extravagant lifestyle. Prosecutors at the couple’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-julie-chrisley-todd-atlanta-business-994090f5f18e0dd2bfd1e95c3521c85f">2022 trial</a>&nbsp;said the couple spent lavishly on high-priced cars, designer clothes, real estate and travel after taking out fraudulent bank loans worth millions of dollars and hiding their earnings from tax authorities.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pardon-julie-todd-chrisley-reality-tv-2f79831f142de44b36922ebdbc959f04">announced</a>&nbsp;his intention to pardon the Chrisleys on Tuesday, saying the celebrity couple had been “given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I’m hearing.” It was another example of the president, himself a former reality TV star, pardoning high-profile friends, supporters, donors and former staffers.

The Chrisleys’ attorney, Alex Little, said Tuesday that Trump’s pardon “corrects a deep injustice” in which the celebrity couple were “targeted because of their conservative values and high profile.”

Before she was pardoned, Julie Chrisley had been scheduled for release in January 2028, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website. Todd Chrisley was to remain imprisoned until September 2032.

During the couple’s trial, prosecutors said the Chrisleys hadn’t yet become TV stars when they and a former business partner submitted false documents to banks in the Atlanta area to obtain fraudulent loans. New loans were taken out to pay off the old ones, according to prosecutors, until Todd Chrisley filed for bankruptcy, walking away from more than $20 million in unpaid loans.

The Chrisleys’ defense attorneys had argued that an IRS officer gave false testimony at their trial and that prosecutors lacked evidence to support convictions.

A panel of judges of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the Chrisleys’ convictions last year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669079805529.png" alt="File Todd Chrisley, left, and his wife, Julie Chrisley, pose for photos at the 52nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards on April 2, 2017, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)" />
 <figcaption>File Todd Chrisley, left, and his wife, Julie Chrisley, pose for photos at the 52nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards on April 2, 2017, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed pardons for reality TV stars Julie and Todd Chrisley, who have been serving federal prison sentences since being convicted three years ago of bank fraud and tax evasion.Trump's pardons pave the way for the couple best known for the TV series “Chrisley Knows Best” to be freed from prison. Todd Chrisley, 57, has been incarcerated at a minimum security prison camp in Pensacola, Florida. Julie Chrisley, 52, was imprisoned at a facility in Lexington, Kentucky.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">BREAKING! President Trump calls <a href="https://twitter.com/_ItsSavannah_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_ItsSavannah_</a> to inform her that he will be granting full pardons to her parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley! Trump Knows Best! <a href="https://t.co/j5WPMOOQ7L">pic.twitter.com/j5WPMOOQ7L</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1927470034688839944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Chrisleys' TV show portrayed them as a tight-knit family with an extravagant lifestyle. Prosecutors at the couple’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-julie-chrisley-todd-atlanta-business-994090f5f18e0dd2bfd1e95c3521c85f">2022 trial</a>&nbsp;said the couple spent lavishly on high-priced cars, designer clothes, real estate and travel after taking out fraudulent bank loans worth millions of dollars and hiding their earnings from tax authorities.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pardon-julie-todd-chrisley-reality-tv-2f79831f142de44b36922ebdbc959f04">announced</a>&nbsp;his intention to pardon the Chrisleys on Tuesday, saying the celebrity couple had been “given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I’m hearing.” It was another example of the president, himself a former reality TV star, pardoning high-profile friends, supporters, donors and former staffers.The Chrisleys’ attorney, Alex Little, said Tuesday that Trump’s pardon “corrects a deep injustice” in which the celebrity couple were “targeted because of their conservative values and high profile.”Before she was pardoned, Julie Chrisley had been scheduled for release in January 2028, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website. Todd Chrisley was to remain imprisoned until September 2032.During the couple’s trial, prosecutors said the Chrisleys hadn’t yet become TV stars when they and a former business partner submitted false documents to banks in the Atlanta area to obtain fraudulent loans. New loans were taken out to pay off the old ones, according to prosecutors, until Todd Chrisley filed for bankruptcy, walking away from more than $20 million in unpaid loans.The Chrisleys’ defense attorneys had argued that an IRS officer gave false testimony at their trial and that prosecutors lacked evidence to support convictions.A panel of judges of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the Chrisleys’ convictions last year.

It's official: Trump pardons reality TV stars convicted of fraud and tax evasion

Bayer is reportedly considering dropping signature product as litigation costs mount and company fails in effort to obtain legal shelter from lawmakers

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

German chemical giant Bayer received no relief from runaway litigation costs associated with Roundup herbicide Tuesday when the Western District Missouri Court of Appeals upheld a $611 million judgment that its product causes cancer.

The decision, in a case&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/cases/newHeader.do?inputVO.caseNumber=WD87059&amp;inputVO.courtId=SMPDB0001_WAP" target="_blank">involving three plaintiffs</a>&nbsp;who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/cases/newHeader.do?inputVO.caseNumber=22AC-CC00043&amp;inputVO.courtId=SMPDB0004_CT19#header" target="_blank">sued in Cole County</a>, is one of the reasons the company, which acquired Roundup as a product when it merged with Monsanto, in 2018, is considering&nbsp;<a href="https://www.producer.com/news/bayer-says-it-could-halt-roundup-weedkiller-sales-over-legal-risks/" target="_blank">dropping the product entirely</a>. The company faces 67,000 lawsuits claiming the main ingredient, glyphosate, causes non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with many of those cases awaiting trial in St. Louis County, where the company has its Bayer Crop Science headquarters.

The company&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/18/missouri-house-debate-shows-gop-split-over-bill-to-protect-pesticide-makers/">failed to win passage</a>&nbsp;of a bill intended to shield it from litigation in Missouri. The bill narrowly passed the House but lobbying missteps, including a campaign targeting some of the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/25/political-attacks-stiffen-opposition-to-missouri-bill-to-protect-pesticide-makers/">most conservative members</a>&nbsp;of the state Senate, doomed it. The company did win passage of similar legislation&nbsp;<a href="https://northdakotamonitor.com/2025/04/14/bill-protecting-pesticide-availability-prevails-in-north-dakota-senate/" target="_blank">in North Dakota</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJXrKePs5Wk" target="_blank">in Georgia</a>.

In November 2023, a Cole County jury awarded $1.6 billion to three plaintiffs who claimed their cancer was caused by glyphosate exposure while using Roundup. Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green reduced the $500 million punitive damages awarded to each plaintiff, instead reducing each award by varying amounts.

Green did not change the amounts awarded for actual damages, which ranged from $5.6 million to $38 million and totaled $61.1 million.

With post-judgment interest, the total Bayer owes is now in excess of $700 million.

“We’re certainly pleased with the court of appeals decision that vindicates the jury’s verdict and the trial court’s judgment,” said attorney Matthew Clement of Jefferson City, who represented the plaintiffs in the case. “We’re happy that nothing happened in the legislature, this year at least, that will affect future cases and and will continue to litigate our cases like we had been.”

In a statement issued through Bayer spokesman Brian Leake, the company said it would continue to appeal the case.

“We continue to believe that the trial court committed significant errors by allowing inadmissible and prejudicial testimony into the courtroom which poisoned the jury against the company,” the statement read.

Bayer is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to take its appeal of a 2024 Missouri case awarding $1.25 million in damages to John Durnell of St. Louis. The Eastern District Court of Appeals upheld that decision in February and on April 1 the Missouri Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal.

The U.S. Supreme Court has given parties until June 9 to file arguments on whether it should accept the case.

“The overwhelming weight of science as well as the assessments of the EPA and leading health regulators and scientists worldwide that support the safety and non-carcinogenicity of Roundup and we will continue to defend our products in court,” the company stated.

Bayer has paid out at least $10 billion for jury awards and settlements and earlier this year said it had an additional $6 billion set aside. That fund will be depleted quickly if decisions like the one upheld Tuesday are allowed to stand and the company suffers more losses like a&nbsp; $2.1 billion judgment handed down in March&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/georgia-jury-orders-monsanto-parent-to-pay-nearly-2-1-billion-in-roundup-weedkiller-lawsuit#:~:text=NEW%20YORK%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20A,to%20attorneys%20representing%20the%20plaintiff." target="_blank">by a jury in Georgia</a>.&nbsp;

According to a report from Reuters, Roundup produced $2.8 billion in revenue for Bayer in 2024.

The bill protecting glyphosate from litigation passed the Georgia legislature a few weeks after the $2.1 billion award.

Gov. Mike Kehoe, at a news conference after lawmakers adjourned earlier this month, blamed defeat of the Missouri legislation on trial attorneys who have made “tens of millions of dollars” off the lawsuits.

“If, for some reason, that particular product is not produced anymore in the United States, farmers are still going to need that type of product, that type of weed control, and so that, glyphosate I think is what it’s called, will be produced somewhere,” Kehoe said. “And if it is, it won’t be produced in this country, and farmers will not have the same protections and liability recourse back on the companies who make it, if it’s made in China or somewhere overseas.”

Bayer is also being sued by shareholders in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thenewlede.org/2023/05/investors-awarded-class-action-status-in-new-bayer-lawsuit/" target="_blank">class action lawsuit</a>&nbsp;over its decision to spend $68 billion to acquire Monsanto in 2018. The lawsuit alleges Bayer misled investors over the risks of the acquisition and failed to properly perform due diligence before buying Monsanto,

When Bayer acquired Monsanto in June 2018, its stock price was about $30 a share. On Tuesday afternoon, the company’s shares were selling for $7 apiece.

In the appeal of the Cole County decision, Bayer argued that Green made numerous errors in the trial and in rulings on post-trial motions. The company’s lawyers’ main points challenged the admissibility of testimony about a case over EPA evaluations of glyphosate; surprise findings from an expert; the use made of medical billing records; and whether the punitive damages were unconstitutionally duplicative.

At the heart of most glyphosate cases, and the target of legislation, is the label and whether it includes a proper notice that glyphosate may cause cancer.

“The misconduct complained about in the complaints in the three California cases Monsanto relies on, and in (one plaintiff’s) petition, includes allegations that despite scientific evidence that Roundup was carcinogenic, Monsanto continued to sell Roundup, and that Monsanto failed to warn of the dangerous effects of using Roundup,” Judge Cynthia Martin wrote in the Western District opinion delivered Tuesday.

In a discussion of whether the punitive damage award should have been reduced more, Martin wrote that “Monsanto’s degree of reprehensibility was high.”

Martin noted that the evidence shows that while the EPA has registered Roundup “for sale since 1974, Monsanto has been aware since 1985 that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, has the potential to cause cancer.”

Each of the plaintiffs suffered damages because Monsanto sold a product that was “unreasonably dangerous when used as reasonably anticipated” without altering the labeling to provide a warning.

“Monsanto’s awareness,” Martin wrote, “of studies demonstrating the possibility of a causal relationship between glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, and cancer, particularly NHL, and then its decision to double down on its defense of Roundup in lieu of changing the product’s formulation or adding a warning label regarding the risk posed by Roundup demonstrates, at best, Monsanto’s indifference to or reckless disregard of the health of its customers.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593022262288.png" alt="Post File photo" />
 <figcaption>Post File photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Bayer is reportedly considering dropping signature product as litigation costs mount and company fails in effort to obtain legal shelter from lawmakers</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>German chemical giant Bayer received no relief from runaway litigation costs associated with Roundup herbicide Tuesday when the Western District Missouri Court of Appeals upheld a $611 million judgment that its product causes cancer.The decision, in a case&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/cases/newHeader.do?inputVO.caseNumber=WD87059&amp;inputVO.courtId=SMPDB0001_WAP" target="_blank">involving three plaintiffs</a>&nbsp;who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/cases/newHeader.do?inputVO.caseNumber=22AC-CC00043&amp;inputVO.courtId=SMPDB0004_CT19#header" target="_blank">sued in Cole County</a>, is one of the reasons the company, which acquired Roundup as a product when it merged with Monsanto, in 2018, is considering&nbsp;<a href="https://www.producer.com/news/bayer-says-it-could-halt-roundup-weedkiller-sales-over-legal-risks/" target="_blank">dropping the product entirely</a>. The company faces 67,000 lawsuits claiming the main ingredient, glyphosate, causes non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with many of those cases awaiting trial in St. Louis County, where the company has its Bayer Crop Science headquarters.The company&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/18/missouri-house-debate-shows-gop-split-over-bill-to-protect-pesticide-makers/">failed to win passage</a>&nbsp;of a bill intended to shield it from litigation in Missouri. The bill narrowly passed the House but lobbying missteps, including a campaign targeting some of the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/25/political-attacks-stiffen-opposition-to-missouri-bill-to-protect-pesticide-makers/">most conservative members</a>&nbsp;of the state Senate, doomed it. The company did win passage of similar legislation&nbsp;<a href="https://northdakotamonitor.com/2025/04/14/bill-protecting-pesticide-availability-prevails-in-north-dakota-senate/" target="_blank">in North Dakota</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJXrKePs5Wk" target="_blank">in Georgia</a>.In November 2023, a Cole County jury awarded $1.6 billion to three plaintiffs who claimed their cancer was caused by glyphosate exposure while using Roundup. Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green reduced the $500 million punitive damages awarded to each plaintiff, instead reducing each award by varying amounts.Green did not change the amounts awarded for actual damages, which ranged from $5.6 million to $38 million and totaled $61.1 million.With post-judgment interest, the total Bayer owes is now in excess of $700 million.“We’re certainly pleased with the court of appeals decision that vindicates the jury’s verdict and the trial court’s judgment,” said attorney Matthew Clement of Jefferson City, who represented the plaintiffs in the case. “We’re happy that nothing happened in the legislature, this year at least, that will affect future cases and and will continue to litigate our cases like we had been.”In a statement issued through Bayer spokesman Brian Leake, the company said it would continue to appeal the case.“We continue to believe that the trial court committed significant errors by allowing inadmissible and prejudicial testimony into the courtroom which poisoned the jury against the company,” the statement read.Bayer is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to take its appeal of a 2024 Missouri case awarding $1.25 million in damages to John Durnell of St. Louis. The Eastern District Court of Appeals upheld that decision in February and on April 1 the Missouri Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal.The U.S. Supreme Court has given parties until June 9 to file arguments on whether it should accept the case.“The overwhelming weight of science as well as the assessments of the EPA and leading health regulators and scientists worldwide that support the safety and non-carcinogenicity of Roundup and we will continue to defend our products in court,” the company stated.Bayer has paid out at least $10 billion for jury awards and settlements and earlier this year said it had an additional $6 billion set aside. That fund will be depleted quickly if decisions like the one upheld Tuesday are allowed to stand and the company suffers more losses like a&nbsp; $2.1 billion judgment handed down in March&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/georgia-jury-orders-monsanto-parent-to-pay-nearly-2-1-billion-in-roundup-weedkiller-lawsuit#:~:text=NEW%20YORK%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20A,to%20attorneys%20representing%20the%20plaintiff." target="_blank">by a jury in Georgia</a>.&nbsp;According to a report from Reuters, Roundup produced $2.8 billion in revenue for Bayer in 2024.The bill protecting glyphosate from litigation passed the Georgia legislature a few weeks after the $2.1 billion award.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748460279946.png" alt=" State Sen. Brad Hudson of Cape Fair speaks at a news conference Feb. 25 about flyers sent to his constituents attacking his opposition to a bill limiting lawsuits against Bayer over its herbicide Roundup. Joining Hudson, from left, are Sens. Nick Schroer of Defiance, Ben Brown of Washington, Joe Nicola of Independence, Mike Moon of Ash Grove, Rick Brattin of Harrisonville, Adam Schnelting of St. Charles, Jill Carter of Joplin and David Gregory of Chesterfield (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> State Sen. Brad Hudson of Cape Fair speaks at a news conference Feb. 25 about flyers sent to his constituents attacking his opposition to a bill limiting lawsuits against Bayer over its herbicide Roundup. Joining Hudson, from left, are Sens. Nick Schroer of Defiance, Ben Brown of Washington, Joe Nicola of Independence, Mike Moon of Ash Grove, Rick Brattin of Harrisonville, Adam Schnelting of St. Charles, Jill Carter of Joplin and David Gregory of Chesterfield (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>Gov. Mike Kehoe, at a news conference after lawmakers adjourned earlier this month, blamed defeat of the Missouri legislation on trial attorneys who have made “tens of millions of dollars” off the lawsuits.“If, for some reason, that particular product is not produced anymore in the United States, farmers are still going to need that type of product, that type of weed control, and so that, glyphosate I think is what it’s called, will be produced somewhere,” Kehoe said. “And if it is, it won’t be produced in this country, and farmers will not have the same protections and liability recourse back on the companies who make it, if it’s made in China or somewhere overseas.”Bayer is also being sued by shareholders in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thenewlede.org/2023/05/investors-awarded-class-action-status-in-new-bayer-lawsuit/" target="_blank">class action lawsuit</a>&nbsp;over its decision to spend $68 billion to acquire Monsanto in 2018. The lawsuit alleges Bayer misled investors over the risks of the acquisition and failed to properly perform due diligence before buying Monsanto,When Bayer acquired Monsanto in June 2018, its stock price was about $30 a share. On Tuesday afternoon, the company’s shares were selling for $7 apiece.In the appeal of the Cole County decision, Bayer argued that Green made numerous errors in the trial and in rulings on post-trial motions. The company’s lawyers’ main points challenged the admissibility of testimony about a case over EPA evaluations of glyphosate; surprise findings from an expert; the use made of medical billing records; and whether the punitive damages were unconstitutionally duplicative.At the heart of most glyphosate cases, and the target of legislation, is the label and whether it includes a proper notice that glyphosate may cause cancer.“The misconduct complained about in the complaints in the three California cases Monsanto relies on, and in (one plaintiff’s) petition, includes allegations that despite scientific evidence that Roundup was carcinogenic, Monsanto continued to sell Roundup, and that Monsanto failed to warn of the dangerous effects of using Roundup,” Judge Cynthia Martin wrote in the Western District opinion delivered Tuesday.In a discussion of whether the punitive damage award should have been reduced more, Martin wrote that “Monsanto’s degree of reprehensibility was high.”Martin noted that the evidence shows that while the EPA has registered Roundup “for sale since 1974, Monsanto has been aware since 1985 that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, has the potential to cause cancer.”Each of the plaintiffs suffered damages because Monsanto sold a product that was “unreasonably dangerous when used as reasonably anticipated” without altering the labeling to provide a warning.“Monsanto’s awareness,” Martin wrote, “of studies demonstrating the possibility of a causal relationship between glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, and cancer, particularly NHL, and then its decision to double down on its defense of Roundup in lieu of changing the product’s formulation or adding a warning label regarding the risk posed by Roundup demonstrates, at best, Monsanto’s indifference to or reckless disregard of the health of its customers.”

Appeals court upholds $611M judgment in Roundup liability case

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Trump administration is taking the next step to solidify Elon Musk’s work on downsizing the federal government.

According to a White House official, the administration is sending proposed rescissions to Congress. Rescissions are used to cancel funding that was already approved.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity before a formal announcement. The step was previously reported by Politico.

It’s unclear how extensive the rescissions will be, but it’s expected to be a modest package.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1746034653882.png" alt="File photo Elon Musk during a President Trump Cabinet meeting-image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>File photo Elon Musk during a President Trump Cabinet meeting-image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The Trump administration is taking the next step to solidify Elon Musk’s work on downsizing the federal government.According to a White House official, the administration is sending proposed rescissions to Congress. Rescissions are used to cancel funding that was already approved.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ElonMusk</a> and the entire <a href="https://twitter.com/DOGE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DOGE</a> team have done INCREDIBLE work exposing waste, fraud, and abuse across the federal government - from the insanity of USAID’s spending to finding over 12 million people on Social Security who were over 120 years old. The House is eager and ready…&mdash; Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1927749395363045819?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The official spoke on the condition of anonymity before a formal announcement. The step was previously reported by Politico.It’s unclear how extensive the rescissions will be, but it’s expected to be a modest package.------------------WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.277463/gov.uscourts.dcd.277463.93.0_1.pdf" target="_blank">refused to throw out</a>&nbsp;a lawsuit that accuses billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;and the Department of Government Efficiency of illegally accessing government data systems, canceling government contracts and firing federal employees.U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled Tuesday that 14 states can proceed with their claims against Musk and DOGE. The states, through their attorneys general, sued in February over the defendants’ alleged constitutional violations.The states had asked Chutkan to temporarily block DOGE from accessing any data systems or terminating any federal employees. But the judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-layoffs-government-data-13653c59c1f6fa0c5ae551f821faafb7">denied that request</a>&nbsp;on Feb. 18. She found that there were legitimate questions about Musk’s authority but said there weren’t grounds to justify a temporary restraining order.Chutkan agreed Tuesday to dismiss President Donald Trump as a defendant in the lawsuit, but she refused to dismiss the claims against Musk and DOGE.The plaintiffs’ attorneys argued that Musk’s actions, including those carried out at his direction by DOGE personnel, are unconstitutional because he hasn’t been legally appointed.Chutkan wrote: “The Constitution does not permit the Executive to commandeer the entire appointments power by unilaterally creating a federal agency pursuant to Executive Order and insulating its principal officer from the Constitution as an ‘advisor’ in name only. This is precisely what Plaintiffs claim the Executive has done.”The Trump administration has maintained that layoffs are coming from agency heads and insisted that Musk hasn’t been running DOGE’s day-to-day operations.Chutkan, who was nominated to the bench by President Barack Obama, previously oversaw the now-dismissed criminal election interference case against Trump in Washington.