WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;delivered a likely death blow to bipartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-trump-elon-budget-house-republican-05481374b154949c3fe1270141a02918">congressional budget negotiations</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, rejecting the measure as full of giveaways to Democrats after billionaire ally Elon Musk whipped up outrage toward the bill and cheered on Republican lawmakers who announced their opposition.

Trump's joint statement with Vice President-elect JD Vance, which stopped the bill in its tracks, punctuated a daylong torrent of social media posts by Musk attacking the legislation for what he described as excessive spending.

“Stop the steal of your tax dollars!” Musk wrote on his social media platform X as he dangled primary challenges against anyone who voted for the budget deal, a threat Trump later echoed in a post of his own.

The episode showcased the growing political influence of Musk, whom Trump has selected alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to spearhead the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-president-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-2f0f76bb6440231f2504b77cb117d988">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, a nongovernmental task force formed to find ways to fire federal workers, cut programs and reduce regulations.

Rep. Andy Barr, a Republican from Kentucky, said his office was flooded with calls from constituents.

“My phone was ringing off the hook," he said. “The people who elected us are listening to Elon Musk.”

<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20241216/CR.pdf">Click here to read the</a>&nbsp;1,500 page proposed budget bill

In his statement with Vance, Trump said Republicans should restart negotiations over the legislation, arguing that “anything else is a betrayal of our country.” He also called for including an extension of the debt ceiling while President Joe Biden is in office.

“Increasing the debt ceiling is not great but we’d rather do it on Biden’s watch," they said. "If Democrats won’t cooperate on a debt ceiling increase now, what makes anyone think they would do it in June during our administration? Let’s have this debate over the debt ceiling now.”

Trump's opposition to what was considered must-pass legislation reinjected a sense of chaos and political brinkmanship that was reminiscent of his first term in office. It was a dramatic turn of events for House Speaker Mike Johnson, who negotiated the bill and has been undermined by Trump as he faces reelection for his post in just a couple of weeks. Republicans have a slim majority, raising the possibility of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-house-speaker-gop-selection-mccarthy-jordan-9b244d42f60eaccc94befcc1ba9d2985">a replay of leadership disputes</a>&nbsp;that paralyzed the House a year ago.

Many lawmakers were in the middle of holiday and year-end celebrations with staff when Trump came out against the legislation.

“I’ve been here 14 years, OK? So nothing up here surprises me anymore,” said Rep. Steve Womack, a senior Republican appropriator from Arkansas. “We shouldn’t be in this mess.”

The Biden administration criticized the possibility of a shutdown.

"Republicans need to stop playing politics with this bipartisan agreement or they will hurt hardworking Americans and create instability across the country," said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform and a veteran of Washington's budget battles, was concerned about the lack of a clear plan for resolving the dispute.

"There’s got to be a second part of the strategy," he said.

Norquist has been enthusiastic about Musk's ability to generate public attention for efforts to reduce the size of government. But he suggested that the owner of a space rocket company wasn't the right person to spearhead a congressional spending debate.

“He doesn’t know politics like he knows physics," he said.

But others were thrilled with Musk's involvement.

“In five years in Congress, I’ve been awaiting a fundamental change in the dynamic,” posted Rep. Dan Bishop, a Republican from North Carolina. “It has arrived.”

Musk began criticizing the measure as soon as it was released Tuesday evening, and he continuously posted about it Wednesday.

"Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!" he wrote. He also called it “one of the worst bills ever written.”

Sometimes Musk amplified false claims, such as the idea that the legislation included $3 billion for a new football stadium in Washington. In reality, the legislation would transfer ownership of the land from the federal government to the city, paving the way for eventual development.

Musk appeared emboldened by the experience.

“The voice of the people was heard,” Musk wrote. “This was a good day for America."

Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries said the fallout would be Republicans' fault.

“You break the bipartisan agreement, you own the consequences that follow," he wrote on X.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734474980545.png" alt="The 2024 Capitol Christmas Tree -photo courtesy Architect of the Capitol" />
 <figcaption>The 2024 Capitol Christmas Tree -photo courtesy Architect of the Capitol</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;delivered a likely death blow to bipartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-trump-elon-budget-house-republican-05481374b154949c3fe1270141a02918">congressional budget negotiations</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, rejecting the measure as full of giveaways to Democrats after billionaire ally Elon Musk whipped up outrage toward the bill and cheered on Republican lawmakers who announced their opposition.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734611151849.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734578201857.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump's joint statement with Vice President-elect JD Vance, which stopped the bill in its tracks, punctuated a daylong torrent of social media posts by Musk attacking the legislation for what he described as excessive spending.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Ever seen a bigger piece of pork? <a href="https://t.co/ZesFCNSNKp">pic.twitter.com/ZesFCNSNKp</a>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1869311029131596262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Stop the steal of your tax dollars!” Musk wrote on his social media platform X as he dangled primary challenges against anyone who voted for the budget deal, a threat Trump later echoed in a post of his own.The episode showcased the growing political influence of Musk, whom Trump has selected alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to spearhead the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-president-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-2f0f76bb6440231f2504b77cb117d988">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, a nongovernmental task force formed to find ways to fire federal workers, cut programs and reduce regulations.Rep. Andy Barr, a Republican from Kentucky, said his office was flooded with calls from constituents.“My phone was ringing off the hook," he said. “The people who elected us are listening to Elon Musk.”<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20241216/CR.pdf">Click here to read the</a>&nbsp;1,500 page proposed budget billIn his statement with Vance, Trump said Republicans should restart negotiations over the legislation, arguing that “anything else is a betrayal of our country.” He also called for including an extension of the debt ceiling while President Joe Biden is in office.“Increasing the debt ceiling is not great but we’d rather do it on Biden’s watch," they said. "If Democrats won’t cooperate on a debt ceiling increase now, what makes anyone think they would do it in June during our administration? Let’s have this debate over the debt ceiling now.”Trump's opposition to what was considered must-pass legislation reinjected a sense of chaos and political brinkmanship that was reminiscent of his first term in office. It was a dramatic turn of events for House Speaker Mike Johnson, who negotiated the bill and has been undermined by Trump as he faces reelection for his post in just a couple of weeks. Republicans have a slim majority, raising the possibility of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-house-speaker-gop-selection-mccarthy-jordan-9b244d42f60eaccc94befcc1ba9d2985">a replay of leadership disputes</a>&nbsp;that paralyzed the House a year ago.Many lawmakers were in the middle of holiday and year-end celebrations with staff when Trump came out against the legislation.“I’ve been here 14 years, OK? So nothing up here surprises me anymore,” said Rep. Steve Womack, a senior Republican appropriator from Arkansas. “We shouldn’t be in this mess.”The Biden administration criticized the possibility of a shutdown."Republicans need to stop playing politics with this bipartisan agreement or they will hurt hardworking Americans and create instability across the country," said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform and a veteran of Washington's budget battles, was concerned about the lack of a clear plan for resolving the dispute."There’s got to be a second part of the strategy," he said.Norquist has been enthusiastic about Musk's ability to generate public attention for efforts to reduce the size of government. But he suggested that the owner of a space rocket company wasn't the right person to spearhead a congressional spending debate.“He doesn’t know politics like he knows physics," he said.But others were thrilled with Musk's involvement.“In five years in Congress, I’ve been awaiting a fundamental change in the dynamic,” posted Rep. Dan Bishop, a Republican from North Carolina. “It has arrived.”Musk began criticizing the measure as soon as it was released Tuesday evening, and he continuously posted about it Wednesday."Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!" he wrote. He also called it “one of the worst bills ever written.”Sometimes Musk amplified false claims, such as the idea that the legislation included $3 billion for a new football stadium in Washington. In reality, the legislation would transfer ownership of the land from the federal government to the city, paving the way for eventual development.Musk appeared emboldened by the experience.“The voice of the people was heard,” Musk wrote. “This was a good day for America."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepJeffries?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepJeffries</a>: &quot;House Republicans have been ordered to shut down the government and hurt everyday Americans all across this country...An agreement is an agreement. It was bipartisan, and there is nothing more to say.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/0zPhPtd1hi">pic.twitter.com/0zPhPtd1hi</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1869537831682490449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries said the fallout would be Republicans' fault.“You break the bipartisan agreement, you own the consequences that follow," he wrote on X.

Trump, Musk deliver chaos at Christmas to Washington

JOHNSON COUNTY—Police are asking for help to identify suspects involved in an incident where a 15-year-old store employee was battered. This occurred at a retailer in the 8800 block of Marshall Drive in Lenexa, according to a social media&nbsp; report from Lenexa Police.

The suspects were observed acting suspiciously inside the store before one of them unexpectedly punched the employee in the back of the head unprovoked.

If you recognize either individual or have any information, please contact our detective at 913-825-8097 or send us a DM.

JOHNSON COUNTY—Police are asking for help to identify suspects involved in an incident where a 15-year-old store employee was battered. This occurred at a retailer in the 8800 block of Marshall Drive in Lenexa, according to a social media&nbsp; report from Lenexa Police.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Can You Help Us Identify These Individuals? We’re seeking information about two individuals involved in an incident where a 15-year-old store employee was battered. This occurred at a retailer in the 8800 block of Marshall Drive. The suspects were observed acting suspiciously… <a href="https://t.co/J5NwS2nDhJ">pic.twitter.com/J5NwS2nDhJ</a>&mdash; Lenexa Police (@LenexaPolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/LenexaPolice/status/1869470353346490817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The suspects were observed acting suspiciously inside the store before one of them unexpectedly punched the employee in the back of the head unprovoked.If you recognize either individual or have any information, please contact our detective at 913-825-8097 or send us a DM.

🎥 Suspects battered 15-year-old Kan. store employee

WASHINGTON (AP) —Health officials on Wednesday confirmed the first known severe illness in the U.S. caused by bird flu, and California's governor declared a state of emergency as the virus rampages through dairy cattle in that state.

A person in Louisiana is hospitalized in critical condition with severe respiratory symptoms caused by a bird flu infection, state health officials said. The person, who is over 65 and has underlying medical problems, had been in contact with sick and dead birds in a backyard flock.

It's the first human case in the U.S. linked to exposure to backyard birds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Since March, more than 60 bird flu infections in people have been reported in the U.S., but previous illnesses have been mild and most have been detected among farmworkers exposed to sick poultry or dairy cows. In two cases — and adult in Missouri and a child in California — health officials have not determined how they caught it.

CDC officials said that bird flu is still mainly an animal health issues and that the risk to the general public remains low. There has been no documented spread of the virus from person to person, said the CDC's Dr. Demetre Daskalakis.

The Louisiana illness comes weeks after Canadian officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-canada-teen-hospitalized-45d7c944883fb17aeb37e96e679cc53e">reported</a>&nbsp;that a teen in British Columbia was hospitalized with a severe case of bird flu. In both instances, the illnesses were caused by a strain of the virus found in wild birds, not in cattle, officials said.

On a call with reporters, CDC officials did not answer a question about whether the new U.S. case and the Canada case had any similarities or differences.

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared the state of emergency as cases of the virus were detected in dairy cows on Southern California farms. Previously, the virus had been detected in state's Central Valley.

“This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak,” Newsom said in a statement.

The virus has been detected in 865 dairy herds in 16 states, with nearly 650 of them in California. Raw milk from infected cattle&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-raw-milk-raw-farm-recall-5893b7b823efcaf4389b77fc01fb0c56">was recalled</a>&nbsp;late last month after the virus was found in samples sold in California stores.

On Wednesday, Los Angeles County health officials confirmed the deaths of two cats from bird flu infections after drinking the recalled raw milk.

Flu experts said the trajectory of the virus in people remains unclear, but they urged people who have contact with sick or dead birds to take precautions, including wearing respiratory and eye protection and gloves when handling poultry.

“We may see more cases of severe disease in the U.S. since cases seem to be growing more frequent,” said Angela Rasmussen, a virus expert at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725718440042.png" alt="CDC image" />
 <figcaption>CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Health officials on Wednesday confirmed the first known severe illness in the U.S. caused by bird flu, and California's governor declared a state of emergency as the virus rampages through dairy cattle in that state.A person in Louisiana is hospitalized in critical condition with severe respiratory symptoms caused by a bird flu infection, state health officials said. The person, who is over 65 and has underlying medical problems, had been in contact with sick and dead birds in a backyard flock.It's the first human case in the U.S. linked to exposure to backyard birds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733747978622.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Since March, more than 60 bird flu infections in people have been reported in the U.S., but previous illnesses have been mild and most have been detected among farmworkers exposed to sick poultry or dairy cows. In two cases — and adult in Missouri and a child in California — health officials have not determined how they caught it.CDC officials said that bird flu is still mainly an animal health issues and that the risk to the general public remains low. There has been no documented spread of the virus from person to person, said the CDC's Dr. Demetre Daskalakis.The Louisiana illness comes weeks after Canadian officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-canada-teen-hospitalized-45d7c944883fb17aeb37e96e679cc53e">reported</a>&nbsp;that a teen in British Columbia was hospitalized with a severe case of bird flu. In both instances, the illnesses were caused by a strain of the virus found in wild birds, not in cattle, officials said.On a call with reporters, CDC officials did not answer a question about whether the new U.S. case and the Canada case had any similarities or differences.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734611869119.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared the state of emergency as cases of the virus were detected in dairy cows on Southern California farms. Previously, the virus had been detected in state's Central Valley.“This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak,” Newsom said in a statement.The virus has been detected in 865 dairy herds in 16 states, with nearly 650 of them in California. Raw milk from infected cattle&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-raw-milk-raw-farm-recall-5893b7b823efcaf4389b77fc01fb0c56">was recalled</a>&nbsp;late last month after the virus was found in samples sold in California stores.On Wednesday, Los Angeles County health officials confirmed the deaths of two cats from bird flu infections after drinking the recalled raw milk.Flu experts said the trajectory of the virus in people remains unclear, but they urged people who have contact with sick or dead birds to take precautions, including wearing respiratory and eye protection and gloves when handling poultry.“We may see more cases of severe disease in the U.S. since cases seem to be growing more frequent,” said Angela Rasmussen, a virus expert at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Bird flu: 1st state declares emergency and U.S. sees 1st severe human case

BUTLER COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating an alleged violence between roommates in Butler County.

On Tuesday, police responded to report of a stabbing at a residence in the 1200 block of South High Street in El Dorado, according to a media release from El Dorado Police.

First responders learned that two roommates identified as 22-year-old Trevor Toney and 46-year-old Julia Felt got into a physical altercation. During the fight, Felt allegedly stabbed Toney with an arrow.

Police transported both to the Butler County Jail after they were medically cleared.&nbsp; Felt was jailed on a requested charge of aggravated battery. Toney while the man was booked on a requested charge of domestic battery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734547625651.png" alt="Felt-photo Butler County" />
 <figcaption>Felt-photo Butler County</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating an alleged violence between roommates in Butler County.On Tuesday, police responded to report of a stabbing at a residence in the 1200 block of South High Street in El Dorado, according to a media release from El Dorado Police.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734547566022.png" alt="Toney photo Butler County" />
 <figcaption>Toney photo Butler County</figcaption>
 </figure>First responders learned that two roommates identified as 22-year-old Trevor Toney and 46-year-old Julia Felt got into a physical altercation. During the fight, Felt allegedly stabbed Toney with an arrow.Police transported both to the Butler County Jail after they were medically cleared.&nbsp; Felt was jailed on a requested charge of aggravated battery. Toney while the man was booked on a requested charge of domestic battery.

46-year-old Kan. woman attacked roommate with an arrow

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas City area man was sentenced in federal court last week for his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy and for illegally possessing firearms, according to the United State's Attorney.

Tony Diaz, 41, Raymore, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to nine years in federal prison without parole.

His brother and co-defendant, Serjio Diaz, 40, of Belton, Mo., was sentenced on Oct. 9, 2024, to 15 years in federal prison without parole.

On April 9, 2024, Serjio and Tony Diaz each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Tony Diaz also pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. Serjio Diaz also pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering.

Serjio Diaz admitted that he was the primary organizer of the drug-trafficking organization during the conspiracy that lasted from Jan. 1, 2019, to June 22, 2021.

The investigation began on March 18, 2019, when federal agents interdicted and seized a package from California that contained more than 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, which was addressed to Serjio Diaz’s residence. On the same day, federal agents also interdicted and seized a package from California that contained more than three kilograms of methamphetamine, which was addressed to the residence of Tony Diaz.

During the course of the investigation, investigators conducted 23 controlled transactions from Serjio and Tony Diaz, utilizing an FBI confidential source. Over the course of these controlled purchases, law enforcement purchased more than seven kilograms of methamphetamine, more than six kilograms of heroin, and 468.6 grams of cocaine from Serjio and Tony Diaz for a total of $243,900.

In one transaction, for example, the confidential source purchased a kilogram of methamphetamine for $9,000 from Tony Diaz. In another instance, the confidential source purchased 222.4 grams (7.5 ounces) of cocaine from Serjio Diaz for $7,000.

On June 22, 2021, law enforcement officers arrested Serjio and Tony Diaz and searched Serjio Diaz’s residences and vehicles. Officers found almost nine kilograms of heroin, 166 grams of cocaine, six bags of pills that contained fentanyl and weighed a total of 78 grams, a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol, and $82,250 in cash.

Officers searched Tony Diaz’s residence and found 1,128 grams of suspected heroin, 28 grams of suspected cocaine, a Zastava Arms 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle, a Romarm Cugir 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle, and $5,461 in cash in Tony Diaz’s bedroom. Officers also found a Remington Arms .22-caliber rifle in a shed, one pound of suspected marijuana in his Lincoln Navigator SUV, and a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol and 3.4 grams of suspected marijuana in his BMW X5.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Tony Diaz has a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance.

From May 1, 2019, to Dec. 31, 2020, Serjio Diaz deposited 93 money orders, totaling $82,145, into either his personal bank account or the bank account of his business, Imperial Window &amp; Gutter Cleaning, LLC. Serjio Diaz went to multiple post offices on the same date to purchase money orders; 21 of those purchases occurred soon after a controlled drug purchase was made by law enforcement in this investigation. Serjio Diaz limited his purchase to a maximum of $2,000 at each post office in order to avoid federal reporting requirements.

Co-defendant Maria Jasmin Lopez, 24, of Phoenix, Arizona, also pleaded guilty to her role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced on Aug. 1, 2023, to 11 years and two months in federal prison without parole.

Co-defendant Vicente Aguilera pleaded guilty to using a cell phone to facilitate a drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced on Nov. 1, 2024, to 16 months in federal prison without parole.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI and the Jackson County Drug Task Force.

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas City area man was sentenced in federal court last week for his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy and for illegally possessing firearms, according to the United State's Attorney.Tony Diaz, 41, Raymore, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to nine years in federal prison without parole.His brother and co-defendant, Serjio Diaz, 40, of Belton, Mo., was sentenced on Oct. 9, 2024, to 15 years in federal prison without parole.On April 9, 2024, Serjio and Tony Diaz each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Tony Diaz also pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. Serjio Diaz also pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering.Serjio Diaz admitted that he was the primary organizer of the drug-trafficking organization during the conspiracy that lasted from Jan. 1, 2019, to June 22, 2021.The investigation began on March 18, 2019, when federal agents interdicted and seized a package from California that contained more than 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, which was addressed to Serjio Diaz’s residence. On the same day, federal agents also interdicted and seized a package from California that contained more than three kilograms of methamphetamine, which was addressed to the residence of Tony Diaz.During the course of the investigation, investigators conducted 23 controlled transactions from Serjio and Tony Diaz, utilizing an FBI confidential source. Over the course of these controlled purchases, law enforcement purchased more than seven kilograms of methamphetamine, more than six kilograms of heroin, and 468.6 grams of cocaine from Serjio and Tony Diaz for a total of $243,900.In one transaction, for example, the confidential source purchased a kilogram of methamphetamine for $9,000 from Tony Diaz. In another instance, the confidential source purchased 222.4 grams (7.5 ounces) of cocaine from Serjio Diaz for $7,000.On June 22, 2021, law enforcement officers arrested Serjio and Tony Diaz and searched Serjio Diaz’s residences and vehicles. Officers found almost nine kilograms of heroin, 166 grams of cocaine, six bags of pills that contained fentanyl and weighed a total of 78 grams, a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol, and $82,250 in cash.Officers searched Tony Diaz’s residence and found 1,128 grams of suspected heroin, 28 grams of suspected cocaine, a Zastava Arms 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle, a Romarm Cugir 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle, and $5,461 in cash in Tony Diaz’s bedroom. Officers also found a Remington Arms .22-caliber rifle in a shed, one pound of suspected marijuana in his Lincoln Navigator SUV, and a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol and 3.4 grams of suspected marijuana in his BMW X5.Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Tony Diaz has a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance.From May 1, 2019, to Dec. 31, 2020, Serjio Diaz deposited 93 money orders, totaling $82,145, into either his personal bank account or the bank account of his business, Imperial Window &amp; Gutter Cleaning, LLC. Serjio Diaz went to multiple post offices on the same date to purchase money orders; 21 of those purchases occurred soon after a controlled drug purchase was made by law enforcement in this investigation. Serjio Diaz limited his purchase to a maximum of $2,000 at each post office in order to avoid federal reporting requirements.Co-defendant Maria Jasmin Lopez, 24, of Phoenix, Arizona, also pleaded guilty to her role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced on Aug. 1, 2023, to 11 years and two months in federal prison without parole.Co-defendant Vicente Aguilera pleaded guilty to using a cell phone to facilitate a drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced on Nov. 1, 2024, to 16 months in federal prison without parole.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI and the Jackson County Drug Task Force.

KC brothers sold heroin, cocaine to confidential FBI source

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;abruptly rejected a bipartisan plan Wednesday to prevent a Christmastime government shutdown, instead telling House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans to essentially renegotiate — days before a deadline when federal funding runs out.

<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20241216/CR.pdf">Click here to read the</a> 1500 page budget bill

Trump's sudden decision to make new demands sent Congress spiraling as lawmakers are trying to wrap up work and head home for the holidays. It leaves House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;scrambling to salvage a new plan, days before Friday's deadline to keep government open.

“Republicans must GET SMART and TOUGH,” Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance said in a statement.

The president-elect made an almost unrealistic proposal for a continuation of government funds along with a much more controversial provision to raise the nation's debt limit — something his own party routinely rejects.

Democrats decried the GOP revolt over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-budget-government-shutdown-farmers-disaster-relief-4c6ae1e0033637bb6398b00c4799ba0d">stopgap measure to keep federal offices running</a>.

“House Republicans have been ordered to shut down the government,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “And hurt the working class Americans they claim to support. You break the bipartisan agreement, you own the consequences that follow.”

Already, the bill was on the verge of collapse, as hard right conservatives and Trump's bilionaire ally Elon Musk rejected the plan.

Rank-and-file lawmakers decried the massive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-budget-government-shutdown-farmers-disaster-relief-4c6ae1e0033637bb6398b00c4799ba0d">1,500-page bill</a>&nbsp;over its increased spending — which includes their first pay-raises in more than a decade — a shock after one of the most unproductive chaotic session in modern times. A number of Republicans were waiting for Trump to signal whether they should vote yes or no.

“This should not pass,” Musk posted on his social media site X in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.

The outcome comes as no surprise for Johnson, who like other Republican House speakers before him, has been unable to convince his majority to go along with the routine needs of federal government operations, which they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/kevin-freking-vivek-ramaswamy-mike-johnson-mike-johnson-elon-musk-c3565451f1794b24b6f03f77d21b1aaf">would prefer to slash</a>.

Even the addition of much-needed disaster aid, some $100.4 billion in the aftermath of hurricanes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hurricane-helene">Helene</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hurricane-milton">Milton</a>&nbsp;and other natural calamities that ravaged states this year, plus $10 billion in economic assistance for farmers failed to win over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-doge-ce55aa7ca8c921511d18e837c2a2db64">budget-slashing GOP</a>.

It all shows just how hard it will be for Republicans next year, as they seize control of the House, Senate and White House, to unify and lead the nation. And it underscores how much&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufc-house-speaker-johnson-madison-square-garden-995a7ee3324e04ec6da680c826136655">Johnson and the GOP leaders must depend on Trump’s blessing</a>&nbsp;to see any legislative package over the finish line.

“What does President Trump want Republicans to do: vote for the CR or shut down government? Absent direction, confusion reigns,” said retiring Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mitt-romney">Mitt Romney</a>, R-Utah, in a sly post on X.

The president-elect had yet to weigh in on what the lawmakers should do.

But Musk, who is heading the his new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-doge-ce55aa7ca8c921511d18e837c2a2db64">Department of Government Efficiency</a>&nbsp;was leading the charge against it, warned that “Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!”

It's not an idle threat coming from Musk, the world's richest man,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-america-pac-trump-d248547966bf9c6daf6f5d332bc4be66">who helped bankroll Trump's victory</a>&nbsp;and can easily use his America PAC to make or break political careers.

Democratic Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jamie-raskin">Jamie Raskin</a>&nbsp;of Maryland said this is the problem with “an oligarchy a handful of wealthy people run everything and everyone is supposed to live in fear of them; and their wealth becomes an instrument of coercive power over everything.”

Democrats, who negotiated the final product with Johnson and Senate GOP leadership, will be expected to provide enough support to help Johnson ensure passage, as is often the case on big bills. Federal government funding runs out at midnight Friday.

“The sooner Congress acts, the better,” Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;said as he opened the upper chamber. “As always, bipartisan cooperation must lead the way – we can’t have last minute delays or grandstanding.”

The final package extends existing government programs and services at their current operating levels for a few more months, through March 14, 2025.

The stopgap measure is needed because Congress has failed to pass its annual appropriations bills to fund all the various agencies in the federal government, from the Pentagon and national security apparats, to the health, welfare, transportation and other routine domestic services. When the fiscal year ended on Sept. 30, Congress simply punted the problem by passing a temporary funding bill that expires Friday.

But the inches-thick bill goes beyond routine funding and tacks on several other measures that lawmakers are trying to push through to passage before the end of this congressional session, especially as some elected officials will not be returning in the new year.

Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/anna-paulina-luna">Anna Paulina Luna</a>, R-Fla., a called it essentially a junk sandwich, using a swear word. The chairman of the Freedom Caucus, Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/andrew-harris">Andy Harris</a>, R-Md., said a lot of lawmakers "are a little disappointed at how this last week has worked out.”

Some lawmakers expressed concern that the bill turns off a pay freeze provision that was included in the previous short-term spending measure. That change could allow a maximum pay adjustment of 3.8% or $6,600 in 2025, bringing their annual pay to $180,600, according to a Congressional Research Service report.

Members of Congress last got a raise in 2009, when the salary was increased 2.8% to $174,000 annually. If member pay had not been frozen since 2009, salaries would be about $217,900.

When adjusted for inflation, salaries have decreased about 31% from 2009, the research report said.

“By what measure do we deserve a pay increase?” said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C.

Among other provisions in the package, there’s full federal funding to rebuild Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/baltimore-key-bridge-collapse">collapsed</a>&nbsp;when struck by a cargo ship that reported losing power just before the crash. Federal taxpayers will be reimbursed through proceeds from insurance payments and litigation.

And there's also a provision to transfer the land that is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-commanders-rfk-stadium-e82cb3c504dc700b30b34f8ca6924c21">site of the old RFK Stadium</a>&nbsp;from the federal government to the District of Columbia, which could potentially lead to a new stadium for the Washington Commanders.

On the health care front, the legislation seeks to extend coverage of telehealth appointments for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/medicare">Medicare</a>&nbsp;enrollees and rein in how much money pharmacy benefits managers — the companies that negotiate how and what drugs are covered by insurance plans — make off those deals.

The bill also includes provisions focused on countering China, including expanding on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Biden's</a>&nbsp;executive order that seeks to restrict investments into countries that pose a national security threat to the United States. Blocking China’s high-tech ambitions is one of the few issues that enjoys broad support in Washington from both Republicans and Democrats.

Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;abruptly rejected a bipartisan plan Wednesday to prevent a Christmastime government shutdown, instead telling House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans to essentially renegotiate — days before a deadline when federal funding runs out.<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20241216/CR.pdf">Click here to read the</a> 1500 page budget bill<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">And here we go. <a href="https://t.co/5kjC2feSKW">https://t.co/5kjC2feSKW</a> <a href="https://t.co/MO06xafkiX">pic.twitter.com/MO06xafkiX</a>&mdash; Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMikeCollins/status/1869169171378102642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump's sudden decision to make new demands sent Congress spiraling as lawmakers are trying to wrap up work and head home for the holidays. It leaves House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;scrambling to salvage a new plan, days before Friday's deadline to keep government open.“Republicans must GET SMART and TOUGH,” Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance said in a statement.The president-elect made an almost unrealistic proposal for a continuation of government funds along with a much more controversial provision to raise the nation's debt limit — something his own party routinely rejects.Democrats decried the GOP revolt over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-budget-government-shutdown-farmers-disaster-relief-4c6ae1e0033637bb6398b00c4799ba0d">stopgap measure to keep federal offices running</a>.“House Republicans have been ordered to shut down the government,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “And hurt the working class Americans they claim to support. You break the bipartisan agreement, you own the consequences that follow.”Already, the bill was on the verge of collapse, as hard right conservatives and Trump's bilionaire ally Elon Musk rejected the plan.Rank-and-file lawmakers decried the massive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-budget-government-shutdown-farmers-disaster-relief-4c6ae1e0033637bb6398b00c4799ba0d">1,500-page bill</a>&nbsp;over its increased spending — which includes their first pay-raises in more than a decade — a shock after one of the most unproductive chaotic session in modern times. A number of Republicans were waiting for Trump to signal whether they should vote yes or no.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Please call your elected representatives right away to tell them how you feel! They are trying to get this passed today while no one is paying attention. <a href="https://t.co/OlVJPaC4Wm">https://t.co/OlVJPaC4Wm</a>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1869452968522928304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“This should not pass,” Musk posted on his social media site X in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.The outcome comes as no surprise for Johnson, who like other Republican House speakers before him, has been unable to convince his majority to go along with the routine needs of federal government operations, which they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/kevin-freking-vivek-ramaswamy-mike-johnson-mike-johnson-elon-musk-c3565451f1794b24b6f03f77d21b1aaf">would prefer to slash</a>.Even the addition of much-needed disaster aid, some $100.4 billion in the aftermath of hurricanes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hurricane-helene">Helene</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hurricane-milton">Milton</a>&nbsp;and other natural calamities that ravaged states this year, plus $10 billion in economic assistance for farmers failed to win over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-doge-ce55aa7ca8c921511d18e837c2a2db64">budget-slashing GOP</a>.It all shows just how hard it will be for Republicans next year, as they seize control of the House, Senate and White House, to unify and lead the nation. And it underscores how much&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufc-house-speaker-johnson-madison-square-garden-995a7ee3324e04ec6da680c826136655">Johnson and the GOP leaders must depend on Trump’s blessing</a>&nbsp;to see any legislative package over the finish line.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Thank you! <a href="https://t.co/Ek7cjGRb3u">https://t.co/Ek7cjGRb3u</a>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1869478770287227097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“What does President Trump want Republicans to do: vote for the CR or shut down government? Absent direction, confusion reigns,” said retiring Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mitt-romney">Mitt Romney</a>, R-Utah, in a sly post on X.The president-elect had yet to weigh in on what the lawmakers should do.But Musk, who is heading the his new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-doge-ce55aa7ca8c921511d18e837c2a2db64">Department of Government Efficiency</a>&nbsp;was leading the charge against it, warned that “Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!”It's not an idle threat coming from Musk, the world's richest man,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-america-pac-trump-d248547966bf9c6daf6f5d332bc4be66">who helped bankroll Trump's victory</a>&nbsp;and can easily use his America PAC to make or break political careers.Democratic Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jamie-raskin">Jamie Raskin</a>&nbsp;of Maryland said this is the problem with “an oligarchy a handful of wealthy people run everything and everyone is supposed to live in fear of them; and their wealth becomes an instrument of coercive power over everything.”Democrats, who negotiated the final product with Johnson and Senate GOP leadership, will be expected to provide enough support to help Johnson ensure passage, as is often the case on big bills. Federal government funding runs out at midnight Friday.“The sooner Congress acts, the better,” Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;said as he opened the upper chamber. “As always, bipartisan cooperation must lead the way – we can’t have last minute delays or grandstanding.”The final package extends existing government programs and services at their current operating levels for a few more months, through March 14, 2025.The stopgap measure is needed because Congress has failed to pass its annual appropriations bills to fund all the various agencies in the federal government, from the Pentagon and national security apparats, to the health, welfare, transportation and other routine domestic services. When the fiscal year ended on Sept. 30, Congress simply punted the problem by passing a temporary funding bill that expires Friday.But the inches-thick bill goes beyond routine funding and tacks on several other measures that lawmakers are trying to push through to passage before the end of this congressional session, especially as some elected officials will not be returning in the new year.Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/anna-paulina-luna">Anna Paulina Luna</a>, R-Fla., a called it essentially a junk sandwich, using a swear word. The chairman of the Freedom Caucus, Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/andrew-harris">Andy Harris</a>, R-Md., said a lot of lawmakers "are a little disappointed at how this last week has worked out.”And then there's the pay-raise.Some lawmakers expressed concern that the bill turns off a pay freeze provision that was included in the previous short-term spending measure. That change could allow a maximum pay adjustment of 3.8% or $6,600 in 2025, bringing their annual pay to $180,600, according to a Congressional Research Service report.Members of Congress last got a raise in 2009, when the salary was increased 2.8% to $174,000 annually. If member pay had not been frozen since 2009, salaries would be about $217,900.When adjusted for inflation, salaries have decreased about 31% from 2009, the research report said.“By what measure do we deserve a pay increase?” said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C.Among other provisions in the package, there’s full federal funding to rebuild Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/baltimore-key-bridge-collapse">collapsed</a>&nbsp;when struck by a cargo ship that reported losing power just before the crash. Federal taxpayers will be reimbursed through proceeds from insurance payments and litigation.And there's also a provision to transfer the land that is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-commanders-rfk-stadium-e82cb3c504dc700b30b34f8ca6924c21">site of the old RFK Stadium</a>&nbsp;from the federal government to the District of Columbia, which could potentially lead to a new stadium for the Washington Commanders.On the health care front, the legislation seeks to extend coverage of telehealth appointments for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/medicare">Medicare</a>&nbsp;enrollees and rein in how much money pharmacy benefits managers — the companies that negotiate how and what drugs are covered by insurance plans — make off those deals.The bill also includes provisions focused on countering China, including expanding on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Biden's</a>&nbsp;executive order that seeks to restrict investments into countries that pose a national security threat to the United States. Blocking China’s high-tech ambitions is one of the few issues that enjoys broad support in Washington from both Republicans and Democrats.__Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

Read the government funding plan Trump wants to kill

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatality crash have identified the driver who died as 64-year-old Barbara Cutler of Overland Park.

The crash occurred just before 3:30p.m. Tuesday on the off-ramp to Antioch from eastbound 435, according Overland Park Police Captain Steve Edwards.&nbsp;

Cutler was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported two others to hospitals for treatment.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatality crash have identified the driver who died as 64-year-old Barbara Cutler of Overland Park.The crash occurred just before 3:30p.m. Tuesday on the off-ramp to Antioch from eastbound 435, according Overland Park Police Captain Steve Edwards.&nbsp;Cutler was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported two others to hospitals for treatment.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

Police ID Kansas woman who died in crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed a defense bill Wednesday that authorizes significant pay raises for junior enlisted service members, aims to counter China's growing power and boosts overall military spending to $895 billion while also stripping coverage of transgender medical treatments for children of military members.

The annual defense authorization bill usually gains strong bipartisan support and has not failed to pass Congress in nearly six decades, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-military-nominations-holds-tommy-tuberville-e38d853526de044ac59338d32d7a0e10">the Pentagon policy measure in recent years</a>&nbsp;has become a battleground for cultural issues. Republicans this year sought to tack on to the legislation priorities for social conservatives, contributing to a months-long negotiation over the bill and a falloff in support from Democrats.

Still, the bill passed comfortably 85-14, sending it to President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>. Eleven senators who caucus with Democrats, as well as three Republicans, voted against the legislation. Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted with the majority.

The bill "isn't perfect, but it still includes some very good things that Democrats fought for,” said Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Chuck Schumer</a>, D-N.Y., in a floor speech. “It has strong provisions to stand up against the Chinese Communist Party here on a national security basis.”

In the House, a majority of Democrats voted against the bill last week after House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;insisted on adding the provision to ban the military health system from providing transgender medical care for children. The legislation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-pay-raise-transgender-care-defense-bill-53c929ef534d906f721426f41b23a53c">easily passed by a vote</a>&nbsp;of 281-140.

Senate Republican leaders argued that its 1% increase for defense spending was not enough, especially at a time of global unrest and challenges to American dominance. Senate Republicans had argued for a generational boost to defense spending this year, but are planning another push for more defense funding once they control the White House and Congress next year.

“We are currently experiencing the most dangerous national security moments since World War II,” said Republican Sen. Roger Wicker, who will chair the Senate Armed Services Committee next year. He has pushed for larger boosts to defense funding that would break spending caps that were agreed to in the bipartisan deal to suspend the nation's debt ceiling last year.

The annual defense authorization bill directs key Pentagon policy, but it would still need to be backed up with an appropriations package.

Senate Republican leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mitch-mcconnell">Mitch McConnell</a>&nbsp;of Kentucky said in a floor speech this week that without the topline increase “major bill provisions like a pay raise for enlisted servicemembers will come at the expense of investments in the critical weapons systems and munitions that deter conflict and keep them safe.”

The legislation provides for a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others. Lawmakers said those were key to improving the quality of life of service members at a time when many military families rely on food banks and other government assistance programs to make ends meet.

“It includes major quality of life improvements, enhancing things like childcare, housing, medical services, employment support for military spouses and much more,” said Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jack-reed">Jack Reed</a>, D-R.I., who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee.

The legislation also directs resources towards a more confrontational approach to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-military-taiwan-corruption-defense-9c1f0e145a250f2b8bd7f6f3dd4b7083">China</a>, including establishing a fund that could be used to send military resources to Taiwan in much the same way that the U.S. has backed Ukraine. It also invests in new military technologies, including artificial intelligence, and bolsters the U.S. production of ammunition.

The U.S. has also moved in recent years to ban the military from purchasing Chinese products, and the defense bill extended that with prohibitions on Chinese goods from garlic in military commissaries to drone technology.

The Chinese foreign ministry responded to that move last week by calling the bans laughable.

“I don’t think it could ever occur to garlic that it would pose a ‘major threat’ to the U.S.,” said Mao Ning, a ministry spokeswoman. “From drones to cranes, from refrigerators to garlic, more and more Chinese-made products have been accused by the US of ‘posing national security risks’. But has the US shown any reliable evidence or rationale to back up those accusations?”

But in Congress, Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been mostly united in their stance that China is a rising threat. Instead, it was culture war issues that divided lawmakers on the bill, which took months to negotiate.

The Republican-controlled House had passed a version of the bill in June that would have banned the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pentagon-tuberville-military-access-aee3557cd6bf6cb6a72852a10c4563e1"></a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-lloyd-austin-government-and-politics-dc6a0317775596ffc7945acc79b7559e">Defense Department's policy</a>&nbsp;of reimbursing costs for service members who travel to another state for an abortion, ended gender affirming care for transgender troops and weeded out diversity initiatives in the military.

Most of those provisions did not make it into the final package, though Republicans are expecting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pete-hegseth-defense-pentagon-transition-74d056e44c3cd14a1a9ae97704cda53e">Donald Trump to make sweeping</a>&nbsp;changes to Pentagon policy when he enters office in January.

The bill also still prohibits funding for teaching&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-critical-race-theory-08f5d0a0489c7d6eab7d9a238365d2c1">critical race theory</a>&nbsp;in the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatment for children under 18 if that treatment could result in “sterilization.”

Mike Zamore, the director of policy and government affairs at the American Civil Liberties Union, urged Biden to veto the bill, saying it was “forcing thousands of active-duty service members to choose between their careers in the military and the future of their transgender children.”

In a floor speech, Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tammy-baldwin">Tammy Baldwin</a>, D-Wis., said she has always voted for the NDAA, but would not do so this year. She said that the policy change for transgender children would affect between 6,000 and 7,000 families, according to estimates her office has received.

“The NDAA has embodied the idea that there is more that brings us together than separates us, that our service members and national defense are not to be politicized. That we put our country over a party when the chips are on the table," she said. “Unfortunately, this year that was ignored — all to gut the rights of our service members to get the health care they need for their children.”

Associated Press writer Didi Tang contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734556522043.png" alt="File photo The Department of Defense logo&nbsp; (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)" />
 <figcaption>File photo The Department of Defense logo&nbsp; (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed a defense bill Wednesday that authorizes significant pay raises for junior enlisted service members, aims to counter China's growing power and boosts overall military spending to $895 billion while also stripping coverage of transgender medical treatments for children of military members.The annual defense authorization bill usually gains strong bipartisan support and has not failed to pass Congress in nearly six decades, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-military-nominations-holds-tommy-tuberville-e38d853526de044ac59338d32d7a0e10">the Pentagon policy measure in recent years</a>&nbsp;has become a battleground for cultural issues. Republicans this year sought to tack on to the legislation priorities for social conservatives, contributing to a months-long negotiation over the bill and a falloff in support from Democrats.Still, the bill passed comfortably 85-14, sending it to President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>. Eleven senators who caucus with Democrats, as well as three Republicans, voted against the legislation. Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted with the majority.The bill "isn't perfect, but it still includes some very good things that Democrats fought for,” said Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Chuck Schumer</a>, D-N.Y., in a floor speech. “It has strong provisions to stand up against the Chinese Communist Party here on a national security basis.”In the House, a majority of Democrats voted against the bill last week after House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;insisted on adding the provision to ban the military health system from providing transgender medical care for children. The legislation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-pay-raise-transgender-care-defense-bill-53c929ef534d906f721426f41b23a53c">easily passed by a vote</a>&nbsp;of 281-140.Senate Republican leaders argued that its 1% increase for defense spending was not enough, especially at a time of global unrest and challenges to American dominance. Senate Republicans had argued for a generational boost to defense spending this year, but are planning another push for more defense funding once they control the White House and Congress next year.“We are currently experiencing the most dangerous national security moments since World War II,” said Republican Sen. Roger Wicker, who will chair the Senate Armed Services Committee next year. He has pushed for larger boosts to defense funding that would break spending caps that were agreed to in the bipartisan deal to suspend the nation's debt ceiling last year.The annual defense authorization bill directs key Pentagon policy, but it would still need to be backed up with an appropriations package.Senate Republican leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mitch-mcconnell">Mitch McConnell</a>&nbsp;of Kentucky said in a floor speech this week that without the topline increase “major bill provisions like a pay raise for enlisted servicemembers will come at the expense of investments in the critical weapons systems and munitions that deter conflict and keep them safe.”The legislation provides for a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others. Lawmakers said those were key to improving the quality of life of service members at a time when many military families rely on food banks and other government assistance programs to make ends meet.“It includes major quality of life improvements, enhancing things like childcare, housing, medical services, employment support for military spouses and much more,” said Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jack-reed">Jack Reed</a>, D-R.I., who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee.The legislation also directs resources towards a more confrontational approach to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-military-taiwan-corruption-defense-9c1f0e145a250f2b8bd7f6f3dd4b7083">China</a>, including establishing a fund that could be used to send military resources to Taiwan in much the same way that the U.S. has backed Ukraine. It also invests in new military technologies, including artificial intelligence, and bolsters the U.S. production of ammunition.The U.S. has also moved in recent years to ban the military from purchasing Chinese products, and the defense bill extended that with prohibitions on Chinese goods from garlic in military commissaries to drone technology.The Chinese foreign ministry responded to that move last week by calling the bans laughable.“I don’t think it could ever occur to garlic that it would pose a ‘major threat’ to the U.S.,” said Mao Ning, a ministry spokeswoman. “From drones to cranes, from refrigerators to garlic, more and more Chinese-made products have been accused by the US of ‘posing national security risks’. But has the US shown any reliable evidence or rationale to back up those accusations?”But in Congress, Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been mostly united in their stance that China is a rising threat. Instead, it was culture war issues that divided lawmakers on the bill, which took months to negotiate.The Republican-controlled House had passed a version of the bill in June that would have banned the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pentagon-tuberville-military-access-aee3557cd6bf6cb6a72852a10c4563e1"></a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-lloyd-austin-government-and-politics-dc6a0317775596ffc7945acc79b7559e">Defense Department's policy</a>&nbsp;of reimbursing costs for service members who travel to another state for an abortion, ended gender affirming care for transgender troops and weeded out diversity initiatives in the military.Most of those provisions did not make it into the final package, though Republicans are expecting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pete-hegseth-defense-pentagon-transition-74d056e44c3cd14a1a9ae97704cda53e">Donald Trump to make sweeping</a>&nbsp;changes to Pentagon policy when he enters office in January.The bill also still prohibits funding for teaching&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-critical-race-theory-08f5d0a0489c7d6eab7d9a238365d2c1">critical race theory</a>&nbsp;in the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatment for children under 18 if that treatment could result in “sterilization.”Mike Zamore, the director of policy and government affairs at the American Civil Liberties Union, urged Biden to veto the bill, saying it was “forcing thousands of active-duty service members to choose between their careers in the military and the future of their transgender children.”In a floor speech, Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tammy-baldwin">Tammy Baldwin</a>, D-Wis., said she has always voted for the NDAA, but would not do so this year. She said that the policy change for transgender children would affect between 6,000 and 7,000 families, according to estimates her office has received.“The NDAA has embodied the idea that there is more that brings us together than separates us, that our service members and national defense are not to be politicized. That we put our country over a party when the chips are on the table," she said. “Unfortunately, this year that was ignored — all to gut the rights of our service members to get the health care they need for their children.”___Associated Press writer Didi Tang contributed to this report.

Moran, Marshall vote yes: Senate sends $895 billion defense bill to Biden

TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Agriculture has identified highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in two game bird operations — one in Rooks County and one in Doniphan County, according to a media release from the agency.

 These mark the first commercial operations with HPAI in Kansas since early spring of 2024, although the virus has been confirmed this fall in wild birds across the state and some backyard flocks.

KDA is working with the operations with assistance from local officials to respond at the affected premises. Those premises have been placed under quarantine and the birds will be humanely depopulated and disposed of in an approved manner to prevent the spread of the disease.

In addition, KDA will be establishing a surveillance zone around the infected premises, and other farms or properties with poultry that fall within that zone will not be allowed to move birds or poultry products on or off their property without permission from KDA. The animal health team is working to locate all poultry owners in the area to ensure they know the symptoms of HPAI and are taking critical steps to protect their birds. If you own poultry and live in Doniphan or Rooks counties, please contact KDA at 833-765-2006 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:KDA.HPAI@ks.gov">KDA.HPAI@ks.gov</a>. You can also self-report your birds at&nbsp;<a href="https://fs22.formsite.com/KansasDeptAg/zlb9fcr9oc/index.html">https://fs22.formsite.com/KansasDeptAg/zlb9fcr9oc/index.html</a>.

KDA has been reminding poultry owners of the increased risk of HPAI as a result of the fall migration season. Testing continues to reinforce that migratory wild birds, particularly waterfowl, are the primary source of the spread of HPAI, so a critical part of protecting your flock is to establish separation between your domestic birds and wild birds as they migrate through your region. Anyone involved with poultry production from the small backyard chicken owner to the large commercial producer should review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds. Find guidance on biosecurity on the KDA Division of Animal Health webpage at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.agriculture.ks.gov/AvianInfluenza">agriculture.ks.gov/AvianInfluenza</a>.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza is a contagious viral disease that can infect chickens, turkeys and other birds and can cause severe illness and/or sudden death in infected birds. Poultry owners should attentively monitor your birds for symptoms of HPAI which include: coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, and other signs of respiratory distress; lack of energy and appetite; decreased water consumption; decreased egg production and/or soft-shelled, misshapen eggs; incoordination; and diarrhea. Avian influenza can also cause sudden death in birds even if they aren’t showing other symptoms.

If these symptoms are observed in your birds, immediately contact your veterinarian. If you don’t have a regular veterinarian, contact KDA’s Division of Animal Health office toll-free at 833-765-2006.&nbsp;

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent HPAI detections&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agriculture.ks.gov/?splash=https%3a%2f%2fgcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com%2f%3furl%3dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.cdc.gov%252Fflu%252Favianflu%252Fspotlights%252F2021-2022%252Fbird-flu-poses-low-risk-public.htm%26data%3d04%257C01%257CHeather.Lansdowne%2540ks.gov%257Cdcfca033eb9449ca399708da038ec6b5%257Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%257C0%257C0%257C637826209006215717%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C3000%26sdata%3dc7SUuX%252BX44iSBrUj1crcW5Ao0hsggmJrjVpe1bf1Lk0%253D%26reserved%3d0&amp;____isexternal=true">do not present an immediate public health concern</a>&nbsp;or a food safety concern.&nbsp; As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of all poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165˚F is recommended as a general food safety precaution.

For more information about HPAI, including more information about biosecurity for your flock, go to KDA’s avian influenza webpage at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agriculture.ks.gov/AvianInfluenza">agriculture.ks.gov/AvianInfluenza</a>&nbsp;or call KDA at 833-765-2006.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733747978622.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Agriculture has identified highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in two game bird operations — one in Rooks County and one in Doniphan County, according to a media release from the agency. These mark the first commercial operations with HPAI in Kansas since early spring of 2024, although the virus has been confirmed this fall in wild birds across the state and some backyard flocks.KDA is working with the operations with assistance from local officials to respond at the affected premises. Those premises have been placed under quarantine and the birds will be humanely depopulated and disposed of in an approved manner to prevent the spread of the disease.In addition, KDA will be establishing a surveillance zone around the infected premises, and other farms or properties with poultry that fall within that zone will not be allowed to move birds or poultry products on or off their property without permission from KDA. The animal health team is working to locate all poultry owners in the area to ensure they know the symptoms of HPAI and are taking critical steps to protect their birds. If you own poultry and live in Doniphan or Rooks counties, please contact KDA at 833-765-2006 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:KDA.HPAI@ks.gov">KDA.HPAI@ks.gov</a>. You can also self-report your birds at&nbsp;<a href="https://fs22.formsite.com/KansasDeptAg/zlb9fcr9oc/index.html">https://fs22.formsite.com/KansasDeptAg/zlb9fcr9oc/index.html</a>.KDA has been reminding poultry owners of the increased risk of HPAI as a result of the fall migration season. Testing continues to reinforce that migratory wild birds, particularly waterfowl, are the primary source of the spread of HPAI, so a critical part of protecting your flock is to establish separation between your domestic birds and wild birds as they migrate through your region. Anyone involved with poultry production from the small backyard chicken owner to the large commercial producer should review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds. Find guidance on biosecurity on the KDA Division of Animal Health webpage at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.agriculture.ks.gov/AvianInfluenza">agriculture.ks.gov/AvianInfluenza</a>.Highly pathogenic avian influenza is a contagious viral disease that can infect chickens, turkeys and other birds and can cause severe illness and/or sudden death in infected birds. Poultry owners should attentively monitor your birds for symptoms of HPAI which include: coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, and other signs of respiratory distress; lack of energy and appetite; decreased water consumption; decreased egg production and/or soft-shelled, misshapen eggs; incoordination; and diarrhea. Avian influenza can also cause sudden death in birds even if they aren’t showing other symptoms.If these symptoms are observed in your birds, immediately contact your veterinarian. If you don’t have a regular veterinarian, contact KDA’s Division of Animal Health office toll-free at 833-765-2006.&nbsp;According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent HPAI detections&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agriculture.ks.gov/?splash=https%3a%2f%2fgcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com%2f%3furl%3dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.cdc.gov%252Fflu%252Favianflu%252Fspotlights%252F2021-2022%252Fbird-flu-poses-low-risk-public.htm%26data%3d04%257C01%257CHeather.Lansdowne%2540ks.gov%257Cdcfca033eb9449ca399708da038ec6b5%257Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%257C0%257C0%257C637826209006215717%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C3000%26sdata%3dc7SUuX%252BX44iSBrUj1crcW5Ao0hsggmJrjVpe1bf1Lk0%253D%26reserved%3d0&amp;____isexternal=true">do not present an immediate public health concern</a>&nbsp;or a food safety concern.&nbsp; As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of all poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165˚F is recommended as a general food safety precaution.For more information about HPAI, including more information about biosecurity for your flock, go to KDA’s avian influenza webpage at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agriculture.ks.gov/AvianInfluenza">agriculture.ks.gov/AvianInfluenza</a>&nbsp;or call KDA at 833-765-2006.

Bird flu found in two more counties in Kansas

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks tumbled to one of their worst days of the year after the Federal Reserve hinted Wednesday it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-loan-rates-economy-prices-7474747d890c0fdcc87454fd4c80aaa4">may deliver fewer shots of adrenaline</a>&nbsp;for the U.S. economy in 2025 than earlier thought.

The S&amp;P 500 fell 2.9%, just shy of its biggest loss for the year from the summer, to pull further from its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-jobs-china-bitcoin-f066b9725ca1eaf8de1fa700555920e4">all-time high</a>&nbsp;set a couple weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1,123 points, or 2.6%, and the Nasdaq composite dropped 3.6%.

The Fed said Wednesday it’s cutting its main interest rate for a third time this year, continuing the sharp turnaround begun in September when it started&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/interest-rates-inflation-prices-federal-reserve-economy-0283bc6f92e9f9920094b78d821df227">lowering rates</a>&nbsp;from a two-decade high to support the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-economy-inflation-unemployment-federal-reserve-bb2c2cf596ffe8b080c45e98cdaeebc4">job market</a>. That cut, though, was widely expected.

The bigger question centers on how much more the Fed will cut next year. A lot is riding on it, particularly after expectations for a series of cuts in 2025 helped the U.S. stock market set an all-time high at least 57 times in 2024.

Fed officials released projections on Wednesday showing the median expectation among them is for two more cuts to the federal funds rate in 2025, or half a percentage point’s worth. That’s down from the four cuts expected just three months ago.

“We are in a new phase of the process,” Fed Chair Jerome Powell said after the central bank quickly eased its main interest rate since September by a full percentage point to a range of 4.25% to 4.50%.

Asked why Fed officials are looking to slow their cuts, Powell pointed to how the job market looks to be performing well overall and how recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-223c3a826318d142e283839f9d8581a2">inflation</a>&nbsp;readings have picked up. He also cited uncertainties that will require policy makers to react to upcoming, to-be-determined changes in the economy.

While lower rates can offer a boost to the economy by making it cheaper to borrow and boosting prices for investments, they can also offer more fuel for inflation.

Powell said some Fed officials, but not all, are also already trying to incorporate uncertainties inherent in a new administration coming into the White House. Worries are rising on Wall Street that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President-elect Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;preference for tariffs and other policies could further juice inflation, along with economic growth.

“When the path is uncertain, you go a little slower,” Powell said. It’s “not unlike driving on a foggy night or walking into a dark room full of furniture. You just slow down.”

One official, Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack, thought the central bank should not have even cut rates this time around. She was the lone vote against Wednesday’s rate cut.

The reduced expectations for 2025 rate cuts sent Treasury yields rising in the bond market, squeezing the stock market.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.50% from 4.40% late Tuesday, which is a notable move for the bond market. The two-year yield, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed action, climbed to 4.35% from 4.25%.

On Wall Street, stocks of companies that can feel the most pressure from higher interest rates fell to some of the worst losses.

Stocks of smaller companies did poorly, for example. Many need to borrow to fuel their growth, meaning they can feel more pain when having to pay higher interest rates for loans. The Russell 2000 index of small-cap stocks tumbled 4.4%.

Elsewhere on Wall Street, General Mills dropped 3.1% despite reporting a stronger profit for the latest quarter than expected. The maker of Progresso soups and Cheerios said it will increase its investments in brands to help them grow, which pushed it to cut its forecast for profit this fiscal year.

Nvidia, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-market-value-stock-price-revenue-chips-fe1d0d081191d5168332bf1c9ea3b85f">superstar</a>&nbsp;responsible for a chunk of Wall Street’s rally to records in recent years, fell 1.1% to extend its weekslong funk. It has dropped more than 13% from its record set last month and fallen in nine of the last 10 days as its big momentum slows.

On the winning end of Wall Street, Jabil jumped 7.3% to help lead the market after reporting stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The electronics company also raised its forecast for revenue for its full fiscal year.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 178.45 points to 5,872.16. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1,123.03 to 42,326.87, and the Nasdaq composite skidded 716.37 to 19,392.69.

In stock markets abroad, London’s FTSE 100 edged up by less than 0.1% after data showed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/britain-economy-inflation-interest-rates-05d118699b71950480206efd92e112a8">inflation accelerated to 2.6%</a>&nbsp;in November, its highest level in eight months. The Bank of England is also meeting on interest rates this week and will announce its decision on Thursday.

In Japan, where the Bank of Japan will wrap up its own policy meeting on Friday, the Nikkei 225 slipped 0.7%. That was despite a 23.7% jump for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-nissan-honda-merger-evs-56199be5bf5b99b0c739acfb1a9244dd">Nissan Motor Corp.,</a>&nbsp;which said it was in talks on closer collaboration with Honda Motor Co., though no decision had been made on a possible merger. Honda Motor’s stock lost 3%.

Nissan, Honda and Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors Corp. agreed in August to share components for electric vehicles like batteries and to jointly research software for autonomous driving to adapt better to dramatic changes in the auto industry.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate Wednesday by a quarter-point — its third cut this year — but also signaled that it expects to reduce rates more slowly next year than it previously envisioned, largely because of still-elevated inflation.

The Fed’s 19 policymakers projected that they will cut their benchmark rate by a quarter-point just twice in 2025, down from their estimate in September of four rate cuts. Their new projections suggest that consumers may not enjoy much lower rates next year for mortgages, auto loans, credit cards and other forms of borrowing.

Fed officials have underscored that they are slowing their rate reductions as their benchmark rate nears a level that policymakers refer to as “neutral” — the level that is thought to neither spur nor hinder the economy. Wednesday's projections suggest that the policymakers may think they are not very far from that level. Their benchmark rate stands at 4.3% after Wednesday’s move, which followed a steep half-point reduction in September and a quarter-point cut last month.

“I think that a slower pace of (rate) cuts really reflects both the higher inflation readings we’ve had this year and the expectations that inflation will be higher" in 2025, Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference. "We’re closer to the neutral rate, which is another reason to be cautious about further moves.”

“Nonetheless,” Powell said, "we see ourselves as still on track to cut.”

This year’s Fed rate reductions have marked a reversal after more than two years of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-jackson-wyoming-economy-prices-2158fcfcb5ef0073a4dfb00f791f59bc">high rates</a>, which largely helped tame inflation but also made borrowing painfully expensive for American consumers.

But now, the Fed is facing a variety of challenges as it seeks to complete a “soft landing” for the economy, whereby high rates manage to curb inflation without causing a recession. Chief among them is that inflation remains sticky: According to the Fed’s preferred gauge, annual “core” inflation, which excludes the most volatile categories, was 2.8% in October. That is still persistently above the central bank’s 2% target.

At the same time, the economy is growing briskly, which suggests that higher rates haven’t much restrained the economy. As a result, some economists — and some Fed officials — have argued that borrowing rates shouldn’t be reduced much more for fear of overheating the economy and re-igniting inflation. On the other hand, the pace of hiring has cooled significantly since 2024 began, a potential worry because one of the Fed’s mandates is to achieve maximum employment.

“We don’t think we need further cooling in the labor market to get inflation below 2%,” Powell said at his news conference.

The unemployment rate, while still low at 4.2%, has risen nearly a full percentage point in the past two years. Concern over rising unemployment contributed to the Fed’s decision in September to cut its key rate by a larger-than-usual half point.

On top of that, President-elect Donald Trump has proposed a range of tax cuts — on Social Security benefits, tipped income and overtime income — as well as a scaling-back of regulations. Collectively, these moves could stimulate growth. At the same time, Trump has threatened to impose a variety of tariffs and to seek mass deportations of migrants, which could accelerate inflation.

Powell and other Fed officials have said they won’t be able to assess how Trump’s policies might affect the economy or their own rate decisions until more details are made available and it becomes clearer how likely it is that the president-elect’s proposals will actually be enacted. Until then, the outcome of the presidential election has mostly heightened the uncertainty surrounding the economy.

“I’ve got the least amount of conviction about what will happen with the economy over the next 12 months than I’ve had in years,” said Subadra Rajappa, head of U.S. rates strategy at Societe Generale. “This is going to be a work in progress as things evolve.”

Such uncertainty was underscored by the quarterly economic projections the Fed issued Wednesday. The policymakers now expect overall inflation, as measured by their preferred gauge, to rise slightly from 2.3% now to 2.5% by the end of 2025. Inflation by their measure is now far below its peak of 7.2% in June 2022. Even so, the prospect of slightly higher inflation makes it harder for the Fed to reduce borrowing costs because high interest rates are its principal weapon against inflation.

The officials also expect the unemployment rate to inch up by the end of next year, from 4.2% now to a still-low 4.3%. That slight increase might not be enough, by itself, to justify many more rate cuts.

Most other central banks around the world are also cutting their benchmark rates. Last week, the European Central Bank&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-economy-interest-rates-trump-tariffs-e1a234e129e1263bfb0defaa2fe0e7ee">lowered its key rate</a>&nbsp;for the fourth time this year to 3% from 3.25%, as inflation in the 20 countries that use the euro has fallen to 2.3% from a peak of 10.6% in late 2022. The Bank of Canada also cut its rate by a quarter-point last week, as did the Bank of England&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/britain-interest-rates-inflation-budget-economy-trump-fe403194312288214f583e3444e08516">last month</a>.

Beth Hammack, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, dissented from Wednesday’s Fed decision because she preferred to keep rates unchanged. It was the first dissent by a Fed committee member since September.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks tumbled to one of their worst days of the year after the Federal Reserve hinted Wednesday it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-loan-rates-economy-prices-7474747d890c0fdcc87454fd4c80aaa4">may deliver fewer shots of adrenaline</a>&nbsp;for the U.S. economy in 2025 than earlier thought.The S&amp;P 500 fell 2.9%, just shy of its biggest loss for the year from the summer, to pull further from its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-jobs-china-bitcoin-f066b9725ca1eaf8de1fa700555920e4">all-time high</a>&nbsp;set a couple weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1,123 points, or 2.6%, and the Nasdaq composite dropped 3.6%.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Fed Chair Powell announces the Fed has cut interest rates by .25%, down to 4.25%. This was the third interest rate cut for the year. Full video here: <a href="https://t.co/rffH2EsIo4">https://t.co/rffH2EsIo4</a> <a href="https://t.co/2kJCiFjQhI">pic.twitter.com/2kJCiFjQhI</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1869476913518927924?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Fed said Wednesday it’s cutting its main interest rate for a third time this year, continuing the sharp turnaround begun in September when it started&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/interest-rates-inflation-prices-federal-reserve-economy-0283bc6f92e9f9920094b78d821df227">lowering rates</a>&nbsp;from a two-decade high to support the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-economy-inflation-unemployment-federal-reserve-bb2c2cf596ffe8b080c45e98cdaeebc4">job market</a>. That cut, though, was widely expected.The bigger question centers on how much more the Fed will cut next year. A lot is riding on it, particularly after expectations for a series of cuts in 2025 helped the U.S. stock market set an all-time high at least 57 times in 2024.Fed officials released projections on Wednesday showing the median expectation among them is for two more cuts to the federal funds rate in 2025, or half a percentage point’s worth. That’s down from the four cuts expected just three months ago.“We are in a new phase of the process,” Fed Chair Jerome Powell said after the central bank quickly eased its main interest rate since September by a full percentage point to a range of 4.25% to 4.50%.Asked why Fed officials are looking to slow their cuts, Powell pointed to how the job market looks to be performing well overall and how recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-223c3a826318d142e283839f9d8581a2">inflation</a>&nbsp;readings have picked up. He also cited uncertainties that will require policy makers to react to upcoming, to-be-determined changes in the economy.While lower rates can offer a boost to the economy by making it cheaper to borrow and boosting prices for investments, they can also offer more fuel for inflation.Powell said some Fed officials, but not all, are also already trying to incorporate uncertainties inherent in a new administration coming into the White House. Worries are rising on Wall Street that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President-elect Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;preference for tariffs and other policies could further juice inflation, along with economic growth.“When the path is uncertain, you go a little slower,” Powell said. It’s “not unlike driving on a foggy night or walking into a dark room full of furniture. You just slow down.”One official, Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack, thought the central bank should not have even cut rates this time around. She was the lone vote against Wednesday’s rate cut.The reduced expectations for 2025 rate cuts sent Treasury yields rising in the bond market, squeezing the stock market.The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.50% from 4.40% late Tuesday, which is a notable move for the bond market. The two-year yield, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed action, climbed to 4.35% from 4.25%.On Wall Street, stocks of companies that can feel the most pressure from higher interest rates fell to some of the worst losses.Stocks of smaller companies did poorly, for example. Many need to borrow to fuel their growth, meaning they can feel more pain when having to pay higher interest rates for loans. The Russell 2000 index of small-cap stocks tumbled 4.4%.Elsewhere on Wall Street, General Mills dropped 3.1% despite reporting a stronger profit for the latest quarter than expected. The maker of Progresso soups and Cheerios said it will increase its investments in brands to help them grow, which pushed it to cut its forecast for profit this fiscal year.Nvidia, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-market-value-stock-price-revenue-chips-fe1d0d081191d5168332bf1c9ea3b85f">superstar</a>&nbsp;responsible for a chunk of Wall Street’s rally to records in recent years, fell 1.1% to extend its weekslong funk. It has dropped more than 13% from its record set last month and fallen in nine of the last 10 days as its big momentum slows.On the winning end of Wall Street, Jabil jumped 7.3% to help lead the market after reporting stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The electronics company also raised its forecast for revenue for its full fiscal year.All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 178.45 points to 5,872.16. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1,123.03 to 42,326.87, and the Nasdaq composite skidded 716.37 to 19,392.69.In stock markets abroad, London’s FTSE 100 edged up by less than 0.1% after data showed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/britain-economy-inflation-interest-rates-05d118699b71950480206efd92e112a8">inflation accelerated to 2.6%</a>&nbsp;in November, its highest level in eight months. The Bank of England is also meeting on interest rates this week and will announce its decision on Thursday.In Japan, where the Bank of Japan will wrap up its own policy meeting on Friday, the Nikkei 225 slipped 0.7%. That was despite a 23.7% jump for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-nissan-honda-merger-evs-56199be5bf5b99b0c739acfb1a9244dd">Nissan Motor Corp.,</a>&nbsp;which said it was in talks on closer collaboration with Honda Motor Co., though no decision had been made on a possible merger. Honda Motor’s stock lost 3%.Nissan, Honda and Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors Corp. agreed in August to share components for electric vehicles like batteries and to jointly research software for autonomous driving to adapt better to dramatic changes in the auto industry.--------------WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate Wednesday by a quarter-point — its third cut this year — but also signaled that it expects to reduce rates more slowly next year than it previously envisioned, largely because of still-elevated inflation.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fed Chair Powell announces the Fed has cut interest rates by .25%, down to 4.25%. This was the third interest rate cut for the year. Full video here: <a href="https://t.co/rffH2EsIo4">https://t.co/rffH2EsIo4</a> <a href="https://t.co/2kJCiFjQhI">pic.twitter.com/2kJCiFjQhI</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1869476913518927924?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Fed’s 19 policymakers projected that they will cut their benchmark rate by a quarter-point just twice in 2025, down from their estimate in September of four rate cuts. Their new projections suggest that consumers may not enjoy much lower rates next year for mortgages, auto loans, credit cards and other forms of borrowing.Fed officials have underscored that they are slowing their rate reductions as their benchmark rate nears a level that policymakers refer to as “neutral” — the level that is thought to neither spur nor hinder the economy. Wednesday's projections suggest that the policymakers may think they are not very far from that level. Their benchmark rate stands at 4.3% after Wednesday’s move, which followed a steep half-point reduction in September and a quarter-point cut last month.“I think that a slower pace of (rate) cuts really reflects both the higher inflation readings we’ve had this year and the expectations that inflation will be higher" in 2025, Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference. "We’re closer to the neutral rate, which is another reason to be cautious about further moves.”“Nonetheless,” Powell said, "we see ourselves as still on track to cut.”This year’s Fed rate reductions have marked a reversal after more than two years of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-jackson-wyoming-economy-prices-2158fcfcb5ef0073a4dfb00f791f59bc">high rates</a>, which largely helped tame inflation but also made borrowing painfully expensive for American consumers.But now, the Fed is facing a variety of challenges as it seeks to complete a “soft landing” for the economy, whereby high rates manage to curb inflation without causing a recession. Chief among them is that inflation remains sticky: According to the Fed’s preferred gauge, annual “core” inflation, which excludes the most volatile categories, was 2.8% in October. That is still persistently above the central bank’s 2% target.At the same time, the economy is growing briskly, which suggests that higher rates haven’t much restrained the economy. As a result, some economists — and some Fed officials — have argued that borrowing rates shouldn’t be reduced much more for fear of overheating the economy and re-igniting inflation. On the other hand, the pace of hiring has cooled significantly since 2024 began, a potential worry because one of the Fed’s mandates is to achieve maximum employment.“We don’t think we need further cooling in the labor market to get inflation below 2%,” Powell said at his news conference.The unemployment rate, while still low at 4.2%, has risen nearly a full percentage point in the past two years. Concern over rising unemployment contributed to the Fed’s decision in September to cut its key rate by a larger-than-usual half point.On top of that, President-elect Donald Trump has proposed a range of tax cuts — on Social Security benefits, tipped income and overtime income — as well as a scaling-back of regulations. Collectively, these moves could stimulate growth. At the same time, Trump has threatened to impose a variety of tariffs and to seek mass deportations of migrants, which could accelerate inflation.Powell and other Fed officials have said they won’t be able to assess how Trump’s policies might affect the economy or their own rate decisions until more details are made available and it becomes clearer how likely it is that the president-elect’s proposals will actually be enacted. Until then, the outcome of the presidential election has mostly heightened the uncertainty surrounding the economy.“I’ve got the least amount of conviction about what will happen with the economy over the next 12 months than I’ve had in years,” said Subadra Rajappa, head of U.S. rates strategy at Societe Generale. “This is going to be a work in progress as things evolve.”Such uncertainty was underscored by the quarterly economic projections the Fed issued Wednesday. The policymakers now expect overall inflation, as measured by their preferred gauge, to rise slightly from 2.3% now to 2.5% by the end of 2025. Inflation by their measure is now far below its peak of 7.2% in June 2022. Even so, the prospect of slightly higher inflation makes it harder for the Fed to reduce borrowing costs because high interest rates are its principal weapon against inflation.The officials also expect the unemployment rate to inch up by the end of next year, from 4.2% now to a still-low 4.3%. That slight increase might not be enough, by itself, to justify many more rate cuts.Most other central banks around the world are also cutting their benchmark rates. Last week, the European Central Bank&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-economy-interest-rates-trump-tariffs-e1a234e129e1263bfb0defaa2fe0e7ee">lowered its key rate</a>&nbsp;for the fourth time this year to 3% from 3.25%, as inflation in the 20 countries that use the euro has fallen to 2.3% from a peak of 10.6% in late 2022. The Bank of Canada also cut its rate by a quarter-point last week, as did the Bank of England&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/britain-interest-rates-inflation-budget-economy-trump-fe403194312288214f583e3444e08516">last month</a>.Beth Hammack, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, dissented from Wednesday’s Fed decision because she preferred to keep rates unchanged. It was the first dissent by a Fed committee member since September.

🎥US stocks: 2nd-worst drop of the year after bad news on interest rates

GRAHAM COUNTY —Law enforcement investigated an alleged school threat in Hill City.

On Tuesday, the Hill City Police department learned of an alleged threat of violence made to the school, according to a media release from the police department.

Police contacted the subject and after investigating determined the threat was not credible.

As a precaution, officers were in the area of the school on Wednesday. Officers saw the subject walking in the area of the school property and made contact.&nbsp; The subject complied with officers. Police found no weapons or illegal items on the subject. The subject also agreed to let police search their residence.&nbsp; Officers searched the residence and did not locate any weapons, illegal items or any other harmful items. "There is no threat to public safety or to the school."

GRAHAM COUNTY —Law enforcement investigated an alleged school threat in Hill City.On Tuesday, the Hill City Police department learned of an alleged threat of violence made to the school, according to a media release from the police department.Police contacted the subject and after investigating determined the threat was not credible.As a precaution, officers were in the area of the school on Wednesday. Officers saw the subject walking in the area of the school property and made contact.&nbsp; The subject complied with officers. Police found no weapons or illegal items on the subject. The subject also agreed to let police search their residence.&nbsp; Officers searched the residence and did not locate any weapons, illegal items or any other harmful items. "There is no threat to public safety or to the school."

Police investigate alleged school threat in NW Kansas

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/robinopsahl/">ROBIN OPSAHL</a>

President-elect Donald Trump is suing The Des Moines Register and pollster J. Ann Selzer for publishing a poll that showed Vice President Kamala Harris leading in Iowa in the days before the 2024 election, claiming the poll amounted to “fraud and election interference.”

The lawsuit, filed in the Polk County District Court Monday, seeks unspecified damages and “accountability for brazen election interference” under the state’s Consumer Fraud Act. The defendants are the Register and its owner, Gannett; Selzer and Selzer &amp; Co.

The lawsuit alleges that the poll, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/iowa-poll/2024/11/02/iowa-poll-kamala-harris-leads-donald-trump-2024-presidential-race/75354033007/" target="_blank">showed Harris leading Trump</a>&nbsp;among likely Iowa voters&nbsp; 47% to 44%, was published three days before the election as an attempt to “create a false narrative of inevitability for Harris in the final week of the 2024 Presidential&nbsp;Election.”

Trump won Iowa with 56% of the vote to Harris’ 43%. The lawsuit alleges that the Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll was not merely an inaccurate poll, but was an intentional move with “corrupt intent” to aid Democrats.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730464867837.png" alt="File photo from CSPAN video" />
 <figcaption>File photo from CSPAN video</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/robinopsahl/">ROBIN OPSAHL</a>President-elect Donald Trump is suing The Des Moines Register and pollster J. Ann Selzer for publishing a poll that showed Vice President Kamala Harris leading in Iowa in the days before the 2024 election, claiming the poll amounted to “fraud and election interference.”The lawsuit, filed in the Polk County District Court Monday, seeks unspecified damages and “accountability for brazen election interference” under the state’s Consumer Fraud Act. The defendants are the Register and its owner, Gannett; Selzer and Selzer &amp; Co.The lawsuit alleges that the poll, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/iowa-poll/2024/11/02/iowa-poll-kamala-harris-leads-donald-trump-2024-presidential-race/75354033007/" target="_blank">showed Harris leading Trump</a>&nbsp;among likely Iowa voters&nbsp; 47% to 44%, was published three days before the election as an attempt to “create a false narrative of inevitability for Harris in the final week of the 2024 Presidential&nbsp;Election.”Trump won Iowa with 56% of the vote to Harris’ 43%. The lawsuit alleges that the Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll was not merely an inaccurate poll, but was an intentional move with “corrupt intent” to aid Democrats.“Selzer — who had prided herself on a mainstream reputation for accuracy&nbsp;despite several far less publicized egregious polling misses in favor of Democrats — …&nbsp;would have the public believe it was merely a coincidence that one of the worst polling&nbsp;misses of her career came just days before the most consequential election in memory, was leaked,&nbsp;and&nbsp;happened to go against the Republican candidate,” the lawsuit states. “The Harris Poll was no ‘miss’ but rather an&nbsp;attempt to influence the outcome of the 2024 Presidential Election.”Trump said<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/12/16/dc/trump-at-press-conference-backs-polio-vaccine-but-wont-commit-to-others-attacks-media/" target="_blank">&nbsp;during a Monday news conference</a>&nbsp;that he was filing a lawsuit because he felt he had “an obligation to.”“I’m going to be bringing one against the people in Iowa, their newspaper, which had a very, very good pollster who got me right all the time, and then just before the election, she said I was going to lose by 3 or 4 points,” Trump said.The president-elect also said he would likely file lawsuits against the news show “60 Minutes” as well as the Pulitzer Prize organization for giving awards to the New York Times and the Washington Post.Selzer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/2024/11/17/ann-selzer-conducts-iowa-poll-ending-election-polling-moving-to-other-opportunities/76334909007/" target="_blank">announced shortly after the election</a>&nbsp;that she would be retiring from election polling. In an<a href="https://www.iowapbs.org/shows/iowapress/iowa-press/episode/11885/j-ann-selzer" target="_blank">“Iowa Press”</a>&nbsp;interview in aired Dec. 13, Selzer denied allegations of election interference or of intentionally releasing inaccurate results.“They’re saying that this was election interference, which is a crime,” Selzer said. “So, the idea that I intentionally set up to deliver this response, when I’ve never done that before, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to do it, it’s not my ethic. But to suggest without a single shred of evidence that I was in cahoots with somebody, I was being paid by somebody, it’s all just kind of, it’s hard to pay too much attention to it except that they are accusing me of a crime.”Lark-Marie Anton, a spokesperson for The Des Moines Register, also said in a statement that the organization believes the lawsuit is without merit.“We have acknowledged that the Selzer/Des Moines Register pre-election poll did not reflect the ultimate margin of President Trump’s Election Day victory in Iowa by releasing the poll’s full demographics, crosstabs, weighted and unweighted data, as well as a technical explanation from pollster Ann Selzer,” Anton said. “We stand by our reporting on the matter and believe this lawsuit is without merit.”This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/12/17/trump-sues-des-moines-register-pollster-over-preelection-iowa-poll/" target="_blank">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, a States Newsroom affiliate.&nbsp;