JOHNSON COUNTY, Mo. —A suspect is in custody following an investigation into the online possession of child sexual abuse material.

In October, the Western Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children (WMICAC) Task Force received a cyber tip that prompted a joint investigation involving police, according to a media release from the Warrensburg Police Department.

 Detectives went to a residence in the corporate city limits of Warrensburg to contact their suspect identified as 20-year-old Noah Mclean Rogers.

Police took Rogers into custody on a warrant on requested charged of Possession of Child Pornography and Promotion of Child Pornography.

The court has set a bond at $75,000 cash only. Rogers is currently being held in the Johnson County Jail pending further legal proceedings.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765330158669.png" alt="Rogers photo Johnson Co." />
                        <figcaption>Rogers photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>JOHNSON COUNTY, Mo. —A suspect is in custody following an investigation into the online possession of child sexual abuse material.</p><p>In October, the Western Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children (WMICAC) Task Force received a cyber tip that prompted a joint investigation involving police, according to a media release from the Warrensburg Police Department.</p><p> Detectives went to a residence in the corporate city limits of Warrensburg to contact their suspect identified as 20-year-old Noah Mclean Rogers.</p><p>Police took Rogers into custody on a warrant on requested charged of Possession of Child Pornography and Promotion of Child Pornography.</p><p>The court has set a bond at $75,000 cash only. Rogers is currently being held in the Johnson County Jail pending further legal proceedings.</p>

Tip led to arrest for online possession of child sexual abuse material

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted to pass a sweeping defense policy bill Wednesday that authorizes $900 billion in military programs, including a pay raise for troops and an overhaul of how the Department of Defense buys weapons.

The bill's passage on a 312-112 vote comes at a time of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-hegseth-boat-strikes-e68621ec48c7886215359c0110d6d9ca">increasing friction</a>&nbsp;between the Republican-controlled Congress and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;administration over the management of the military. All four members of the Kansas Congressional Delegation voted in favor of the bill.

The annual National Defense Authorization Act typically gains bipartisan backing, and the White House has signaled “strong support” for the must-pass legislation, saying it is in line with Trump's national security agenda. Yet tucked into the over-3,000-page bill are several measures that push back against the Department of Defense, including a demand for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-strikes-boats-drugs-caribbean-hegseth-congress-93c513e28f38688f5582150c7675c072">more information on boat strikes</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean and support for allies in Europe, such as Ukraine.

Overall, the sweeping bill calls for a 3.8% pay raise for many military members as well as housing and facility improvements on military bases. It also strikes a compromise between the political parties — cutting climate and diversity efforts in line with Trump's agenda, while also boosting congressional oversight of the Pentagon and repealing several old war authorizations. Still, hard-line conservatives said they were frustrated that the bill does not do more to cut U.S. commitments overseas.

“We need a ready, capable and lethal fighting force because the threats to our nation, especially those from China, are more complex and challenging than at any point in the last 40 years,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, the GOP chair of the House Armed Services Committee.

Lawmakers overseeing the military said the bill would change how the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-hegseth-weapons-purchases-6f9326c2bad4355541d1a02b54d899db">Pentagon buys weapons</a>, with an emphasis on speed after years of delay by the defense industry. It's also a key priority for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the armed services panel, called the bill “the most ambitious swing at acquisition reform that we’ve taken.”

Still, Smith lamented that the bill does not do as much as Democrats would like to rein in the Trump administration but called it “a step in the right direction towards reasserting the authority of Congress.”

“The biggest concern I have is that the Pentagon, being run by Secretary Hegseth and by President Trump, is simply not accountable to Congress or accountable to the law,” he said.

The legislation next heads to the Senate, where leaders are working to pass the bill before lawmakers depart Washington for a holiday break.

Several senators on both sides of the aisle have criticized the bill for not doing enough to restrict military flights over Washington. They had pushed for reforms after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-aircraft-crash-9d79051a9e535bd855df5a4e5553b2e9">midair collision</a>&nbsp;this year between an Army helicopter and a jetliner killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft near Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport. The National Transportation Safety Board and families of the victims have also voiced opposition to that section of the bill, raising concerns that it would make the airspace more dangerous.

Here's what the defense bill does as it makes its way through Congress.

Boat strike videos and congressional oversight

Lawmakers included a provision that would cut Hegseth's travel budget by a quarter until the Pentagon provides Congress with unedited video of the strikes against alleged drug boats near Venezuela. Lawmakers are asserting their oversight role after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-drug-cartels-military-timeline-91e242e5c56eec39b6b7d72bf55dbd2d">Sept. 2 strike</a>&nbsp;where the U.S. military fired on two survivors who were holding on to a boat that had partially been destroyed.

The bill also demands that Hegseth allow Congress to review the orders for the strikes.

Trump's ongoing support for Ukraine and other allies in Eastern Europe has been under doubt over the last year, but lawmakers included several positions meant to keep up U.S. support for countering Russian aggression in the region.

The defense bill requires the Pentagon to keep at least 76,000 troops and major equipment stationed in Europe unless NATO allies are consulted and there is a determination that such a withdrawal is in U.S. interests. Around 80,000 to 100,000 U.S. troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-eastern-flank-us-troops-drawdown-russia-40a1c731a866ce84d5c7721fe12c380e">are usually present</a>&nbsp;on European soil. It also authorizes $400 million for each of the next two years to manufacture weapons to be sent to Ukraine.

Additionally, there is a provision to keep U.S. troops stationed in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/south-korea">South Korea</a>, setting the minimum requirement at 28,500.

Cuts to climate and diversity initiatives

The bill makes $1.6 billion in cuts to climate change-related spending, the House Armed Services Committee said. U.S. military assessments have long found that climate change is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-joe-biden-business-lloyd-austin-a5c79e8a005c7c4db8a61cf0e6a4267a">threat to national security</a>, with bases being pummeled by hurricanes or routinely flooded.

The bill also would save $40 million by repealing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-culture-pentagon-hegseth-dei-tansgender-4c5f94c1235d29240b22677e3d66f0ed">diversity, equity and inclusion</a>&nbsp;offices, programs and trainings, the committee said. The position of chief diversity officer would be cut, for example.

Congress is putting an official end to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-invasion-war-timeline-saddam-hussein-50828061c98e410063753045179bdcfb">war in Iraq</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-war-powers-iraq-trump-a6bc311c0b0890022cb818550758c94e">repealing the authorization</a>&nbsp;for the 2003 invasion. Supporters in both the House and Senate say the repeal is crucial to prevent future abuses and to reinforce that Iraq is now a strategic partner of the U.S.

The 2002 resolution has been rarely used in recent years. But the first Trump administration cited it as part of its legal justification for a 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassim Suleimani.

Congress would permanently remove U.S. sanctions put on Syria after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-sanctions-trump-treasury-state-2ed65c895905e2e7bc385098a6ab1301">Trump administration temporarily lifted many penalties</a>.

Lawmakers imposed economically crippling sanctions on the country in 2019 to punish former leader Bashar Assad for human rights abuses during the nearly 14-year civil war. After Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa led a successful insurgency to depose Assad, he is seeking to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-anniversary-assad-fall-a22746c8b8351b02d77cb62a6260c87e">rebuild his nation’s economy</a>.

Advocates of a permanent repeal have said international companies are unlikely to invest in projects needed for the country’s reconstruction as long as there is a threat of sanctions returning.

Democrats criticized Johnson for stripping a provision from the bill to expand coverage of in vitro fertilization for active duty personnel. An&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2296/text">earlier version</a>&nbsp;covered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ivf-vitro-fertilization-trump-executive-order-65972cc1b10151bf1a0d9390fe5754d9">the medical procedure, known as IVF</a>, which helps people facing infertility have children.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757124469009.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted to pass a sweeping defense policy bill Wednesday that authorizes $900 billion in military programs, including a pay raise for troops and an overhaul of how the Department of Defense buys weapons.</p><p>The bill's passage on a 312-112 vote comes at a time of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-hegseth-boat-strikes-e68621ec48c7886215359c0110d6d9ca">increasing friction</a>&nbsp;between the Republican-controlled Congress and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;administration over the management of the military. All four members of the Kansas Congressional Delegation voted in favor of the bill.</p><p>The annual National Defense Authorization Act typically gains bipartisan backing, and the White House has signaled “strong support” for the must-pass legislation, saying it is in line with Trump's national security agenda. Yet tucked into the over-3,000-page bill are several measures that push back against the Department of Defense, including a demand for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-strikes-boats-drugs-caribbean-hegseth-congress-93c513e28f38688f5582150c7675c072">more information on boat strikes</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean and support for allies in Europe, such as Ukraine.</p><p>Overall, the sweeping bill calls for a 3.8% pay raise for many military members as well as housing and facility improvements on military bases. It also strikes a compromise between the political parties — cutting climate and diversity efforts in line with Trump's agenda, while also boosting congressional oversight of the Pentagon and repealing several old war authorizations. Still, hard-line conservatives said they were frustrated that the bill does not do more to cut U.S. commitments overseas.</p><p>“We need a ready, capable and lethal fighting force because the threats to our nation, especially those from China, are more complex and challenging than at any point in the last 40 years,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, the GOP chair of the House Armed Services Committee.</p><p>Lawmakers overseeing the military said the bill would change how the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-hegseth-weapons-purchases-6f9326c2bad4355541d1a02b54d899db">Pentagon buys weapons</a>, with an emphasis on speed after years of delay by the defense industry. It's also a key priority for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the armed services panel, called the bill “the most ambitious swing at acquisition reform that we’ve taken.”</p><p>Still, Smith lamented that the bill does not do as much as Democrats would like to rein in the Trump administration but called it “a step in the right direction towards reasserting the authority of Congress.”</p><p>“The biggest concern I have is that the Pentagon, being run by Secretary Hegseth and by President Trump, is simply not accountable to Congress or accountable to the law,” he said.</p><p>The legislation next heads to the Senate, where leaders are working to pass the bill before lawmakers depart Washington for a holiday break.</p><p>Several senators on both sides of the aisle have criticized the bill for not doing enough to restrict military flights over Washington. They had pushed for reforms after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-aircraft-crash-9d79051a9e535bd855df5a4e5553b2e9">midair collision</a>&nbsp;this year between an Army helicopter and a jetliner killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft near Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport. The National Transportation Safety Board and families of the victims have also voiced opposition to that section of the bill, raising concerns that it would make the airspace more dangerous.</p><p>Here's what the defense bill does as it makes its way through Congress.</p><h2>Boat strike videos and congressional oversight</h2><p>Lawmakers included a provision that would cut Hegseth's travel budget by a quarter until the Pentagon provides Congress with unedited video of the strikes against alleged drug boats near Venezuela. Lawmakers are asserting their oversight role after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-drug-cartels-military-timeline-91e242e5c56eec39b6b7d72bf55dbd2d">Sept. 2 strike</a>&nbsp;where the U.S. military fired on two survivors who were holding on to a boat that had partially been destroyed.</p><p>The bill also demands that Hegseth allow Congress to review the orders for the strikes.</p><h2>Reaffirm commitments to Europe and Korea</h2><p>Trump's ongoing support for Ukraine and other allies in Eastern Europe has been under doubt over the last year, but lawmakers included several positions meant to keep up U.S. support for countering Russian aggression in the region.</p><p>The defense bill requires the Pentagon to keep at least 76,000 troops and major equipment stationed in Europe unless NATO allies are consulted and there is a determination that such a withdrawal is in U.S. interests. Around 80,000 to 100,000 U.S. troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-eastern-flank-us-troops-drawdown-russia-40a1c731a866ce84d5c7721fe12c380e">are usually present</a>&nbsp;on European soil. It also authorizes $400 million for each of the next two years to manufacture weapons to be sent to Ukraine.</p><p>Additionally, there is a provision to keep U.S. troops stationed in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/south-korea">South Korea</a>, setting the minimum requirement at 28,500.</p><h2>Cuts to climate and diversity initiatives</h2><p>The bill makes $1.6 billion in cuts to climate change-related spending, the House Armed Services Committee said. U.S. military assessments have long found that climate change is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-joe-biden-business-lloyd-austin-a5c79e8a005c7c4db8a61cf0e6a4267a">threat to national security</a>, with bases being pummeled by hurricanes or routinely flooded.</p><p>The bill also would save $40 million by repealing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-culture-pentagon-hegseth-dei-tansgender-4c5f94c1235d29240b22677e3d66f0ed">diversity, equity and inclusion</a>&nbsp;offices, programs and trainings, the committee said. The position of chief diversity officer would be cut, for example.</p><h2>Iraq War resolution repeal</h2><p>Congress is putting an official end to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-invasion-war-timeline-saddam-hussein-50828061c98e410063753045179bdcfb">war in Iraq</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-war-powers-iraq-trump-a6bc311c0b0890022cb818550758c94e">repealing the authorization</a>&nbsp;for the 2003 invasion. Supporters in both the House and Senate say the repeal is crucial to prevent future abuses and to reinforce that Iraq is now a strategic partner of the U.S.</p><p>The 2002 resolution has been rarely used in recent years. But the first Trump administration cited it as part of its legal justification for a 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassim Suleimani.</p><h2>Lifting final Syria sanctions</h2><p>Congress would permanently remove U.S. sanctions put on Syria after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-sanctions-trump-treasury-state-2ed65c895905e2e7bc385098a6ab1301">Trump administration temporarily lifted many penalties</a>.</p><p>Lawmakers imposed economically crippling sanctions on the country in 2019 to punish former leader Bashar Assad for human rights abuses during the nearly 14-year civil war. After Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa led a successful insurgency to depose Assad, he is seeking to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-anniversary-assad-fall-a22746c8b8351b02d77cb62a6260c87e">rebuild his nation’s economy</a>.</p><p>Advocates of a permanent repeal have said international companies are unlikely to invest in projects needed for the country’s reconstruction as long as there is a threat of sanctions returning.</p><h2>Lack of IVF coverage</h2><p>Democrats criticized Johnson for stripping a provision from the bill to expand coverage of in vitro fertilization for active duty personnel. An&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2296/text">earlier version</a>&nbsp;covered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ivf-vitro-fertilization-trump-executive-order-65972cc1b10151bf1a0d9390fe5754d9">the medical procedure, known as IVF</a>, which helps people facing infertility have children.</p>

Kan. lawmakers help House pass $900 billion defense policy bill

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just before 4:30p.m. Tuesday&nbsp;an officer on patrol observed a vehicle stopped in the southbound driving lane in the 400 block River Road in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

 Stephen Oswalt, 62, was in the driver’s seat and appeared to be sleeping or passed out. During the investigation at the scene he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He was taken to the County Jail and is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765378514283.png" alt="Oswalt photo Atchison Co." />
                        <figcaption>Oswalt photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.</p><p>Just before 4:30p.m. Tuesday&nbsp;an officer on patrol observed a vehicle stopped in the southbound driving lane in the 400 block River Road in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.</p><p> Stephen Oswalt, 62, was in the driver’s seat and appeared to be sleeping or passed out. During the investigation at the scene he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He was taken to the County Jail and is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;</p>

Suspect was passed out in vehicle in driving lane of Kan. highway

NEW YORK (AP) — Secret grand jury transcripts from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case</a>&nbsp;can be made public, a judge ruled Wednesday, joining two other judges in granting the Justice Department’s requests to unseal material from investigations into the late financier’s sexual abuse.

U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman reversed his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-epstein-c148333f2618c92c0b9a87784c45a416">earlier decision to keep the material under wraps</a>, citing a new law that requires the government to open its files on Epstein and his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-ghislaine-maxwell-fa2c504a6dfe30ce1686b857a4123b7b">longtime confidant Ghislaine Maxwell</a>. The judge previously cautioned that the 70 or so pages of grand jury materials slated for release are hardly revelatory.

On Tuesday, a different Manhattan federal judge ordered the release of records from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-sex-trafficking-case-records-8e3985dd977cb94ef41b9581115ef61b">Maxwell’s 2021 sex trafficking case</a>. Last week, a judge in Florida approved the unsealing of transcripts from an abandoned&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-florida-bd036cbe2fa4e98d27aa473fd6daa3bd">Epstein federal grand jury investigation in the 2000s</a>.

The Justice Department asked the judges to lift secrecy orders after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-release-justice-department-32cbc21a6ae8189dccd00455dc83d2be">Epstein Files Transparency Act</a>, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump last month, created a narrow exception to rules that normally keep grand jury proceedings confidential.

The law requires that the Justice Department disclose Epstein-related records to the public by Dec. 19.

Questions about the government’s Epstein files have dominated the first year of Trump’s second term, with pressure on the Republican intensifying after he reneged on a campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-conspiracies-97200cfab77572a36bc9ab25841a8833">promise to release the files</a>. His administration released some material, most of it already public, disappointing critics and some allies.

Epstein, a millionaire money manager known for socializing with celebrities, politicians, billionaires and the academic elite,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-suicide-department-of-justice-investigation-50c229b7953096f0301bfa1e7f0b7703">killed himself in jail</a>&nbsp;a month after his 2019 arrest. Maxwell was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-convicted-jeffrey-epstein-trial-verdict-63a71a2825eab41184a79e37bb967e90">convicted in 2021</a>&nbsp;by a federal jury of sex trafficking for helping recruit some of Epstein’s underage victims and participating in some of the abuse. She is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-sentencing-aeac127f9cc3811d975ce8e10d171260">serving a 20-year prison sentence</a>.

In court filings, the Justice Department informed Berman that the only witness to testify before the Epstein grand jury was an FBI agent who, the judge noted, “had no direct knowledge of the facts of the case and whose testimony was mostly hearsay.”

The agent testified over two days, on June 18, 2019, and July 2, 2019. The rest of the grand jury presentation consisted of a PowerPoint slideshow and a call log. The July 2 session, which ended with grand jurors voting to indict Epstein. Both of those will also remain sealed, Berman ruled.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704330351229.png" alt="Jeffrey Epstein- New York Sex Offender Registry" />
                        <figcaption>Jeffrey Epstein- New York Sex Offender Registry</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>NEW YORK (AP) — Secret grand jury transcripts from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case</a>&nbsp;can be made public, a judge ruled Wednesday, joining two other judges in granting the Justice Department’s requests to unseal material from investigations into the late financier’s sexual abuse.</p><p>U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman reversed his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-epstein-c148333f2618c92c0b9a87784c45a416">earlier decision to keep the material under wraps</a>, citing a new law that requires the government to open its files on Epstein and his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-ghislaine-maxwell-fa2c504a6dfe30ce1686b857a4123b7b">longtime confidant Ghislaine Maxwell</a>. The judge previously cautioned that the 70 or so pages of grand jury materials slated for release are hardly revelatory.</p><p>On Tuesday, a different Manhattan federal judge ordered the release of records from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-sex-trafficking-case-records-8e3985dd977cb94ef41b9581115ef61b">Maxwell’s 2021 sex trafficking case</a>. Last week, a judge in Florida approved the unsealing of transcripts from an abandoned&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-florida-bd036cbe2fa4e98d27aa473fd6daa3bd">Epstein federal grand jury investigation in the 2000s</a>.</p><p>The Justice Department asked the judges to lift secrecy orders after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-release-justice-department-32cbc21a6ae8189dccd00455dc83d2be">Epstein Files Transparency Act</a>, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump last month, created a narrow exception to rules that normally keep grand jury proceedings confidential.</p><p>The law requires that the Justice Department disclose Epstein-related records to the public by Dec. 19.</p><p>Questions about the government’s Epstein files have dominated the first year of Trump’s second term, with pressure on the Republican intensifying after he reneged on a campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-conspiracies-97200cfab77572a36bc9ab25841a8833">promise to release the files</a>. His administration released some material, most of it already public, disappointing critics and some allies.</p><p>Epstein, a millionaire money manager known for socializing with celebrities, politicians, billionaires and the academic elite,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-suicide-department-of-justice-investigation-50c229b7953096f0301bfa1e7f0b7703">killed himself in jail</a>&nbsp;a month after his 2019 arrest. Maxwell was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-convicted-jeffrey-epstein-trial-verdict-63a71a2825eab41184a79e37bb967e90">convicted in 2021</a>&nbsp;by a federal jury of sex trafficking for helping recruit some of Epstein’s underage victims and participating in some of the abuse. She is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-sentencing-aeac127f9cc3811d975ce8e10d171260">serving a 20-year prison sentence</a>.</p><p>In court filings, the Justice Department informed Berman that the only witness to testify before the Epstein grand jury was an FBI agent who, the judge noted, “had no direct knowledge of the facts of the case and whose testimony was mostly hearsay.”</p><p>The agent testified over two days, on June 18, 2019, and July 2, 2019. The rest of the grand jury presentation consisted of a PowerPoint slideshow and a call log. The July 2 session, which ended with grand jurors voting to indict Epstein. Both of those will also remain sealed, Berman ruled.</p>

Judge: DOJ can make public secret Epstein grand jury transcripts

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Wednesday that the United States has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">tensions mount</a>&nbsp;with the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

Using U.S. forces to seize an oil tanker is incredibly unusual and marks the Trump administration’s latest push to increase pressure on Maduro, who has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f">charged with narcoterrorism</a>&nbsp;in the United States. The U.S. has built up the largest military presence in the region in decades and launched a series of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-pentagon-drug-boats-pacific-35a60ce3bc018e5f66c18b2d18b49c35">deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. The campaign is facing growing scrutiny from Congress.

“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized, actually,” Trump told reporters at the White House, later adding that "it was seized for a very good reason.”

Trump said “other things are happening,” but did not offer additional details, saying he would speak more about it later. When asked what would happen to the oil aboard the tanker, Trump said, “Well, we keep it, I guess.”

The seizure was led by the U.S. Coast Guard and supported by the Navy, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The official added that the seizure was conducted under U.S. law enforcement authority.

Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves and produces about 1 million barrels a day. Locked out of global oil markets by U.S. sanctions, the state-owned oil company sells most of its output at a steep discount to refiners in China.

The transactions usually involve a complex network of shadowy intermediaries, as sanctions have scared away more established traders. Many are shell companies, registered in jurisdictions known for secrecy. The buyers deploy so-called ghost tankers that hide their location and hand off their valuable cargoes in the middle of the ocean before they reach their final destination.

Maduro did not address the seizure during a speech before a ruling-party organized demonstration in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital. But he told supporters that the country is “prepared to break the teeth of the North American empire if necessary.”

Maduro, flanked by senior officials, said only the ruling party can “guarantee peace, stability, and the harmonious development of Venezuela, South America and the Caribbean.”

Maduro previously has insisted the real purpose of the U.S. military operations is to force him from office.

During past negotiations, among the concessions the U.S. has made to Maduro was approval for oil giant Chevron Corp. to resume pumping and exporting Venezuelan oil. The corporation’s activities in the South American country resulted in a financial lifeline for Maduro’s government.

The seizure comes a day after the U.S. military&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-us-military-trump-fa18-fighter-jets-06fd7cdc5ac26e7a46165431b95508b0">flew a pair of fighter jets</a>&nbsp;over the Gulf of Venezuela in what appeared to be the closest that warplanes had come to the South American country’s airspace. Trump has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-maduro-colombia-petro-boats-559a73dbfcbdc9245494f441be1aad39">land attacks are coming soon</a>&nbsp;but has not offered more details.

The Trump administration is facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-pete-hegseth-venezuela-9f46a5f074b5b3c979ee41082949b196">increasing scrutiny from lawmakers</a>&nbsp;over the boat strike campaign, which has killed at least 87 people in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-petro-colombia-drugs-us-aid-c3955b2ce351737119920741178e0567">22 known strikes</a>&nbsp;since early September, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-strike-video-footage-boat-caribbean-3cf2ca9cbe4523978e935b99c2979caa">a follow-up strike that killed two survivors</a>&nbsp;clinging to the wreckage of a boat after the first hit.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-survivors-hegseth-72b0a498ca08615b2589c772a1d9e642">Some legal experts and Democrats say</a>&nbsp;that action may have violated the laws governing the use of deadly military force.

Lawmakers are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/defense-bill-ndaa-boat-strikes-video-152bef4ad429ae2c62937daeea2235a4">demanding to get unedited video</a>&nbsp;from the strikes, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told congressional leaders Tuesday he was still weighing whether to release it. Hegseth provided a classified briefing for congressional leaders alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

It was not immediately clear Wednesday who owned the tanker or what national flag it was sailing under. The Coast Guard referred a request for comment to the White House.

Associated Press writer Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report.

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Wednesday that the United States has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">tensions mount</a>&nbsp;with the government of President Nicolás Maduro.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump: “As you probably know, we just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela — a large tanker, very large.” <a href="https://t.co/I51NenxoIP">pic.twitter.com/I51NenxoIP</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998852863817064906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨 Q: What happens to the oil on the tanker you seized near Venezuela?<br><br>PRESIDENT TRUMP: We keep the oil, I guess! 🤣<br><br>Q: Where does it go?<br><br>TRUMP: You&#39;re a good news man. Just get a helicopter and go follow the tanker! <br><br>He is the best 😭😭 <a href="https://t.co/Dp9duwUxT7">pic.twitter.com/Dp9duwUxT7</a></p>&mdash; Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1998860261915242721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Using U.S. forces to seize an oil tanker is incredibly unusual and marks the Trump administration’s latest push to increase pressure on Maduro, who has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f">charged with narcoterrorism</a>&nbsp;in the United States. The U.S. has built up the largest military presence in the region in decades and launched a series of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-pentagon-drug-boats-pacific-35a60ce3bc018e5f66c18b2d18b49c35">deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. The campaign is facing growing scrutiny from Congress.</p><p>“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized, actually,” Trump told reporters at the White House, later adding that "it was seized for a very good reason.”</p><p>Trump said “other things are happening,” but did not offer additional details, saying he would speak more about it later. When asked what would happen to the oil aboard the tanker, Trump said, “Well, we keep it, I guess.”</p><p>The seizure was led by the U.S. Coast Guard and supported by the Navy, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The official added that the seizure was conducted under U.S. law enforcement authority.</p><p>Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves and produces about 1 million barrels a day. Locked out of global oil markets by U.S. sanctions, the state-owned oil company sells most of its output at a steep discount to refiners in China.</p><p>The transactions usually involve a complex network of shadowy intermediaries, as sanctions have scared away more established traders. Many are shell companies, registered in jurisdictions known for secrecy. The buyers deploy so-called ghost tankers that hide their location and hand off their valuable cargoes in the middle of the ocean before they reach their final destination.</p><p>Maduro did not address the seizure during a speech before a ruling-party organized demonstration in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital. But he told supporters that the country is “prepared to break the teeth of the North American empire if necessary.”</p><p>Maduro, flanked by senior officials, said only the ruling party can “guarantee peace, stability, and the harmonious development of Venezuela, South America and the Caribbean.”</p><p>Maduro previously has insisted the real purpose of the U.S. military operations is to force him from office.</p><p>During past negotiations, among the concessions the U.S. has made to Maduro was approval for oil giant Chevron Corp. to resume pumping and exporting Venezuelan oil. The corporation’s activities in the South American country resulted in a financial lifeline for Maduro’s government.</p><p>The seizure comes a day after the U.S. military&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-us-military-trump-fa18-fighter-jets-06fd7cdc5ac26e7a46165431b95508b0">flew a pair of fighter jets</a>&nbsp;over the Gulf of Venezuela in what appeared to be the closest that warplanes had come to the South American country’s airspace. Trump has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-maduro-colombia-petro-boats-559a73dbfcbdc9245494f441be1aad39">land attacks are coming soon</a>&nbsp;but has not offered more details.</p><p>The Trump administration is facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-pete-hegseth-venezuela-9f46a5f074b5b3c979ee41082949b196">increasing scrutiny from lawmakers</a>&nbsp;over the boat strike campaign, which has killed at least 87 people in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-petro-colombia-drugs-us-aid-c3955b2ce351737119920741178e0567">22 known strikes</a>&nbsp;since early September, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-strike-video-footage-boat-caribbean-3cf2ca9cbe4523978e935b99c2979caa">a follow-up strike that killed two survivors</a>&nbsp;clinging to the wreckage of a boat after the first hit.</p><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-survivors-hegseth-72b0a498ca08615b2589c772a1d9e642">Some legal experts and Democrats say</a>&nbsp;that action may have violated the laws governing the use of deadly military force.</p><p>Lawmakers are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/defense-bill-ndaa-boat-strikes-video-152bef4ad429ae2c62937daeea2235a4">demanding to get unedited video</a>&nbsp;from the strikes, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told congressional leaders Tuesday he was still weighing whether to release it. Hegseth provided a classified briefing for congressional leaders alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.</p><p>It was not immediately clear Wednesday who owned the tanker or what national flag it was sailing under. The Coast Guard referred a request for comment to the White House.</p><p>___</p><p>Associated Press writer Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report.</p>

🎥Trump: US has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve reduced its key interest rate by a quarter-point for the third time in a row Wednesday but signaled that it may leave rates unchanged in the coming months.

Chair Jerome Powell signaled at a news conference that the Fed would likely hold off on further rate cuts in the coming months while it evaluated the health of the economy. And in a set of quarterly economic projections, Fed officials signaled they expect to lower rates just once next year.

Wednesday's cut reduced the rate to about 3.6%, the lowest it has been in nearly three years. Lower rates from the Fed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-rate-cut-finances-credit-cards-auto-loans-mortgages-jobs-28c665ed26bcd1652abb299cf87145f8">can bring down borrowing costs</a>&nbsp;for mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards over time, though market forces can also affect those rates.

Fed officials “will carefully evaluate the incoming data," Powell said, adding that the Fed is “well positioned to wait to see how the economy evolves.” The chair also said that the Fed’s key rate was close to a level that neither restricts nor stimulates the economy.

Three Fed officials dissented from the move, the most dissents in six years and a sign of deep divisions on a committee that traditionally works by consensus. Two officials voted to keep the Fed's rate unchanged, while Stephen Miran, whom Trump appointed in September, voted for a half point cut.

December’s meeting could usher in a more contentious period for the Fed. Officials are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-8a0060c2f52f884ed3489450a66619b8">split</a>&nbsp;between those who support reducing rates to bolster hiring and those who’d prefer to keep rates unchanged because inflation remains above the central bank’s 2% target. Unless inflation shows clear signs of coming fully under control, or unemployment worsens, those divisions will likely remain.

“What you see is some people feel we should stop here and we’re in the right place and should wait, and some people think we should cut more next year,” Powell said. He did rule out a rate hike next year.

Trump on Wednesday criticized the cut as too small, and said he would have preferred “at least double.” The president could name a new Fed chair as soon as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-bessent-26f23d4bbccd2476e913c0e675fbffdc">later this month</a>&nbsp;to replace Powell when his term ends in May. Trump’s new chair is likely to push for sharper rate cuts than many officials may support.

Stocks jumped in response to the Fed's move, in part because some Wall Street investors expected Powell to be more forceful in shutting down the possibility of future cuts. The broad S&amp;P 500 stock index&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/financial-markets-fed-interest-rates-inflation-27ae743a2289c9870b0be4d2ddd6589a">rose 0.7%</a>&nbsp;and closed near an all-time high reached in October.

Powell was also optimistic about the economy's growth next year, and said that consumer spending remains resilient while companies are still investing in artificial intelligence infrastructure. He also suggested growing worker efficiency could boost growth as well.

A stark sign of the Fed’s divisions was the wide range of cuts that the 19 members of the Fed’s rate-setting committee penciled in for 2026. Seven projected no cuts next year, while eight forecast that the central bank would implement two or more reductions. Four supported just one. Only 12 out of 19 members vote on rate decisions.

The Fed met against the backdrop of elevated inflation that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-12-9-2025">frustrated</a>&nbsp;many Americans, with prices higher for groceries, rents, and utilities. Consumer prices have jumped 25% in the five years since COVID.

“We hear loud and clear how people are experiencing really high costs," Powell said Wednesday. "A lot of that isn’t the current rate of inflation, a lot of that is imbedded high costs due to higher inflations in 2022-2023.”

In a delayed report last week, the government said the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge remained high in September, with both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-spending-eaa913f6df77db354019d0d22a4b01fe">overall and core prices rising 2.8%</a>&nbsp;from a year earlier. That is far below the spikes in inflation three years ago but still painful for many households after the big run-up since 2020.

The Fed typically keeps its key rate elevated to combat inflation, while it often reduces borrowing costs when unemployment worsens to spur more spending and hiring.

Adding to the Fed's challenges, job gains have slowed sharply this year and the unemployment rate has risen for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-tariff-bf603d63e13d6dc1083e9a6616c7ffee">three straight months</a>&nbsp;to 4.4%. While that is still a low rate historically, it is the highest in four years. Layoffs are also muted, so far, as part of what many economists call a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-economy-c48fd84dfaa71eee962feb3a88fd8575">“low hire, low fire”</a>&nbsp;job market.

Still, Powell said the committee reduced borrowing costs out of concern that the job market is even weaker than it appears. While government data shows that the economy has added just 40,000 jobs a month since April, Powell said that figure could be revised lower by as much as 60,000, which would mean employers have actually been shedding an average of 20,000 jobs a month since the spring.

“It’s a labor market that seems to have significant downside risks," Powell told reporters. "People care about that. That’s their jobs.”

At the same time, Powell noted that there are signs inflation is continuing to cool. Tariffs have made many goods more expensive, but that could peak early next year, he said, while the cost of services — hotel rooms, entertainment, and restaurant meals — has been flat.

“If you get away from tariffs, inflation is in the low 2s," Powell said, near the Fed's target.

The lack of economic data since the government shutdown ended Nov. 13 has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-trump-federal-reserve-fabecefa501709184895bf73b3dc698a">contributed</a>&nbsp;to the divisions at the Fed. But when Fed officials next meet in late January, they’ll have up to three months of backlogged reports to consider. If those figures show that the job market has worsened, the Fed could reduce rates again in January.

By contrast, if hiring has stabilized while inflation remains elevated, they may hold off on additional cuts for several months.

Powell will preside over only three more Fed meetings before he steps down. He was asked about his legacy.

“I really want to turn this job over to whoever replaces me with the economy in really good shape,” he said. "I want inflation to be under control, coming back down to 2%, and I want the labor market to be strong.”

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve reduced its key interest rate by a quarter-point for the third time in a row Wednesday but signaled that it may leave rates unchanged in the coming months.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Fed Chair Powell: &quot;In support of our goals and in light of the balance of risks to employment and inflation, today the Federal Open Market Committee decided to lower our policy interest rate by a quarter percentage point.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FOMC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FOMC</a> <a href="https://t.co/4Zmc94R3s4">pic.twitter.com/4Zmc94R3s4</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998839255318278321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Chair Jerome Powell signaled at a news conference that the Fed would likely hold off on further rate cuts in the coming months while it evaluated the health of the economy. And in a set of quarterly economic projections, Fed officials signaled they expect to lower rates just once next year.</p><p>Wednesday's cut reduced the rate to about 3.6%, the lowest it has been in nearly three years. Lower rates from the Fed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-rate-cut-finances-credit-cards-auto-loans-mortgages-jobs-28c665ed26bcd1652abb299cf87145f8">can bring down borrowing costs</a>&nbsp;for mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards over time, though market forces can also affect those rates.</p><p>Fed officials “will carefully evaluate the incoming data," Powell said, adding that the Fed is “well positioned to wait to see how the economy evolves.” The chair also said that the Fed’s key rate was close to a level that neither restricts nor stimulates the economy.</p><p>Three Fed officials dissented from the move, the most dissents in six years and a sign of deep divisions on a committee that traditionally works by consensus. Two officials voted to keep the Fed's rate unchanged, while Stephen Miran, whom Trump appointed in September, voted for a half point cut.</p><p>December’s meeting could usher in a more contentious period for the Fed. Officials are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-8a0060c2f52f884ed3489450a66619b8">split</a>&nbsp;between those who support reducing rates to bolster hiring and those who’d prefer to keep rates unchanged because inflation remains above the central bank’s 2% target. Unless inflation shows clear signs of coming fully under control, or unemployment worsens, those divisions will likely remain.</p><p>“What you see is some people feel we should stop here and we’re in the right place and should wait, and some people think we should cut more next year,” Powell said. He did rule out a rate hike next year.</p><p>Trump on Wednesday criticized the cut as too small, and said he would have preferred “at least double.” The president could name a new Fed chair as soon as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-bessent-26f23d4bbccd2476e913c0e675fbffdc">later this month</a>&nbsp;to replace Powell when his term ends in May. Trump’s new chair is likely to push for sharper rate cuts than many officials may support.</p><p>Stocks jumped in response to the Fed's move, in part because some Wall Street investors expected Powell to be more forceful in shutting down the possibility of future cuts. The broad S&amp;P 500 stock index&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/financial-markets-fed-interest-rates-inflation-27ae743a2289c9870b0be4d2ddd6589a">rose 0.7%</a>&nbsp;and closed near an all-time high reached in October.</p><p>Powell was also optimistic about the economy's growth next year, and said that consumer spending remains resilient while companies are still investing in artificial intelligence infrastructure. He also suggested growing worker efficiency could boost growth as well.</p><p>A stark sign of the Fed’s divisions was the wide range of cuts that the 19 members of the Fed’s rate-setting committee penciled in for 2026. Seven projected no cuts next year, while eight forecast that the central bank would implement two or more reductions. Four supported just one. Only 12 out of 19 members vote on rate decisions.</p><p>The Fed met against the backdrop of elevated inflation that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-12-9-2025">frustrated</a>&nbsp;many Americans, with prices higher for groceries, rents, and utilities. Consumer prices have jumped 25% in the five years since COVID.</p><p>“We hear loud and clear how people are experiencing really high costs," Powell said Wednesday. "A lot of that isn’t the current rate of inflation, a lot of that is imbedded high costs due to higher inflations in 2022-2023.”</p><p>In a delayed report last week, the government said the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge remained high in September, with both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-spending-eaa913f6df77db354019d0d22a4b01fe">overall and core prices rising 2.8%</a>&nbsp;from a year earlier. That is far below the spikes in inflation three years ago but still painful for many households after the big run-up since 2020.</p><p>The Fed typically keeps its key rate elevated to combat inflation, while it often reduces borrowing costs when unemployment worsens to spur more spending and hiring.</p><p>Adding to the Fed's challenges, job gains have slowed sharply this year and the unemployment rate has risen for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-tariff-bf603d63e13d6dc1083e9a6616c7ffee">three straight months</a>&nbsp;to 4.4%. While that is still a low rate historically, it is the highest in four years. Layoffs are also muted, so far, as part of what many economists call a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-economy-c48fd84dfaa71eee962feb3a88fd8575">“low hire, low fire”</a>&nbsp;job market.</p><p>Still, Powell said the committee reduced borrowing costs out of concern that the job market is even weaker than it appears. While government data shows that the economy has added just 40,000 jobs a month since April, Powell said that figure could be revised lower by as much as 60,000, which would mean employers have actually been shedding an average of 20,000 jobs a month since the spring.</p><p>“It’s a labor market that seems to have significant downside risks," Powell told reporters. "People care about that. That’s their jobs.”</p><p>At the same time, Powell noted that there are signs inflation is continuing to cool. Tariffs have made many goods more expensive, but that could peak early next year, he said, while the cost of services — hotel rooms, entertainment, and restaurant meals — has been flat.</p><p>“If you get away from tariffs, inflation is in the low 2s," Powell said, near the Fed's target.</p><p>The lack of economic data since the government shutdown ended Nov. 13 has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-trump-federal-reserve-fabecefa501709184895bf73b3dc698a">contributed</a>&nbsp;to the divisions at the Fed. But when Fed officials next meet in late January, they’ll have up to three months of backlogged reports to consider. If those figures show that the job market has worsened, the Fed could reduce rates again in January.</p><p>By contrast, if hiring has stabilized while inflation remains elevated, they may hold off on additional cuts for several months.</p><p>Powell will preside over only three more Fed meetings before he steps down. He was asked about his legacy.</p><p>“I really want to turn this job over to whoever replaces me with the economy in really good shape,” he said. "I want inflation to be under control, coming back down to 2%, and I want the labor market to be strong.”</p>

🎥Merry Christmas: Fed explains decision to cut interest rates

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans announced Tuesday they will hold a vote on their own health care proposal later this week to counter a Democratic bill that would extend enhanced tax credits for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans for three more years.

<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act.pdf">Click here to read</a> the bill

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act.pdf" target="_blank">32-page GOP bill</a>&nbsp;would not address the expiring ACA marketplace tax credits but would send payments to certain Americans through Health Savings Accounts to cover some of the cost of health care.&nbsp;

Neither measure has the 60 votes needed to advance under that chamber’s rules. That would leave the ACA marketplace subsidies to expire at the end of the year and dramatically spike the cost of health insurance for the millions of people enrolled in those plans.&nbsp;

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Democrats’ bill to simply extend the enhanced ACA marketplace tax credits to offset the costs Americans pay for that insurance was unacceptable.&nbsp;

“The way that the program is structured, the money goes straight to the insurance companies,” Thune said. “And the way that we think this ought to work is you ought to come up with a way in which you can deliver the benefit to the patients and not to the insurance companies.”

Thune said the Democratic bill lacks an income cap for ACA marketplace tax credits and allows $0 premiums for health insurance plans — guaranteeing the measure will fail.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, of New York, called the GOP proposal a “nonstarter” that would lead to “junk insurance.” He said the only way to avoid a dramatic increase in health insurance costs next year is to extend the enhanced ACA tax credits.&nbsp;

“Their phony proposal is dead on arrival,” Schumer said. “The bill not only fails to extend the tax credits, it increases costs, adds tons of new abortion restrictions for women, expands junk fees and permanently funds cost-sharing reductions.”

Senate Republicans have debated for weeks whether to hold a vote on a GOP plan to show the party has something to offer toward reducing health care costs. Thune promised Democrats a vote on a health care bill of their choosing in exchange for votes to end the government shutdown.&nbsp;

Schumer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/health-subsidies-would-continue-3-years-under-dem-bill-be-voted-us-senate" target="_blank">announced last week</a>&nbsp;that Democrats would hold the vote on a three-year extension of the enhanced ACA tax credits as they exist now.&nbsp;

Several GOP senators, including Maine’s Susan Collins and Ohio’s Bernie Moreno, have released plans that would include an extension of the expiring tax credits while beginning to transition away from those subsidies.&nbsp;

But Republican leaders ultimately decided to hold a vote on a proposal released earlier this week by Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho.&nbsp;

The Cassidy-Crapo legislation would have the Department of Health and Human Services deposit money into Health Savings Accounts for people enrolled in bronze or catastrophic health insurance plans purchased on the ACA marketplace in 2026 or 2027, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act_one-pager.pdf" target="_blank">a summary</a>&nbsp;of the bill.&nbsp;

Health Savings Accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts that consumers can use to pay for medical expenses that are not otherwise reimbursed. They are not health insurance products.

ACA marketplace enrollees who select a bronze or catastrophic plan and make up to 700% of the federal poverty level would receive $1,000 annually if they are between the ages of 18 and 49 and $1,500 per year if they are between the ages of 50 and 64.&nbsp;

That would set a threshold of $109,550 in annual income for one person, or $225,050 for a family of four, according to the 2025&nbsp;<a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/dd73d4f00d8a819d10b2fdb70d254f7b/detailed-guidelines-2025.pdf" target="_blank">federal poverty guidelines</a>. The numbers are somewhat higher for residents of Alaska and Hawaii.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The funding could not go toward abortion access or gender transitions, according to the Republican bill summary.&nbsp;

Cassidy and Crapo outlined how their proposal would work during afternoon floor speeches, where they also aired their grievances with how the Affordable Care Act has affected Americans’ health care costs.&nbsp;

Crapo rebuked Democrats for establishing the enhanced ACA marketplace tax credits during the coronavirus pandemic and scheduling them to sunset at the end of this year.&nbsp;

“The pattern has become clear: Democrats respond to rising premiums by throwing taxpayer dollars at the problem,” Crapo said. “Their supposedly short-term fixes only drive premiums higher and make the problem harder to solve. Leaving us with apparently no choice other than to do the same thing again and again and again.”

The GOP plan, he said, was modeled off President Donald Trump’s request to send funding directly to Americans to spend on their health care.&nbsp;

“Families can use that money to cover costs not handled by their insurance policy without having to wait for insurance companies to approve their treatment decisions,” Crapo said. “Because families want the best value for their money, they will seek out the most appropriate treatment. Over time this will result in lower health care costs as providers compete for patients.”

Cassidy said the bill would not subsidize health insurance premiums but would help some Americans pay for doctor exams, dentist visits, glasses and prescriptions.&nbsp;

Once eligible ACA marketplace enrollees receive that funding in their Health Savings Accounts, he said, they will shop around for better prices, including on x-rays, which are often used to determine if someone has broken a bone.&nbsp;

“She’s going to say, ‘Wait a second, the x-ray is $150 here and $500 there. I’m going to where it’s cheaper, not more expensive,’” Cassidy said, giving an example. “And I can tell you when that begins to happen, the people who are more expensive begin to lower their price.”

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                    </figure><p>By Jennifer Shutt</p><p>WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans announced Tuesday they will hold a vote on their own health care proposal later this week to counter a Democratic bill that would extend enhanced tax credits for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans for three more years.</p><p><a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act.pdf">Click here to read</a> the bill</p><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act.pdf" target="_blank">32-page GOP bill</a>&nbsp;would not address the expiring ACA marketplace tax credits but would send payments to certain Americans through Health Savings Accounts to cover some of the cost of health care.&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765375587504.png" alt=" Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., answers questions from reporters after chairing a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Sept. 17 (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)." />
                        <figcaption> Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., answers questions from reporters after chairing a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Sept. 17 (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom).</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Neither measure has the 60 votes needed to advance under that chamber’s rules. That would leave the ACA marketplace subsidies to expire at the end of the year and dramatically spike the cost of health insurance for the millions of people enrolled in those plans.&nbsp;</p><p>Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Democrats’ bill to simply extend the enhanced ACA marketplace tax credits to offset the costs Americans pay for that insurance was unacceptable.&nbsp;</p><p>“The way that the program is structured, the money goes straight to the insurance companies,” Thune said. “And the way that we think this ought to work is you ought to come up with a way in which you can deliver the benefit to the patients and not to the insurance companies.”</p><p>Thune said the Democratic bill lacks an income cap for ACA marketplace tax credits and allows $0 premiums for health insurance plans — guaranteeing the measure will fail.</p><p>Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, of New York, called the GOP proposal a “nonstarter” that would lead to “junk insurance.” He said the only way to avoid a dramatic increase in health insurance costs next year is to extend the enhanced ACA tax credits.&nbsp;</p><p>“Their phony proposal is dead on arrival,” Schumer said. “The bill not only fails to extend the tax credits, it increases costs, adds tons of new abortion restrictions for women, expands junk fees and permanently funds cost-sharing reductions.”</p><h2>Multiple plans</h2><p>Senate Republicans have debated for weeks whether to hold a vote on a GOP plan to show the party has something to offer toward reducing health care costs. Thune promised Democrats a vote on a health care bill of their choosing in exchange for votes to end the government shutdown.&nbsp;</p><p>Schumer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/health-subsidies-would-continue-3-years-under-dem-bill-be-voted-us-senate" target="_blank">announced last week</a>&nbsp;that Democrats would hold the vote on a three-year extension of the enhanced ACA tax credits as they exist now.&nbsp;</p><p>Several GOP senators, including Maine’s Susan Collins and Ohio’s Bernie Moreno, have released plans that would include an extension of the expiring tax credits while beginning to transition away from those subsidies.&nbsp;</p><p>But Republican leaders ultimately decided to hold a vote on a proposal released earlier this week by Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho.&nbsp;</p><p>The Cassidy-Crapo legislation would have the Department of Health and Human Services deposit money into Health Savings Accounts for people enrolled in bronze or catastrophic health insurance plans purchased on the ACA marketplace in 2026 or 2027, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act_one-pager.pdf" target="_blank">a summary</a>&nbsp;of the bill.&nbsp;</p><p>Health Savings Accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts that consumers can use to pay for medical expenses that are not otherwise reimbursed. They are not health insurance products.</p><p>ACA marketplace enrollees who select a bronze or catastrophic plan and make up to 700% of the federal poverty level would receive $1,000 annually if they are between the ages of 18 and 49 and $1,500 per year if they are between the ages of 50 and 64.&nbsp;</p><p>That would set a threshold of $109,550 in annual income for one person, or $225,050 for a family of four, according to the 2025&nbsp;<a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/dd73d4f00d8a819d10b2fdb70d254f7b/detailed-guidelines-2025.pdf" target="_blank">federal poverty guidelines</a>. The numbers are somewhat higher for residents of Alaska and Hawaii.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The funding could not go toward abortion access or gender transitions, according to the Republican bill summary.&nbsp;</p><h2>Proposal modeled on Trump comments</h2><p>Cassidy and Crapo outlined how their proposal would work during afternoon floor speeches, where they also aired their grievances with how the Affordable Care Act has affected Americans’ health care costs.&nbsp;</p><p>Crapo rebuked Democrats for establishing the enhanced ACA marketplace tax credits during the coronavirus pandemic and scheduling them to sunset at the end of this year.&nbsp;</p><p>“The pattern has become clear: Democrats respond to rising premiums by throwing taxpayer dollars at the problem,” Crapo said. “Their supposedly short-term fixes only drive premiums higher and make the problem harder to solve. Leaving us with apparently no choice other than to do the same thing again and again and again.”</p><p>The GOP plan, he said, was modeled off President Donald Trump’s request to send funding directly to Americans to spend on their health care.&nbsp;</p><p>“Families can use that money to cover costs not handled by their insurance policy without having to wait for insurance companies to approve their treatment decisions,” Crapo said. “Because families want the best value for their money, they will seek out the most appropriate treatment. Over time this will result in lower health care costs as providers compete for patients.”</p><p>Cassidy said the bill would not subsidize health insurance premiums but would help some Americans pay for doctor exams, dentist visits, glasses and prescriptions.&nbsp;</p><p>Once eligible ACA marketplace enrollees receive that funding in their Health Savings Accounts, he said, they will shop around for better prices, including on x-rays, which are often used to determine if someone has broken a bone.&nbsp;</p><p>“She’s going to say, ‘Wait a second, the x-ray is $150 here and $500 there. I’m going to where it’s cheaper, not more expensive,’” Cassidy said, giving an example. “And I can tell you when that begins to happen, the people who are more expensive begin to lower their price.”</p>

Read the bill: US Senate GOP  health care plan fails to extend premium subsidies

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just before 10:30p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to the 3100 block of Kensington, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. 911 received a call to the location asking for help.

First responders contacted people in the area that heard the sound of a disturbance followed by what they thought was possible gunfire.&nbsp;Officers checked the area and located a man unresponsive on the ground next to a residence.&nbsp;

Officers rendered aid and called for EMS. EMS took over treatment and declared the victim deceased at the scene, according to Becchina.

Preliminary investigation indicates the victim appears to have been shot. Investigation further appears the victim had an interaction at the location with unknown suspect(s) that led to gunfire striking the victim.&nbsp;

Homicide detectives were at the scene and investigating this case as a homicide. Police released no additional details early Wednesday.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765389300809.png" alt="Photo sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
                        <figcaption>Photo sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri.</p><p>Just before 10:30p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to the 3100 block of Kensington, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. 911 received a call to the location asking for help.</p><p>First responders contacted people in the area that heard the sound of a disturbance followed by what they thought was possible gunfire.&nbsp;Officers checked the area and located a man unresponsive on the ground next to a residence.&nbsp;</p><p>Officers rendered aid and called for EMS. EMS took over treatment and declared the victim deceased at the scene, according to Becchina.</p><p>Preliminary investigation indicates the victim appears to have been shot. Investigation further appears the victim had an interaction at the location with unknown suspect(s) that led to gunfire striking the victim.&nbsp;</p><p>Homicide detectives were at the scene and investigating this case as a homicide. Police released no additional details early Wednesday.</p>

Homicide: Man found dead outside Kansas City home

LONDON (AP) — Writer Sophie Kinsella, whose effervescent rom-com “Confessions of a Shopaholic” sparked a millions-selling series, died Wednesday, her family said. She was 55 and had been diagnosed with brain cancer.

The family said in a statement on Kinsella's Instagram account that "she died peacefully, with her final days filled with her true loves: family and music and warmth and Christmas and joy.

“We can’t imagine what life will be like without her radiance and love of life,” the family said.

Kinsella, who also published under her real name, Madeleine Wickham, announced in April 2024 that she had been diagnosed more than a year earlier with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.

“I did not share this before because I wanted to make sure that my children were able to hear and process the news in privacy and adapt to our ’new normal,'" she said at the time.

Kinsella published 10 “Shopaholic” novels starting in 2000 with “The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic,” titled “Confessions of a Shopaholic” in the United States, as well as other fiction. Her books have sold more than 45 million copies worldwide and have been translated into dozens of languages.

Kinsella did not grow up intending to be a writer. One of three girls born to teachers in London, she played piano and violin as a child and also composed music.

She told author-publisher Zibby Owens on her podcast, “Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books,” that the idea of writing never crossed her mind. “It wasn’t my childhood ambition. I wasn’t the child walking around saying, ‘I’m going to write a novel one day.’”

Kinsella enrolled at Oxford University to study music but switched to the politics, philosophy and economics program after one year.

While at college, she met musician Henry Wickham and fell in love. The couple had four sons and a daughter.

After graduating, Kinsella began working as a financial journalist and spent her commute reading. The idea to write fiction herself began to take shape on the train, and she worked on her first novel during her lunch hours.

She published her first novel, ”The Tennis Party,” in 1995, as Madeleine Wickham. Soon after, she left her journalism job to focus on writing. Six other books, including “The Gatecrasher” and “Sleeping Arrangements,” followed.

An otherwise normal shopping excursion sparked the idea for writing her first “Shopaholic” novel

“I remember looking around me and thinking... “We all shop... We talk about it. We do it. We rejoice in it. We make bad decisions. Why hasn’t anybody written about this?” Kinsella said in 2019 on “The Sunday Salon with Alice-Azania Jarvis” podcast.

Kinsella created a story about Becky Bloomwood, a 20-something financial journalist in debt from a shopping habit she can’t (or won’t) kick. The novel contained hilarious back-and-forth correspondence with bill collectors and banks, where she would make excuses for late payments. Kinsella said those letters were one of the most fun bits to write.

There was also a love story with a handsome businessman whom Becky met while on assignment. She went on to marry and have a mini-shopaholic daughter in future books.

The humorous tone of “Confessions of a Shopaholic” was a change from her earlier books, so she decided to submit it to her publishers under a pen name. Her middle name was Sophie and Kinsella was her mother’s maiden name.

The publishers said yes, and “Shopaholic” was published in 2000 under her pseudonym. The novel, blending humor with a cautionary tale about getting in over your head with debt, was an immediate success.

Kinsella said Becky was a modern everywoman whose behavior was "what you wouldn’t do yourself, but maybe you would if you were in absolute extreme circumstances. And that’s what she finds herself in all the time.”

Bloomwood's further adventures followed in books including “Shopaholic Takes Manhattan,” “Shopaholic Ties the Knot” and “Shopaholic &amp; Sister.”

Along with “Bridget Jones” author Helen Fielding and others, Kinsella’s work was often branded “chick lit” by the media. She told the AP in 2004 she didn’t mind the label, interpreting it as signaling a book that is "fun, entertaining and might just have a happy ending.”

“Just because you are interested in frivolous things doesn’t mean that you can’t be bright and have great ideas and the rest of it," she said.

The first two “Shopaholic” books were adapted into the 2009 film “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” starring Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy.

Kinsella also wrote “The Undomestic Goddess”, “Remember Me?” and “Twenties Girl.” A young adult novel, “Finding Audrey,” was released in 2015, followed by the children’s book series “My Mummy Fairy and Me.”

Her novel “Can You Keep a Secret?” was adapted into a 2019 film starring Alexandra Daddario and Tyler Hoechlin. Her last novel was “The Burnout,” released in 2023.

In November 2022, after experiencing symptoms including memory loss, headaches and balance troubles, Kinsella was diagnosed with glioblastoma, for which there is no cure. She kept the news private until April 2024. In an interview with TV personality Robin Roberts aired a few months later, Kinsella said she was focused on living in the moment.

“I’ve already lasted more than the average. That’s how we get through. We hope,” she said.

After her diagnosis, she wrote a novella, “What Does It Feel Like,” about a woman with five children who has brain cancer.

“I thought people might be curious to know what it’s like to go through this,” Kinsella told Roberts. “I hope it’s full of optimism and love most of all.”

Araminta Whitley and Marina de Pass, Kinsella’s agents at The Soho Agency, said the writer “had a rare gift for creating emotionally resonant protagonists and stories that spoke to, and entertained, readers wherever they were in the world and whatever challenges they faced.”

Bill Scott-Kerr, her publisher at Transworld, said Kinsella leaves behind “a unique voice, an unquenchable spirit, a goodness of intent and a body of work that will continue to inspire us to reach higher and be better, just like so many of her characters.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765382765518.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>LONDON (AP) — Writer Sophie Kinsella, whose effervescent rom-com “Confessions of a Shopaholic” sparked a millions-selling series, died Wednesday, her family said. She was 55 and had been diagnosed with brain cancer.</p><p>The family said in a statement on Kinsella's Instagram account that "she died peacefully, with her final days filled with her true loves: family and music and warmth and Christmas and joy.</p><p>“We can’t imagine what life will be like without her radiance and love of life,” the family said.</p><div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DSFUBmeDKW7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DSFUBmeDKW7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DSFUBmeDKW7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Sophie Kinsella (@sophiekinsellawriter)</a></p></div></blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div><p>Kinsella, who also published under her real name, Madeleine Wickham, announced in April 2024 that she had been diagnosed more than a year earlier with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.</p><p>“I did not share this before because I wanted to make sure that my children were able to hear and process the news in privacy and adapt to our ’new normal,'" she said at the time.</p><p>Kinsella published 10 “Shopaholic” novels starting in 2000 with “The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic,” titled “Confessions of a Shopaholic” in the United States, as well as other fiction. Her books have sold more than 45 million copies worldwide and have been translated into dozens of languages.</p><h2>From journalism to fiction</h2><p>Kinsella did not grow up intending to be a writer. One of three girls born to teachers in London, she played piano and violin as a child and also composed music.</p><p>She told author-publisher Zibby Owens on her podcast, “Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books,” that the idea of writing never crossed her mind. “It wasn’t my childhood ambition. I wasn’t the child walking around saying, ‘I’m going to write a novel one day.’”</p><p>Kinsella enrolled at Oxford University to study music but switched to the politics, philosophy and economics program after one year.</p><p>While at college, she met musician Henry Wickham and fell in love. The couple had four sons and a daughter.</p><p>After graduating, Kinsella began working as a financial journalist and spent her commute reading. The idea to write fiction herself began to take shape on the train, and she worked on her first novel during her lunch hours.</p><p>She published her first novel, ”The Tennis Party,” in 1995, as Madeleine Wickham. Soon after, she left her journalism job to focus on writing. Six other books, including “The Gatecrasher” and “Sleeping Arrangements,” followed.</p><h2>‘Shopaholic’ success</h2><p>An otherwise normal shopping excursion sparked the idea for writing her first “Shopaholic” novel</p><p>“I remember looking around me and thinking... “We all shop... We talk about it. We do it. We rejoice in it. We make bad decisions. Why hasn’t anybody written about this?” Kinsella said in 2019 on “The Sunday Salon with Alice-Azania Jarvis” podcast.</p><p>Kinsella created a story about Becky Bloomwood, a 20-something financial journalist in debt from a shopping habit she can’t (or won’t) kick. The novel contained hilarious back-and-forth correspondence with bill collectors and banks, where she would make excuses for late payments. Kinsella said those letters were one of the most fun bits to write.</p><p>There was also a love story with a handsome businessman whom Becky met while on assignment. She went on to marry and have a mini-shopaholic daughter in future books.</p><p>The humorous tone of “Confessions of a Shopaholic” was a change from her earlier books, so she decided to submit it to her publishers under a pen name. Her middle name was Sophie and Kinsella was her mother’s maiden name.</p><p>The publishers said yes, and “Shopaholic” was published in 2000 under her pseudonym. The novel, blending humor with a cautionary tale about getting in over your head with debt, was an immediate success.</p><p>Kinsella said Becky was a modern everywoman whose behavior was "what you wouldn’t do yourself, but maybe you would if you were in absolute extreme circumstances. And that’s what she finds herself in all the time.”</p><p>Bloomwood's further adventures followed in books including “Shopaholic Takes Manhattan,” “Shopaholic Ties the Knot” and “Shopaholic &amp; Sister.”</p><p>Along with “Bridget Jones” author Helen Fielding and others, Kinsella’s work was often branded “chick lit” by the media. She told the AP in 2004 she didn’t mind the label, interpreting it as signaling a book that is "fun, entertaining and might just have a happy ending.”</p><p>“Just because you are interested in frivolous things doesn’t mean that you can’t be bright and have great ideas and the rest of it," she said.</p><p>The first two “Shopaholic” books were adapted into the 2009 film “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” starring Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy.</p><p>Kinsella also wrote “The Undomestic Goddess”, “Remember Me?” and “Twenties Girl.” A young adult novel, “Finding Audrey,” was released in 2015, followed by the children’s book series “My Mummy Fairy and Me.”</p><p>Her novel “Can You Keep a Secret?” was adapted into a 2019 film starring Alexandra Daddario and Tyler Hoechlin. Her last novel was “The Burnout,” released in 2023.</p><h2>Illness and hope</h2><p>In November 2022, after experiencing symptoms including memory loss, headaches and balance troubles, Kinsella was diagnosed with glioblastoma, for which there is no cure. She kept the news private until April 2024. In an interview with TV personality Robin Roberts aired a few months later, Kinsella said she was focused on living in the moment.</p><p>“I’ve already lasted more than the average. That’s how we get through. We hope,” she said.</p><p>After her diagnosis, she wrote a novella, “What Does It Feel Like,” about a woman with five children who has brain cancer.</p><p>“I thought people might be curious to know what it’s like to go through this,” Kinsella told Roberts. “I hope it’s full of optimism and love most of all.”</p><p>Araminta Whitley and Marina de Pass, Kinsella’s agents at The Soho Agency, said the writer “had a rare gift for creating emotionally resonant protagonists and stories that spoke to, and entertained, readers wherever they were in the world and whatever challenges they faced.”</p><p>Bill Scott-Kerr, her publisher at Transworld, said Kinsella leaves behind “a unique voice, an unquenchable spirit, a goodness of intent and a body of work that will continue to inspire us to reach higher and be better, just like so many of her characters.”</p>

Sophie Kinsella, bestselling ‘Shopaholic’ author, dies at 55

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/rod-mcguirk">ROD MCGUIRK</a>

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australian Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/anthony-albanese">Anthony Albanese</a>&nbsp;welcomed a world-first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-ban-children-f92aae52b59a6ded4d931856051f4e06">social media ban</a>&nbsp;for children younger than 16 that took effect Wednesday as families taking back power from tech giants but warned the implementation would be difficult.

Many children posted farewell messages, while parents reported distraught children discovering they’d been shut out of platforms as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-ban-children-1abadf5445418c8c14f5f68cf76b38d0">landmark law</a>&nbsp;took effect. Some young children reported fooling the platforms’ age estimation technology by drawing on facial hair. Parents and older siblings are also expected to help some children circumvent the restrictions.

“This is the day when Australian families are taking back power from these big tech companies and they’re asserting the right of kids to be kids and for parents to have greater peace of mind,” Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

“This reform will change lives. For Australian kids ... allowing them to just have their childhood. For Australian parents, enabling them to have greater peace of mind. But also for the global community, who are looking at Australia and saying: well, if Australia can do it, why can’t we?” Albanese later told a gathering of reform supporters at his official Sydney residence, including parents who blame social media for a child’s suicide.

Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and Twitch face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($32.9 million) from Wednesday if they fail to take reasonable steps to remove the accounts of Australian children younger than 16.

Australia to report by Christmas if social media ban is working

The ban will be enforced by Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant. She said the platforms already had the technology and personal data about their users to enforce the age restriction with precision.

She would send the 10 targeted platforms on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-ban-children-95a75437398a652e1463fadc6a0b0225">notices demanding information</a>&nbsp;on how the age restriction was being implemented and how many accounts had been closed.

“We will provide information to the public before Christmas on how these age restrictions are being implemented and whether preliminarily we see them working,” Inman Grant said.

“The responses to these notices will form the baseline against which we will measure compliance,” she added.

Communications Minister Anika Wells said the age-restricted platforms “may not agree with the law and that’s their right — we don’t expect 100% universal support,” but that all had undertaken to comply with the Australian law. She said more than 200,000 TikTok accounts in Australia had already been deactivated by Wednesday.

Wells also warned young children who had so far evaded detection that they would eventually be caught. A child who used a virtual private network to appear to be in Norway would be caught out if they were routinely posting images of Australian beaches, Wells said.

“Just because they might have avoided it (detection) today doesn’t mean they will be able to avoid it in a week’s time or a month’s time because social media platforms have to go back and routinely check under-16 accounts,” Wells said.

“These social media platforms have so much data on us because we choose to give it to them because we like social media and because you’ve had your older brother scan their face for you today, which has bought you a bit of time, doesn’t mean that these accounts aren’t going to see you talking to other 14-year-olds tonight about the under-16 soccer carnival on weekend, about your upcoming school holidays and what your Year 10 teacher is next year,” she added.

Albanese said the implementation would be difficult and “won’t be perfect.”

“This is about, importantly, pushing back against big tech, saying that social media companies have a social responsibility,” he said.

Father of sextortion scam victim says social media ban is a start

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-ban-young-children-c08c470b33f115fb07fc86874bf1b768">Wayne Holdsworth</a>, who became an age restriction advocate because his son Mac took his own life after falling victim to an online sextortion scam, described the new law as a start. Children must now be educated about online dangers before they turn 16.

“Our kids that we’ve lost haven’t died in vain because today they’ll be looking down very proud of the work that we’ve all done,” Holdsworth told the Sydney gathering.

Flossie Brodribb, a 12-year-old advocate for a social media ban for young children, told the gathering she hoped other countries would follow Australia’s lead.

“This ban is bold and brave and I believe it will help kids like me to grow up healthier, safer, kinder and more connected to the real world,” Flossie said.

Simone Clements said the social media ban would come at a financial cost to her 15-year-old twins Carlee and Hayden Clements. Carlee is an actor, model, dancer, singer and influencer. Her brother is an actor and model.

“I know that our situation is unique to our family because the kids are in the entertainment industry and social media goes hand-in-hand with the entertainment industry. We have used social media in the most positive way. And it’s a platform for them to basically show their portfolio, and … this is an income stream for the children,” the mother said.

Privacy commissioner unclear how social media will verify ages

Australia’s Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind said the platforms could potentially ask all account holders across the country to prove they were 16 or older.

The platforms’ age verification options were to ask for copies of identification documents, use a third party to apply age estimation technology to analyze an account holder’s face, or make inferences from data already available such has how long an account has been held, Kind said.

“There’s quite strong privacy protections in the legislation. They require social media platforms to delete any data they collect for the purpose of age assurance under this scheme and to not use it for secondary purposes unless they have individuals’ consent. And that’s a really strong and important safeguard,” Kind said.

The government has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-chldren-banned-social-media-2bbc1f2921af4f008215c16d5e8b3506">requesting all account holders verify their ages</a>&nbsp;would not be a reasonable step, given the platforms already held sufficient personal data of most people to perform that task.

The platforms also cannot compel users to provide government-issued identification.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673457414258.jpeg" alt="Image Associated Press" />
                        <figcaption>Image Associated Press</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/rod-mcguirk">ROD MCGUIRK</a></p><p>MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australian Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/anthony-albanese">Anthony Albanese</a>&nbsp;welcomed a world-first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-ban-children-f92aae52b59a6ded4d931856051f4e06">social media ban</a>&nbsp;for children younger than 16 that took effect Wednesday as families taking back power from tech giants but warned the implementation would be difficult.</p><p>Many children posted farewell messages, while parents reported distraught children discovering they’d been shut out of platforms as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-ban-children-1abadf5445418c8c14f5f68cf76b38d0">landmark law</a>&nbsp;took effect. Some young children reported fooling the platforms’ age estimation technology by drawing on facial hair. Parents and older siblings are also expected to help some children circumvent the restrictions.</p><p>“This is the day when Australian families are taking back power from these big tech companies and they’re asserting the right of kids to be kids and for parents to have greater peace of mind,” Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.</p><p>“This reform will change lives. For Australian kids ... allowing them to just have their childhood. For Australian parents, enabling them to have greater peace of mind. But also for the global community, who are looking at Australia and saying: well, if Australia can do it, why can’t we?” Albanese later told a gathering of reform supporters at his official Sydney residence, including parents who blame social media for a child’s suicide.</p><p>Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and Twitch face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($32.9 million) from Wednesday if they fail to take reasonable steps to remove the accounts of Australian children younger than 16.</p><h2>Australia to report by Christmas if social media ban is working</h2><p>The ban will be enforced by Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant. She said the platforms already had the technology and personal data about their users to enforce the age restriction with precision.</p><p>She would send the 10 targeted platforms on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-ban-children-95a75437398a652e1463fadc6a0b0225">notices demanding information</a>&nbsp;on how the age restriction was being implemented and how many accounts had been closed.</p><p>“We will provide information to the public before Christmas on how these age restrictions are being implemented and whether preliminarily we see them working,” Inman Grant said.</p><p>“The responses to these notices will form the baseline against which we will measure compliance,” she added.</p><p>Communications Minister Anika Wells said the age-restricted platforms “may not agree with the law and that’s their right — we don’t expect 100% universal support,” but that all had undertaken to comply with the Australian law. She said more than 200,000 TikTok accounts in Australia had already been deactivated by Wednesday.</p><p>Wells also warned young children who had so far evaded detection that they would eventually be caught. A child who used a virtual private network to appear to be in Norway would be caught out if they were routinely posting images of Australian beaches, Wells said.</p><p>“Just because they might have avoided it (detection) today doesn’t mean they will be able to avoid it in a week’s time or a month’s time because social media platforms have to go back and routinely check under-16 accounts,” Wells said.</p><p>“These social media platforms have so much data on us because we choose to give it to them because we like social media and because you’ve had your older brother scan their face for you today, which has bought you a bit of time, doesn’t mean that these accounts aren’t going to see you talking to other 14-year-olds tonight about the under-16 soccer carnival on weekend, about your upcoming school holidays and what your Year 10 teacher is next year,” she added.</p><p>Albanese said the implementation would be difficult and “won’t be perfect.”</p><p>“This is about, importantly, pushing back against big tech, saying that social media companies have a social responsibility,” he said.</p><h2>Father of sextortion scam victim says social media ban is a start</h2><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-ban-young-children-c08c470b33f115fb07fc86874bf1b768">Wayne Holdsworth</a>, who became an age restriction advocate because his son Mac took his own life after falling victim to an online sextortion scam, described the new law as a start. Children must now be educated about online dangers before they turn 16.</p><p>“Our kids that we’ve lost haven’t died in vain because today they’ll be looking down very proud of the work that we’ve all done,” Holdsworth told the Sydney gathering.</p><p>Flossie Brodribb, a 12-year-old advocate for a social media ban for young children, told the gathering she hoped other countries would follow Australia’s lead.</p><p>“This ban is bold and brave and I believe it will help kids like me to grow up healthier, safer, kinder and more connected to the real world,” Flossie said.</p><p>Simone Clements said the social media ban would come at a financial cost to her 15-year-old twins Carlee and Hayden Clements. Carlee is an actor, model, dancer, singer and influencer. Her brother is an actor and model.</p><p>“I know that our situation is unique to our family because the kids are in the entertainment industry and social media goes hand-in-hand with the entertainment industry. We have used social media in the most positive way. And it’s a platform for them to basically show their portfolio, and … this is an income stream for the children,” the mother said.</p><h2>Privacy commissioner unclear how social media will verify ages</h2><p>Australia’s Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind said the platforms could potentially ask all account holders across the country to prove they were 16 or older.</p><p>The platforms’ age verification options were to ask for copies of identification documents, use a third party to apply age estimation technology to analyze an account holder’s face, or make inferences from data already available such has how long an account has been held, Kind said.</p><p>“There’s quite strong privacy protections in the legislation. They require social media platforms to delete any data they collect for the purpose of age assurance under this scheme and to not use it for secondary purposes unless they have individuals’ consent. And that’s a really strong and important safeguard,” Kind said.</p><p>The government has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-chldren-banned-social-media-2bbc1f2921af4f008215c16d5e8b3506">requesting all account holders verify their ages</a>&nbsp;would not be a reasonable step, given the platforms already held sufficient personal data of most people to perform that task.</p><p>The platforms also cannot compel users to provide government-issued identification.</p>

Australia's world-first ban on social media for youth begins

WICHITA, KAN. – A Mexican national residing illegally in the United States was sentenced to 20 years in prison for violently attacking a federal law enforcement agent, the maximum punishment allowed under the statute, according to the United State's Attorney's office.

According to court documents, Diego Barron-Esquivel, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of forcible assault of a federal officer.&nbsp;

On February 28, 2025, Barron-Esquivel intentionally assaulted and strangled an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation officer who was in Wichita performing his official duties, causing bodily injury to the officer. &nbsp;

“Violence against law enforcement is completely unacceptable and will be dealt with very seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Our society would cease to function without brave officers enforcing the law. We owe these officers our thanks and our respect. This sentence shows how egregious the conduct was in this case.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742909861775.png" alt="Barron-Esquivel -photo Butler County" />
                        <figcaption>Barron-Esquivel -photo Butler County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WICHITA, KAN. – A Mexican national residing illegally in the United States was sentenced to 20 years in prison for violently attacking a federal law enforcement agent, the maximum punishment allowed under the statute, according to the United State's Attorney's office.</p><p>According to court documents, Diego Barron-Esquivel, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of forcible assault of a federal officer.&nbsp;</p><p>On February 28, 2025, Barron-Esquivel intentionally assaulted and strangled an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation officer who was in Wichita performing his official duties, causing bodily injury to the officer. &nbsp;</p><p>“Violence against law enforcement is completely unacceptable and will be dealt with very seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Our society would cease to function without brave officers enforcing the law. We owe these officers our thanks and our respect. This sentence shows how egregious the conduct was in this case.”</p><p>“This sentencing is a victory for justice and a clear warning to anyone who thinks they can assault law enforcement officers without consequences,” said HSI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito. “We are grateful to the Honorable Judge John Broomes for handing down a sentence that reflects the seriousness of this crime. HSI will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those who threaten the safety of our officers and the rule of law are held accountable.”</p><p>Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.</p>