KANSAS CITY —Investigators are working to determine the cause of a house fire in Kansas City.

Just before 7:30a.m. crews&nbsp;responded to a reported house fire in the 1700 block of E. 79th&nbsp;Street, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

First arriving crews reported heavy smoke and fire showing from a two-story vacant structure and site of a previous burn. Offensive interior operations were initiated using multiple handlines and searches were conducted. 

As the fire progressed the decision to evacuate was made and defensive operations initiated.&nbsp; No injuries were reported.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735312911376.png" alt="Photos KCFD" />
 <figcaption>Photos KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Investigators are working to determine the cause of a house fire in Kansas City.Just before 7:30a.m. crews&nbsp;responded to a reported house fire in the 1700 block of E. 79th&nbsp;Street, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735312890993.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>First arriving crews reported heavy smoke and fire showing from a two-story vacant structure and site of a previous burn. Offensive interior operations were initiated using multiple handlines and searches were conducted. As the fire progressed the decision to evacuate was made and defensive operations initiated.&nbsp; No injuries were reported.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Cause of Kansas City house fire under investigation

The former Missouri Congressman and auctioneer advertises his credential as a certified tax and business advisor

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jeremy-kohler/">JEREMY KOHLER</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/alexmierjeski/">ALEX MIERJESKI</a>&nbsp;

ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.propublica.org/newsletters/the-big-story?source=reprint&amp;placement=top-note" target="_blank">The Big Story newsletter</a>&nbsp;to receive stories like this one in your inbox.

Former U.S. Rep. Billy Long of Missouri, whom President-elect Donald Trump has named his nominee to head the IRS, touts his expertise in tax matters.

He advertises his credential as a certified tax and business advisor, and he adds CTBA to his name on his X profile. That profile encourages people to message him to “save 40% on your taxes.”

But tax experts told ProPublica that they have never heard of CTBA as a credential in the tax profession. The designation is offered by a small Florida firm, Excel Empire, which was established just two years ago and only requires attendance at a three-day seminar. That is in stark contrast to the 150 credit hours and the rigorous exams required to become a certified public accountant, a standard certification for tax accountants.

In most tax cases, only lawyers, CPAs and enrolled agents — federally authorized tax practitioners — can represent taxpayers at the IRS.

“The cost of relying on tax advice from somebody that is solely focused on minimizing the tax liabilities that you have — as opposed to somebody that’s focused on both minimizing the tax liabilities and complying with the tax law — can be extraordinarily high if you are found to be in violation of the standards,” said Nathan Goldman, an associate professor of accounting at North Carolina State University.

Excel Empire’s three-day certification course has been advertised for as much as $30,000;&nbsp;<a href="https://ctba.excelempire.com/live-sales" target="_blank">its upcoming session is advertised at $4,997</a>. Matthew Pearson, one of its founders,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUy-3pcse8I" target="_blank">said this summer in a podcast</a>&nbsp;that about 135 people have earned the CTBA designation, which the firm designed to help people without tax backgrounds to become advisors.

Nina Olson, a prominent taxpayer advocate, said that the modern tax industry has seen “a proliferation of different groups and entities that are providing tax advice” and that consumers have no way of knowing who is competent.

“It could just be that you’ve taken a very short course, and paid a large fee for that course, and that gives you the ability to put some initials after your name,” said Olson, who served as the IRS’ national taxpayer advocate from 2001 to 2019. She is now executive director of the Center for Taxpayer Rights, a Washington-based nonprofit that promotes fairness and access to justice in tax systems.

Tax experts said that Long’s years of experience as a real estate agent and as an auctioneer — before spending a dozen years in Congress — pales next to the deep experience in tax policy or management of the people who have held the job. For instance, the current IRS commissioner, Danny Werfel, previously served as acting IRS commissioner and held leadership roles at the Office of Management and Budget. He also worked in the private sector as a managing director at Boston Consulting Group.

Long’s experience in the tax world has been more narrowly focused. In the two years since he left Congress, he worked to bring in customers for at least two firms that marketed the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/employee-retention-credit" target="_blank">employee retention credit</a>&nbsp;— a pandemic-era benefit designed to support businesses that kept workers despite revenue losses or disruptions caused by COVID-19.

The credit also attracted fraud, eventually landing on the IRS’ “<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/dirty-dozen" target="_blank">worst of the worst</a>” list for tax scams. Two Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday announced an investigation into the firms, noting Long had neither a “background in tax preparation nor any credential as a licensed accountant, attorney or enrolled agent.”

<a href="https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/ERC-COVID-Snapshot-5.7.21_full-text.pdf" target="_blank">Worth up to $28,000 per employee</a>, the credit was available for the 2020 and 2021 tax years and has been widely used by both for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations across the country. However, the IRS&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/dirty-dozen-beware-of-aggressive-promoters-who-dupe-taxpayers-into-making-questionable-employee-retention-credit-claims-risks-continue-for-small-businesses-special-withdrawal-program-remains-available" target="_blank">raised significant concerns</a>&nbsp;about aggressive promoters pushing ineligible businesses to file questionable claims. Red flags included inflated payroll numbers, claims for all quarters without proper eligibility or citing minor government orders that did not directly impact business operations.

The IRS says it has recovered over $1 billion from businesses that voluntarily reported improper claims. And it has launched hundreds of criminal investigations to try to recoup what it says could be billions of dollars more.

In a prepared statement in November, Werfel said businesses should review their claims and see if they were misled by firms marketing the tax credit.

“They should listen to trusted tax professionals, not promoters,” he said.

In a 2023 podcast discussing his work for the two firms, Long joked that he had a hat bearing the name of the credit glued to his head. He said his work marketing the tax credit had caused some clients to question their CPAs’ advice.

“Hey, this auctioneer, real estate broker, former congressman told me I’m going to get $1.2 million back,” he said. “Uh, you’re my CPA. Why didn’t you tell me that?” And he said the response of CPAs would be: “That’s a joke. That’s a fake deal. That’s not true. You’re going to have to pay all that money back. You’ll get audited.”

But he said the firms he worked for had never seen the IRS turn down one of their claims.

There is no evidence that either Excel Empire, Long or the firms that he worked for — Lifetime Advisors of Hudson, Wisconsin, and Commerce Terrace Consulting of Springfield, Missouri — engaged in wrongdoing. In the same 2023 podcast, Long emphasized he and his colleagues had helped only taxpayers who were entitled to the benefit.

Neither Long, Lifetime Advisors nor Commerce Terrace Consulting responded to requests for comment.

If Long is confirmed and succeeds Werfel, he’ll have the power to influence how Americans pay their taxes and how the federal government collects revenue. Trump has promised to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/what-trumps-plan-to-end-irs-overstepping-could-mean-for-audits-of-rich-people-and-call-hold-times-for-everyone-else-67e4231e?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank">end IRS “overstepping,”</a>&nbsp;while Republicans have said that they would slash billions of dollars in funding passed under the Biden administration to modernize the IRS and enhance tax enforcement.

The IRS and the Trump transition team did not respond to requests for comment.

During his time representing Southwest Missouri in Congress, Long pursued legislation to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/volume-159/issue-78/house-section/article/H3106-4?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22%5C%22billy+long%5C%22+%5C%22fair+tax%5C%22%22%7D&amp;s=3&amp;r=3" target="_blank">abolish the IRS</a>&nbsp;and establish a national sales tax. Billionaire Elon Musk, a Trump advisor, recently asked on X&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsweek.com/elon-musk-its-funding-deleted-poll-1992953" target="_blank">if the agency’s budget should be “deleted.”</a>

Like Long, members of Excel Empire suggest that accountants don’t feel it is their role to save their clients money because they prioritize compliance over planning and are too busy during tax season to discuss strategies. The company’s website claims the firm has saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

Edward Lyon, who is listed on Excel Empire’s website as chief tax planner and tax attorney, writes on his personal website that the seven most expensive words in the English language are “<a href="https://edwardalyon.com/about" target="_blank">My CPA takes care of my taxes</a>.”

Lyon elaborated on a podcast last year, noting that accountants “generally are rule followers,” but when it comes to lawyers, “we are trained to understand the rules but we’re trained to stretch the rules and bend the rules and poke at the rules and do an end run around the rules. It’s a much more proactive focus.” Still, he has consistently emphasized that his company acts “legally, ethically and morally.”

The company’s co-founder, Pearson, once described Lyon on a podcast as the “preeminent proactive tax attorney in the country.” Lyon and Pearson declined to comment.

The Ohio Supreme Court suspended Lyon’s law license in 2005 for failing to meet registration and fee requirements on time, and he hasn’t regained it. He also does not appear to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment advisor.

Despite this, Lyon says he has trained tens of thousands of tax and finance professionals. As the author of several books and a column, he claims to be one of the country’s most widely read tax strategists and commands speaking fees of $15,000 and first-class travel arrangements.

Lyon has also developed several tax certification programs. On the Excel Empire website, some officers, including Pearson, use a title created by Lyon: tax master.

Appearing on another podcast, Lyon discussed how small businesses can be used as tax shelters. As an example, he asked the host,&nbsp;<a href="https://excelempire.com/our-leadership-team-2/" target="_blank">Heather Wagenhals</a>&nbsp;— who also carries the CTBA title — if she had a swimming pool at her home, where she records her show.

“I do,” Wagenhals said. “That’s why I picked this one.”

Lyon responded: “All right, so I’m gonna rock your world in five words, ready? On-premises employee athletic facility.”

Lyon added: “It’s really there in the tax code, and nobody’s told you that.”

In another podcast, Pearson brags about firing an accountant who balked at his request for advice about how to use a new Corvette “to keep from paying taxes.”

Olson said that attitude was disturbing and that simplistic answers can create problems for taxpayers in IRS audits and in the courts. “A swimming pool in someone’s home, even if employees are working in the home and using it, still would require the court to look at the percentage of employee use versus personal use — and they would look really closely at that,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734986359615.png" alt=" Billy Long speaks during a press conference before filing for election during the Missouri Senate primary on Feb. 22, 2022, in Jefferson City (Madeline Carter/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Billy Long speaks during a press conference before filing for election during the Missouri Senate primary on Feb. 22, 2022, in Jefferson City (Madeline Carter/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The former Missouri Congressman and auctioneer advertises his credential as a certified tax and business advisor</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jeremy-kohler/">JEREMY KOHLER</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/alexmierjeski/">ALEX MIERJESKI</a>&nbsp;ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.propublica.org/newsletters/the-big-story?source=reprint&amp;placement=top-note" target="_blank">The Big Story newsletter</a>&nbsp;to receive stories like this one in your inbox.Former U.S. Rep. Billy Long of Missouri, whom President-elect Donald Trump has named his nominee to head the IRS, touts his expertise in tax matters.He advertises his credential as a certified tax and business advisor, and he adds CTBA to his name on his X profile. That profile encourages people to message him to “save 40% on your taxes.”But tax experts told ProPublica that they have never heard of CTBA as a credential in the tax profession. The designation is offered by a small Florida firm, Excel Empire, which was established just two years ago and only requires attendance at a three-day seminar. That is in stark contrast to the 150 credit hours and the rigorous exams required to become a certified public accountant, a standard certification for tax accountants.In most tax cases, only lawyers, CPAs and enrolled agents — federally authorized tax practitioners — can represent taxpayers at the IRS.“The cost of relying on tax advice from somebody that is solely focused on minimizing the tax liabilities that you have — as opposed to somebody that’s focused on both minimizing the tax liabilities and complying with the tax law — can be extraordinarily high if you are found to be in violation of the standards,” said Nathan Goldman, an associate professor of accounting at North Carolina State University.Excel Empire’s three-day certification course has been advertised for as much as $30,000;&nbsp;<a href="https://ctba.excelempire.com/live-sales" target="_blank">its upcoming session is advertised at $4,997</a>. Matthew Pearson, one of its founders,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUy-3pcse8I" target="_blank">said this summer in a podcast</a>&nbsp;that about 135 people have earned the CTBA designation, which the firm designed to help people without tax backgrounds to become advisors.Nina Olson, a prominent taxpayer advocate, said that the modern tax industry has seen “a proliferation of different groups and entities that are providing tax advice” and that consumers have no way of knowing who is competent.“It could just be that you’ve taken a very short course, and paid a large fee for that course, and that gives you the ability to put some initials after your name,” said Olson, who served as the IRS’ national taxpayer advocate from 2001 to 2019. She is now executive director of the Center for Taxpayer Rights, a Washington-based nonprofit that promotes fairness and access to justice in tax systems.Tax experts said that Long’s years of experience as a real estate agent and as an auctioneer — before spending a dozen years in Congress — pales next to the deep experience in tax policy or management of the people who have held the job. For instance, the current IRS commissioner, Danny Werfel, previously served as acting IRS commissioner and held leadership roles at the Office of Management and Budget. He also worked in the private sector as a managing director at Boston Consulting Group.Long’s experience in the tax world has been more narrowly focused. In the two years since he left Congress, he worked to bring in customers for at least two firms that marketed the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/employee-retention-credit" target="_blank">employee retention credit</a>&nbsp;— a pandemic-era benefit designed to support businesses that kept workers despite revenue losses or disruptions caused by COVID-19.The credit also attracted fraud, eventually landing on the IRS’ “<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/dirty-dozen" target="_blank">worst of the worst</a>” list for tax scams. Two Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday announced an investigation into the firms, noting Long had neither a “background in tax preparation nor any credential as a licensed accountant, attorney or enrolled agent.”<a href="https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/ERC-COVID-Snapshot-5.7.21_full-text.pdf" target="_blank">Worth up to $28,000 per employee</a>, the credit was available for the 2020 and 2021 tax years and has been widely used by both for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations across the country. However, the IRS&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/dirty-dozen-beware-of-aggressive-promoters-who-dupe-taxpayers-into-making-questionable-employee-retention-credit-claims-risks-continue-for-small-businesses-special-withdrawal-program-remains-available" target="_blank">raised significant concerns</a>&nbsp;about aggressive promoters pushing ineligible businesses to file questionable claims. Red flags included inflated payroll numbers, claims for all quarters without proper eligibility or citing minor government orders that did not directly impact business operations.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734986435081.png" alt=" A photo hanging up in U.S. Rep. Billy Long’s former office in Washington, D.C., shows him departing Air Force One with former President Donald Trump (photo submitted)." />
 <figcaption> A photo hanging up in U.S. Rep. Billy Long’s former office in Washington, D.C., shows him departing Air Force One with former President Donald Trump (photo submitted).</figcaption>
 </figure>The IRS says it has recovered over $1 billion from businesses that voluntarily reported improper claims. And it has launched hundreds of criminal investigations to try to recoup what it says could be billions of dollars more.In a prepared statement in November, Werfel said businesses should review their claims and see if they were misled by firms marketing the tax credit.“They should listen to trusted tax professionals, not promoters,” he said.In a 2023 podcast discussing his work for the two firms, Long joked that he had a hat bearing the name of the credit glued to his head. He said his work marketing the tax credit had caused some clients to question their CPAs’ advice.“Hey, this auctioneer, real estate broker, former congressman told me I’m going to get $1.2 million back,” he said. “Uh, you’re my CPA. Why didn’t you tell me that?” And he said the response of CPAs would be: “That’s a joke. That’s a fake deal. That’s not true. You’re going to have to pay all that money back. You’ll get audited.”But he said the firms he worked for had never seen the IRS turn down one of their claims.There is no evidence that either Excel Empire, Long or the firms that he worked for — Lifetime Advisors of Hudson, Wisconsin, and Commerce Terrace Consulting of Springfield, Missouri — engaged in wrongdoing. In the same 2023 podcast, Long emphasized he and his colleagues had helped only taxpayers who were entitled to the benefit.Neither Long, Lifetime Advisors nor Commerce Terrace Consulting responded to requests for comment.If Long is confirmed and succeeds Werfel, he’ll have the power to influence how Americans pay their taxes and how the federal government collects revenue. Trump has promised to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/what-trumps-plan-to-end-irs-overstepping-could-mean-for-audits-of-rich-people-and-call-hold-times-for-everyone-else-67e4231e?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank">end IRS “overstepping,”</a>&nbsp;while Republicans have said that they would slash billions of dollars in funding passed under the Biden administration to modernize the IRS and enhance tax enforcement.The IRS and the Trump transition team did not respond to requests for comment.During his time representing Southwest Missouri in Congress, Long pursued legislation to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/volume-159/issue-78/house-section/article/H3106-4?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22%5C%22billy+long%5C%22+%5C%22fair+tax%5C%22%22%7D&amp;s=3&amp;r=3" target="_blank">abolish the IRS</a>&nbsp;and establish a national sales tax. Billionaire Elon Musk, a Trump advisor, recently asked on X&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsweek.com/elon-musk-its-funding-deleted-poll-1992953" target="_blank">if the agency’s budget should be “deleted.”</a>Like Long, members of Excel Empire suggest that accountants don’t feel it is their role to save their clients money because they prioritize compliance over planning and are too busy during tax season to discuss strategies. The company’s website claims the firm has saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.Edward Lyon, who is listed on Excel Empire’s website as chief tax planner and tax attorney, writes on his personal website that the seven most expensive words in the English language are “<a href="https://edwardalyon.com/about" target="_blank">My CPA takes care of my taxes</a>.”Lyon elaborated on a podcast last year, noting that accountants “generally are rule followers,” but when it comes to lawyers, “we are trained to understand the rules but we’re trained to stretch the rules and bend the rules and poke at the rules and do an end run around the rules. It’s a much more proactive focus.” Still, he has consistently emphasized that his company acts “legally, ethically and morally.”The company’s co-founder, Pearson, once described Lyon on a podcast as the “preeminent proactive tax attorney in the country.” Lyon and Pearson declined to comment.The Ohio Supreme Court suspended Lyon’s law license in 2005 for failing to meet registration and fee requirements on time, and he hasn’t regained it. He also does not appear to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment advisor.Despite this, Lyon says he has trained tens of thousands of tax and finance professionals. As the author of several books and a column, he claims to be one of the country’s most widely read tax strategists and commands speaking fees of $15,000 and first-class travel arrangements.Lyon has also developed several tax certification programs. On the Excel Empire website, some officers, including Pearson, use a title created by Lyon: tax master.Appearing on another podcast, Lyon discussed how small businesses can be used as tax shelters. As an example, he asked the host,&nbsp;<a href="https://excelempire.com/our-leadership-team-2/" target="_blank">Heather Wagenhals</a>&nbsp;— who also carries the CTBA title — if she had a swimming pool at her home, where she records her show.“I do,” Wagenhals said. “That’s why I picked this one.”Lyon responded: “All right, so I’m gonna rock your world in five words, ready? On-premises employee athletic facility.”“Oh my God!” Wagenhals said.Lyon added: “It’s really there in the tax code, and nobody’s told you that.”In another podcast, Pearson brags about firing an accountant who balked at his request for advice about how to use a new Corvette “to keep from paying taxes.”Olson said that attitude was disturbing and that simplistic answers can create problems for taxpayers in IRS audits and in the courts. “A swimming pool in someone’s home, even if employees are working in the home and using it, still would require the court to look at the percentage of employee use versus personal use — and they would look really closely at that,” she said.

Billy Long, Trump’s nominee to lead IRS, touts credential tax experts say is dubious

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a homicide in Kansas City have identified the woman who died as 36-year-old&nbsp;Tiffany Chrisman, according to&nbsp;KCPD Officer Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

Just before 4a.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to an apartment in the 900 block of E 134th Street on a reported Welfare Check.&nbsp;

When officers arrived to the apartment, they located evidence of a possible disturbance that may have occurred inside. They entered the apartment to check for any victims or injured persons. While searching the apartment for anyone in need of possible assistance, a woman later identified as Chrisman was located suffering from apparent bodily trauma and she was unresponsive, according to Gonzalez.

&nbsp;EMS personnel also responded to the scene and declared her deceased.

Preliminary information indicated Chrisman and an adult male subject were involved in a verbal altercation the turned physical. Due to the help of the public and neighboring police agencies, detectives were able to quickly locate a male subject of interest and take him into custody for further questioning. 

Detectives are not looking for any additional subjects of interest at this time. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the scene to begin gathering evidence and collecting any witness statements.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735222031093.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a homicide in Kansas City have identified the woman who died as 36-year-old&nbsp;Tiffany Chrisman, according to&nbsp;KCPD Officer Officer Alayna Gonzalez.Just before 4a.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to an apartment in the 900 block of E 134th Street on a reported Welfare Check.&nbsp;When officers arrived to the apartment, they located evidence of a possible disturbance that may have occurred inside. They entered the apartment to check for any victims or injured persons. While searching the apartment for anyone in need of possible assistance, a woman later identified as Chrisman was located suffering from apparent bodily trauma and she was unresponsive, according to Gonzalez.&nbsp;EMS personnel also responded to the scene and declared her deceased.Preliminary information indicated Chrisman and an adult male subject were involved in a verbal altercation the turned physical. Due to the help of the public and neighboring police agencies, detectives were able to quickly locate a male subject of interest and take him into custody for further questioning. Detectives are not looking for any additional subjects of interest at this time. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the scene to begin gathering evidence and collecting any witness statements.

Homicide: Police ID woman found dead in Kansas City apartment

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/7d2483b8550e403ea7ee25d4ee68fbeb">NASA's Parker Solar Probe</a>&nbsp;has successfully made the closest approach to the sun, the space agency confirmed Friday.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-parker-probe-sun-corona-69c7041048c12b0741ff54a66118def7">Earlier this week</a>, the spacecraft passed within a record-breaking 3.8 million miles (6 million kilometers) of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sun-solar-flare-earth-ed204eef352560f09b8366bee05e2381">scorching star</a>. NASA received an all-clear message from Parker on Thursday night confirming it survived the journey.

Launched in 2018 to get a close-up look at the sun, Parker has since flown straight through its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-sun-cdb6e773cbe6fea2c7225bea213701c2">crownlike outer atmosphere, or corona.</a>&nbsp;With its close brush complete, the craft is expected to circle the sun at this distance through at least September.

It’s the fastest spacecraft built by humans, and hit 430,000 mph (690,000 kph) at closest approach. It is outfitted with a heat shield that can withstand scorching temperatures up to 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,370 degrees Celsius).

Scientists hope the data from Parker will help them better understand why the sun's outer atmosphere is hundreds of times hotter than its surface and what drives the solar wind, the supersonic stream of charged particles constantly blasting away from the sun.

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

NEW YORK (AP) — A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/23c7f60684534312a00537f02e459f96">NASA spacecraft</a>&nbsp; is flying closer to the sun than any object sent before.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/7d2483b8550e403ea7ee25d4ee68fbeb">The Parker Solar Probe</a>&nbsp;was launched in 2018 to get a close-up look at the sun. Since then, it has flown straight through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-sun-cdb6e773cbe6fea2c7225bea213701c2">the sun's corona</a>: the outer atmosphere visible during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-total-solar-eclipse-photos-us-0a07725f59906849b00949e43177e6d9">total solar eclipse</a>.

The next milestone: closest approach to the sun. Plans called for Parker on Tuesday to hurtle through the sizzling solar atmosphere and pass within a record-breaking 3.8 million miles of the sun's surface.

At that moment, if the sun and Earth were at opposite ends of a football field, Parker "would be on the 4-yard line,” said NASA's Joe Westlake.

Mission managers won't know how Parker fared until days after the flyby since the spacecraft will be out of communication range.

Parker planned to get more than seven times closer to the sun than previous spacecraft, hitting 430,000 mph (690,000 kph) at closest approach. It's the fastest spacecraft ever built and is outfitted with a heat shield that can withstand scorching temperatures up to 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,371 degrees Celsius).

It'll continue circling the sun at this distance until at least September. Scientists hope to better understand why the corona is hundreds of times hotter than the sun’s surface and what drives the solar wind, the supersonic stream of charged particles constantly blasting away from the sun.

The sun's warming rays make life possible on Earth. But severe solar storms can temporarily scramble radio communications and disrupt power.

The sun is currently at the maximum phase of its 11-year cycle, triggering colorful auroras in unexpected places.

“It both is our closest, friendliest neighbor,” Westlake said, “but also at times is a little angry.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735059980895.png" alt="image made available by NASA shows an artist's rendering of the Parker Solar Probe approaching the Sun. It's designed to take solar punishment like never before, thanks to its revolutionary heat shield that's capable of withstanding 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,370 degrees Celsius)." />
 <figcaption>image made available by NASA shows an artist's rendering of the Parker Solar Probe approaching the Sun. It's designed to take solar punishment like never before, thanks to its revolutionary heat shield that's capable of withstanding 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,370 degrees Celsius).</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/7d2483b8550e403ea7ee25d4ee68fbeb">NASA's Parker Solar Probe</a>&nbsp;has successfully made the closest approach to the sun, the space agency confirmed Friday.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-parker-probe-sun-corona-69c7041048c12b0741ff54a66118def7">Earlier this week</a>, the spacecraft passed within a record-breaking 3.8 million miles (6 million kilometers) of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sun-solar-flare-earth-ed204eef352560f09b8366bee05e2381">scorching star</a>. NASA received an all-clear message from Parker on Thursday night confirming it survived the journey.Launched in 2018 to get a close-up look at the sun, Parker has since flown straight through its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-sun-cdb6e773cbe6fea2c7225bea213701c2">crownlike outer atmosphere, or corona.</a>&nbsp;With its close brush complete, the craft is expected to circle the sun at this distance through at least September.It’s the fastest spacecraft built by humans, and hit 430,000 mph (690,000 kph) at closest approach. It is outfitted with a heat shield that can withstand scorching temperatures up to 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,370 degrees Celsius).Scientists hope the data from Parker will help them better understand why the sun's outer atmosphere is hundreds of times hotter than its surface and what drives the solar wind, the supersonic stream of charged particles constantly blasting away from the sun.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.-----------NEW YORK (AP) — A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/23c7f60684534312a00537f02e459f96">NASA spacecraft</a>&nbsp; is flying closer to the sun than any object sent before.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/7d2483b8550e403ea7ee25d4ee68fbeb">The Parker Solar Probe</a>&nbsp;was launched in 2018 to get a close-up look at the sun. Since then, it has flown straight through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-sun-cdb6e773cbe6fea2c7225bea213701c2">the sun's corona</a>: the outer atmosphere visible during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-total-solar-eclipse-photos-us-0a07725f59906849b00949e43177e6d9">total solar eclipse</a>.The next milestone: closest approach to the sun. Plans called for Parker on Tuesday to hurtle through the sizzling solar atmosphere and pass within a record-breaking 3.8 million miles of the sun's surface.At that moment, if the sun and Earth were at opposite ends of a football field, Parker "would be on the 4-yard line,” said NASA's Joe Westlake.Mission managers won't know how Parker fared until days after the flyby since the spacecraft will be out of communication range.Parker planned to get more than seven times closer to the sun than previous spacecraft, hitting 430,000 mph (690,000 kph) at closest approach. It's the fastest spacecraft ever built and is outfitted with a heat shield that can withstand scorching temperatures up to 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,371 degrees Celsius).It'll continue circling the sun at this distance until at least September. Scientists hope to better understand why the corona is hundreds of times hotter than the sun’s surface and what drives the solar wind, the supersonic stream of charged particles constantly blasting away from the sun.The sun's warming rays make life possible on Earth. But severe solar storms can temporarily scramble radio communications and disrupt power.The sun is currently at the maximum phase of its 11-year cycle, triggering colorful auroras in unexpected places.“It both is our closest, friendliest neighbor,” Westlake said, “but also at times is a little angry.”___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

NASA's Parker Solar Probe survives close brush with the sun

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/carla-k-johnson">CARLA K. JOHNSON</a>

The death of an Oregon house cat and a pet food recall are raising questions about the ongoing outbreak of bird flu and how people can protect their pets.

Bird flu has been spreading for years in wild birds,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eggs-prices-bird-flu-7f2063d64dd80ec4ed0aa74e562f19d7">chickens, turkeys</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/disease-outbreaks-hong-kong-health-bird-flu-animals-75e5d058e0fda23b5359f66cafb74cdf">many other animals.</a>&nbsp;It was first confirmed in U.S. dairy cattle in March.

The virus has been causing sporadic, mostly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-severe-louisiana-2b4a5f55a05cf8be9b169c15e8b9582d">mild illnesses in people</a>&nbsp;in the U.S., and nearly all of those infected worked on dairy or poultry farms. When the virus is found, every bird on a farm is killed to limit the spread of the disease.

Oregon health officials traced the cat’s illness to frozen cat food that contained raw turkey. Virus recovered from the recalled pet food and the infected cat matched.

Some pet owners feed their animals raw meat, but that can be dangerous, even fatal for the animals, said Dr. Michael Q. Bailey, president-elect of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Cooking meat or pasteurizing raw milk destroys the bird flu virus and other disease-causing germs.

“Raw milk, raw meat products can be and are a vector for carrying this virus,” he said.

Though cases of infection are rare, cats seem especially susceptible to the bird flu virus, or Type A H5N1. Even before the cattle outbreak, there were feline cases linked to wild birds or poultry. Since March, dozens of cats have caught the virus. These include barn and feral cats, indoor cats, and big cats in zoos and in the wild.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating the deaths of four house cats that drank recalled raw milk.

Dogs seem to be less vulnerable than cats, but they should eat only thoroughly cooked foods, Bailey said.

Cats should not drink unpasteurized dairy products or eat raw meat. Pet owners should keep cats away from wild birds, livestock and poultry.

Don’t let them wander freely in the outdoors, Bailey said, “because you don’t know what they’re getting into. Cats are natural hunters, and one of the animals they love to hunt are birds.”

Avoid touching sick or dead birds yourself. Thoroughly wash your hands after handling poultry or animals.

What are the symptoms of bird flu in cats?

Cats sick with bird flu might experience loss of appetite, lethargy and fever.

If your cat is usually playful and likes to look out the window, but instead has been sleeping all the time or hiding from you, take note, Bailey said. “There’s something wrong,” he said.

They could have reddened or inflamed eyes and discharge from the eyes and nose. They might have difficulty breathing or have tremors or seizures.

If your cat is sick, call your veterinary clinic and keep the cat away from anyone with a weakened immune system.

Northwest Naturals, a pet food company in Portland, Oregon, announced a voluntary recall Tuesday of one batch of its 2-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food after it tested positive for the virus. The product was sold in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin, as well as Canada’s British Columbia.

The recalled food has “best if used by” dates of May 21, 2026, and June 23, 2026. Consumers should throw it away and contact the place of purchase for a refund.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733747978622.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/carla-k-johnson">CARLA K. JOHNSON</a>The death of an Oregon house cat and a pet food recall are raising questions about the ongoing outbreak of bird flu and how people can protect their pets.Bird flu has been spreading for years in wild birds,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eggs-prices-bird-flu-7f2063d64dd80ec4ed0aa74e562f19d7">chickens, turkeys</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/disease-outbreaks-hong-kong-health-bird-flu-animals-75e5d058e0fda23b5359f66cafb74cdf">many other animals.</a>&nbsp;It was first confirmed in U.S. dairy cattle in March.The virus has been causing sporadic, mostly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-severe-louisiana-2b4a5f55a05cf8be9b169c15e8b9582d">mild illnesses in people</a>&nbsp;in the U.S., and nearly all of those infected worked on dairy or poultry farms. When the virus is found, every bird on a farm is killed to limit the spread of the disease.Oregon health officials traced the cat’s illness to frozen cat food that contained raw turkey. Virus recovered from the recalled pet food and the infected cat matched.Some pet owners feed their animals raw meat, but that can be dangerous, even fatal for the animals, said Dr. Michael Q. Bailey, president-elect of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Cooking meat or pasteurizing raw milk destroys the bird flu virus and other disease-causing germs.“Raw milk, raw meat products can be and are a vector for carrying this virus,” he said.<h2>Are pets in danger of getting bird flu?</h2>Though cases of infection are rare, cats seem especially susceptible to the bird flu virus, or Type A H5N1. Even before the cattle outbreak, there were feline cases linked to wild birds or poultry. Since March, dozens of cats have caught the virus. These include barn and feral cats, indoor cats, and big cats in zoos and in the wild.The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating the deaths of four house cats that drank recalled raw milk.Dogs seem to be less vulnerable than cats, but they should eat only thoroughly cooked foods, Bailey said.<h2>How can I protect my cat from bird flu?</h2>Cats should not drink unpasteurized dairy products or eat raw meat. Pet owners should keep cats away from wild birds, livestock and poultry.Don’t let them wander freely in the outdoors, Bailey said, “because you don’t know what they’re getting into. Cats are natural hunters, and one of the animals they love to hunt are birds.”Avoid touching sick or dead birds yourself. Thoroughly wash your hands after handling poultry or animals.<h2>What are the symptoms of bird flu in cats?</h2>Cats sick with bird flu might experience loss of appetite, lethargy and fever.If your cat is usually playful and likes to look out the window, but instead has been sleeping all the time or hiding from you, take note, Bailey said. “There’s something wrong,” he said.They could have reddened or inflamed eyes and discharge from the eyes and nose. They might have difficulty breathing or have tremors or seizures.If your cat is sick, call your veterinary clinic and keep the cat away from anyone with a weakened immune system.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735223841641.png" alt="courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>What pet food was recalled?</h2>Northwest Naturals, a pet food company in Portland, Oregon, announced a voluntary recall Tuesday of one batch of its 2-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food after it tested positive for the virus. The product was sold in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin, as well as Canada’s British Columbia.The recalled food has “best if used by” dates of May 21, 2026, and June 23, 2026. Consumers should throw it away and contact the place of purchase for a refund.<h2>___</h2>The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Cats can get sick with bird flu. Here’s how to protect them

OSAGE COUNTy —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple drug allegations.

Just before 6:30p.m. Christmas Eve,&nbsp;a Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to a suspicious vehicle near Green Acres Pizza &amp; Sub, 4951 E. K-268 Highway in the small Osage County community of Vassar, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

 During the encounter, suspected illegal narcotics were in plain view. Deputies took Thomas A. Anderson, 42, of Quenemo into custody and transported him to the Osage County Jail facility on requested charges of&nbsp;Distribution of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Possession of marijuana.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735230208155.png" alt="Anderson-photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Anderson-photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTy —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple drug allegations.Just before 6:30p.m. Christmas Eve,&nbsp;a Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to a suspicious vehicle near Green Acres Pizza &amp; Sub, 4951 E. K-268 Highway in the small Osage County community of Vassar, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. During the encounter, suspected illegal narcotics were in plain view. Deputies took Thomas A. Anderson, 42, of Quenemo into custody and transported him to the Osage County Jail facility on requested charges of&nbsp;Distribution of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Possession of marijuana.

Accused Kansas meth dealer jailed on Christmas Eve

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a fatal hit-and-run have located the vehicle involved and took a&nbsp;&nbsp;subject of interest has been taken into custody for questioning, according to KCPD OOfficer Alayna Gonzalez.

Just after 6:30p.m. Dec. 10, a vehicle described as a 2009-12 Nissan Altima driving Northbound on Troost Avenue on the outside lane struck a pedestrian later identified as 46-year-old Phillip Castleberry who was crossing Troost Avenue at 82nd Terrace.

The vehicle left the scene in an unknown direction. EMS transported Castleberry to a local hospital with life threatening injuries, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.&nbsp; He died nine days later.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a fatal hit-and-run have located the vehicle involved and took a&nbsp;&nbsp;subject of interest has been taken into custody for questioning, according to KCPD OOfficer Alayna Gonzalez.Just after 6:30p.m. Dec. 10, a vehicle described as a 2009-12 Nissan Altima driving Northbound on Troost Avenue on the outside lane struck a pedestrian later identified as 46-year-old Phillip Castleberry who was crossing Troost Avenue at 82nd Terrace.The vehicle left the scene in an unknown direction. EMS transported Castleberry to a local hospital with life threatening injuries, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.&nbsp; He died nine days later.

Police locate vehicle, suspect in fatal KC hit-and-run

WASHINGTON (AP) — A lead organization monitoring for food crises around the world withdrew a new report this week warning of imminent famine in north&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-12-25-2024-be8508e8a1a89343b94e963137e42d5b">Gaza</a>&nbsp;under what it called Israel's “near-total blockade,” after the U.S. asked for its retraction, U.S. officials told The Associated Press. The move follows public criticism of the report from the U.S. ambassador to Israel.

The rare public challenge from the Biden administration of the work of the U.S.-funded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/famine-gaza-warning-israel-united-states-8333697957bed4df13f5ab0c1582d4bd">Famine Early Warning System,</a>&nbsp;which is meant to reflect the data-driven analysis of unbiased experts, drew accusations from aid and human-rights figures of possible U.S. political interference. A finding of famine would be a public rebuke of Israel, which has insisted that its 15-month war in Gaza is aimed against the Hamas militant group and not against its civilian population.

U.S. ambassador to Israel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jacob-lew">Jacob Lew</a>&nbsp;earlier this week&nbsp;<a href="https://il.usembassy.gov/statement-from-u-s-ambassador-jacob-lew-on-fews-net-report/">called</a>&nbsp;the warning by the internationally recognized group&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/famine-gaza-warning-israel-united-states-8333697957bed4df13f5ab0c1582d4bd">inaccurate and “irresponsible</a>." Lew and the U.S. Agency for International Development, which funds the monitoring group, both said the findings failed to properly account for rapidly changing circumstances in north Gaza.

Humanitarian and human rights officials expressed fear of U.S. political interference in the world's monitoring system for famines. The U.S. Embassy in Israel and the State Department declined comment. FEWS officials did not respond to questions.

“We work day and night with the U.N. and our Israeli partners to meet humanitarian needs — which are great — and relying on inaccurate data is irresponsible,” Lew said Tuesday.

USAID confirmed to the AP that it had asked the famine-monitoring organization to withdraw its stepped-up warning issued in a report dated Monday. The&nbsp;<a href="https://fews.net/sites/default/files/2024-12/Gaza_Alert_202412_1.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;did not appear among the top updates on the group's website Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/famine-gaza-warning-israel-united-states-8333697957bed4df13f5ab0c1582d4bd">but the link to it remained active</a>.

The dispute points in part to the difficulty of assessing the extent of starvation in largely isolated northern Gaza. Thousands in recent weeks have fled an intensified Israeli military crackdown that aid groups say has allowed delivery of only a dozen trucks of food and water since roughly October.

FEWS Net said in its withdrawn report that unless Israel changes its policy, it expects the number of people dying of starvation and related ailments in north Gaza to reach between two and 15 per day sometime between January and March.

The internationally recognized mortality threshold for famine is&nbsp;<a href="https://fews.net/about/integrated-phase-classification#:~:text=of%20coping%20strategies.-,Famine%20(IPC%20Phase%205),per%2010%2C000%20people%20per%20day.">two or more deaths a day per 10,000 people.</a>

FEWS was created by the U.S. development agency in the 1980s and is still funded by it. But it is intended to provide independent, neutral and data-driven assessments of hunger crises, including in war zones. Its findings help guide decisions on aid by the U.S. and other governments and agencies around the world.

A spokesman for Israel's foreign ministry, Oren Marmorstein, welcomed the U.S. ambassador's public challenge of the famine warning. “FEWS NET - Stop spreading these lies!” Marmorstein said on&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/OrenMarmorstein/status/1871587714229043532">X</a>.

In challenging the findings publicly, the U.S. ambassador "leveraged his political power to undermine the work of this expert agency,” said Scott Paul, a senior manager at the Oxfam America humanitarian nonprofit. Paul stressed that he was not weighing in on the accuracy of the data or methodology of the report.

“The whole point of creating FEWS is to have a group of experts make assessments about imminent famine that are untainted by political considerations,” said Kenneth Roth, former executive director of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/human-rights-watch">Human Rights Watch</a>&nbsp;and now a visiting professor in international affairs at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/princeton-university">Princeton University</a>. “It sure looks like USAID is allowing political considerations -- the Biden administration’s worry about funding Israel’s starvation strategy -- to interfere."

Israel says it has been operating in recent months against Hamas militants still active in northern Gaza. It says the vast majority of the area’s residents have fled and relocated to Gaza City, where most aid destined for the north is delivered. But some critics, including a former defense minister, have accused Israel of carrying out ethnic cleansing in Gaza’s far north, near the Israeli border.

North Gaza has been one of the areas hardest-hit by fighting and Israel’s restrictions on aid throughout its war with Hamas militants. Global famine monitors and U.N. and U.S. officials have warned repeatedly of the imminent risk of malnutrition and deaths from starvation hitting famine levels.

International officials say Israel last summer increased the amount of aid it was admitting there, under U.S. pressure. The U.S. and U.N. have said Gaza’s people as a whole need between 350 and 500 trucks a day of food and other vital needs.

But the U.N. and aid groups say Israel recently has again blocked almost all aid to that part of Gaza.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/cindy-mccain">Cindy McCain</a>, the American head of the U.N. World Food Program,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/famine-gaza-warning-israel-united-states-8333697957bed4df13f5ab0c1582d4bd">called</a>&nbsp;earlier this month for political pressure to get food flowing to Palestinians there.

Israel says it places no restrictions on aid entering Gaza and that hundreds of truckloads of goods are piled up at Gaza’s crossings and accused international aid agencies of failing to deliver the supplies. The U.N. and other aid groups say Israeli restrictions, ongoing combat, looting and insufficient security by Israeli troops make it impossible to deliver aid effectively.

Lew, the U.S. ambassador, said the famine warning was based on “outdated and inaccurate” data. He pointed to uncertainty over how many of the 65,000-75,000 people remaining in northern Gaza had fled in recent weeks, saying that skewed the findings.

FEWS said in its report that its famine assessment holds even if as few as 10,000 people remain.

USAID in its statement to AP said it had reviewed the report before it became public, and noted “discrepancies” in population estimates and some other data. The U.S. agency had asked the famine warning group to address those uncertainties and be clear in its final report to reflect how those uncertainties affected its predictions of famine, it said.

“This was relayed before Ambassador Lew’s statement,” USAID said in a statement. “FEWS NET did not resolve any of these concerns and published in spite of these technical comments and a request for substantive engagement before publication. As such, USAID asked to retract the report.”

Roth criticized the U.S. challenge of the report in light of the gravity of the crisis there.

“This quibbling over the number of people desperate for food seems a politicized diversion from the fact that the Israeli government is blocking virtually all food from getting in,” he said, adding that “the Biden administration seems to be closing its eyes to that reality, but putting its head in the sand won’t feed anyone.”

The U.S., Israel’s main backer, provided a record amount of military support in the first year of the war. At the same time, the Biden administration repeatedly urged Israel to allow more access to aid deliveries in Gaza overall, and warned that failing to do so could trigger U.S. restrictions on military support. The administration recently said Israel was making improvements and declined to carry out its threat of restrictions.

Military support for Israel’s war in Gaza is politically charged in the U.S., with Republicans and some Democrats staunchly opposed any effort to limit U.S. support over the suffering of Palestinian civilians trapped in the conflict. The Biden administration’s reluctance to do more to press Israel for improved treatment of civilians undercut support for Democrats in last month’s elections.

Sam Mednick and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698839698947.png" alt="U.S. ambassador to Israel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jacob-lew">Jacob Lew</a>-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>U.S. ambassador to Israel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jacob-lew">Jacob Lew</a>-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A lead organization monitoring for food crises around the world withdrew a new report this week warning of imminent famine in north&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-12-25-2024-be8508e8a1a89343b94e963137e42d5b">Gaza</a>&nbsp;under what it called Israel's “near-total blockade,” after the U.S. asked for its retraction, U.S. officials told The Associated Press. The move follows public criticism of the report from the U.S. ambassador to Israel.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735262710659.png" alt="Famine Early Warning System" />
 <figcaption>Famine Early Warning System</figcaption>
 </figure>The rare public challenge from the Biden administration of the work of the U.S.-funded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/famine-gaza-warning-israel-united-states-8333697957bed4df13f5ab0c1582d4bd">Famine Early Warning System,</a>&nbsp;which is meant to reflect the data-driven analysis of unbiased experts, drew accusations from aid and human-rights figures of possible U.S. political interference. A finding of famine would be a public rebuke of Israel, which has insisted that its 15-month war in Gaza is aimed against the Hamas militant group and not against its civilian population.U.S. ambassador to Israel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jacob-lew">Jacob Lew</a>&nbsp;earlier this week&nbsp;<a href="https://il.usembassy.gov/statement-from-u-s-ambassador-jacob-lew-on-fews-net-report/">called</a>&nbsp;the warning by the internationally recognized group&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/famine-gaza-warning-israel-united-states-8333697957bed4df13f5ab0c1582d4bd">inaccurate and “irresponsible</a>." Lew and the U.S. Agency for International Development, which funds the monitoring group, both said the findings failed to properly account for rapidly changing circumstances in north Gaza.Humanitarian and human rights officials expressed fear of U.S. political interference in the world's monitoring system for famines. The U.S. Embassy in Israel and the State Department declined comment. FEWS officials did not respond to questions.“We work day and night with the U.N. and our Israeli partners to meet humanitarian needs — which are great — and relying on inaccurate data is irresponsible,” Lew said Tuesday.USAID confirmed to the AP that it had asked the famine-monitoring organization to withdraw its stepped-up warning issued in a report dated Monday. The&nbsp;<a href="https://fews.net/sites/default/files/2024-12/Gaza_Alert_202412_1.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;did not appear among the top updates on the group's website Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/famine-gaza-warning-israel-united-states-8333697957bed4df13f5ab0c1582d4bd">but the link to it remained active</a>.The dispute points in part to the difficulty of assessing the extent of starvation in largely isolated northern Gaza. Thousands in recent weeks have fled an intensified Israeli military crackdown that aid groups say has allowed delivery of only a dozen trucks of food and water since roughly October.FEWS Net said in its withdrawn report that unless Israel changes its policy, it expects the number of people dying of starvation and related ailments in north Gaza to reach between two and 15 per day sometime between January and March.The internationally recognized mortality threshold for famine is&nbsp;<a href="https://fews.net/about/integrated-phase-classification#:~:text=of%20coping%20strategies.-,Famine%20(IPC%20Phase%205),per%2010%2C000%20people%20per%20day.">two or more deaths a day per 10,000 people.</a>FEWS was created by the U.S. development agency in the 1980s and is still funded by it. But it is intended to provide independent, neutral and data-driven assessments of hunger crises, including in war zones. Its findings help guide decisions on aid by the U.S. and other governments and agencies around the world.A spokesman for Israel's foreign ministry, Oren Marmorstein, welcomed the U.S. ambassador's public challenge of the famine warning. “FEWS NET - Stop spreading these lies!” Marmorstein said on&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/OrenMarmorstein/status/1871587714229043532">X</a>.In challenging the findings publicly, the U.S. ambassador "leveraged his political power to undermine the work of this expert agency,” said Scott Paul, a senior manager at the Oxfam America humanitarian nonprofit. Paul stressed that he was not weighing in on the accuracy of the data or methodology of the report.“The whole point of creating FEWS is to have a group of experts make assessments about imminent famine that are untainted by political considerations,” said Kenneth Roth, former executive director of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/human-rights-watch">Human Rights Watch</a>&nbsp;and now a visiting professor in international affairs at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/princeton-university">Princeton University</a>. “It sure looks like USAID is allowing political considerations -- the Biden administration’s worry about funding Israel’s starvation strategy -- to interfere."Israel says it has been operating in recent months against Hamas militants still active in northern Gaza. It says the vast majority of the area’s residents have fled and relocated to Gaza City, where most aid destined for the north is delivered. But some critics, including a former defense minister, have accused Israel of carrying out ethnic cleansing in Gaza’s far north, near the Israeli border.North Gaza has been one of the areas hardest-hit by fighting and Israel’s restrictions on aid throughout its war with Hamas militants. Global famine monitors and U.N. and U.S. officials have warned repeatedly of the imminent risk of malnutrition and deaths from starvation hitting famine levels.International officials say Israel last summer increased the amount of aid it was admitting there, under U.S. pressure. The U.S. and U.N. have said Gaza’s people as a whole need between 350 and 500 trucks a day of food and other vital needs.But the U.N. and aid groups say Israel recently has again blocked almost all aid to that part of Gaza.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/cindy-mccain">Cindy McCain</a>, the American head of the U.N. World Food Program,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/famine-gaza-warning-israel-united-states-8333697957bed4df13f5ab0c1582d4bd">called</a>&nbsp;earlier this month for political pressure to get food flowing to Palestinians there.Israel says it places no restrictions on aid entering Gaza and that hundreds of truckloads of goods are piled up at Gaza’s crossings and accused international aid agencies of failing to deliver the supplies. The U.N. and other aid groups say Israeli restrictions, ongoing combat, looting and insufficient security by Israeli troops make it impossible to deliver aid effectively.Lew, the U.S. ambassador, said the famine warning was based on “outdated and inaccurate” data. He pointed to uncertainty over how many of the 65,000-75,000 people remaining in northern Gaza had fled in recent weeks, saying that skewed the findings.FEWS said in its report that its famine assessment holds even if as few as 10,000 people remain.USAID in its statement to AP said it had reviewed the report before it became public, and noted “discrepancies” in population estimates and some other data. The U.S. agency had asked the famine warning group to address those uncertainties and be clear in its final report to reflect how those uncertainties affected its predictions of famine, it said.“This was relayed before Ambassador Lew’s statement,” USAID said in a statement. “FEWS NET did not resolve any of these concerns and published in spite of these technical comments and a request for substantive engagement before publication. As such, USAID asked to retract the report.”Roth criticized the U.S. challenge of the report in light of the gravity of the crisis there.“This quibbling over the number of people desperate for food seems a politicized diversion from the fact that the Israeli government is blocking virtually all food from getting in,” he said, adding that “the Biden administration seems to be closing its eyes to that reality, but putting its head in the sand won’t feed anyone.”The U.S., Israel’s main backer, provided a record amount of military support in the first year of the war. At the same time, the Biden administration repeatedly urged Israel to allow more access to aid deliveries in Gaza overall, and warned that failing to do so could trigger U.S. restrictions on military support. The administration recently said Israel was making improvements and declined to carry out its threat of restrictions.Military support for Israel’s war in Gaza is politically charged in the U.S., with Republicans and some Democrats staunchly opposed any effort to limit U.S. support over the suffering of Palestinian civilians trapped in the conflict. The Biden administration’s reluctance to do more to press Israel for improved treatment of civilians undercut support for Democrats in last month’s elections.___Sam Mednick and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

Rebuke from U.S. leads to withdrawal of Gaza famine warning 

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Americans still dreaming of a really big Christmas present can keep that dream alive during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jackpot-mega-millions-lottery-9d15d33eb17c3c199c8bb1592e2804cb">Friday's Mega Millions drawing</a>&nbsp;for a jackpot worth an estimated $1.15 billion. Friday’s jackpot will potentially be the fifth largest in the game's history. Mega Millions tickets are $2 a piece. But the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, and the odds of winning any Mega Millions prize are 1 in 24, according to lottery officials. Tickets for the game are sold in 45 states, along with Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Here is a look at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lottery-jackpots-mega-millions-powerball-80fcb836622ba8e18883ce778786c1cc">largest U.S. jackpots won</a>&nbsp;and the states where the winning tickets were sold:

1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022 (one ticket, from California)

2. $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023 (one ticket, from California)

3. $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023 (one ticket, from Florida)

4. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016 (three tickets, from California, Florida, Tennessee)

5. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018 (one ticket, from South Carolina)

6. $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023 (one ticket, from Maine)

7. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022 (one ticket, from Illinois)

8. $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024 (one ticket, Oregon)

9. $1.13 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, 2024 (one ticket, from New Jersey)

10. $1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023 (one ticket, from California)

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Americans still dreaming of a really big Christmas present can keep that dream alive during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jackpot-mega-millions-lottery-9d15d33eb17c3c199c8bb1592e2804cb">Friday's Mega Millions drawing</a>&nbsp;for a jackpot worth an estimated $1.15 billion. Friday’s jackpot will potentially be the fifth largest in the game's history. Mega Millions tickets are $2 a piece. But the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, and the odds of winning any Mega Millions prize are 1 in 24, according to lottery officials. Tickets for the game are sold in 45 states, along with Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.Here is a look at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lottery-jackpots-mega-millions-powerball-80fcb836622ba8e18883ce778786c1cc">largest U.S. jackpots won</a>&nbsp;and the states where the winning tickets were sold:1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022 (one ticket, from California)2. $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023 (one ticket, from California)3. $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023 (one ticket, from Florida)4. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016 (three tickets, from California, Florida, Tennessee)5. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018 (one ticket, from South Carolina)6. $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023 (one ticket, from Maine)7. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022 (one ticket, from Illinois)8. $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024 (one ticket, Oregon)9. $1.13 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, 2024 (one ticket, from New Jersey)10. $1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023 (one ticket, from California)

$1.15 billion: Friday's Mega Millions drawing one of the game's top jackpots

KANSAS CITY – A Kansas City area teacher has been charged in federal court on charges related to child pornography.

Seth Brummond, 37, of Greenwood, Missouri, who teaches at  Lee’s Summit West High School, was charged in a two-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, according to the Untied State's Attorney.

The federal criminal complaint charges Brummond with one count of distributing child pornography over the internet and one count of possessing child pornography from September 1 to December 18, 2024.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Lee’s Summit police officers received a Cyber Tip on Sept. 8, 2024, that a user, later identified as Brummond, had uploaded 12 videos of child pornography via the Kik Messenger application.

On Dec. 19, Lee’s Summit law enforcement officers placed Brummond’s residence under surveillance for the purpose of serving federal search warrants. Officers followed Brummond when he left his house and at about 6 a.m. officers conducted a traffic stop and placed Brummond under arrest. Officers seized his iPhone as well as a computer tower that was in the trunk of his car.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735160218938.png" alt="Brummond-photo Lee's Summit Police" />
 <figcaption>Brummond-photo Lee's Summit Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY – A Kansas City area teacher has been charged in federal court on charges related to child pornography.Seth Brummond, 37, of Greenwood, Missouri, who teaches at Lee’s Summit West High School, was charged in a two-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, according to the Untied State's Attorney.The federal criminal complaint charges Brummond with one count of distributing child pornography over the internet and one count of possessing child pornography from September 1 to December 18, 2024.According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Lee’s Summit police officers received a Cyber Tip on Sept. 8, 2024, that a user, later identified as Brummond, had uploaded 12 videos of child pornography via the Kik Messenger application.On Dec. 19, Lee’s Summit law enforcement officers placed Brummond’s residence under surveillance for the purpose of serving federal search warrants. Officers followed Brummond when he left his house and at about 6 a.m. officers conducted a traffic stop and placed Brummond under arrest. Officers seized his iPhone as well as a computer tower that was in the trunk of his car.

KC area teacher accused of uploading child porn videos via Kik app

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump promised on Tuesday to “vigorously pursue” capital punishment after President Joe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-death-row-commutations-trump-executions-f67b5e04453cd1aa6383c516bc14f300">Biden commuted the sentences</a>&nbsp;of most people on federal death row partly to stop Trump from pushing forward their executions.

Trump criticized Biden’s decision on Monday to change the sentences of 37 of the 40 condemned people to life in prison without parole, arguing that it was senseless and insulted the families of their victims. Biden said converting their punishments to life imprisonment was consistent with the moratorium imposed on federal executions in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder.

“Joe Biden just commuted the Death Sentence on 37 of the worst killers in our Country,” he wrote on his social media site. “When you hear the acts of each, you won’t believe that he did this. Makes no sense. Relatives and friends are further devastated. They can’t believe this is happening!”

Presidents historically have no involvement in dictating or recommending the punishments that federal prosecutors seek for defendants in criminal cases, though Trump has long sought more direct control over the Justice Department's operations. The president-elect wrote that he would direct the department to pursue the death penalty “as soon as I am inaugurated,” but was vague on what specific actions he may take and said they would be in cases of “violent rapists, murderers, and monsters.”

He highlighted the cases of two men who were on federal death row for slaying a woman and a girl, had admitted to killing more and had their sentences commuted by Biden.

On the campaign trail, Trump often called for expanding the federal death penalty — including for those who kill police officers, those convicted of drug and human trafficking, and migrants who kill U.S. citizens.

“Trump has been fairly consistent in wanting to sort of say that he thinks the death penalty is an important tool and he wants to use it,” said Douglas Berman, an expert on sentencing at Ohio State University’s law school. “But whether practically any of that can happen, either under existing law or other laws, is a heavy lift.”

Berman said Trump’s statement at this point seems to be just a response to Biden’s commutation.

“I’m inclined to think it’s still in sort of more the rhetoric phase. Just, ‘don’t worry. The new sheriff is coming. I like the death penalty,’” he said.

Most Americans have historically supported the death penalty for people convicted of murder, according to decades of annual polling by Gallup, but support has declined over the past few decades. About half of Americans were in favor in an October poll, while roughly 7 in 10 Americans backed capital punishment for murderers in 2007.

Death row inmates are mostly sentenced by states

Before Biden's commutation, there were 40 federal death row inmates compared with more than 2,000 who have been sentenced to death by states.

“The reality is all of these crimes are typically handled by the states,” Berman said.

A question is whether the Trump administration would try to take over some state murder cases, such as those related to drug trafficking or smuggling. He could also attempt to take cases from states that have abolished the death penalty.

Berman said Trump's statement, along with some recent actions by states, may present an effort to get the Supreme Court to reconsider a precedent that considers the death penalty disproportionate punishment for rape.

“That would literally take decades to unfold. It’s not something that is going to happen overnight,” Berman said.

Before one of Trump's rallies on Aug. 20, his prepared remarks released to the media said he would announce he would ask for the death penalty for child rapists and child traffickers. But Trump never delivered the line.

What were the cases highlighted by Trump?

One of the men Trump highlighted on Tuesday was ex-Marine Jorge Avila Torrez, who was sentenced to death for killing a sailor in Virginia and later pleaded guilty to the fatal stabbing of an 8-year-old and a 9-year-old girl in a suburban Chicago park several years before.

The other man, Thomas Steven Sanders, was sentenced to death for the kidnapping and slaying of a 12-year-old girl in Louisiana, days after shooting the girl's mother in a wildlife park in Arizona. Court records show he admitted to both killings.

Some families of victims expressed anger with Biden's decision, but the president had faced pressure from advocacy groups urging him to make it more difficult for Trump to increase the use of capital punishment for federal inmates. The ACLU and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops were some of the groups that applauded the decision.

Biden left three federal inmates to face execution. They are Dylann Roof, who carried out the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-389bcc56019f268cb1056e37a517bd6c">2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church</a>&nbsp;in Charleston, South Carolina; 2013 Boston Marathon bomber&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/dzhokhar-tsarnaev">Dzhokhar Tsarnaev</a>; and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pittsburgh-synagogue-shooting-death-penalty-27e3b1a505cacdd674ee9b8a179aa1a8">Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018</a>, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history. _______

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734957421965.png" alt="According to the U.S. Attorney, in 2014, a federal jury in Louisiana decided that Thomas Sanders, 57, should be put to death for the brutal kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Lexis Roberts in the fall of 2010. Sanders drove several days across the country before he murdered the girl in a wooded area in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana. Evidence at trial established that Sanders shot Lexis Roberts four times, cut her throat, and left her body in the woods where a hunter found her body . President Biden commuted his sentence-photo Yavapai County, AZ Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>According to the U.S. Attorney, in 2014, a federal jury in Louisiana decided that Thomas Sanders, 57, should be put to death for the brutal kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Lexis Roberts in the fall of 2010. Sanders drove several days across the country before he murdered the girl in a wooded area in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana. Evidence at trial established that Sanders shot Lexis Roberts four times, cut her throat, and left her body in the woods where a hunter found her body . President Biden commuted his sentence-photo Yavapai County, AZ Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump promised on Tuesday to “vigorously pursue” capital punishment after President Joe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-death-row-commutations-trump-executions-f67b5e04453cd1aa6383c516bc14f300">Biden commuted the sentences</a>&nbsp;of most people on federal death row partly to stop Trump from pushing forward their executions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735074506437.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump criticized Biden’s decision on Monday to change the sentences of 37 of the 40 condemned people to life in prison without parole, arguing that it was senseless and insulted the families of their victims. Biden said converting their punishments to life imprisonment was consistent with the moratorium imposed on federal executions in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder.“Joe Biden just commuted the Death Sentence on 37 of the worst killers in our Country,” he wrote on his social media site. “When you hear the acts of each, you won’t believe that he did this. Makes no sense. Relatives and friends are further devastated. They can’t believe this is happening!”Presidents historically have no involvement in dictating or recommending the punishments that federal prosecutors seek for defendants in criminal cases, though Trump has long sought more direct control over the Justice Department's operations. The president-elect wrote that he would direct the department to pursue the death penalty “as soon as I am inaugurated,” but was vague on what specific actions he may take and said they would be in cases of “violent rapists, murderers, and monsters.”He highlighted the cases of two men who were on federal death row for slaying a woman and a girl, had admitted to killing more and had their sentences commuted by Biden.<h2>Is it a plan in motion or more rhetoric?</h2>On the campaign trail, Trump often called for expanding the federal death penalty — including for those who kill police officers, those convicted of drug and human trafficking, and migrants who kill U.S. citizens.“Trump has been fairly consistent in wanting to sort of say that he thinks the death penalty is an important tool and he wants to use it,” said Douglas Berman, an expert on sentencing at Ohio State University’s law school. “But whether practically any of that can happen, either under existing law or other laws, is a heavy lift.”Berman said Trump’s statement at this point seems to be just a response to Biden’s commutation.“I’m inclined to think it’s still in sort of more the rhetoric phase. Just, ‘don’t worry. The new sheriff is coming. I like the death penalty,’” he said.Most Americans have historically supported the death penalty for people convicted of murder, according to decades of annual polling by Gallup, but support has declined over the past few decades. About half of Americans were in favor in an October poll, while roughly 7 in 10 Americans backed capital punishment for murderers in 2007.<h2>Death row inmates are mostly sentenced by states</h2>Before Biden's commutation, there were 40 federal death row inmates compared with more than 2,000 who have been sentenced to death by states.“The reality is all of these crimes are typically handled by the states,” Berman said.A question is whether the Trump administration would try to take over some state murder cases, such as those related to drug trafficking or smuggling. He could also attempt to take cases from states that have abolished the death penalty.<h2>Could rape now be punishable by death?</h2>Berman said Trump's statement, along with some recent actions by states, may present an effort to get the Supreme Court to reconsider a precedent that considers the death penalty disproportionate punishment for rape.“That would literally take decades to unfold. It’s not something that is going to happen overnight,” Berman said.Before one of Trump's rallies on Aug. 20, his prepared remarks released to the media said he would announce he would ask for the death penalty for child rapists and child traffickers. But Trump never delivered the line.<h2>What were the cases highlighted by Trump?</h2>One of the men Trump highlighted on Tuesday was ex-Marine Jorge Avila Torrez, who was sentenced to death for killing a sailor in Virginia and later pleaded guilty to the fatal stabbing of an 8-year-old and a 9-year-old girl in a suburban Chicago park several years before.The other man, Thomas Steven Sanders, was sentenced to death for the kidnapping and slaying of a 12-year-old girl in Louisiana, days after shooting the girl's mother in a wildlife park in Arizona. Court records show he admitted to both killings.Some families of victims expressed anger with Biden's decision, but the president had faced pressure from advocacy groups urging him to make it more difficult for Trump to increase the use of capital punishment for federal inmates. The ACLU and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops were some of the groups that applauded the decision.Biden left three federal inmates to face execution. They are Dylann Roof, who carried out the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-389bcc56019f268cb1056e37a517bd6c">2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church</a>&nbsp;in Charleston, South Carolina; 2013 Boston Marathon bomber&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/dzhokhar-tsarnaev">Dzhokhar Tsarnaev</a>; and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pittsburgh-synagogue-shooting-death-penalty-27e3b1a505cacdd674ee9b8a179aa1a8">Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018</a>, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history. _______

Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row

REPUBLIC COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating a suspected&nbsp;child abuse case in Belleville. &nbsp;

On Thursday morning, the&nbsp;Belleville Police Department&nbsp;contacted the&nbsp;KBI to investigate after an unresponsive&nbsp;three-month-old&nbsp;infant was transported from the Republic County hospital to a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska.

The child’s parents brought her to the Republic County hospital on Dec. 25, and hospital staff later contacted the Belleville Police Department.

A pediatrician at the Omaha hospital indicated the child has no brain activity due to severe injuries she had sustained. Late Thursday afternoon, KBI reported the infant remains on life support.

REPUBLIC COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating a suspected&nbsp;child abuse case in Belleville. &nbsp;On Thursday morning, the&nbsp;Belleville Police Department&nbsp;contacted the&nbsp;KBI to investigate after an unresponsive&nbsp;three-month-old&nbsp;infant was transported from the Republic County hospital to a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska.The child’s parents brought her to the Republic County hospital on Dec. 25, and hospital staff later contacted the Belleville Police Department.A pediatrician at the Omaha hospital indicated the child has no brain activity due to severe injuries she had sustained. Late Thursday afternoon, KBI reported the infant remains on life support.

KBI: 3-month-old with severe injuries from alleged child abuse

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just after 4a.m. Thursday in Kansas City.

A black BMW 535I was northbound on Hardesty at Winner in Kansas City at a very high rate of speed, according to&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

In the area of Winner Road, the BMW crossed the double yellow line and traveled northbound in the southbound lanes of Hardesty.&nbsp; The BMW struck a concrete traffic median, a metal traffic signal pole and continued northbound across Winner Road. 

The BMW traveled up a grassy hill and launched across a private driveway, striking a building before coming to rest. 

The driver of the BMW was pronounced deceased at the scene. The front seat passenger was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries. The passenger is currently in stable condition and the investigation is ongoing. 

This is Fatality #93 compared to #100 at this time last year, according to Gonzalez&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just after 4a.m. Thursday in Kansas City.A black BMW 535I was northbound on Hardesty at Winner in Kansas City at a very high rate of speed, according to&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.In the area of Winner Road, the BMW crossed the double yellow line and traveled northbound in the southbound lanes of Hardesty.&nbsp; The BMW struck a concrete traffic median, a metal traffic signal pole and continued northbound across Winner Road. The BMW traveled up a grassy hill and launched across a private driveway, striking a building before coming to rest. The driver of the BMW was pronounced deceased at the scene. The front seat passenger was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries. The passenger is currently in stable condition and the investigation is ongoing. This is Fatality #93 compared to #100 at this time last year, according to Gonzalez&nbsp;

KCPD: One dead after violent crash into a building

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20HANNA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN HANNA </a>

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas official who is an informal adviser to President-elect Donald Trump's transition team on immigration issues doesn't expect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-day-1-priorities-deportations-drilling-ukraine-6747c6e64b0440978f59450b928f61d1">mass deportations</a>&nbsp;to prompt arrests of migrants at sensitive locations such as schools and churches.

But Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach does expect Trump to take action that will spark a legal challenge over the citizenship status of children born in the U.S. to immigrants living in the country illegally. He also expects Trump to encourage local and state law enforcement officers to help with efforts to arrest and detain migrants.

Kobach has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6153978f60ee4289b7fd4da8b956516a">for two decades been one of the most influential lawyers</a>&nbsp;in the Republican movement to restrict illegal immigration. He is also a longtime Trump supporter who could be a key ally given federal immigration authorities' need for state and local cooperation to carry out Trump's promise of the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.

He said Wednesday that he's in regular contact with Trump's team, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-homan-ice-border-czar-7dea915b5ea43896390b8020d254f887">Tom Homan,</a>&nbsp;Trump's pick for border czar, and Stephen Miller, incoming deputy White House chief of staff for policy. He made his comments during an interview with The Associated Press. Here are excerpts:

Is it realistic to try to remove millions of immigrants?

Critics of Trump’s mass deportation plans argue that he’s promising to remove millions of immigrants from the U.S. and that’s logistically not possible. But Kobach and other Trump allies think only a portion of those migrants would have to be deported for the effort to succeed.

KOBACH: “Once there’s a massive enforcement effort going on, then a lot of people start leaving on their own.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734536002113.png" alt="Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20HANNA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN HANNA </a>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas official who is an informal adviser to President-elect Donald Trump's transition team on immigration issues doesn't expect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-day-1-priorities-deportations-drilling-ukraine-6747c6e64b0440978f59450b928f61d1">mass deportations</a>&nbsp;to prompt arrests of migrants at sensitive locations such as schools and churches.But Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach does expect Trump to take action that will spark a legal challenge over the citizenship status of children born in the U.S. to immigrants living in the country illegally. He also expects Trump to encourage local and state law enforcement officers to help with efforts to arrest and detain migrants.Kobach has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6153978f60ee4289b7fd4da8b956516a">for two decades been one of the most influential lawyers</a>&nbsp;in the Republican movement to restrict illegal immigration. He is also a longtime Trump supporter who could be a key ally given federal immigration authorities' need for state and local cooperation to carry out Trump's promise of the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.He said Wednesday that he's in regular contact with Trump's team, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-homan-ice-border-czar-7dea915b5ea43896390b8020d254f887">Tom Homan,</a>&nbsp;Trump's pick for border czar, and Stephen Miller, incoming deputy White House chief of staff for policy. He made his comments during an interview with The Associated Press. Here are excerpts:<h2>Is it realistic to try to remove millions of immigrants?</h2>Critics of Trump’s mass deportation plans argue that he’s promising to remove millions of immigrants from the U.S. and that’s logistically not possible. But Kobach and other Trump allies think only a portion of those migrants would have to be deported for the effort to succeed.KOBACH: “Once there’s a massive enforcement effort going on, then a lot of people start leaving on their own.”“You can put a multiplier on that number, and it’ll be a much greater number. They will start leaving on their own because they don’t want to get arrested. They want to leave on their own terms, and so I don’t know — we don’t know — what that multiplier number is going to be, but there will be one.”<h2>What about arrests at sensitive locations?</h2>Immigrant rights advocates worry the Trump administration will rescind a longstanding policy of avoiding arrests of migrants at sensitive locations such as schools, hospitals and houses of worship.KOBACH: “I haven’t heard this. ... First of all, I don’t think that you are likely to see K-12 students being arrested. It’s going to be the adults that are going to be the focus of the removals."“There are some places that are better to make an arrest than others. There are reasons why the policy of a police department is different with regard to a high-speed chase in a neighborhood versus a high-speed chase on a highway. So I think they’re probably going to have to make decisions as to which ones involve the least risk to the public.”<h2>Is an attempt to end birthright citizenship coming?</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/birthright-citizenship-immigration-trump-20919d26029cf0f98ecb0dc7f90a066b">Birthright citizenship</a>&nbsp;means that anyone born in the U.S. is a citizen, whatever the legal status of their parents. Trump has promised to end it, though others say the 14th Amendment enshrines it in the U.S. Constitution.KOBACH: “Whatever the Trump administration does will certainly be litigated because it’s one of those hot-button issues.”“I believe that the Trump administration has every intention of addressing this issue, in his second term.”<h2>How would state and local officials help?</h2>The Trump administration would need the help of state and local officials in its efforts to deport millions of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.A provision in federal immigration law allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to make agreements with state and law enforcement agencies to deputize and train officers to arrest migrants.KOBACH: “They can provide a force multiplier to the federal government, and I think that is the biggest and best thing that the states and counties can do to help. ... The point is, it casts a daily net.”“I don’t see how a massive deportation program can possibly succeed without it."<h2>Where would immigrants be detained?</h2>President Joe Biden's administration cut the number of beds that ICE had for detaining immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. However, in August, the agency issued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/us-news/california-donald-trump-donald-trump-es-immigration-u-s-immigration-and-customs-enforcement-080d529d662ad626e369d7f3757cefdc">requests for information</a>&nbsp;about the potential for new detention centers in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington, documents show.Trump could seek new contracts with counties to keep immigrants in their jails, and Kobach said he's previously worked as a lawyer for some Texas counties with bigger jails than they need for local offenders.KOBACH: "The Trump administration, the people in the immigration sphere, are well aware of this problem, and I've talked to them."