BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Black Hills Energy Corp. announced it will merge with NorthWestern Energy Group, pending regulatory approval.

Black Hills offers natural gas services in Kansas, primarily in the southwest and south-central part of the state. It is regulated by the Kansas Corporation Commission.

Company leaders said in a joint investor call this week that merger approval is needed in the three states in which both companies currently operate, Montana, Nebraska and South Dakota, and possibly in Arkansas.

The all-stock transaction is expected to close in 12 to 15 months.

In the agreement, NorthWestern shareholders will receive a fixed exchange ratio of 0.98 shares of Black Hills for each share of NorthWestern they own at the close of the transaction, a press release said.

Black Hills shareholders will continue to hold the same number of shares of the combined company that they hold of Black Hills immediately before the closing of the transaction, the press release said. Once the merger is completed, Black Hills shareholders will own approximately 56% and NorthWestern shareholders will own approximately 44% of the combined company.

In an investor call, Black Hills CEO Linn Evans said the merger strengthens both companies, which have been operating in the same areas for the past 20 years.

“We’ve talked about potentially combining these two companies, and given the organic growth opportunities we have before us and the impact on customer affordability, the benefits of scale,&nbsp;we would argue, have never been more relevant, and merging our businesses now has never made more sense,” Evans said.

Upon closing, the company will have a new name and trade under a new stock ticker, Evans said. NorthWestern president and CEO Brian Bird will lead the merged company, and Evans said he will retire after the merger concludes.

The company will be headquartered in Rapid City, South Dakota, where Black Hills headquarters are currently located.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755887917194.png" alt=" In its investors report on a planned merger with NorthWestern Energy, Black Corp. explained the territories the two companies cover. (Black Hills Corp. – NorthWestern Energy merger report)" />
 <figcaption> In its investors report on a planned merger with NorthWestern Energy, Black Corp. explained the territories the two companies cover. (Black Hills Corp. – NorthWestern Energy merger report)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Black Hills Energy Corp. announced it will merge with NorthWestern Energy Group, pending regulatory approval.Black Hills offers natural gas services in Kansas, primarily in the southwest and south-central part of the state. It is regulated by the Kansas Corporation Commission.Company leaders said in a joint investor call this week that merger approval is needed in the three states in which both companies currently operate, Montana, Nebraska and South Dakota, and possibly in Arkansas.The all-stock transaction is expected to close in 12 to 15 months.In the agreement, NorthWestern shareholders will receive a fixed exchange ratio of 0.98 shares of Black Hills for each share of NorthWestern they own at the close of the transaction, a press release said.Black Hills shareholders will continue to hold the same number of shares of the combined company that they hold of Black Hills immediately before the closing of the transaction, the press release said. Once the merger is completed, Black Hills shareholders will own approximately 56% and NorthWestern shareholders will own approximately 44% of the combined company.In an investor call, Black Hills CEO Linn Evans said the merger strengthens both companies, which have been operating in the same areas for the past 20 years.“We’ve talked about potentially combining these two companies, and given the organic growth opportunities we have before us and the impact on customer affordability, the benefits of scale,&nbsp;we would argue, have never been more relevant, and merging our businesses now has never made more sense,” Evans said.Upon closing, the company will have a new name and trade under a new stock ticker, Evans said. NorthWestern president and CEO Brian Bird will lead the merged company, and Evans said he will retire after the merger concludes.The company will be headquartered in Rapid City, South Dakota, where Black Hills headquarters are currently located.

Natural gas, electric companies Black Hills, NorthWestern Energy plan merger

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of an apartment fire in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just before 10a.m. Friday crews responded to a reported apartment fire located at Truman Road.and Woodland, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan. Crews reported heavy fire and smoke from two story vacant structure. Interior operations were initiated using multiple handlines.

Searches of the structure came back all clear. There were no injuries reported at this incident. The KCFD has run multiple fires in this vacant complex over the past several months.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755875984440.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of an apartment fire in Kansas City, Missouri.Just before 10a.m. Friday crews responded to a reported apartment fire located at Truman Road.and Woodland, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan. Crews reported heavy fire and smoke from two story vacant structure. Interior operations were initiated using multiple handlines.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755875962708.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Searches of the structure came back all clear. There were no injuries reported at this incident. The KCFD has run multiple fires in this vacant complex over the past several months.

Another fire at the same apartment building in Kansas City

SEDGWICK COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 11:30p.m. Friday in Sedgwick County.&nbsp;

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Harley Davidson driven by Jess J.&nbsp;Chavez, 51, Wichita, was morthbound on Interstate 235 just north of West Street.&nbsp; The motorcycle traveled off&nbsp; the road, entered the median and struck the guardrail. The driver&nbsp; was thrown from the motorcycle into the guardrail and a fence and&nbsp; came to rest in the roadway.&nbsp; The motorcycle continued Northbound riderless, crossing the median and southbound lanes of Interstate 235. It travled through the fence and came to rest on Bolin Drive, west of the Interestate.

Chavez was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the&nbsp;Sedgwick County Forensics Center. He was not wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755948718472.png" alt="KanDrive camera view of first responders near the scene of the crash" />
 <figcaption>KanDrive camera view of first responders near the scene of the crash</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 11:30p.m. Friday in Sedgwick County.&nbsp;The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Harley Davidson driven by Jess J.&nbsp;Chavez, 51, Wichita, was morthbound on Interstate 235 just north of West Street.&nbsp; The motorcycle traveled off&nbsp; the road, entered the median and struck the guardrail. The driver&nbsp; was thrown from the motorcycle into the guardrail and a fence and&nbsp; came to rest in the roadway.&nbsp; The motorcycle continued Northbound riderless, crossing the median and southbound lanes of Interstate 235. It travled through the fence and came to rest on Bolin Drive, west of the Interestate.Chavez was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the&nbsp;Sedgwick County Forensics Center. He was not wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after violent motorcycle crash

TORONTO (AP) — Canada is dropping retaliatory tariffs to match U.S. tariff exemptions for goods covered under the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-exemption-969a4cfb03638ce9d6c0ffad2b98b4b1">United States-Mexico-Canada trade pact,</a>&nbsp;Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Friday.

Carney said Canada will include the carve-out that the U.S. has on Canadian goods under the 2020 free trade deal that shields the vast majority of goods from the punishing duties.

“Canada currently has the best trade deal with the United States. And while it’s different from what we had before, it's still better than that of any other country,” Carney said.

Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke on the phone Thursday, and Carney met with his Cabinet on Friday before making the announcement.

“We had a very good call,” Trump said Friday in the Oval Office. “We are working on something. We want to be very good to Canada. I like Carney a lot. I think he’s a very good person."

“I am fighting for the United States, and Canada and Mexico have taken a lot of our business over the years,” Trump said.

Carney said Trump told him that lifting the tariffs would reset trade negotiations.

The USMCA is up for review in 2026, and Carney called the trade pact a unique advantage for Canada at a time when it is clear that the U.S. is charging for access to its market.

Carney said the commitment of the U.S. to the core of USMCA means that over 85% of Canada-U.S. trade continues to be free of tariffs. He said the U.S. average tariff rate on Canadian goods is 5.6% and remains the lowest among all its trading partners.

Canadian and Mexican companies can claim preferential treatment under the USMCA.

Canada and China are the only countries that have retaliated against Trump in his trade war. Canada imposed 25% tariffs on a long list of American goods in March, including oranges, alcohol, clothing and shoes, motorcycles and cosmetics.

Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau initially put on retaliatory tariffs in response to U.S. tariffs, but before the U.S. tariffs were applied the Trump administration exempted goods covered by the free trade deal.

Most imports from Canada and Mexico are still protected by the USMCA, but U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has said, “I think the president is absolutely going to renegotiate USMCA.”

Preserving the free trade pact will be critical for Canada and Mexico. More than 75% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. while more than 80% of Mexico’s exports go there.

Trump has announced some sector-specific tariffs that do apply for Canada despite the USMCA — known as 232 tariffs — which are having an impact on the Canadian economy. There is a 50% tariff on steel and aluminum imports, for example.

“Canada and the United States have reestablished free trade for the vast majority of our goods," Carney said. “Canada will retain our tariffs on steel, aluminum and autos as we work intensively to resolve the issues there.”

Carney previously rescinded Canada's plan to tax U.S. technology firms after Trump said he was suspending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-prime-minister-carney-trump-c279642998197ecb212f39bf38184388">trade talks with Canada</a>&nbsp;over those plans, which he called “a direct and blatant attack on our country.”

The prime minister disputed any notion that Canada is appeasing Trump, noting that Canada is matching what the U.S. is doing.

“The president and I had a long conversation,” Carney said. “There is a review of the free trade agreement in the spring. We're starting our preparations.”

Lana Payne, president of Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union, characterized Carney's announcement as Canada backing down, and said the country shouldn't back down unless the U.S. drops all punitive tariffs.

“Trump’s attacks on auto, steel, aluminum, and forestry sectors are hurting Canadian workers in real time,” she posted on social media. “Walking back counter-tariffs isn’t an olive branch. It only enables more U.S. aggression.”

TORONTO (AP) — Canada is dropping retaliatory tariffs to match U.S. tariff exemptions for goods covered under the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-exemption-969a4cfb03638ce9d6c0ffad2b98b4b1">United States-Mexico-Canada trade pact,</a>&nbsp;Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Friday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">LIVE: Update on Canada-U.S. trade • EN DIRECT : Mise à jour sur le commerce Canada-États-Unis <a href="https://t.co/gAgEzWJCss">https://t.co/gAgEzWJCss</a>&mdash; Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkJCarney/status/1958924505461792874?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Carney said Canada will include the carve-out that the U.S. has on Canadian goods under the 2020 free trade deal that shields the vast majority of goods from the punishing duties.“Canada currently has the best trade deal with the United States. And while it’s different from what we had before, it's still better than that of any other country,” Carney said.Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke on the phone Thursday, and Carney met with his Cabinet on Friday before making the announcement.“We had a very good call,” Trump said Friday in the Oval Office. “We are working on something. We want to be very good to Canada. I like Carney a lot. I think he’s a very good person."“I am fighting for the United States, and Canada and Mexico have taken a lot of our business over the years,” Trump said.Carney said Trump told him that lifting the tariffs would reset trade negotiations.The USMCA is up for review in 2026, and Carney called the trade pact a unique advantage for Canada at a time when it is clear that the U.S. is charging for access to its market.Carney said the commitment of the U.S. to the core of USMCA means that over 85% of Canada-U.S. trade continues to be free of tariffs. He said the U.S. average tariff rate on Canadian goods is 5.6% and remains the lowest among all its trading partners.Canadian and Mexican companies can claim preferential treatment under the USMCA.Canada and China are the only countries that have retaliated against Trump in his trade war. Canada imposed 25% tariffs on a long list of American goods in March, including oranges, alcohol, clothing and shoes, motorcycles and cosmetics.Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau initially put on retaliatory tariffs in response to U.S. tariffs, but before the U.S. tariffs were applied the Trump administration exempted goods covered by the free trade deal.Most imports from Canada and Mexico are still protected by the USMCA, but U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has said, “I think the president is absolutely going to renegotiate USMCA.”Preserving the free trade pact will be critical for Canada and Mexico. More than 75% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. while more than 80% of Mexico’s exports go there.Trump has announced some sector-specific tariffs that do apply for Canada despite the USMCA — known as 232 tariffs — which are having an impact on the Canadian economy. There is a 50% tariff on steel and aluminum imports, for example.“Canada and the United States have reestablished free trade for the vast majority of our goods," Carney said. “Canada will retain our tariffs on steel, aluminum and autos as we work intensively to resolve the issues there.”Carney previously rescinded Canada's plan to tax U.S. technology firms after Trump said he was suspending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-prime-minister-carney-trump-c279642998197ecb212f39bf38184388">trade talks with Canada</a>&nbsp;over those plans, which he called “a direct and blatant attack on our country.”The prime minister disputed any notion that Canada is appeasing Trump, noting that Canada is matching what the U.S. is doing.“The president and I had a long conversation,” Carney said. “There is a review of the free trade agreement in the spring. We're starting our preparations.”Lana Payne, president of Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union, characterized Carney's announcement as Canada backing down, and said the country shouldn't back down unless the U.S. drops all punitive tariffs.“Trump’s attacks on auto, steel, aluminum, and forestry sectors are hurting Canadian workers in real time,” she posted on social media. “Walking back counter-tariffs isn’t an olive branch. It only enables more U.S. aggression.”

🎥Canada to remove retaliatory tariffs on many U.S. goods

STAFFORD COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 9p.m. Friday in Stafford County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Ford Focus driven by Adam J.&nbsp;Bellendir, 33, Hudson,&nbsp;was eastbound on NE 160th Street fifteen miles northeast of St. John. The car left the roadway to the right and rolled multiple times.

Bellendir was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Bryant Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

STAFFORD COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 9p.m. Friday in Stafford County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Ford Focus driven by Adam J.&nbsp;Bellendir, 33, Hudson,&nbsp;was eastbound on NE 160th Street fifteen miles northeast of St. John. The car left the roadway to the right and rolled multiple times.Bellendir was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Bryant Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies in car rollover accident

SHAWNEE COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) arrested a Topeka man for child sex crimes suspected to have occurred in Kentucky.

Just before 7a.m. on Friday, KBI agents executed a search warrant at a residence at 1932 SW Lane St. in Topeka. During the operation, KBI agents also served an arrest warrant for the resident, Justin R. Bevitt, 41, that was secured following an investigation by the Kentucky State Police, according to a media release from the KBI.

Bevitt was arrested on Kentucky charges of procuring or promoting the use of a minor, unlawful transaction with a minor in the first degree, unlawful transaction with a minor in the second degree, and distribution of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor. The charges allege Bevitt traveled to Kentucky in late July of 2025, and had sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old female.

Bevitt was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. Additional charges against Bevitt are pending in Kansas. Extradition is expected.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755895737870.png" alt="Bevitt photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Bevitt photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) arrested a Topeka man for child sex crimes suspected to have occurred in Kentucky.Just before 7a.m. on Friday, KBI agents executed a search warrant at a residence at 1932 SW Lane St. in Topeka. During the operation, KBI agents also served an arrest warrant for the resident, Justin R. Bevitt, 41, that was secured following an investigation by the Kentucky State Police, according to a media release from the KBI.Bevitt was arrested on Kentucky charges of procuring or promoting the use of a minor, unlawful transaction with a minor in the first degree, unlawful transaction with a minor in the second degree, and distribution of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor. The charges allege Bevitt traveled to Kentucky in late July of 2025, and had sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old female.Bevitt was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. Additional charges against Bevitt are pending in Kansas. Extradition is expected.

KBI: 41-year-old Kan. man met a 15-year-old for sex in Kentucky

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on new allegations after an arrest.

Shortly before 5p.m. on Thursday an officer on patrol observed 44-year-old Richard Burge II walking in the 900 Block of Main Street, according to. Police Chief Mike Wilson 

Burge was taken into custody on requested charges that include four outstanding District Court warrants for failure to appear in court. 

When taken into custody he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755869162621.png" alt="Burge photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Burge photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on new allegations after an arrest.Shortly before 5p.m. on Thursday an officer on patrol observed 44-year-old Richard Burge II walking in the 900 Block of Main Street, according to. Police Chief Mike Wilson Burge was taken into custody on requested charges that include four outstanding District Court warrants for failure to appear in court. When taken into custody he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine.

Kan. man who keeps skipping court is caught with meth

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-justice-department-interview-053ad2ae16f31b9d7300340d5f9349c5">Jeffrey Epstein's imprisoned former girlfriend</a>&nbsp;repeatedly denied to the Justice Department witnessing any sexually inappropriate interactions with Donald Trump, according to records released Friday meant to distance the Republican president from the disgraced financer.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/maxwell-interview">Click here</a> to listen to and or read the transcripts

The Trump administration issued hundreds of pages of transcripts from interviews that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche conducted with Ghislaine Maxwell last month as the administration was scrambling to present itself as transparent amid a fierce backlash&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-justice-department-pam-bondi-03fbcd024f631440f7ed62b3c6927db3">over an earlier refusal to disclose a trove of records from the sex-trafficking case.</a>

The records show Maxwell repeatedly showering Trump with praise and denying under questioning from Blanche that she had observed Trump engaged in any form of sexual behavior. The administration was presumably eager to make such denials public at a time when the president has faced questions about a long-ago friendship with Epstein and as his administration has endured continued scrutiny over its handling of evidence from the case.

The transcript disclosure represents the latest Trump administration effort to repair self-inflicted political wounds after failing to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-conspiracy-theories-bondi-bongino-fbi-a143076353acbc1193cb9697e7fc4a90">deliver on expectations that its own officials had created</a>&nbsp;through conspiracy theories and bold pronouncements that never came to pass. By making public two days worth of interviews, officials appear to be hoping to at least temporarily keep at bay sustained anger from Trump’s base even as they send Congress evidence that they had previously kept from view.

“I actually never saw the President in any type of massage setting,” Maxwell said, according to the transcript. “I never witnessed the President in any inappropriate setting in any way. The President was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects.”

Maxwell recalled knowing about Trump and possibly meeting him for the first time in 1990, when her newspaper magnate father, Robert Maxwell, was the owner of the New York Daily News.

She estimated that she hadn’t seen Trump since the mid-2000s, again in a social setting. Asked if she ever heard Epstein or anyone else say Trump “had done anything inappropriate with masseuses” or anyone else in their orbit, Maxwell replied, “Absolutely never, in any context.”

Maxwell, a onetime socialite who was convicted in 2021 of helping lure teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein, was interviewed over the course of two days last month by Blanche at a Florida courthouse.

Blanche prefaced the interview by saying Maxwell had been given limited immunity, allowing her to speak freely without fear of prosecution for anything she said. The only exceptions, he said, were if she lied or gave statements inconsistent with what she’d previously said.

After her interview,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-justice-department-prison-27d53cd22f8c53d9f2b5012cea32eb5e">Maxwell was moved from the low-security federal prison in Florida</a>&nbsp;where she had been serving a 20-year sentence to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas. Neither her lawyer nor the federal Bureau of Prisons have explained the reason for the move.

The Epstein case had long captured public attention in part because of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-documents-prince-andrew-harvey-weinstein-1e20f426af0c610db7963cdaf85c209f">wealthy financer’s social connections over the years to prominent figures</a>, including Prince Andrew, former President Bill Clinton and Trump, who has said his relationship with Epstein ended years before. Epstein was arrested in 2019 on sex-trafficking charges, accused of sexually abusing dozens of teenage girls, and was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-jail-suicide-prison-death-8d194a756f2b429067f009a0c70f96c0">found dead a month later in a New York jail cell in what investigators described as a suicide.</a>

The saga has consumed the Trump administration over the last month following an abrupt two-page announcement from the FBI and Justice Department that Epstein had killed himself despite conspiracy theories to the contrary, that a “client list” that Attorney General Pam Bondi had intimated was on her desk did not actually exist and that no additional documents from the high-profile investigation were suitable to be released.

The announcement produced outrage from conspiracy theorists, online sleuths and Trump supporters who had been hoping to see proof of a government coverup. That expectation was driven in part by comments from officials, including FBI Director Kash Patel and Dan Bongino, who on podcasts before taking their current positions had repeatedly promoted the idea that damaging details about prominent people were being withheld.

Patel, for instance, said in at least one podcast interview before becoming director that Epstein’s “black book” was under the “direct control of the director of the FBI.”

The administration had an early stumble in February when far-right influencers were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-pam-bondi-trump-1a6af3e9fa1cfb6d267985a971a4929a">invited to the White House in February</a>&nbsp;and provided by Bondi with binders marked “The Epstein Files: Phase 1” and “Declassified” that contained documents that had largely already been in the public domain.

After the first release fell flat, Bondi said officials were poring over a “truckload” of previously withheld evidence she said had been handed over by the FBI and raised expectations of forthcoming releases.

But after a weekslong review of evidence in the government’s possession, the Justice Department said last month that no “further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.” The department noted that much of the material was placed under seal by a court to protect victims and “only a fraction” of it “would have been aired publicly had Epstein gone to trial.”

Faced with fury from his base, Trump sought to quickly turn the page, shutting down questioning of Bondi about Epstein at a White House Cabinet meeting and deriding as “weaklings” supporters who he said were falling for the “Jeffrey Epstein Hoax.”

The kerfuffle also created bitter divisions within the administration, as Bondi and Bongino angrily clashed at a White House meeting last month. Bongino was uncharacteristically silent on social media for several days after that.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755895048179.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-justice-department-interview-053ad2ae16f31b9d7300340d5f9349c5">Jeffrey Epstein's imprisoned former girlfriend</a>&nbsp;repeatedly denied to the Justice Department witnessing any sexually inappropriate interactions with Donald Trump, according to records released Friday meant to distance the Republican president from the disgraced financer.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/maxwell-interview">Click here</a> to listen to and or read the transcriptsThe Trump administration issued hundreds of pages of transcripts from interviews that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche conducted with Ghislaine Maxwell last month as the administration was scrambling to present itself as transparent amid a fierce backlash&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-justice-department-pam-bondi-03fbcd024f631440f7ed62b3c6927db3">over an earlier refusal to disclose a trove of records from the sex-trafficking case.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704416234390.png" alt="FILE — Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell AP Photo/John Minchillo" />
 <figcaption>FILE — Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell AP Photo/John Minchillo</figcaption>
 </figure>The records show Maxwell repeatedly showering Trump with praise and denying under questioning from Blanche that she had observed Trump engaged in any form of sexual behavior. The administration was presumably eager to make such denials public at a time when the president has faced questions about a long-ago friendship with Epstein and as his administration has endured continued scrutiny over its handling of evidence from the case.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump on Epstein Files: &quot;The whole Epstein thing is a Democrat hoax...Bill Clinton was on his plane and went to the island supposedly 28 times. I don&#39;t want to bring that up, frankly.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Mb9PZBT6lI">pic.twitter.com/Mb9PZBT6lI</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1958949953629200668?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The transcript disclosure represents the latest Trump administration effort to repair self-inflicted political wounds after failing to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-conspiracy-theories-bondi-bongino-fbi-a143076353acbc1193cb9697e7fc4a90">deliver on expectations that its own officials had created</a>&nbsp;through conspiracy theories and bold pronouncements that never came to pass. By making public two days worth of interviews, officials appear to be hoping to at least temporarily keep at bay sustained anger from Trump’s base even as they send Congress evidence that they had previously kept from view.“I actually never saw the President in any type of massage setting,” Maxwell said, according to the transcript. “I never witnessed the President in any inappropriate setting in any way. The President was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects.”Maxwell recalled knowing about Trump and possibly meeting him for the first time in 1990, when her newspaper magnate father, Robert Maxwell, was the owner of the New York Daily News.She estimated that she hadn’t seen Trump since the mid-2000s, again in a social setting. Asked if she ever heard Epstein or anyone else say Trump “had done anything inappropriate with masseuses” or anyone else in their orbit, Maxwell replied, “Absolutely never, in any context.”Maxwell, a onetime socialite who was convicted in 2021 of helping lure teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein, was interviewed over the course of two days last month by Blanche at a Florida courthouse.Blanche prefaced the interview by saying Maxwell had been given limited immunity, allowing her to speak freely without fear of prosecution for anything she said. The only exceptions, he said, were if she lied or gave statements inconsistent with what she’d previously said.After her interview,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-justice-department-prison-27d53cd22f8c53d9f2b5012cea32eb5e">Maxwell was moved from the low-security federal prison in Florida</a>&nbsp;where she had been serving a 20-year sentence to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas. Neither her lawyer nor the federal Bureau of Prisons have explained the reason for the move.The Epstein case had long captured public attention in part because of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-documents-prince-andrew-harvey-weinstein-1e20f426af0c610db7963cdaf85c209f">wealthy financer’s social connections over the years to prominent figures</a>, including Prince Andrew, former President Bill Clinton and Trump, who has said his relationship with Epstein ended years before. Epstein was arrested in 2019 on sex-trafficking charges, accused of sexually abusing dozens of teenage girls, and was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-jail-suicide-prison-death-8d194a756f2b429067f009a0c70f96c0">found dead a month later in a New York jail cell in what investigators described as a suicide.</a>The saga has consumed the Trump administration over the last month following an abrupt two-page announcement from the FBI and Justice Department that Epstein had killed himself despite conspiracy theories to the contrary, that a “client list” that Attorney General Pam Bondi had intimated was on her desk did not actually exist and that no additional documents from the high-profile investigation were suitable to be released.The announcement produced outrage from conspiracy theorists, online sleuths and Trump supporters who had been hoping to see proof of a government coverup. That expectation was driven in part by comments from officials, including FBI Director Kash Patel and Dan Bongino, who on podcasts before taking their current positions had repeatedly promoted the idea that damaging details about prominent people were being withheld.Patel, for instance, said in at least one podcast interview before becoming director that Epstein’s “black book” was under the “direct control of the director of the FBI.”The administration had an early stumble in February when far-right influencers were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-pam-bondi-trump-1a6af3e9fa1cfb6d267985a971a4929a">invited to the White House in February</a>&nbsp;and provided by Bondi with binders marked “The Epstein Files: Phase 1” and “Declassified” that contained documents that had largely already been in the public domain.After the first release fell flat, Bondi said officials were poring over a “truckload” of previously withheld evidence she said had been handed over by the FBI and raised expectations of forthcoming releases.But after a weekslong review of evidence in the government’s possession, the Justice Department said last month that no “further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.” The department noted that much of the material was placed under seal by a court to protect victims and “only a fraction” of it “would have been aired publicly had Epstein gone to trial.”Faced with fury from his base, Trump sought to quickly turn the page, shutting down questioning of Bondi about Epstein at a White House Cabinet meeting and deriding as “weaklings” supporters who he said were falling for the “Jeffrey Epstein Hoax.”The kerfuffle also created bitter divisions within the administration, as Bondi and Bongino angrily clashed at a White House meeting last month. Bongino was uncharacteristically silent on social media for several days after that.

🎙Read, listen to the DOJ interview with Epstein's girlfriend

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kilmar-abrego-garcia-release-deportation-tennessee-maryland-9789a9ff1e8bd2dcf1e7a22d8ce2a7ff">Kilmar Abrego Garcia</a>&nbsp;was released from jail in Tennessee on Friday so he can rejoin his family in Maryland while awaiting trial on human smuggling charges.

The Salvadoran national’s case became&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kilmar-abrego-garcia-deportation-mistake-salvadoran-prison-40ce4ab7e93517e018715943afa0464e">a flashpoint</a>&nbsp;in President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda after he was mistakenly deported in March. Facing a court order, the Trump administration brought him back to the U.S. in June, only to detain him on criminal charges.

Although Abrego Garcia was deemed eligible for pretrial release, he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kilmar-abrego-garcia-release-jail-deportation-trial-c17d7ba538530a668e4f55358e83c0fe">remained in jail</a>&nbsp;at the request of his attorneys, who feared the Republican administration could try to immediately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kilmar-abrego-garcia-deportation-trump-ms13-maryland-5e68f22f5526d748322fe287d87ee457">deport him again</a>&nbsp;if he were freed. Those fears were somewhat allayed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kilmar-abrego-garcia-deportation-ice-27fa028f2bcc7ceb6667963f1fb04c74">a recent ruling</a>&nbsp;in a separate case, which requires immigration officials to allow Abrego Garcia time to mount a challenge to any deportation order.

On Friday, after two months, Abrego Garcia walked out of the Putnam County jail wearing a short-sleeved white button-down shirt and black pants and accompanied by defense attorney Rascoe Dean and two other men. They did not speak to reporters but got into a white SUV and sped off.

The release order from the court requires Abrego Garcia to travel directly to Maryland, where he will be in home detention with his brother designated as his third-party custodian. He is required to submit to electronic monitoring and can only leave the home for work, religious services and other approved activities.

An attorney for Abrego Garcia in his deportation case in Maryland, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, said in a statement Friday his client had been “reunited with his loving family” for the first time since he was wrongfully deported to a notorious El Salvador prison in March.

“While his release brings some relief, we all know that he is far from safe,” Sandoval-Moshenberg said. “ICE detention or deportation to an unknown third country still threaten to tear his family apart. A measure of justice has been done, but the government must stop pursuing actions that would once again separate this family.”

Earlier this week, Abrego Garcia's criminal attorneys filed a motion asking the judge to dismiss the criminal case, claiming he is being prosecuted to punish him for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-deportation-maryland-man-trump-error-818a0fa1218de714448edcb5be1f7347">challenging his removal to El Salvador</a>.

Abrego Garcia has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abrego-garcia-deportation-error-2bf259d9de88334bbdfb6d565b36e633">pleaded not guilty</a>&nbsp;to the smuggling charges, which stem from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee for speeding.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kilmar-abrego-garcia-traffic-stop-tennessee-91bc2890768163671c71eb55420b59ee">Body camera footage</a>&nbsp;from a Tennessee Highway Patrol officer shows a calm exchange with Abrego Garcia. There were nine passengers in the car, and the officers discussed among themselves their suspicions of smuggling. However, Abrego Garcia was allowed to continue driving with only a warning.

A Department of Homeland Security agent testified he did not begin investigating the traffic stop until this April, when the government was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-deportation-maryland-man-trump-c21e54f77c1e6716e2998c2463f6650b">facing mounting pressure</a>&nbsp;to return Abrego Garcia to the U.S.

Abrego Garcia has an American wife and children and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-abrego-garcia-e1b2af6528f915a1f0ec60f9a1c73cdd">lived in Maryland</a>&nbsp;for years, but he immigrated to the U.S. illegally. In 2019, an immigration judge denied his application for asylum but granted him protection from being deported back to El Salvador, where he faces a “well-founded fear” of violence, according to court filings. He was required to check in yearly with Immigration and Customs Enforcement while Homeland Security issued him a work permit.

Although Abrego Garcia can’t be deported to El Salvador without violating the judge’s order, Homeland Security officials have said they plan to deport him to an unnamed third country.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745499007975.png" alt=".S. Senator Chis Van Hollen with with Garcia in El Salvador in March-photo from the Senator's office" />
 <figcaption>.S. Senator Chis Van Hollen with with Garcia in El Salvador in March-photo from the Senator's office</figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kilmar-abrego-garcia-release-deportation-tennessee-maryland-9789a9ff1e8bd2dcf1e7a22d8ce2a7ff">Kilmar Abrego Garcia</a>&nbsp;was released from jail in Tennessee on Friday so he can rejoin his family in Maryland while awaiting trial on human smuggling charges.The Salvadoran national’s case became&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kilmar-abrego-garcia-deportation-mistake-salvadoran-prison-40ce4ab7e93517e018715943afa0464e">a flashpoint</a>&nbsp;in President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda after he was mistakenly deported in March. Facing a court order, the Trump administration brought him back to the U.S. in June, only to detain him on criminal charges.Although Abrego Garcia was deemed eligible for pretrial release, he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kilmar-abrego-garcia-release-jail-deportation-trial-c17d7ba538530a668e4f55358e83c0fe">remained in jail</a>&nbsp;at the request of his attorneys, who feared the Republican administration could try to immediately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kilmar-abrego-garcia-deportation-trump-ms13-maryland-5e68f22f5526d748322fe287d87ee457">deport him again</a>&nbsp;if he were freed. Those fears were somewhat allayed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kilmar-abrego-garcia-deportation-ice-27fa028f2bcc7ceb6667963f1fb04c74">a recent ruling</a>&nbsp;in a separate case, which requires immigration officials to allow Abrego Garcia time to mount a challenge to any deportation order.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746223900563.png" alt="Kilmar Abrego Garcia as seen body cam video released by the Tennessee Highway Patrol" />
 <figcaption>Kilmar Abrego Garcia as seen body cam video released by the Tennessee Highway Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>On Friday, after two months, Abrego Garcia walked out of the Putnam County jail wearing a short-sleeved white button-down shirt and black pants and accompanied by defense attorney Rascoe Dean and two other men. They did not speak to reporters but got into a white SUV and sped off.The release order from the court requires Abrego Garcia to travel directly to Maryland, where he will be in home detention with his brother designated as his third-party custodian. He is required to submit to electronic monitoring and can only leave the home for work, religious services and other approved activities.An attorney for Abrego Garcia in his deportation case in Maryland, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, said in a statement Friday his client had been “reunited with his loving family” for the first time since he was wrongfully deported to a notorious El Salvador prison in March.“While his release brings some relief, we all know that he is far from safe,” Sandoval-Moshenberg said. “ICE detention or deportation to an unknown third country still threaten to tear his family apart. A measure of justice has been done, but the government must stop pursuing actions that would once again separate this family.”Earlier this week, Abrego Garcia's criminal attorneys filed a motion asking the judge to dismiss the criminal case, claiming he is being prosecuted to punish him for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-deportation-maryland-man-trump-error-818a0fa1218de714448edcb5be1f7347">challenging his removal to El Salvador</a>.Abrego Garcia has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abrego-garcia-deportation-error-2bf259d9de88334bbdfb6d565b36e633">pleaded not guilty</a>&nbsp;to the smuggling charges, which stem from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee for speeding.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kilmar-abrego-garcia-traffic-stop-tennessee-91bc2890768163671c71eb55420b59ee">Body camera footage</a>&nbsp;from a Tennessee Highway Patrol officer shows a calm exchange with Abrego Garcia. There were nine passengers in the car, and the officers discussed among themselves their suspicions of smuggling. However, Abrego Garcia was allowed to continue driving with only a warning.A Department of Homeland Security agent testified he did not begin investigating the traffic stop until this April, when the government was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-deportation-maryland-man-trump-c21e54f77c1e6716e2998c2463f6650b">facing mounting pressure</a>&nbsp;to return Abrego Garcia to the U.S.Abrego Garcia has an American wife and children and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-abrego-garcia-e1b2af6528f915a1f0ec60f9a1c73cdd">lived in Maryland</a>&nbsp;for years, but he immigrated to the U.S. illegally. In 2019, an immigration judge denied his application for asylum but granted him protection from being deported back to El Salvador, where he faces a “well-founded fear” of violence, according to court filings. He was required to check in yearly with Immigration and Customs Enforcement while Homeland Security issued him a work permit.Although Abrego Garcia can’t be deported to El Salvador without violating the judge’s order, Homeland Security officials have said they plan to deport him to an unnamed third country.

Abrego Garcia freed from jail to await trial for human smuggling

The Kansas State Wildcats open the college football season Saturday against Iowa State at Aviva Stadium as part of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly challenged Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds&nbsp; on Farmageddon or more like "Farm O'Gedden in Dublin, Ireland.

Governor Laura Kelly wrote, "Hey Governor Reynolds, K-State is ready to take on the Cyclones&nbsp;in Ireland, and I’m confident that my 'Cats will emerge victorious. I’ll bet you Creekstone Premium Black Angus steaks that K-State comes out on top in Farmageddon. I don’t lose, so don’t get too excited. <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/EMAW?src=hashtag_click">#EMAW</a>

The Kansas State Wildcats open the college football season Saturday against Iowa State at Aviva Stadium as part of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly challenged Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds&nbsp; on Farmageddon or more like "Farm O'Gedden in Dublin, Ireland.Governor Laura Kelly wrote, "Hey Governor Reynolds, K-State is ready to take on the Cyclones&nbsp;in Ireland, and I’m confident that my 'Cats will emerge victorious. I’ll bet you Creekstone Premium Black Angus steaks that K-State comes out on top in Farmageddon. I don’t lose, so don’t get too excited. <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/EMAW?src=hashtag_click">#EMAW</a><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Looking forward to the big game, <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovLauraKelly</a>. And to <a href="https://twitter.com/CycloneFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CycloneFB</a> bringing the trophy home from Ireland to Iowa. Go Clones! <a href="https://t.co/FtXXCqaCGS">pic.twitter.com/FtXXCqaCGS</a>&mdash; Gov. Kim Reynolds (@IAGovernor) <a href="https://twitter.com/IAGovernor/status/1958968691980370167?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Kansas and Iowa Governors make 'Farm O'Gedden' football wager

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street rallied to its best day in months on Friday after the head of the Federal Reserve hinted that cuts to interest rates&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powell-trump-interest-rates-jackson-hole-b4095cd609a747337a98cce885912609">may be on the way</a>, along with the kick they can give the economy and investment prices.

The S&amp;P 500 leaped 1.5% for its first gain in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-powell-tariffs-trump-30c411cd18bf6a43cb787ac838b897f6">six days</a>&nbsp;and finished just shy of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asia-shares-japan-bessent-wall-street-02e8aa1fa772ad3570249dc81f917325">all-time high</a>&nbsp;set last week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared 846 points, or 1.9%, to its own record after topping its prior high from December. The Nasdaq composite jumped 1.9%.

“Ka-Powell” is how Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management, described the reaction to Jerome Powell’s highly anticipated speech in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. “The Fed isn’t going to be the party-pooper.”

The hope among investors had been that Powell would hint that the Fed’s first cut to interest rates of the year may be imminent. Wall Street loves lower rates because they can goose the economy, even if they risk worsening inflation at the same time.

Trump has angrily been calling for lower rates, often insulting Powell while doing so. And a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-federal-reserve-68a15f89d68793a6cf88a522ff33246c">surprisingly weak report</a>&nbsp;on job growth this month pushed many on Wall Street to assume cuts may come as soon as the Fed’s next meeting in September.

Powell encouraged them on Friday after saying he’s seen risks rise for the job market. The Fed’s two jobs are to keep the job market healthy and to keep a lid on inflation, and it often has to prioritize one over the other because it has just one tool to fix either.

But Powell also would not commit to any kind of timing. He said the job market looks OK at the moment, even if “it is a curious kind of balance” where fewer new workers are chasing after fewer new jobs. Inflation, meanwhile, still has the potential to push higher because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-deadline-delay-d8ffef07d944dc1d460b472e4ffd2f57">Trump’s tariffs</a>.

In sum, Powell said that “the stability of the unemployment rate and other labor market measures allows us to proceed carefully as we consider changes to our policy stance.”

Treasury yields tumbled in the bond market as bets built that the Fed would cut its main interest rate in September. Traders see an 83% chance of that, up from 75% a day earlier, according to data from CME Group.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.25% from 4.33% late Thursday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed action, sank to 3.69% from 3.79% in a notable move for the bond market.

On Wall Street, stocks of smaller companies led the way. They can benefit more from lower interest rates because of their need to borrow money to grow. The smaller stocks in the Russell 2000 index surged 3.9% for its best day since April and more than doubled the S&amp;P 500's rally.

Homebuilders jumped on hopes that easier interest rates could encourage more people to buy homes. Lennar, PulteGroup and D.R. Horton all rose more than 5%.

Travel companies, meanwhile, climbed amid hopes that easier interest rates could help U.S. households spend more. Norwegian Cruise Line rallied 7.2%, Delta Air Lines flew 6.7% higher and Caesars Entertainment rose 7%.

Shares of Nio, a Chinese electric-vehicle maker, that trade in the United States leaped 14.4% after it began pre-sales of its flagship premium SUV model, the ES8.

Intel climbed 5.5% after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-intel-us-equity-stake-b538526b6698f7ebd31e99effd727693">Trump said the chip company has agreed</a>&nbsp;to give the U.S. government a 10% stake in its business.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-chip-export-explainer-8c723003498b773b7fd3b266f5afa923">Nvidia</a>&nbsp;rose 1.7% to trim its loss for the week. The company, whose chips are powering much of the world’s move in to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial-intelligence technology</a>, had seen its stock struggle recently amid criticism that it and other AI superstars shot too high, too fast and became too expensive.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said Friday that the company is discussing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-taiwan-tsmc-nvidia-chips-huang-trump-51467ac87644089788b2447c912552d3">potential new computer chip designed for China</a>&nbsp;with the Trump administration. The chips are graphics processing units, or GPUs,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-chatgpt-ai-chips-stock-jump-9eee108170a799986c066f70829a7215">a type of device</a>&nbsp;used to build and update a range of AI systems. But they are less powerful than Nvidia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-gtc-jensen-huang-ai-457e9260aa2a34c1bbcc07c98b7a0555">top semiconductors</a>&nbsp;today, which cannot be sold to China due to U.S. national security restrictions.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 jumped 96.74 points to 6,466.91. The Dow Jones Industrial Average leaped 846.24 to 45,631.74, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 396.22 to 21,496.53.

In stock markets abroad, Germany’s DAX returned 0.3% after government data showed that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/germany-economy-gdp-shrank-second-quarter-ed5a0ca6732d3cf92828e045144defc2">its economy shrank</a>&nbsp;by 0.3% in the second quarter compared with the previous three-month period.

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street rallied to its best day in months on Friday after the head of the Federal Reserve hinted that cuts to interest rates&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powell-trump-interest-rates-jackson-hole-b4095cd609a747337a98cce885912609">may be on the way</a>, along with the kick they can give the economy and investment prices.The S&amp;P 500 leaped 1.5% for its first gain in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-powell-tariffs-trump-30c411cd18bf6a43cb787ac838b897f6">six days</a>&nbsp;and finished just shy of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asia-shares-japan-bessent-wall-street-02e8aa1fa772ad3570249dc81f917325">all-time high</a>&nbsp;set last week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared 846 points, or 1.9%, to its own record after topping its prior high from December. The Nasdaq composite jumped 1.9%.“Ka-Powell” is how Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management, described the reaction to Jerome Powell’s highly anticipated speech in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. “The Fed isn’t going to be the party-pooper.”The hope among investors had been that Powell would hint that the Fed’s first cut to interest rates of the year may be imminent. Wall Street loves lower rates because they can goose the economy, even if they risk worsening inflation at the same time.Trump has angrily been calling for lower rates, often insulting Powell while doing so. And a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-federal-reserve-68a15f89d68793a6cf88a522ff33246c">surprisingly weak report</a>&nbsp;on job growth this month pushed many on Wall Street to assume cuts may come as soon as the Fed’s next meeting in September.Powell encouraged them on Friday after saying he’s seen risks rise for the job market. The Fed’s two jobs are to keep the job market healthy and to keep a lid on inflation, and it often has to prioritize one over the other because it has just one tool to fix either.But Powell also would not commit to any kind of timing. He said the job market looks OK at the moment, even if “it is a curious kind of balance” where fewer new workers are chasing after fewer new jobs. Inflation, meanwhile, still has the potential to push higher because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-deadline-delay-d8ffef07d944dc1d460b472e4ffd2f57">Trump’s tariffs</a>.In sum, Powell said that “the stability of the unemployment rate and other labor market measures allows us to proceed carefully as we consider changes to our policy stance.”Treasury yields tumbled in the bond market as bets built that the Fed would cut its main interest rate in September. Traders see an 83% chance of that, up from 75% a day earlier, according to data from CME Group.The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.25% from 4.33% late Thursday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed action, sank to 3.69% from 3.79% in a notable move for the bond market.On Wall Street, stocks of smaller companies led the way. They can benefit more from lower interest rates because of their need to borrow money to grow. The smaller stocks in the Russell 2000 index surged 3.9% for its best day since April and more than doubled the S&amp;P 500's rally.Homebuilders jumped on hopes that easier interest rates could encourage more people to buy homes. Lennar, PulteGroup and D.R. Horton all rose more than 5%.Travel companies, meanwhile, climbed amid hopes that easier interest rates could help U.S. households spend more. Norwegian Cruise Line rallied 7.2%, Delta Air Lines flew 6.7% higher and Caesars Entertainment rose 7%.Shares of Nio, a Chinese electric-vehicle maker, that trade in the United States leaped 14.4% after it began pre-sales of its flagship premium SUV model, the ES8.Intel climbed 5.5% after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-intel-us-equity-stake-b538526b6698f7ebd31e99effd727693">Trump said the chip company has agreed</a>&nbsp;to give the U.S. government a 10% stake in its business.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-chip-export-explainer-8c723003498b773b7fd3b266f5afa923">Nvidia</a>&nbsp;rose 1.7% to trim its loss for the week. The company, whose chips are powering much of the world’s move in to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial-intelligence technology</a>, had seen its stock struggle recently amid criticism that it and other AI superstars shot too high, too fast and became too expensive.Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said Friday that the company is discussing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-taiwan-tsmc-nvidia-chips-huang-trump-51467ac87644089788b2447c912552d3">potential new computer chip designed for China</a>&nbsp;with the Trump administration. The chips are graphics processing units, or GPUs,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-chatgpt-ai-chips-stock-jump-9eee108170a799986c066f70829a7215">a type of device</a>&nbsp;used to build and update a range of AI systems. But they are less powerful than Nvidia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-gtc-jensen-huang-ai-457e9260aa2a34c1bbcc07c98b7a0555">top semiconductors</a>&nbsp;today, which cannot be sold to China due to U.S. national security restrictions.All told, the S&amp;P 500 jumped 96.74 points to 6,466.91. The Dow Jones Industrial Average leaped 846.24 to 45,631.74, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 396.22 to 21,496.53.In stock markets abroad, Germany’s DAX returned 0.3% after government data showed that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/germany-economy-gdp-shrank-second-quarter-ed5a0ca6732d3cf92828e045144defc2">its economy shrank</a>&nbsp;by 0.3% in the second quarter compared with the previous three-month period.

Wall Street soars, Dow surges to another record

DOUGLAS COUNTY — Law enforcement are investigating a pedestrian accident that occurred just 5:30a.m. Friday in Douglas County.

A 27-year-old Lawrence man who was running eastbound on N 1400 Road&nbsp; suffered serious injuries when a westbound 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier struck him, according to Sheriff's Department spokesman George&nbsp;Diepenbrock.

The accident occurred in the 1900 block of N 1400 Road, between Lawrence and Eudora.

Medics transported the injured runner via ground ambulance to a Kansas City-area hospital. 

The driver of the Cavalier, a 70-year-old Eudora man, suffered injuries believed to be minor, and medics transported him to LMH Health, where he was later released.

Deputies closed the road in the area for the Douglas County Sheriff's Office&nbsp; Crash Reconstruction Team to examine the scene. They reopened the road at 9:25 a.m.

DOUGLAS COUNTY — Law enforcement are investigating a pedestrian accident that occurred just 5:30a.m. Friday in Douglas County.A 27-year-old Lawrence man who was running eastbound on N 1400 Road&nbsp; suffered serious injuries when a westbound 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier struck him, according to Sheriff's Department spokesman George&nbsp;Diepenbrock.The accident occurred in the 1900 block of N 1400 Road, between Lawrence and Eudora.Medics transported the injured runner via ground ambulance to a Kansas City-area hospital. The driver of the Cavalier, a 70-year-old Eudora man, suffered injuries believed to be minor, and medics transported him to LMH Health, where he was later released.Deputies closed the road in the area for the Douglas County Sheriff's Office&nbsp; Crash Reconstruction Team to examine the scene. They reopened the road at 9:25 a.m.

Runner seriously injured after struck by car on rural Kan. road 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is calling national security and privacy concerns related to TikTok and its Chinese parent company “highly overrated” and said Friday he’ll keep extending the deadline for the popular video-sharing platform until there’s a buyer.

Congress approved a U.S. ban on TikTok unless its parent company, ByteDance, sold its controlling stake. But Trump has so far extended the deadline&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-trump-delay-executive-order-3211a98113615be44cf92b32dca69a8e">three times</a>&nbsp;during his second term — with the next one coming up on Sept. 17.

“We’re gonna watch the security concerns,” Trump told reporters, but added, “We have buyers, American-buyers,” and “until the complexity of things work out, we just extend a little bit longer.”

The first extension was through an executive order on Jan. 20, his first day in office, after the platform went dark briefly when a national ban —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-fire-congressmans-office-wisconsin-a815e6592bea4c028b1c7748491461ed">approved by Congress</a>&nbsp;and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court — took effect. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-china-bytedance-social-media-tariffs-665e46fd5bb555e97c4d7301e07230df">second was in April</a>, when White House officials believed they were nearing a deal to spin off TikTok into a new company with U.S. ownership that fell apart after China backed out following Trump’s tariff announcement.

His comments follow the White House starting a TikTok account this week.

“I used TikTok in the campaign,” Trump said.

“I’m a fan of TikTok,” he said. “My kids like TikTok. Young people love TikTok. If we could keep it going.”

As the extensions continue, it appears less and less likely that TikTok will be banned in the U.S. any time soon. The decision to keep TikTok alive through an executive order has received some scrutiny, but the administration has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-ban-china-supreme-court-37284ac35241b1822c9f5da7c9d719d2">not faced a legal challenge in court</a>&nbsp;— unlike many of Trump’s other executive orders.

Americans are even more closely divided on what to do about TikTok than they were two years ago.

A recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/03/25/fewer-americans-now-support-tiktok-ban-see-the-platform-as-a-national-security-threat-than-in-spring-2023/" target="_blank">Pew Research Center survey</a>&nbsp;found that about one-third of Americans said they supported a TikTok ban, down from 50% in March 2023. Roughly one-third said they would oppose a ban, and a similar percentage said they weren’t sure.

Among those who said they supported banning the social media platform, about 8 in 10 cited concerns over users’ data security being at risk as a major factor in their decision, according to the report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755885123824.png" alt="Image of President Trump from the White House TikTok account" />
 <figcaption>Image of President Trump from the White House TikTok account</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is calling national security and privacy concerns related to TikTok and its Chinese parent company “highly overrated” and said Friday he’ll keep extending the deadline for the popular video-sharing platform until there’s a buyer.Congress approved a U.S. ban on TikTok unless its parent company, ByteDance, sold its controlling stake. But Trump has so far extended the deadline&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-trump-delay-executive-order-3211a98113615be44cf92b32dca69a8e">three times</a>&nbsp;during his second term — with the next one coming up on Sept. 17.“We’re gonna watch the security concerns,” Trump told reporters, but added, “We have buyers, American-buyers,” and “until the complexity of things work out, we just extend a little bit longer.”The first extension was through an executive order on Jan. 20, his first day in office, after the platform went dark briefly when a national ban —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-fire-congressmans-office-wisconsin-a815e6592bea4c028b1c7748491461ed">approved by Congress</a>&nbsp;and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court — took effect. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-china-bytedance-social-media-tariffs-665e46fd5bb555e97c4d7301e07230df">second was in April</a>, when White House officials believed they were nearing a deal to spin off TikTok into a new company with U.S. ownership that fell apart after China backed out following Trump’s tariff announcement.His comments follow the White House starting a TikTok account this week.“I used TikTok in the campaign,” Trump said.“I’m a fan of TikTok,” he said. “My kids like TikTok. Young people love TikTok. If we could keep it going.”As the extensions continue, it appears less and less likely that TikTok will be banned in the U.S. any time soon. The decision to keep TikTok alive through an executive order has received some scrutiny, but the administration has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-ban-china-supreme-court-37284ac35241b1822c9f5da7c9d719d2">not faced a legal challenge in court</a>&nbsp;— unlike many of Trump’s other executive orders.Americans are even more closely divided on what to do about TikTok than they were two years ago.A recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/03/25/fewer-americans-now-support-tiktok-ban-see-the-platform-as-a-national-security-threat-than-in-spring-2023/" target="_blank">Pew Research Center survey</a>&nbsp;found that about one-third of Americans said they supported a TikTok ban, down from 50% in March 2023. Roughly one-third said they would oppose a ban, and a similar percentage said they weren’t sure.Among those who said they supported banning the social media platform, about 8 in 10 cited concerns over users’ data security being at risk as a major factor in their decision, according to the report.

President Trump: I'm a fan of TikTok; he may delay the ban again

WICHITA, Kan. – A violent Kansas drug offender accused&nbsp; of ramming a Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputy's patrol vehicle will return to court Friday afternoon.&nbsp;

Thomas Torrez, 38, will attend a preliminary hearing in Judge Eric Williams courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 1a.m. May 4, Wichita Police officers were recovering a stolen vehicle in the 4800 block of E. 21st Street North. During the recovery, Torrez—an occupant of the vehicle—fled the scene in the stolen car. He was not located during the initial incident.

Just before 8p.m., a Sedgwick County deputy spotted the same stolen vehicle using a Flock license plate reader at a McDonald’s drive-thru in the 4800 block of S. Broadway in Wichita. Torrez was behind the wheel with a female passenger.

The deputy positioned his patrol vehicle to block the stolen car, but Torrez accelerated, ramming the patrol unit. He then reversed into the building, drove over a curb and landscaping, and fled onto 47th Street. The deputy’s vehicle was disabled from the impact, and he was unable to pursue. The deputy sustained minor injuries as a result.

The deputy was “put out in trouble,” and charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer were broadcast to responding units.

While responding with lights and sirens, a second deputy collided with a civilian vehicle at the intersection of 47th Street and Hydraulic. The civilian vehicle was carrying five people—a 37-year-old man, a 29-year-old woman, and three children ages 6, 8, and 10. All suffered minor injuries and were treated at a local hospital. No officers were actively pursuing the stolen vehicle at the time of the crash. This deputy sustained minor injuries that did not require medical attention.

Shortly after fleeing McDonald’s, the female passenger escaped the vehicle near Laura Street, north of 47th. She was located by officers and cooperated with the investigation. According to her statement, she tried to surrender during the initial stop and attempted multiple times to exit the vehicle, even using mace on Torrez.

Torrez later abandoned the stolen vehicle near 44th and Pattie and fled on foot. He then stole a second vehicle from a mobile home park in the 1000 block of E. MacArthur and led deputies on a brief pursuit, driving off-road in the area of O.J. Watson Park.

During his escape, Torrez caused a hit-and-run crash near Harry and McLean. The victim followed him to the area of Water and Zimmerly, where Torrez ditched the second vehicle and fled on foot.

On Tuesday, May 6, after extensive efforts by the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Investigations Division and Fugitive Warrant Section, deputies identified Torrez at a multi-family housing unit in the 2500 block of N. Park Place, a location previously associated with him. Entry was made into the residence, where Torrez was found barricaded inside a refrigerator.

Despite multiple commands to surrender, Torrez refused to comply. A Sheriff's Office K-9 unit was deployed, which facilitated his apprehension. Following medical treatment, Torrez was booked into the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility.

Torrez was taken into custody on original felony warrants for failing to register as an offender and a probation violation related to criminal possession of a weapon. He also faces new charges related to the incidents on May 4 and May 6, including aggravated burglary, kidnapping, attempting to elude law enforcement, criminal damage to property, interference with law enforcement officers, and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer.

Torrez has been listed as a violent drug offender following three felony convictions that include for selling illegal drugs and aggravated assault; use of a deadly weapon, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746467676255.png" alt="- Torrez is accused of ramming a patrol vehicle as he attempted to flee a fast-food drive through -Photo Sedgwick Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>- Torrez is accused of ramming a patrol vehicle as he attempted to flee a fast-food drive through -Photo Sedgwick Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. – A violent Kansas drug offender accused&nbsp; of ramming a Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputy's patrol vehicle will return to court Friday afternoon.&nbsp;Thomas Torrez, 38, will attend a preliminary hearing in Judge Eric Williams courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746612189134.png" alt="Torrez photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Torrez photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 1a.m. May 4, Wichita Police officers were recovering a stolen vehicle in the 4800 block of E. 21st Street North. During the recovery, Torrez—an occupant of the vehicle—fled the scene in the stolen car. He was not located during the initial incident.Just before 8p.m., a Sedgwick County deputy spotted the same stolen vehicle using a Flock license plate reader at a McDonald’s drive-thru in the 4800 block of S. Broadway in Wichita. Torrez was behind the wheel with a female passenger.The deputy positioned his patrol vehicle to block the stolen car, but Torrez accelerated, ramming the patrol unit. He then reversed into the building, drove over a curb and landscaping, and fled onto 47th Street. The deputy’s vehicle was disabled from the impact, and he was unable to pursue. The deputy sustained minor injuries as a result.The deputy was “put out in trouble,” and charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer were broadcast to responding units.While responding with lights and sirens, a second deputy collided with a civilian vehicle at the intersection of 47th Street and Hydraulic. The civilian vehicle was carrying five people—a 37-year-old man, a 29-year-old woman, and three children ages 6, 8, and 10. All suffered minor injuries and were treated at a local hospital. No officers were actively pursuing the stolen vehicle at the time of the crash. This deputy sustained minor injuries that did not require medical attention.Shortly after fleeing McDonald’s, the female passenger escaped the vehicle near Laura Street, north of 47th. She was located by officers and cooperated with the investigation. According to her statement, she tried to surrender during the initial stop and attempted multiple times to exit the vehicle, even using mace on Torrez.Torrez later abandoned the stolen vehicle near 44th and Pattie and fled on foot. He then stole a second vehicle from a mobile home park in the 1000 block of E. MacArthur and led deputies on a brief pursuit, driving off-road in the area of O.J. Watson Park.During his escape, Torrez caused a hit-and-run crash near Harry and McLean. The victim followed him to the area of Water and Zimmerly, where Torrez ditched the second vehicle and fled on foot.On Tuesday, May 6, after extensive efforts by the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Investigations Division and Fugitive Warrant Section, deputies identified Torrez at a multi-family housing unit in the 2500 block of N. Park Place, a location previously associated with him. Entry was made into the residence, where Torrez was found barricaded inside a refrigerator.Despite multiple commands to surrender, Torrez refused to comply. A Sheriff's Office K-9 unit was deployed, which facilitated his apprehension. Following medical treatment, Torrez was booked into the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility.Torrez was taken into custody on original felony warrants for failing to register as an offender and a probation violation related to criminal possession of a weapon. He also faces new charges related to the incidents on May 4 and May 6, including aggravated burglary, kidnapping, attempting to elude law enforcement, criminal damage to property, interference with law enforcement officers, and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer.Torrez has been listed as a violent drug offender following three felony convictions that include for selling illegal drugs and aggravated assault; use of a deadly weapon, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Kan. offender who rammed patrol vehicle is due back in court

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday opened the door ever so slightly to lowering a key interest rate in the coming months but gave no hint on the timing of a move and suggested the central bank will proceed cautiously as it continues to evaluate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asia-tariffs-trump-china-trade-78d11d9d8ab4eb66898e12fdbd5aa9b4">the impact of tariffs</a>&nbsp;and other policies on the economy.

In a high-profile speech closely watched at the White House and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-powell-trump-2fcc29096ecaec4fff8fa555e4fda967">on Wall Street</a>, Powell said that there are risks of both rising unemployment and stubbornly higher inflation. Yet he suggested that with hiring sluggish, the job market could weaken further.

“The shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting our policy stance,” he said, a reference to his concerns about weaker job gains and a more direct sign that the Fed is considering a rate cut than he has made in previous comments.

Still, Powell’s remarks suggest the Fed will proceed carefully in the coming months and will make its rate decisions based on how inflation and unemployment evolve. The Fed has three more meetings this year, including next month, in late October, and in December, and it's not clear whether the Fed will cut at all those meetings.

“The stability of the unemployment rate and other labor market measures allows us to proceed carefully as we consider changes to our policy stance,” Powell said. That suggests the Fed will continue to evaluate jobs and inflation data as it decides whether to cut rates.

The stock market jumped in response to Powell's remarks, with the broad S&amp;P 500 index rising 1.6% in midday trading.

Powell spoke with the Fed under unprecedented&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-federal-reserve-4821bb5d0baa9980c4c69ab26fab3ab4">public scrutiny</a>&nbsp;from the White House, as President Donald Trump has repeatedly insulted Powell and has urged him to cut rates, arguing there is “no inflation” and saying that a cut would lower the government’s interest payments on its $37 trillion in debt.

Trump also says a cut would boost the moribund housing market. A rate cut by the Fed often leads to lower borrowing costs for mortgages, car loans, and business borrowing, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-powell-fed-inflation-tariffs-recession-e698dca7ceddf382c1b030e7bf1bd202">it doesn't always</a>.

While Powell spoke, Trump elevated his attacks, telling reporters in Washington, D.C. that he would fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook if she did not step down over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-rates-354ddf9b0b2a78eabbe7ebd361bf2e05">allegations from an administration official</a>&nbsp;that she committed mortgage fraud.

If Cook is removed, that would give Trump an opportunity to put a loyalist on the Fed's governing board. The Fed has long been considered independent from day-to-day politics. The president can't fire a Fed governor over disagreements on interest rate policy, but he can do so “for cause,” which is generally seen as malfeasance or neglect of duty.

Powell spoke at the Fed’s annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a conference with about 100 academics, economists, and central bank officials from around the world. He was given a standing ovation before he spoke.

In his remarks, the Fed chair underscored that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-consumer-prices-jerome-powell-fed-interest-rates-7956da9c097730929b12c269f8c08399">tariffs are lifting inflation</a>&nbsp;and could push it higher in the coming months.

“The effects of tariffs on consumer prices are now clearly visible. We expect those effects to accumulate over coming months, with high uncertainty about timing and amounts,” Powell said.

Inflation has crept higher in recent months though it is down from a peak of 9.1% three years ago. Tariffs have not spurred inflation as much as some economists worried, but they are starting to lift the prices of heavily imported goods such as furniture, toys, and shoes.

Consumer prices rose 2.7%&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-consumer-prices-jerome-powell-fed-interest-rates-7956da9c097730929b12c269f8c08399">in July from a year ago</a>, above the Fed’s target of 2%. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 3.1%.

Powell added that higher prices from tariffs could cause a one-time shift to prices, rather than an ongoing bout of inflation. Other Fed officials have said that is the most likely outcome and as a result the central bank can cut rates to boost the job market.

The Fed chair said it is largely up to the central bank to ensure that tariffs don’t lead to sustained inflation.

“Come what may, we will not allow a one-time increase in the price level to become an ongoing inflation problem,” he said, suggesting deep rate cuts, as Trump has demanded, are unlikely.

Regarding the job market, Powell noted that even as hiring has slowed sharply this year, the unemployment rate remains low. He added that with immigration falling sharply, fewer jobs are needed to keep unemployment in check.

Yet with hiring sluggish, the risks of a sharper downturn, with rising layoffs, has risen, Powell said.

Powell also suggested the Fed would continue to set its interest-rate policy free from political pressure.

Fed officials “will make these decisions, based solely on their assessment of the data and its implications for the economic outlook and the balance of risks. We will never deviate from that approach.”

Powell dedicated the second half of his speech to announcing changes to the Fed's policy framework that was issued in August 2020. The framework, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/1.c_RomerRomer.pdf">has been blamed</a>&nbsp;for delaying the Fed’s response to the pandemic inflation spike, provides guidelines on how the Fed would respond to changes in inflation and employment.

In 2020, after a decade of low inflation and low interest rates following the financial crisis and Great Recession in 2008-2009, the Fed changed its framework to allow inflation to top its 2% target temporarily, so that inflation would average 2% over time.

And after unemployment fell to a half-century low in 2018, without pushing up inflation, the 2020 framework said that the Fed would focus only on “shortfalls” in employment, rather than “deviations.” That meant it would cut rates if unemployment rose, but wouldn’t necessarily raise them if it fell.

The Fed reviewed its framework this year and concluded that it was tied too closely to the pre-pandemic economy, which has since shifted. Inflation spiked to a four-decade high in 2022 and the Fed rapidly boosted interest rates afterward.

“A key objective has been to make sure that our framework is suitable across a broad range of economic conditions,” Powell said.

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday opened the door ever so slightly to lowering a key interest rate in the coming months but gave no hint on the timing of a move and suggested the central bank will proceed cautiously as it continues to evaluate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asia-tariffs-trump-china-trade-78d11d9d8ab4eb66898e12fdbd5aa9b4">the impact of tariffs</a>&nbsp;and other policies on the economy.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell: &quot;With policy in restrictive territory, the baseline outlook and the shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting our policy stance.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/tmfCmsbnmr">pic.twitter.com/tmfCmsbnmr</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1958916580424753278?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a high-profile speech closely watched at the White House and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-powell-trump-2fcc29096ecaec4fff8fa555e4fda967">on Wall Street</a>, Powell said that there are risks of both rising unemployment and stubbornly higher inflation. Yet he suggested that with hiring sluggish, the job market could weaken further.“The shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting our policy stance,” he said, a reference to his concerns about weaker job gains and a more direct sign that the Fed is considering a rate cut than he has made in previous comments.Still, Powell’s remarks suggest the Fed will proceed carefully in the coming months and will make its rate decisions based on how inflation and unemployment evolve. The Fed has three more meetings this year, including next month, in late October, and in December, and it's not clear whether the Fed will cut at all those meetings.“The stability of the unemployment rate and other labor market measures allows us to proceed carefully as we consider changes to our policy stance,” Powell said. That suggests the Fed will continue to evaluate jobs and inflation data as it decides whether to cut rates.The stock market jumped in response to Powell's remarks, with the broad S&amp;P 500 index rising 1.6% in midday trading.Powell spoke with the Fed under unprecedented&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-federal-reserve-4821bb5d0baa9980c4c69ab26fab3ab4">public scrutiny</a>&nbsp;from the White House, as President Donald Trump has repeatedly insulted Powell and has urged him to cut rates, arguing there is “no inflation” and saying that a cut would lower the government’s interest payments on its $37 trillion in debt.Trump also says a cut would boost the moribund housing market. A rate cut by the Fed often leads to lower borrowing costs for mortgages, car loans, and business borrowing, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-powell-fed-inflation-tariffs-recession-e698dca7ceddf382c1b030e7bf1bd202">it doesn't always</a>.While Powell spoke, Trump elevated his attacks, telling reporters in Washington, D.C. that he would fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook if she did not step down over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-rates-354ddf9b0b2a78eabbe7ebd361bf2e05">allegations from an administration official</a>&nbsp;that she committed mortgage fraud.If Cook is removed, that would give Trump an opportunity to put a loyalist on the Fed's governing board. The Fed has long been considered independent from day-to-day politics. The president can't fire a Fed governor over disagreements on interest rate policy, but he can do so “for cause,” which is generally seen as malfeasance or neglect of duty.Powell spoke at the Fed’s annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a conference with about 100 academics, economists, and central bank officials from around the world. He was given a standing ovation before he spoke.In his remarks, the Fed chair underscored that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-consumer-prices-jerome-powell-fed-interest-rates-7956da9c097730929b12c269f8c08399">tariffs are lifting inflation</a>&nbsp;and could push it higher in the coming months.“The effects of tariffs on consumer prices are now clearly visible. We expect those effects to accumulate over coming months, with high uncertainty about timing and amounts,” Powell said.Inflation has crept higher in recent months though it is down from a peak of 9.1% three years ago. Tariffs have not spurred inflation as much as some economists worried, but they are starting to lift the prices of heavily imported goods such as furniture, toys, and shoes.Consumer prices rose 2.7%&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-consumer-prices-jerome-powell-fed-interest-rates-7956da9c097730929b12c269f8c08399">in July from a year ago</a>, above the Fed’s target of 2%. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 3.1%.Powell added that higher prices from tariffs could cause a one-time shift to prices, rather than an ongoing bout of inflation. Other Fed officials have said that is the most likely outcome and as a result the central bank can cut rates to boost the job market.The Fed chair said it is largely up to the central bank to ensure that tariffs don’t lead to sustained inflation.“Come what may, we will not allow a one-time increase in the price level to become an ongoing inflation problem,” he said, suggesting deep rate cuts, as Trump has demanded, are unlikely.Regarding the job market, Powell noted that even as hiring has slowed sharply this year, the unemployment rate remains low. He added that with immigration falling sharply, fewer jobs are needed to keep unemployment in check.Yet with hiring sluggish, the risks of a sharper downturn, with rising layoffs, has risen, Powell said.Powell also suggested the Fed would continue to set its interest-rate policy free from political pressure.Fed officials “will make these decisions, based solely on their assessment of the data and its implications for the economic outlook and the balance of risks. We will never deviate from that approach.”Powell dedicated the second half of his speech to announcing changes to the Fed's policy framework that was issued in August 2020. The framework, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/1.c_RomerRomer.pdf">has been blamed</a>&nbsp;for delaying the Fed’s response to the pandemic inflation spike, provides guidelines on how the Fed would respond to changes in inflation and employment.In 2020, after a decade of low inflation and low interest rates following the financial crisis and Great Recession in 2008-2009, the Fed changed its framework to allow inflation to top its 2% target temporarily, so that inflation would average 2% over time.And after unemployment fell to a half-century low in 2018, without pushing up inflation, the 2020 framework said that the Fed would focus only on “shortfalls” in employment, rather than “deviations.” That meant it would cut rates if unemployment rose, but wouldn’t necessarily raise them if it fell.The Fed reviewed its framework this year and concluded that it was tied too closely to the pre-pandemic economy, which has since shifted. Inflation spiked to a four-decade high in 2022 and the Fed rapidly boosted interest rates afterward.“A key objective has been to make sure that our framework is suitable across a broad range of economic conditions,” Powell said.

🎥 Good news for borrowers: Fed hints it will lower interest rates

By MORGAN LEE and AUDREY McAVOY Associated Press

An apparent accident at a dairy in a rural&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/farming-">farming</a>&nbsp;community in Colorado involving exposure to gas killed six people, including a high school student, authorities said Thursday.

Investigators are looking into what kind of gases may have played a role in the deaths Wednesday at Prospect Valley Dairy in Keenesburg, about 35 miles (55 kilometers) northeast of Denver. Crews recovered the bodies in a confined space at the dairy, the Southeast Weld Fire Protection District said.

“We are investigating these deaths as the possible consequence of gas exposure in a confined space,” said Jolene Weiner, chief deputy coroner for Weld County.

The identities of those who died, all Hispanic males, were being withheld pending notification of the families, Weiner said. A local school district said a high school student was among those who died.

Weld County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Melissa Chesmore said her agency didn't find anything indicating a crime took place.

“It looks like an accident,” she said, declining to elaborate or say where exactly the bodies were found, referring questions to occupational safety regulators.

Chauntra Rideaux, a U.S. Department of Labor spokesperson, said in an email that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was investigating. The farm is a member of the Dairy Farmers of America, the group said.

"We are deeply saddened by this incident, and our thoughts and most sincere condolences go out to the friends and families of the deceased. At this early stage, we have no further details,” the farmer-owned cooperative said in a statement.

County tax records say the property is owned by Prospect Valley Dairy LLC and list a Bakersfield, California, address for the owners. Phone messages left for a number at the California address were not immediately returned.

By MORGAN LEE and AUDREY McAVOY Associated PressAn apparent accident at a dairy in a rural&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/farming-">farming</a>&nbsp;community in Colorado involving exposure to gas killed six people, including a high school student, authorities said Thursday.Investigators are looking into what kind of gases may have played a role in the deaths Wednesday at Prospect Valley Dairy in Keenesburg, about 35 miles (55 kilometers) northeast of Denver. Crews recovered the bodies in a confined space at the dairy, the Southeast Weld Fire Protection District said.“We are investigating these deaths as the possible consequence of gas exposure in a confined space,” said Jolene Weiner, chief deputy coroner for Weld County.The identities of those who died, all Hispanic males, were being withheld pending notification of the families, Weiner said. A local school district said a high school student was among those who died.Weld County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Melissa Chesmore said her agency didn't find anything indicating a crime took place.“It looks like an accident,” she said, declining to elaborate or say where exactly the bodies were found, referring questions to occupational safety regulators.Chauntra Rideaux, a U.S. Department of Labor spokesperson, said in an email that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was investigating. The farm is a member of the Dairy Farmers of America, the group said."We are deeply saddened by this incident, and our thoughts and most sincere condolences go out to the friends and families of the deceased. At this early stage, we have no further details,” the farmer-owned cooperative said in a statement.County tax records say the property is owned by Prospect Valley Dairy LLC and list a Bakersfield, California, address for the owners. Phone messages left for a number at the California address were not immediately returned.Weld County is a major agricultural producer. Three-quarters of its land is devoted to farming and raising livestock. It's Colorado's leading dairy producer and the state's biggest source of beef cattle, grain and sugar beets.Census data from 2020 shows 30% of the county was Hispanic or Latino, compared to 22% for the state overall.___Lee reported from Santa Fe, New Mexico and McAvoy reported from Honolulu. Associated Press Writer Corey Williams contributed from Detroit.