WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-doug-collins-veterans-affairs-va-georgia-f9a14a486cb12fd5ac3f07b3068eb20a">Doug Collins</a>&nbsp;as secretary of veterans affairs, putting the former congressman and Iraq War veteran at the helm of a department that provides crucial care to America’s veterans.

Collins, a former Air Force chaplain, was confirmed on a 77-23 vote, becoming the latest addition to President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-21153a742fbad86284369bb173ec343c">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;Cabinet.

“We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our active duty servicemembers, veterans, and military families to ensure they have the support they need,” Trump said in a November statement announcing Collins’ nomination.

The Department of Veterans Affairs manages a more than $350 billion budget and oversees nearly 200 medical centers and hospitals nationwide. It also manages national cemeteries and works closely with the Defense Department on personnel matters.

Collins has promised to cut regulations across the department and elevate the quality of care for veterans.

The challenges facing the department have evolved in recent years, with a younger generation of veterans bringing new health challenges from their service in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

“I’m an Iraq War veteran. I understand burn pits because I slept next to one for many months,” Collins said in his opening remarks during his January confirmation hearing. Collins said that he understand the challenges facing veterans today who “went time and time again, deployment after deployment” to conflict zones.

Collins served in the House of Representatives from 2013 to 2021. He has been an outspoken conservative since his time in the Georgia state legislature and was a close Trump ally during the president’s first term. He ran unsuccessfully for Senate in 2020 but lost the Republican primary to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trumps-cabinet-wealth-billionaires-0d5147df74c7f0a851df296aeab2e164">Kelly Loeffler</a>, a major GOP donor who Trump has tapped to lead the U.S. Small Business Association.

Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., called Collins a “friend” who has “an engaging personality that attracts people to what he’s working on.”

“It’s not that they’re better doctors or better psychiatrists or better nurses or technicians. It’s that they’re empathetic,” Cramer said. “While they appreciate access to community care, they appreciate the empathy of a fellow veteran, and Doug brings that. But, guys, he’s a chaplain. I mean, come on, how perfect is that?”

Collins’ nomination sailed through the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in a 18-1 vote. The lone dissenter, Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said she was concerned that Collins would limit access to reproductive care like IVF or abortion for veterans.

Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-duckworth-asean-trump-cabinet-senate-d06bda55cfa19b2454c5cac0a6e897a5">Tammy Duckworth</a>, D-Ill., said she had a productive conversation with Collins during his confirmation hearing but pressed him on whether he’d commit to working with Congress to “strengthen and refine” the department “rather than resorting to privatization.”

Collins said he would be focused on addressing wait times and increasing preventative care.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733831790352.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran during a visit with Collins last month-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran during a visit with Collins last month-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-doug-collins-veterans-affairs-va-georgia-f9a14a486cb12fd5ac3f07b3068eb20a">Doug Collins</a>&nbsp;as secretary of veterans affairs, putting the former congressman and Iraq War veteran at the helm of a department that provides crucial care to America’s veterans.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UvvTo9Qz9IQ?si=1Se5jkik24xmFz-8&amp;start=1" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Collins, a former Air Force chaplain, was confirmed on a 77-23 vote, becoming the latest addition to President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-21153a742fbad86284369bb173ec343c">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;Cabinet.“We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our active duty servicemembers, veterans, and military families to ensure they have the support they need,” Trump said in a November statement announcing Collins’ nomination.The Department of Veterans Affairs manages a more than $350 billion budget and oversees nearly 200 medical centers and hospitals nationwide. It also manages national cemeteries and works closely with the Defense Department on personnel matters.Collins has promised to cut regulations across the department and elevate the quality of care for veterans.The challenges facing the department have evolved in recent years, with a younger generation of veterans bringing new health challenges from their service in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.“I’m an Iraq War veteran. I understand burn pits because I slept next to one for many months,” Collins said in his opening remarks during his January confirmation hearing. Collins said that he understand the challenges facing veterans today who “went time and time again, deployment after deployment” to conflict zones.Collins served in the House of Representatives from 2013 to 2021. He has been an outspoken conservative since his time in the Georgia state legislature and was a close Trump ally during the president’s first term. He ran unsuccessfully for Senate in 2020 but lost the Republican primary to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trumps-cabinet-wealth-billionaires-0d5147df74c7f0a851df296aeab2e164">Kelly Loeffler</a>, a major GOP donor who Trump has tapped to lead the U.S. Small Business Association.Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., called Collins a “friend” who has “an engaging personality that attracts people to what he’s working on.”“It’s not that they’re better doctors or better psychiatrists or better nurses or technicians. It’s that they’re empathetic,” Cramer said. “While they appreciate access to community care, they appreciate the empathy of a fellow veteran, and Doug brings that. But, guys, he’s a chaplain. I mean, come on, how perfect is that?”Collins’ nomination sailed through the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in a 18-1 vote. The lone dissenter, Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said she was concerned that Collins would limit access to reproductive care like IVF or abortion for veterans.Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-duckworth-asean-trump-cabinet-senate-d06bda55cfa19b2454c5cac0a6e897a5">Tammy Duckworth</a>, D-Ill., said she had a productive conversation with Collins during his confirmation hearing but pressed him on whether he’d commit to working with Congress to “strengthen and refine” the department “rather than resorting to privatization.”Collins said he would be focused on addressing wait times and increasing preventative care.

Former congressman Doug Collins confirmed as VA secretary

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a deadly stabbing and have arrested the victim's mother.

&nbsp;Just before 2a.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to the 500 block of Quincy in Kanas City on a reported knife attack, according to Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

At the scene, first responders observed a residence with an open door and several people outside summoning officers to the home. 

Officers entered the residence to locate any potential victims and observed a man suffering from apparent stab wounds. Emergency medical aid was immediately given to the victim by responding officers until EMS arrived and transported the him to an area hospital where he&nbsp; was pronounced deceased. 

Preliminary investigation indicates the incident may have started over a verbal argument that escalated to violence. A woman, the victim's mother, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte' was identified as a suspect and taken into custody on scene for further questioning. 

Detectives are not currently looking for any additional individuals responsible. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded to begin collecting evidence and gather witness statements.This incident is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp; Police did not release the name of those involved.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738679900796.png" alt="Police on the scene early Tuesday-photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene early Tuesday-photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a deadly stabbing and have arrested the victim's mother.&nbsp;Just before 2a.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to the 500 block of Quincy in Kanas City on a reported knife attack, according to Officer Alayna Gonzalez.At the scene, first responders observed a residence with an open door and several people outside summoning officers to the home. Officers entered the residence to locate any potential victims and observed a man suffering from apparent stab wounds. Emergency medical aid was immediately given to the victim by responding officers until EMS arrived and transported the him to an area hospital where he&nbsp; was pronounced deceased. Preliminary investigation indicates the incident may have started over a verbal argument that escalated to violence. A woman, the victim's mother, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte' was identified as a suspect and taken into custody on scene for further questioning. Detectives are not currently looking for any additional individuals responsible. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded to begin collecting evidence and gather witness statements.This incident is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp; Police did not release the name of those involved.

Mother in custody after deadly stabbing at KC home

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Senate panel divided starkly along partisan lines voted on Tuesday to advance the nomination of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>, the controversial environmental lawyer turned public health critic, sending his bid to oversee the $1.7 trillion U.S. Health and Human Services agency to the Senate floor.

Fourteen Republicans voted together to advance Kennedy's nomination, with even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cassidy-kennedy-trump-health-secretary-e826bc40fddf90829f6438681c5d9275">Sen. Bill Cassidy</a>, a Louisiana physician who has aired deep concerns about approving Kennedy, joining in. All 13 Democrats opposed him.

t mattered little on Tuesday that Democrats, as well as some Republicans, have sounded an alarm on Kennedy's work to sow doubt around&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-vaccine-trump-science-autism-9b99621b01f11b7f0bdc81e5a0b82d2b">vaccine safety</a>&nbsp;and his potential to profit off lawsuits over drugmakers.

Tuesday’s committee vote is a strong indication that Kennedy’s nomination will succeed absent any last-minute vote switches. Republican senators are facing a maximum pressure campaign from the White House as well as Kennedy’s formidable following, which has been bombarding senators with hundreds of phone calls and emails.

A full Senate vote has not yet been scheduled. To be installed as the nation’s health secretary, Kennedy can lose only three Republican votes if Democrats in the 100-member chamber uniformly reject him.

Cassidy has publicly detailed his personal struggle, as a doctor who has seen the lifesaving ability of vaccines, with Kennedy's confirmation.

“Your past, undermining confidence in vaccines with unfounded or misleading arguments, concerns me,” Cassidy told Kennedy last week.

Yet when it came to his vote Tuesday, he advanced Kennedy with a simple “aye.”

Cassidy declined to discuss his vote. In a social media post on X, he described "intense conversations" with Kennedy and President Donald Trump's White House that started over the weekend and continued into Tuesday morning ahead of the vote and yielded “serious commitments” from the administration.

Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky are all seen as potential no votes because they voted against Trump's defense secretary nominee and have expressed concerns about Kennedy's anti-vaccine work. In a CBS “60 Minutes” interview that aired Sunday, McConnell declined to say how he would vote on Kennedy's nomination but reiterated “vaccines are critically important.”

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, another vulnerable vote that Kennedy worked to win over, said he was reassured last week by the health secretary nominee's promise to let scientists at the public health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes for Health, work “independently."

The only way that Bobby Kennedy will get crosswise is if he does take a position against the safety of proven vaccines," Tillis said. “That will be a problem to me.”

“If you touch the gold standard for the NIH and the CDC, then I'll have a problem with that nominee,” he added.

Democrats, meanwhile, have continued to raise alarms about Kennedy's potential to financially benefit from changing vaccine guidelines or weakening federal lawsuit protections against vaccine makers if confirmed as health secretary.

“It seems possible that many different types of vaccine-related decisions and communications — which you would be empowered to make and influence as Secretary — could result in significant financial compensation for your family,” Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Ron Wyden of Oregon wrote in a letter sent over the weekend to Kennedy.

Kennedy said he'll give his son all of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-kennedy-health-secretary-ethics-390e47ac1dd11aeef954851a9a5358ac">the referral fees in legal cases</a>&nbsp;against vaccine makers, including the fees he gets from referring clients in a case against Merck. Kennedy told the committee he's referred hundreds of clients to a law firm that's suing Merck's Gardasil, the human papillomavirus vaccine that prevents cervical cancer. He's earned $2.5 million from the deal over the past three years.

As secretary, Kennedy would be responsible for food and hospital inspections, providing health insurance for millions of Americans and researching deadly diseases.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738163015035.png" alt="<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>,&nbsp; during the confirmation hearing-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption><a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>,&nbsp; during the confirmation hearing-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A Senate panel divided starkly along partisan lines voted on Tuesday to advance the nomination of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>, the controversial environmental lawyer turned public health critic, sending his bid to oversee the $1.7 trillion U.S. Health and Human Services agency to the Senate floor.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738682983943.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall during the vote Tuesday morning-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall during the vote Tuesday morning-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Fourteen Republicans voted together to advance Kennedy's nomination, with even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cassidy-kennedy-trump-health-secretary-e826bc40fddf90829f6438681c5d9275">Sen. Bill Cassidy</a>, a Louisiana physician who has aired deep concerns about approving Kennedy, joining in. All 13 Democrats opposed him.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">✅ PASSED COMMITTEE <a href="https://twitter.com/RobertKennedyJr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RobertKennedyJr</a> is laser-focused on addressing the chronic diseases crisis and improving nutrition and food policy to secure healthier outcomes for all Americans. As a physician, I stand firmly behind his nomination and look forward to voting for his…&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1886811893966495780?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>t mattered little on Tuesday that Democrats, as well as some Republicans, have sounded an alarm on Kennedy's work to sow doubt around&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-vaccine-trump-science-autism-9b99621b01f11b7f0bdc81e5a0b82d2b">vaccine safety</a>&nbsp;and his potential to profit off lawsuits over drugmakers.Tuesday’s committee vote is a strong indication that Kennedy’s nomination will succeed absent any last-minute vote switches. Republican senators are facing a maximum pressure campaign from the White House as well as Kennedy’s formidable following, which has been bombarding senators with hundreds of phone calls and emails.A full Senate vote has not yet been scheduled. To be installed as the nation’s health secretary, Kennedy can lose only three Republican votes if Democrats in the 100-member chamber uniformly reject him.Cassidy has publicly detailed his personal struggle, as a doctor who has seen the lifesaving ability of vaccines, with Kennedy's confirmation.“Your past, undermining confidence in vaccines with unfounded or misleading arguments, concerns me,” Cassidy told Kennedy last week.Yet when it came to his vote Tuesday, he advanced Kennedy with a simple “aye.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’ve had very intense conversations with Bobby and the White House over the weekend and even this morning. I want to thank VP JD specifically for his honest counsel. With the serious commitments I’ve received from the administration and the opportunity to make progress on the…&mdash; U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (@SenBillCassidy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenBillCassidy/status/1886797538256113893?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Cassidy declined to discuss his vote. In a social media post on X, he described "intense conversations" with Kennedy and President Donald Trump's White House that started over the weekend and continued into Tuesday morning ahead of the vote and yielded “serious commitments” from the administration.Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky are all seen as potential no votes because they voted against Trump's defense secretary nominee and have expressed concerns about Kennedy's anti-vaccine work. In a CBS “60 Minutes” interview that aired Sunday, McConnell declined to say how he would vote on Kennedy's nomination but reiterated “vaccines are critically important.”Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, another vulnerable vote that Kennedy worked to win over, said he was reassured last week by the health secretary nominee's promise to let scientists at the public health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes for Health, work “independently."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734473282160.png" alt="Senator Roger Marshall and RFK Jr. during a visit in December- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Senator Roger Marshall and RFK Jr. during a visit in December- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The only way that Bobby Kennedy will get crosswise is if he does take a position against the safety of proven vaccines," Tillis said. “That will be a problem to me.”“If you touch the gold standard for the NIH and the CDC, then I'll have a problem with that nominee,” he added.Democrats, meanwhile, have continued to raise alarms about Kennedy's potential to financially benefit from changing vaccine guidelines or weakening federal lawsuit protections against vaccine makers if confirmed as health secretary.“It seems possible that many different types of vaccine-related decisions and communications — which you would be empowered to make and influence as Secretary — could result in significant financial compensation for your family,” Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Ron Wyden of Oregon wrote in a letter sent over the weekend to Kennedy.Kennedy said he'll give his son all of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-kennedy-health-secretary-ethics-390e47ac1dd11aeef954851a9a5358ac">the referral fees in legal cases</a>&nbsp;against vaccine makers, including the fees he gets from referring clients in a case against Merck. Kennedy told the committee he's referred hundreds of clients to a law firm that's suing Merck's Gardasil, the human papillomavirus vaccine that prevents cervical cancer. He's earned $2.5 million from the deal over the past three years.As secretary, Kennedy would be responsible for food and hospital inspections, providing health insurance for millions of Americans and researching deadly diseases.

Committee, including Kan. Senator, advances RFK Jr. nomination to be health secretary

LEAVENWORTH—Federal officials are investigating the death of an inmate at a prison in Kansas.

Just before 10p.m. Sunday, 30-year-old inmate&nbsp;Christian Rivera-Carrion was found unresponsive at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Leavenworth, according to a statement from the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Responding employees initiated life-saving measures. Emergency medical services (EMS) were requested while life-saving efforts continued.&nbsp; EMS transported Rivera-Carrion to a local hospital where he was&nbsp; pronounced deceased. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was notified.

No employees or other incarcerated individuals were injured and at no time was the public in danger.

&nbsp;Rivera-Carrion was sentenced in the Southern District of Texas to an aggregate 87-month sentence for Illegal Reentry by a Previously Deported Alien after an Aggravated Felony Conviction and Illegal Alien Transportation for Private or Financial Gain.

He had been in custody at FCI Leavenworth since October 17, 2024.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600183865325.png" alt="The federal prison in Leavenworth-image Bureau of Prisons" />
 <figcaption>The federal prison in Leavenworth-image Bureau of Prisons</figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH—Federal officials are investigating the death of an inmate at a prison in Kansas.Just before 10p.m. Sunday, 30-year-old inmate&nbsp;Christian Rivera-Carrion was found unresponsive at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Leavenworth, according to a statement from the Federal Bureau of Prisons.Responding employees initiated life-saving measures. Emergency medical services (EMS) were requested while life-saving efforts continued.&nbsp; EMS transported Rivera-Carrion to a local hospital where he was&nbsp; pronounced deceased. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was notified.No employees or other incarcerated individuals were injured and at no time was the public in danger.&nbsp;Rivera-Carrion was sentenced in the Southern District of Texas to an aggregate 87-month sentence for Illegal Reentry by a Previously Deported Alien after an Aggravated Felony Conviction and Illegal Alien Transportation for Private or Financial Gain.He had been in custody at FCI Leavenworth since October 17, 2024.

30-year-old illegal alien in Kansas prison has died

The young figure skaters whose&nbsp;lives were cut tragically short Wednesday night when an&nbsp;American Airlines flight collided with an Army helicopter&nbsp;and crashed into the Potomac River were just beginning their journeys to stardom.

They were learning how to perfect toe loops and axels, sit spins and step sequences. They had just been to a development camp in Wichita after the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, where they had been learning how to skate with grace and flair.

On Monday, U.S. Figure skating released a video honoring the lives lost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738593013304.png" alt="Image from the U.S. Figure Skating video" />
 <figcaption>Image from the U.S. Figure Skating video</figcaption>
 </figure>The young figure skaters whose&nbsp;lives were cut tragically short Wednesday night when an&nbsp;American Airlines flight collided with an Army helicopter&nbsp;and crashed into the Potomac River were just beginning their journeys to stardom.They were learning how to perfect toe loops and axels, sit spins and step sequences. They had just been to a development camp in Wichita after the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, where they had been learning how to skate with grace and flair.On Monday, U.S. Figure skating released a video honoring the lives lost.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Honoring those we tragically lost. See below for tributes to our beloved club members. 🖤 ION FSC: <a href="https://t.co/UzVviMzAfJ">https://t.co/UzVviMzAfJ</a> The SC of Boston: <a href="https://t.co/S1rDUZ0QLa">https://t.co/S1rDUZ0QLa</a> SC of Northern Virginia: <a href="https://t.co/6bZ5htFQ0Y">https://t.co/6bZ5htFQ0Y</a> University of Delaware FSC: <a href="https://t.co/XfgjLlwHnP">https://t.co/XfgjLlwHnP</a> Washington… <a href="https://t.co/NtZgm3ImMB">pic.twitter.com/NtZgm3ImMB</a>&mdash; U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) <a href="https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/1886384339136491684?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The AP contributed to this report.

🎥U.S. Figure Skating video honors those lost in mid-air crash

By KEN MORITSUGU and HUIZHONG WU Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — China countered President Donald Trump's across-the-board tariffs on Chinese products with tariffs on select U.S. imports Tuesday, as well as announcing an antitrust investigation into Google and other trade measures.

U.S. tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico were also set to go into effect Tuesday before Trump agreed to a 30-day pause as the two countries acted to appease his concerns about border security and drug trafficking. Trump planned to talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the next few days.

The Chinese response was "measured," said John Gong, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing. "I don't think they want the trade war escalating," he said. "And they see this example from Canada and Mexico and probably they are hoping for the same thing."

This isn't the first round of tit-for-tat actions between the two countries. China and the U.S. had engaged in a trade war in 2018 when Trump raised tariffs on Chinese goods and China responded in kind.

This time, analysts said, China is much better prepared to counter, with the government announcing a slew of measures that cut across different sectors of the economy, from energy to individual U.S. companies.

China said it would implement a 15% tariff on coal and liquefied natural gas products as well as a 10% tariff on crude oil, agricultural machinery and large-engine cars imported from the U.S. The tariffs would take effect next Monday.

"The U.S.'s unilateral tariff increase seriously violates the rules of the World Trade Organization," the State Council Tariff Commission said in a statement. "It is not only unhelpful in solving its own problems, but also damages normal economic and trade cooperation between China and the U.S."

The impact on U.S. exports may be limited. Though the U.S. is the biggest exporter of liquid natural gas globally, it does not export much to China. In 2023, the U.S. exported 173,247 million cubic feet of LNG to China, representing about 2.3% of total natural gas exports, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

China imported only about 700,000 cars overall last year, and the leading importers are from Europe and Japan, said Bill Russo, the founder of the Automobility Limited consultancy in Shanghai.

Further export controls on critical minerals

China announced export controls on several elements critical to the production of modern high-tech products.

They include tungsten, tellurium, bismuth, molybdenum and indium, many of which are designated as critical minerals by the U.S. Geological Survey, meaning they are essential to U.S. economic or national security that have supply chains vulnerable to disruption.

The export controls are in addition to ones China placed in December on key elements such as gallium.

"They have a much more developed export control regime," Philip Luck, an economist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and former State Department official, said at a panel discussion on Monday.

"We depend on them for a lot of critical minerals: gallium, germanium, graphite, a host of others," he said. "So … they could put some significant harm on our economy."

The response from China appears calculated and measured, said Stephen Dover, chief market strategist and head of the Franklin Templeton Institute, a financial research firm. However, he said, the world is bracing for further impact.

"A risk is that this is the beginning of a tit-for-tat trade war, which could result in lower GDP growth everywhere, higher U.S. inflation, a stronger dollar and upside pressure on U.S. interest rates," Dover said.

In addition, China's State Administration for Market Regulation said Tuesday it is investigating Google on suspicion of violating antitrust laws. The announcement did not mention the tariffs but came just minutes after Trump's 10% tariffs on China were to take effect.

It is unclear how the probe will affect Google's operations. The company has long faced complaints from Chinese smartphone makers over its business practices surrounding the Android operating system, Gong said.

Otherwise, Google has a limited presence in China, and its search engine is blocked in the country like most other Western platforms. Google exited the Chinese market in 2010 after refusing to comply with censorship requests from the Chinese government and following a series of cyberattacks on the company.

The Commerce Ministry also placed two American companies on an unreliable entities list: PVH Group, which owns Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, and Illumina, which is a biotechnology company with offices in China. The listing could bar them from engaging in China-related import or export activities and from making new investments in the country.

Beijing began investigating PVH Group in September last year over "improper Xinjiang-related behavior" after the company allegedly boycotted the use of Xinjiang cotton.

Putting these U.S. companies on the unreliable entities list is "alarming" because it shows that the Chinese government is using the list to pressure U.S. companies to take a side, said George Chen, managing director for The Asia Group, a Washington D.C.-headquartered business policy consultancy.

"It's almost like telling American companies, what your government is doing is bad, you need to tell the government that if you add more tariffs or hurt U.S.-China relations at the end of the day it'll backfire on American companies," Chen said.

Wu reported from Bangkok. Associated Press writers Zen Soo in Hong Kong and Christopher Bodeen in Taipei, Taiwan, contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738676744689.png" alt="President Trump spoke to reporters in the Oval Office Monday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Trump spoke to reporters in the Oval Office Monday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By KEN MORITSUGU and HUIZHONG WU Associated PressBEIJING (AP) — China countered President Donald Trump's across-the-board tariffs on Chinese products with tariffs on select U.S. imports Tuesday, as well as announcing an antitrust investigation into Google and other trade measures.U.S. tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico were also set to go into effect Tuesday before Trump agreed to a 30-day pause as the two countries acted to appease his concerns about border security and drug trafficking. Trump planned to talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the next few days.The Chinese response was "measured," said John Gong, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing. "I don't think they want the trade war escalating," he said. "And they see this example from Canada and Mexico and probably they are hoping for the same thing."This isn't the first round of tit-for-tat actions between the two countries. China and the U.S. had engaged in a trade war in 2018 when Trump raised tariffs on Chinese goods and China responded in kind.This time, analysts said, China is much better prepared to counter, with the government announcing a slew of measures that cut across different sectors of the economy, from energy to individual U.S. companies.Counter tariffsChina said it would implement a 15% tariff on coal and liquefied natural gas products as well as a 10% tariff on crude oil, agricultural machinery and large-engine cars imported from the U.S. The tariffs would take effect next Monday."The U.S.'s unilateral tariff increase seriously violates the rules of the World Trade Organization," the State Council Tariff Commission said in a statement. "It is not only unhelpful in solving its own problems, but also damages normal economic and trade cooperation between China and the U.S."The impact on U.S. exports may be limited. Though the U.S. is the biggest exporter of liquid natural gas globally, it does not export much to China. In 2023, the U.S. exported 173,247 million cubic feet of LNG to China, representing about 2.3% of total natural gas exports, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.China imported only about 700,000 cars overall last year, and the leading importers are from Europe and Japan, said Bill Russo, the founder of the Automobility Limited consultancy in Shanghai.Further export controls on critical mineralsChina announced export controls on several elements critical to the production of modern high-tech products.They include tungsten, tellurium, bismuth, molybdenum and indium, many of which are designated as critical minerals by the U.S. Geological Survey, meaning they are essential to U.S. economic or national security that have supply chains vulnerable to disruption.The export controls are in addition to ones China placed in December on key elements such as gallium."They have a much more developed export control regime," Philip Luck, an economist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and former State Department official, said at a panel discussion on Monday."We depend on them for a lot of critical minerals: gallium, germanium, graphite, a host of others," he said. "So … they could put some significant harm on our economy."The response from China appears calculated and measured, said Stephen Dover, chief market strategist and head of the Franklin Templeton Institute, a financial research firm. However, he said, the world is bracing for further impact."A risk is that this is the beginning of a tit-for-tat trade war, which could result in lower GDP growth everywhere, higher U.S. inflation, a stronger dollar and upside pressure on U.S. interest rates," Dover said.US companies also impactedIn addition, China's State Administration for Market Regulation said Tuesday it is investigating Google on suspicion of violating antitrust laws. The announcement did not mention the tariffs but came just minutes after Trump's 10% tariffs on China were to take effect.It is unclear how the probe will affect Google's operations. The company has long faced complaints from Chinese smartphone makers over its business practices surrounding the Android operating system, Gong said.Otherwise, Google has a limited presence in China, and its search engine is blocked in the country like most other Western platforms. Google exited the Chinese market in 2010 after refusing to comply with censorship requests from the Chinese government and following a series of cyberattacks on the company.Google did not immediately comment.The Commerce Ministry also placed two American companies on an unreliable entities list: PVH Group, which owns Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, and Illumina, which is a biotechnology company with offices in China. The listing could bar them from engaging in China-related import or export activities and from making new investments in the country.Beijing began investigating PVH Group in September last year over "improper Xinjiang-related behavior" after the company allegedly boycotted the use of Xinjiang cotton.Putting these U.S. companies on the unreliable entities list is "alarming" because it shows that the Chinese government is using the list to pressure U.S. companies to take a side, said George Chen, managing director for The Asia Group, a Washington D.C.-headquartered business policy consultancy."It's almost like telling American companies, what your government is doing is bad, you need to tell the government that if you add more tariffs or hurt U.S.-China relations at the end of the day it'll backfire on American companies," Chen said.___Wu reported from Bangkok. Associated Press writers Zen Soo in Hong Kong and Christopher Bodeen in Taipei, Taiwan, contributed to this report.

China hits back as Trump’s tariffs go into effect

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating three suspects in connection with a shots fired at police after a traffic stop.

Just before 12a.m. Sunday, police attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a white Chrysler 300 in the area of 24th and Rosenthal in Wichita, according to Office Kris Gupilan. During the stop, the occupants of the Chrysler fired shots at the officers, prompting the officers to initiate a pursuit as the vehicle fled at high speed.

The chase ended after a brief pursuit when the driver lost control of the car the 300 block of N. Piatt in Wichita.

The occupants of the vehicle then fled on foot, and officers quickly established a perimeter. Patrol officers, K9 units, and the WPD Drone team responded to the scene and successfully apprehended four individuals. During the investigation, officers located a Draco AK-style pistol.

Investigators interviewed the suspects, leading to the arrest of 18-year-old Jose Alfonso Morones and a 20-year-old Jose Rodriguez-Torres as identified in Sedgwick County arrest reports and a 17-year-old boy all from Wichita. 

All three were booked into jail on requested charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and criminal damage to property.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738600967020.png" alt="Morones photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Morones photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating three suspects in connection with a shots fired at police after a traffic stop.Just before 12a.m. Sunday, police attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a white Chrysler 300 in the area of 24th and Rosenthal in Wichita, according to Office Kris Gupilan. During the stop, the occupants of the Chrysler fired shots at the officers, prompting the officers to initiate a pursuit as the vehicle fled at high speed.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738600883637.png" alt="RODRIGUEZ-TORRES photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>RODRIGUEZ-TORRES photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>The chase ended after a brief pursuit when the driver lost control of the car the 300 block of N. Piatt in Wichita.The occupants of the vehicle then fled on foot, and officers quickly established a perimeter. Patrol officers, K9 units, and the WPD Drone team responded to the scene and successfully apprehended four individuals. During the investigation, officers located a Draco AK-style pistol.Investigators interviewed the suspects, leading to the arrest of 18-year-old Jose Alfonso Morones and a 20-year-old Jose Rodriguez-Torres as identified in Sedgwick County arrest reports and a 17-year-old boy all from Wichita. All three were booked into jail on requested charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and criminal damage to property.&nbsp;

Suspects fired shots at Kansas officers during traffic stop

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;The State of Kansas ends January 2025 with total tax collections at $942.8 million. That is $15.9 million, or 1.7%, above the estimate. Total tax collections are up 1.5% from January 2024, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Revenue.

Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fcontent.govdelivery.com%2Fattachments%2FKSOG%2F2025%2F02%2F03%2Ffile_attachments%2F3152797%2F07_January_Revenue_FY2025_02-03-2025_Final.pdf/1/01010194cd7fd010-c740b7b5-830f-4599-8dc8-3db04301b549-000000/Nv5sUcKgpjmj7yYUTa05T2lvpTVMOlxaXiZyb3LJZcw=390">here</a>&nbsp;to view the January 2025 revenue numbers.

“While current revenues are in line with the estimates, it is important that we continue to focus on fiscal responsibility to ensure long term financial health in Kansas,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;

Individual income tax collections were $500.1 million, $25.1 million or 5.3% above the estimate, and up 5.1% from January 2024. Corporate income tax collections were $73.0 million, $20.0 million or 21.5% below the estimate, and down 18.7% from January 2024.&nbsp;

“But for a tax system deployment on Friday, January 31, which delayed that day’s individual income tax refunds to today, total taxes collected would have been extremely close to the forecasted amount for the month of January,”&nbsp;said Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $348.8 million, $11.8 million or 3.5% above the estimate, and up $4.5 million or 1.3% from January 2024.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;The State of Kansas ends January 2025 with total tax collections at $942.8 million. That is $15.9 million, or 1.7%, above the estimate. Total tax collections are up 1.5% from January 2024, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Revenue.Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fcontent.govdelivery.com%2Fattachments%2FKSOG%2F2025%2F02%2F03%2Ffile_attachments%2F3152797%2F07_January_Revenue_FY2025_02-03-2025_Final.pdf/1/01010194cd7fd010-c740b7b5-830f-4599-8dc8-3db04301b549-000000/Nv5sUcKgpjmj7yYUTa05T2lvpTVMOlxaXiZyb3LJZcw=390">here</a>&nbsp;to view the January 2025 revenue numbers.“While current revenues are in line with the estimates, it is important that we continue to focus on fiscal responsibility to ensure long term financial health in Kansas,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;Individual income tax collections were $500.1 million, $25.1 million or 5.3% above the estimate, and up 5.1% from January 2024. Corporate income tax collections were $73.0 million, $20.0 million or 21.5% below the estimate, and down 18.7% from January 2024.&nbsp;“But for a tax system deployment on Friday, January 31, which delayed that day’s individual income tax refunds to today, total taxes collected would have been extremely close to the forecasted amount for the month of January,”&nbsp;said Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart.&nbsp;&nbsp;Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $348.8 million, $11.8 million or 3.5% above the estimate, and up $4.5 million or 1.3% from January 2024.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansas tax collections in January above the estimate

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats have delivered a strong rebuke against the Trump administration’s attempt to gut an agency that provides crucial aid overseas to fund education and fight starvation and disease, calling it illegal, vowing a court fight and lambasting billionaire Elon Musk for wielding so much power in Washington.

Staffers of the U.S. Agency for International Development were instructed to stay out of the agency’s Washington headquarters, and officers blocked the lawmakers from entering the lobby Monday, after Musk announced President Donald Trump had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-musk-trump-classified-information-usaid-security-35101dee28a766e0d9705e0d47958611">agreed with him to shut the agency</a>.

The fast-moving developments come after thousands of USAID employees already have been laid off and programs shut down in the two weeks since Trump became president. And they show the extraordinary power of Musk and his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-government-trump-executive-order-1a2fb7235b9d6f178c764cf6c78d3317">Department of Government Efficiency</a>&nbsp;in the Trump administration. Musk announced closing of the agency early Monday, as Trump’s secretary of state,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/migration-rubio-panama-colombia-venezuela-237f06b7d4bdd9ff1396baf9c45a2c0b">Marco Rubio</a>, was out of the country on a trip to Central America.

Trump said shutting down USAID “should have been done a long time ago” and was asked whether he needs Congress to approve such a measure. The president said he did not think so, and accused the Biden administration of fraud, without giving any evidence and only promising a report later on.

“They went totally crazy, what they were doing and the money they were giving to people that shouldn’t be getting it and to agencies and others that shouldn’t be getting it, it was a shame, so a tremendous fraud,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday.

Rubio told reporters in San Salvador that he was now the acting administrator of USAID but had delegated his authorities to someone else. The change means that USAID is no longer an independent government agency as it had been for decades — although its new status will likely be challenged in court — and will be run out of the State Department.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland called it an “illegal power grab” and said it was “a corrupt abuse of power that is going on.”

“It’s not only a gift to our adversaries, but trying to shut down the Agency for International Development by executive order is plain illegal,” the Maryland senator said.

The upheaval follows Trump ordering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-freeze-7d9c8cbcb241ec9a710feb8e883b9756">a freeze on foreign assistance</a>, with widespread effects around the world. The moves by the U.S., the world’s largest provider of humanitarian aid, have upended decades of policy that put humanitarian, development and security assistance in the center of efforts to build alliances and counter adversaries such as China and Russia.

U.S. and international companies have been forced to shut down tens of thousands of programs globally, leading to furloughs, layoffs and financial crises that have left many fearing the aid community has been too damaged by the freeze to resume work even if funding resumes. Other organizations have filed for bankruptcy after being told USAID would not be paying its invoices for projects that have already been approved and implemented around the world.

The Democratic lawmakers gathered outside the agency building for a rally and press conference and gave the most forceful pushback since Trump took office last month. They said they expected a flurry of lawsuits to be issued in the coming days against the Trump administration. They tried to walk into the offices to talk to staff about the changes but were denied entrance.

They said Trump lacks the constitutional authority to shut down USAID without congressional approval and decried Musk’s accessing sensitive government-held information through his Trump-sanctioned inspections of federal government agencies and programs.

Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz said USAID is not just about saving other countries from starvation and disease. “There is a reason that USAID is an arm of American foreign policy, and it is because we understand that a stable world means a stable America,” he said.

USAID staffers said more than 600 additional employees had reported being locked out of the agency’s computer systems overnight. Those still in the system received emails saying that “at the direction of Agency leadership” the headquarters building “will be closed to Agency personnel on Monday, Feb. 3.” The agency’s website vanished Saturday without explanation.

On Monday, two State Department employees who tried to get into the USAID offices said they were turned away by security guards. Later, uniformed Department of Homeland Security officers and security officers blocked the lobby of the USAID’s headquarters using yellow tape with the words “do not cross.”

Musk, who’s leading an extraordinary civilian review of the federal government with Trump’s agreement, said early Monday that he had spoken with Trump about the six-decade U.S. aid and development agency and “he agreed we should shut it down.”

“It became apparent that it’s not an apple with a worm it in,” Musk said in a live session on X Spaces early Monday. “What we have is just a ball of worms. You’ve got to basically get rid of the whole thing. It’s beyond repair.”

Musk, Trump and some Republican lawmakers have targeted the U.S. aid and development agency, which oversees humanitarian, development and security programs in some 120 countries, in increasingly strident terms, accusing it of promoting liberal causes.

Since Trump took office, appointees brought in from his first term such as Peter Marocco placed more than 50 senior officials on leave for investigation without public explanation, gutting the agency’s leadership. When the agency’s personnel chief announced that the allegations against them were groundless and tried to reinstate them, he was placed on leave as well.

It is widely known among current and former State Department and USAID employees that Marocco has been delegated authority over the agency by Rubio.

In his remarks Rubio stressed that some and perhaps many USAID programs would continue in the new configuration but that the switch was necessary because the agency had become unaccountable to the executive branch and Congress.

Over the weekend, the Trump administration placed two top security chiefs at USAID&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-website-offline-trump-foreign-funding-freeze-9d2ecdaff5c74a9f6b0d6096fa2228ff">on leave</a>&nbsp;after they refused to turn over classified material in restricted areas to Musk’s government-inspection teams, a current and a former U.S. official said.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-government-trump-executive-order-1a2fb7235b9d6f178c764cf6c78d3317">Musk’s DOGE</a>&nbsp;earlier carried out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elon-musk-doge-treasury-5e26cc80fcb766981cea56afd57ae759">a similar operation at the Treasury Department</a>, gaining access to sensitive information including the Social Security and Medicare customer payment systems. The Washington Post reported that a senior Treasury official had resigned over Musk’s team accessing sensitive information.

USAID, meanwhile, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-freeze-7d9c8cbcb241ec9a710feb8e883b9756">one of the federal agencies most targeted</a>&nbsp;by the Trump administration in an escalating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-buyouts-to-all-federal-employees-f67f5751a0fd5ad8471806a5a1067b5e">crackdown on the federal government</a>&nbsp;and many of its programs. The U.S. spends less than 1% of its budget on foreign assistance, a smaller share overall than some other countries.

The Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-department-trump-foreign-aid-bf047e17ef64cb42a1a1b7fdf05caffa">freeze on foreign assistance</a>&nbsp;has shut down much of USAID’s aid programs worldwide, including an HIV-AIDS program started by Republican President George W. Bush credited with saving more than 20 million lives in Africa and elsewhere. Aid contractors spoke of millions of dollars in medication and other goods now stuck in port that they were forbidden to deliver.

Other programs that would shut down provided education to schoolgirls in Afghanistan under Taliban rule and monitored an Ebola outbreak spreading in Uganda. A USAID-supported crisis monitoring program, which was credited for helping prevent repeats of the 1980s famine in Uganda that killed up to 1.2 million people, has gone offline.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats have delivered a strong rebuke against the Trump administration’s attempt to gut an agency that provides crucial aid overseas to fund education and fight starvation and disease, calling it illegal, vowing a court fight and lambasting billionaire Elon Musk for wielding so much power in Washington.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenSchumer</a> on DOGE: &quot;Before our very eyes an unelected shadow government is conducting a hostile takeover of the federal government...Donald Trump does not have the authority to erase an independent agency created by Congress nor can the Department of State absorb USAID...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/HiUqndKMet">pic.twitter.com/HiUqndKMet</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1886526693579292718?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorAndyKim?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenatorAndyKim</a> at USAID: &quot;I talked to the security guard just in there. He said he has been given specific orders to prevent employees of USAID from entering the building today. I just find that to be absolutely ridiculous. This is no way to govern.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ixdFDLqGps">pic.twitter.com/ixdFDLqGps</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1886461565060162004?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a> in El Salvador: &quot;I&#39;m the acting director of USAID. I&#39;ve delegated that authority to someone...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/dabJ41IyxC">pic.twitter.com/dabJ41IyxC</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1886473339201360210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Rep. Jim <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMcGovern?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepMcGovern</a> (D-MA) to USAID employees: &quot;I&#39;m sorry that you have to put up with this offensive bullshit coming out of this White House.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/s2OARF6W8R">pic.twitter.com/s2OARF6W8R</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1886493658267934972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Sen. <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisVanHollen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChrisVanHollen</a> (D-MD) leads other Congressional Democrats into USAID headquarters: &quot;So we can hear firsthand from whoever is here at AID or at least witness firsthand what is happening with this Elon Musk attempted takeover which will not stand. We will prevail. Let&#39;s go.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/anu41Bjyg7">pic.twitter.com/anu41Bjyg7</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1886494205062590751?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Staffers of the U.S. Agency for International Development were instructed to stay out of the agency’s Washington headquarters, and officers blocked the lawmakers from entering the lobby Monday, after Musk announced President Donald Trump had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-musk-trump-classified-information-usaid-security-35101dee28a766e0d9705e0d47958611">agreed with him to shut the agency</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has long strayed from its original mission of responsibly advancing American interests abroad, and it is now abundantly clear that significant portions of USAID funding are not aligned with the core national interests…&mdash; Department of State (@StateDept) <a href="https://twitter.com/StateDept/status/1886512412863684802?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The fast-moving developments come after thousands of USAID employees already have been laid off and programs shut down in the two weeks since Trump became president. And they show the extraordinary power of Musk and his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-government-trump-executive-order-1a2fb7235b9d6f178c764cf6c78d3317">Department of Government Efficiency</a>&nbsp;in the Trump administration. Musk announced closing of the agency early Monday, as Trump’s secretary of state,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/migration-rubio-panama-colombia-venezuela-237f06b7d4bdd9ff1396baf9c45a2c0b">Marco Rubio</a>, was out of the country on a trip to Central America.Trump said shutting down USAID “should have been done a long time ago” and was asked whether he needs Congress to approve such a measure. The president said he did not think so, and accused the Biden administration of fraud, without giving any evidence and only promising a report later on.“They went totally crazy, what they were doing and the money they were giving to people that shouldn’t be getting it and to agencies and others that shouldn’t be getting it, it was a shame, so a tremendous fraud,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday.Rubio told reporters in San Salvador that he was now the acting administrator of USAID but had delegated his authorities to someone else. The change means that USAID is no longer an independent government agency as it had been for decades — although its new status will likely be challenged in court — and will be run out of the State Department.Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland called it an “illegal power grab” and said it was “a corrupt abuse of power that is going on.”“It’s not only a gift to our adversaries, but trying to shut down the Agency for International Development by executive order is plain illegal,” the Maryland senator said.The upheaval follows Trump ordering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-freeze-7d9c8cbcb241ec9a710feb8e883b9756">a freeze on foreign assistance</a>, with widespread effects around the world. The moves by the U.S., the world’s largest provider of humanitarian aid, have upended decades of policy that put humanitarian, development and security assistance in the center of efforts to build alliances and counter adversaries such as China and Russia.U.S. and international companies have been forced to shut down tens of thousands of programs globally, leading to furloughs, layoffs and financial crises that have left many fearing the aid community has been too damaged by the freeze to resume work even if funding resumes. Other organizations have filed for bankruptcy after being told USAID would not be paying its invoices for projects that have already been approved and implemented around the world.The Democratic lawmakers gathered outside the agency building for a rally and press conference and gave the most forceful pushback since Trump took office last month. They said they expected a flurry of lawsuits to be issued in the coming days against the Trump administration. They tried to walk into the offices to talk to staff about the changes but were denied entrance.They said Trump lacks the constitutional authority to shut down USAID without congressional approval and decried Musk’s accessing sensitive government-held information through his Trump-sanctioned inspections of federal government agencies and programs.Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz said USAID is not just about saving other countries from starvation and disease. “There is a reason that USAID is an arm of American foreign policy, and it is because we understand that a stable world means a stable America,” he said.USAID staffers said more than 600 additional employees had reported being locked out of the agency’s computer systems overnight. Those still in the system received emails saying that “at the direction of Agency leadership” the headquarters building “will be closed to Agency personnel on Monday, Feb. 3.” The agency’s website vanished Saturday without explanation.On Monday, two State Department employees who tried to get into the USAID offices said they were turned away by security guards. Later, uniformed Department of Homeland Security officers and security officers blocked the lobby of the USAID’s headquarters using yellow tape with the words “do not cross.”Musk, who’s leading an extraordinary civilian review of the federal government with Trump’s agreement, said early Monday that he had spoken with Trump about the six-decade U.S. aid and development agency and “he agreed we should shut it down.”“It became apparent that it’s not an apple with a worm it in,” Musk said in a live session on X Spaces early Monday. “What we have is just a ball of worms. You’ve got to basically get rid of the whole thing. It’s beyond repair.”“We’re shutting it down,” he said.Musk, Trump and some Republican lawmakers have targeted the U.S. aid and development agency, which oversees humanitarian, development and security programs in some 120 countries, in increasingly strident terms, accusing it of promoting liberal causes.Since Trump took office, appointees brought in from his first term such as Peter Marocco placed more than 50 senior officials on leave for investigation without public explanation, gutting the agency’s leadership. When the agency’s personnel chief announced that the allegations against them were groundless and tried to reinstate them, he was placed on leave as well.It is widely known among current and former State Department and USAID employees that Marocco has been delegated authority over the agency by Rubio.In his remarks Rubio stressed that some and perhaps many USAID programs would continue in the new configuration but that the switch was necessary because the agency had become unaccountable to the executive branch and Congress.Over the weekend, the Trump administration placed two top security chiefs at USAID&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-website-offline-trump-foreign-funding-freeze-9d2ecdaff5c74a9f6b0d6096fa2228ff">on leave</a>&nbsp;after they refused to turn over classified material in restricted areas to Musk’s government-inspection teams, a current and a former U.S. official said.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-government-trump-executive-order-1a2fb7235b9d6f178c764cf6c78d3317">Musk’s DOGE</a>&nbsp;earlier carried out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elon-musk-doge-treasury-5e26cc80fcb766981cea56afd57ae759">a similar operation at the Treasury Department</a>, gaining access to sensitive information including the Social Security and Medicare customer payment systems. The Washington Post reported that a senior Treasury official had resigned over Musk’s team accessing sensitive information.USAID, meanwhile, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-freeze-7d9c8cbcb241ec9a710feb8e883b9756">one of the federal agencies most targeted</a>&nbsp;by the Trump administration in an escalating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-buyouts-to-all-federal-employees-f67f5751a0fd5ad8471806a5a1067b5e">crackdown on the federal government</a>&nbsp;and many of its programs. The U.S. spends less than 1% of its budget on foreign assistance, a smaller share overall than some other countries.The Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-department-trump-foreign-aid-bf047e17ef64cb42a1a1b7fdf05caffa">freeze on foreign assistance</a>&nbsp;has shut down much of USAID’s aid programs worldwide, including an HIV-AIDS program started by Republican President George W. Bush credited with saving more than 20 million lives in Africa and elsewhere. Aid contractors spoke of millions of dollars in medication and other goods now stuck in port that they were forbidden to deliver.Other programs that would shut down provided education to schoolgirls in Afghanistan under Taliban rule and monitored an Ebola outbreak spreading in Uganda. A USAID-supported crisis monitoring program, which was credited for helping prevent repeats of the 1980s famine in Uganda that killed up to 1.2 million people, has gone offline.

🎥Dems push back after Trump agrees to close USAID and workers are kept out

JOHNSON COUNTY —One person died in an&nbsp; accident just before 1:30a.m. Monday in Johnson County.

A motorcycle driven by 46-year-old James R. Woodrow of Lenexa was northbound Interstate 35 south of Santa Fe Street, according to Lenexa Police Sergeant John Moncayo. The motorcycle crashed. First responders found Woodrow and pronounced him dead on scene.

The accident remains under investigation by the Olathe Police Department.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police released no additional details.

JOHNSON COUNTY —One person died in an&nbsp; accident just before 1:30a.m. Monday in Johnson County.A motorcycle driven by 46-year-old James R. Woodrow of Lenexa was northbound Interstate 35 south of Santa Fe Street, according to Lenexa Police Sergeant John Moncayo. The motorcycle crashed. First responders found Woodrow and pronounced him dead on scene.The accident remains under investigation by the Olathe Police Department.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police released no additional details.

Kansas man dies in motorcycle accident

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement arrested an additional man in connection with&nbsp;&nbsp;trying to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex after deputies arrested him in a sting operation this wek.&nbsp;

Josue Rivera, 27, Kansas City, Kansas has been charged with one count of felony attempted child enticement, according to the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff.

Rivera was messaging with under-cover detectives during the original operation and continued communication until January 30, when he made arrangements to meet whom he believed to be the 14-year-old. Instead, deputies took him into custody at the meet-up location. He is being held on a $25,000 bond.

The Clay County&nbsp;Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with other law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, led a counter-human trafficking operation Jan. 23 and 24 that resulted in the arrest of two men who sought to have sex with a child, as well as services provided to more than a dozen potential trafficking victims.

Two other men, 33-year-old Jose Trinidad-Diaz of Kansas City, Mo. / Mexico and 34-year-old Dominic Shelby of Kansas City, Kan. were charged with felony attempted child enticement after they tried to meet whom they believed to be a 14-year-old girl for sex. It was actually under-cover detectives who had been chatting with them online and by text message. 

The operation was a joint effort by the Clay County&nbsp;Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations – Kansas City, and the Ray County Counter Human Trafficking Task Force. The Ray County Task Force is a team of subject matter experts in the counter-trafficking space who contribute their time and knowledge at no cost to host law enforcement agencies. They are credentialed law enforcement officers and analysts from several&nbsp;sheriff’s offices and have deep connections to a network of aftercare and survivor support service organizations. 

During this operation, Task Force volunteers from the Butler, Bourbon and Greenwood County&nbsp;sheriff’s offices in Kansas, the Washoe County, Nev.,&nbsp;Sheriff’s Office and the Goodyear, Ariz., Police Department participated. They work discreetly with in-jurisdiction agencies with the support of the Ray County, Mo.,&nbsp;Sheriff’s Office and many other credentialing agencies. Financially, they are supported by private donations from generous donors who believe in the mission of supporting law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738423670166.png" alt="Rivera-photo Clay County" />
 <figcaption>Rivera-photo Clay County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement arrested an additional man in connection with&nbsp;&nbsp;trying to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex after deputies arrested him in a sting operation this wek.&nbsp;Josue Rivera, 27, Kansas City, Kansas has been charged with one count of felony attempted child enticement, according to the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff.Rivera was messaging with under-cover detectives during the original operation and continued communication until January 30, when he made arrangements to meet whom he believed to be the 14-year-old. Instead, deputies took him into custody at the meet-up location. He is being held on a $25,000 bond.The Clay County&nbsp;Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with other law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, led a counter-human trafficking operation Jan. 23 and 24 that resulted in the arrest of two men who sought to have sex with a child, as well as services provided to more than a dozen potential trafficking victims.Two other men, 33-year-old Jose Trinidad-Diaz of Kansas City, Mo. / Mexico and 34-year-old Dominic Shelby of Kansas City, Kan. were charged with felony attempted child enticement after they tried to meet whom they believed to be a 14-year-old girl for sex. It was actually under-cover detectives who had been chatting with them online and by text message. The operation was a joint effort by the Clay County&nbsp;Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations – Kansas City, and the Ray County Counter Human Trafficking Task Force. The Ray County Task Force is a team of subject matter experts in the counter-trafficking space who contribute their time and knowledge at no cost to host law enforcement agencies. They are credentialed law enforcement officers and analysts from several&nbsp;sheriff’s offices and have deep connections to a network of aftercare and survivor support service organizations. During this operation, Task Force volunteers from the Butler, Bourbon and Greenwood County&nbsp;sheriff’s offices in Kansas, the Washoe County, Nev.,&nbsp;Sheriff’s Office and the Goodyear, Ariz., Police Department participated. They work discreetly with in-jurisdiction agencies with the support of the Ray County, Mo.,&nbsp;Sheriff’s Office and many other credentialing agencies. Financially, they are supported by private donations from generous donors who believe in the mission of supporting law enforcement.

Another Kan. man arrested after child sex abuse sting

BUTLER COUNTY —Police on Monday arrested the adoptive parents of a child whose remains were found in the back yard of a home in Rose Hill.

Crystina Elizabeth Schroer, 50,&nbsp; Rose Hill is in custody on requested charges of&nbsp;Murder in the 1st degree, Kidnapping, aggravated , Child abuse, torture (x4), Theft, felony (value under $25,000), Forgery (x4), Medicaid fraud and&nbsp;Desecration of a corpse.

Joseph Shane Schroer, 53,&nbsp; Rose Hill is being held on requested charges that include, Child abuse, torture (x4), Liability for crimes of another , Interference with Law Enforcement, Theft, felony (value under $25,000) and Medicaid fraud

Just before 7:30p.m. September 10, a call was made to Butler County Emergency Communications which began an investigation lasting several months.  During this initial contact Officers discovered the possibility of human remains having been buried in the backyard of 1406 North Meeker Court, Rose Hill, Kansas, according to Police Chief Taylor Parlier.

In the early morning hours of September 11, police secured a search warrant for the property of this residence, and with the assistance of the Butler County Sheriff’s Office began a search.  The ground was overgrown in the search area, so cadaver dogs acquired through Sedgwick County Emergency Management were deployed, with no positive indications, officers brought in a brush hog and knocked down the vegetation. 

 Another deployment of the canines was completed with interest being shown to different areas in the backyard, still with no positive indication. 

 A forensic dig began at one of the locations of interest and hours later, approximately 23 inches deep, the decomposed remains of a human child were found in a trash bag.

  A postmortem was completed at the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center on September 12.  On September 27, DNA testing was completed and confirmed the identity of the decedent as Kennedy Schroer (adopted name)/Natalie Garcia (birth name). 

 As the investigation began, six detectives with the Butler County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the dig, neighborhood canvasing, initial interviews, and organizing information as it came in. 

 Andover Police Department detectives assisted as well with initial interviews of people with knowledge of this house but not living in the immediate area. 

 As the investigation progressed, other agencies were brought in to assist, such as the Butler County Attorney’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI, Wichita Satellite Office), FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU, Quantico), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Kansas Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Division, Department of Children and Families (DCF) investigation division, Exploited and Missing Children’s Unit (EMCU), and Civilian experts in the fields of trauma and abuse.

On November 20, 2024, personnel with the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center completed their postmortem report.  Their report found Kennedy/Natalie’s cause of death was probable suffocation, and her manner of death was homicide. 

"Sometimes investigations are complex and require patience, particularly in light of the severity of the suspected crimes.  We shared in that sense of urgency.  We know that there has been a strong desire in our community for answers, but the specific needs of our investigation would not permit us to provide them in detail before now."

"Please know that we conducted this investigation with the time, attention and seriousness that it required.  We assessed that there was not an ongoing risk to public safety during the investigation and that making arrests only after the investigation concluded was the necessary course of action to ensure the best possible outcome."

"During the last five months, Detective Missy Tharp and members of the Rose Hill PD put in over 2,000 hours into this investigation.  With assisting agencies putting in several hundred additional hours.  This case was built through the development of timelines spanning more than four years, which is the primary reason for the length of the investigation."

"Natalie has always been the focus of this investigation, and we believe we can now tell her story accurately."

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Authorities have positively identified the human remains found on September 11 in the yard of a home in the city of Rose Hill.

Kennedy Jean Schroer, born on July 14, 2014, was adopted by Crystina and Joe Schroer in November 2018 and is believed to have died in late 2020, according to a statement from Rose Hill, Kansas Police Chief Taylor Parlier.

Her remains were brought to the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center for the postmortem. Due to the advanced level of decomposition, the medical examiner was unable to identify a cause of death. Their preliminary report gave findings that no visible injuries were observed, nor were any healing or healed injuries observable, according to the police chief.

"Through our investigation we believe the time of death occurred within the month of November 2020. The medical examiner has not released the full report of the postmortem but has confirmed Kennedy’s identity through DNA analysis."

"We understand that many in the public might be confused how an arrest in this case has not been made, that is completely understandable. What we would like to convey is that we have one chance to gather as much information as possible, to find out what happened to this child and to tell her story. While we understand the desire to hold persons accountable, we need to get this correct and not fast. Releasing too much information might appear to implicate a person or persons who were not involved, so in our search for the truth we need to equally work to protect peoples’ rights."

"This investigation is ongoing. Officers, Detectives, surrounding law enforcement agencies, social workers, mental health professionals, and many others are hard at work to find answers. What we can assure anyone interested in this case, Kennedy is the center of our universe and will remain so until we have answers."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727450427639.png" alt="Kennedy Jean Schroer" />
 <figcaption>Kennedy Jean Schroer</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY —Police on Monday arrested the adoptive parents of a child whose remains were found in the back yard of a home in Rose Hill.Crystina Elizabeth Schroer, 50,&nbsp; Rose Hill is in custody on requested charges of&nbsp;Murder in the 1st degree, Kidnapping, aggravated , Child abuse, torture (x4), Theft, felony (value under $25,000), Forgery (x4), Medicaid fraud and&nbsp;Desecration of a corpse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738621674017.png" alt="Joseph Schroer photo Rose Hill Police" />
 <figcaption>Joseph Schroer photo Rose Hill Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Joseph Shane Schroer, 53,&nbsp; Rose Hill is being held on requested charges that include, Child abuse, torture (x4), Liability for crimes of another , Interference with Law Enforcement, Theft, felony (value under $25,000) and Medicaid fraud<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738621650185.png" alt="Crystina Schroer" />
 <figcaption>Crystina Schroer</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 7:30p.m. September 10, a call was made to Butler County Emergency Communications which began an investigation lasting several months. During this initial contact Officers discovered the possibility of human remains having been buried in the backyard of 1406 North Meeker Court, Rose Hill, Kansas, according to Police Chief Taylor Parlier.In the early morning hours of September 11, police secured a search warrant for the property of this residence, and with the assistance of the Butler County Sheriff’s Office began a search. The ground was overgrown in the search area, so cadaver dogs acquired through Sedgwick County Emergency Management were deployed, with no positive indications, officers brought in a brush hog and knocked down the vegetation. Another deployment of the canines was completed with interest being shown to different areas in the backyard, still with no positive indication. A forensic dig began at one of the locations of interest and hours later, approximately 23 inches deep, the decomposed remains of a human child were found in a trash bag. A postmortem was completed at the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center on September 12. On September 27, DNA testing was completed and confirmed the identity of the decedent as Kennedy Schroer (adopted name)/Natalie Garcia (birth name). As the investigation began, six detectives with the Butler County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the dig, neighborhood canvasing, initial interviews, and organizing information as it came in. Andover Police Department detectives assisted as well with initial interviews of people with knowledge of this house but not living in the immediate area. As the investigation progressed, other agencies were brought in to assist, such as the Butler County Attorney’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI, Wichita Satellite Office), FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU, Quantico), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Kansas Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Division, Department of Children and Families (DCF) investigation division, Exploited and Missing Children’s Unit (EMCU), and Civilian experts in the fields of trauma and abuse.On November 20, 2024, personnel with the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center completed their postmortem report. Their report found Kennedy/Natalie’s cause of death was probable suffocation, and her manner of death was homicide. "Sometimes investigations are complex and require patience, particularly in light of the severity of the suspected crimes. We shared in that sense of urgency. We know that there has been a strong desire in our community for answers, but the specific needs of our investigation would not permit us to provide them in detail before now.""Please know that we conducted this investigation with the time, attention and seriousness that it required. We assessed that there was not an ongoing risk to public safety during the investigation and that making arrests only after the investigation concluded was the necessary course of action to ensure the best possible outcome.""During the last five months, Detective Missy Tharp and members of the Rose Hill PD put in over 2,000 hours into this investigation. With assisting agencies putting in several hundred additional hours. This case was built through the development of timelines spanning more than four years, which is the primary reason for the length of the investigation.""Natalie has always been the focus of this investigation, and we believe we can now tell her story accurately."-----SEDGWICK COUNTY —Authorities have positively identified the human remains found on September 11 in the yard of a home in the city of Rose Hill.Kennedy Jean Schroer, born on July 14, 2014, was adopted by Crystina and Joe Schroer in November 2018 and is believed to have died in late 2020, according to a statement from Rose Hill, Kansas Police Chief Taylor Parlier.Her remains were brought to the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center for the postmortem. Due to the advanced level of decomposition, the medical examiner was unable to identify a cause of death. Their preliminary report gave findings that no visible injuries were observed, nor were any healing or healed injuries observable, according to the police chief."Through our investigation we believe the time of death occurred within the month of November 2020. The medical examiner has not released the full report of the postmortem but has confirmed Kennedy’s identity through DNA analysis.""We understand that many in the public might be confused how an arrest in this case has not been made, that is completely understandable. What we would like to convey is that we have one chance to gather as much information as possible, to find out what happened to this child and to tell her story. While we understand the desire to hold persons accountable, we need to get this correct and not fast. Releasing too much information might appear to implicate a person or persons who were not involved, so in our search for the truth we need to equally work to protect peoples’ rights.""This investigation is ongoing. Officers, Detectives, surrounding law enforcement agencies, social workers, mental health professionals, and many others are hard at work to find answers. What we can assure anyone interested in this case, Kennedy is the center of our universe and will remain so until we have answers."

Kan. couple arrested after child's remains found in back yard of home

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Monday confirmed fossil fuel executive Chris Wright to serve as energy secretary, a key post to promote President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;efforts to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-chris-wright-energy-cabinet-4161f363d59013339d5b444ddf123d45">Wright, CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy,</a>&nbsp;has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He says more fossil fuel production can lift people out of poverty around the globe and has promised to help Trump “unleash energy security and prosperity.”

The Senate approved his nomination, 59-38. Eight Democrats — including both senators from Wright's home state of Colorado — voted in favor.

The centerpiece of Trump’s energy policy is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-policies-agenda-election-2024-second-term-d656d8f08629a8da14a65c4075545e0f">“drill, baby, drill</a>,” and he has pledged to dismantle what he calls Democrats’ “green new scam” in favor of boosting production of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal that emit planet-warming greenhouse gases.

“President Trump shares my passion for energy,” Wright said at his confirmation hearing last month, promising that if confirmed, he would “work tirelessly to implement (Trump's) bold agenda as an unabashed steward for all sources of affordable, reliable and secure American energy.”

That includes oil and natural gas, coal, nuclear power and hydropower, along with wind and solar power and geothermal energy, Wright said.

Trump’s energy wishes are likely to run into real-world limits, including the fact that U.S. oil production is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=61545">already at record levels</a>. The federal government cannot force companies to drill for more oil, and production increases could lower prices and reduce profits.

Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the second-ranking Republican, called Wright an innovator who “tells the truth about energy production."

While Wright “acknowledges that climate change is real, he knows more American energy is the solution — not the problem,'' Barrasso said, calling Wright's “energy realism” welcome news.

Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican who chairs the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said Wright “understands that energy policies should focus on making energy abundant and affordable for families” and businesses.

“Our nation deserves a champion for American energy and innovation, and we’ve got the Wright guy for the job,'' Lee posted on X.

Colorado's two Democratic senators both supported their home-state nominee.

“Chris Wright is a scientist who has dedicated his life to the study and use of energy. He believes in science and supports the research that will deliver the affordable, reliable and clean energy" that will lower costs and make the country more secure, Sen. John Hickenlooper said.

“While we don’t always agree, we will work together because none of us have four years to wait to act,” Hickenlooper said.

Sen. Michael Bennet called Wright a successful Colorado entrepreneur with deep expertise in energy innovation and technology. He pledged to work with Wright to “ensure Colorado continues to lead the country in energy production and innovation.”

While acknowledging that climate change is real, Wright said at his hearing that he believes “there isn’t dirty energy or clean energy.” Rather, he said, there are different sources of energy with different tradeoffs.

Wright, 60, has been chairman and CEO of Liberty Energy since 2011 and has no prior experience in government. He grew up in Colorado, earned an undergraduate degree at MIT and did graduate work in electrical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley and MIT. In 1992, he founded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pinnacle-financial-partners-inc">Pinnacle Technologies</a>, which helped launch commercial shale gas production through hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.

He later served as chairman of Stroud Energy, an early shale gas producer, before founding Liberty Resources in 2010.

As energy secretary, Wright will join Interior Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/doug-burgum">Doug Burgum</a>&nbsp;as a key player on energy policy. Both will serve on a new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-transition-white-house-cheung-gor-f3e02df04ffece1b07a44062ee723d71">National Energy Council</a>&nbsp;that Burgum will chair. The panel will include all executive branch agencies involved in energy permitting, production, generation, distribution, regulation and transportation, with a focus on “cutting red tape” and boosting domestic energy production, Trump said. The council’s mission represents a near-complete reversal from actions pursued by Democratic President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, who made fighting climate change a top priority.

Wright said he would sever all ties across the energy industry if confirmed.

Lena Moffitt, executive director of Evergreen Action, an environmental group, said Democrats should have unanimously opposed Wright.

“Senate Republicans just handed Trump’s Big Oil allies the keys to the Department of Energy,'' she said in a statement. “Chris Wright built his career expanding fossil fuels and denying climate science. Now, he’ll be in a position to help Trump" stall clean energy investments, hike energy prices “and keep Americans addicted to expensive, volatile fossil fuels."

Now is the time, she added, "for Democrats to stand united and fight back against Trump’s relentless push to rig the system for Big Oil.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Monday confirmed fossil fuel executive Chris Wright to serve as energy secretary, a key post to promote President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;efforts to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congratulations to our new Secretary of Energy Chris Wright! <a href="https://t.co/gK5W9Dj9WC">pic.twitter.com/gK5W9Dj9WC</a>&mdash; House Republicans (@HouseGOP) <a href="https://twitter.com/HouseGOP/status/1886556704529166504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-chris-wright-energy-cabinet-4161f363d59013339d5b444ddf123d45">Wright, CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy,</a>&nbsp;has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He says more fossil fuel production can lift people out of poverty around the globe and has promised to help Trump “unleash energy security and prosperity.”The Senate approved his nomination, 59-38. Eight Democrats — including both senators from Wright's home state of Colorado — voted in favor.The centerpiece of Trump’s energy policy is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-policies-agenda-election-2024-second-term-d656d8f08629a8da14a65c4075545e0f">“drill, baby, drill</a>,” and he has pledged to dismantle what he calls Democrats’ “green new scam” in favor of boosting production of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal that emit planet-warming greenhouse gases.“President Trump shares my passion for energy,” Wright said at his confirmation hearing last month, promising that if confirmed, he would “work tirelessly to implement (Trump's) bold agenda as an unabashed steward for all sources of affordable, reliable and secure American energy.”That includes oil and natural gas, coal, nuclear power and hydropower, along with wind and solar power and geothermal energy, Wright said.Trump’s energy wishes are likely to run into real-world limits, including the fact that U.S. oil production is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=61545">already at record levels</a>. The federal government cannot force companies to drill for more oil, and production increases could lower prices and reduce profits.Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the second-ranking Republican, called Wright an innovator who “tells the truth about energy production."While Wright “acknowledges that climate change is real, he knows more American energy is the solution — not the problem,'' Barrasso said, calling Wright's “energy realism” welcome news.Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican who chairs the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said Wright “understands that energy policies should focus on making energy abundant and affordable for families” and businesses.“Our nation deserves a champion for American energy and innovation, and we’ve got the Wright guy for the job,'' Lee posted on X.Colorado's two Democratic senators both supported their home-state nominee.“Chris Wright is a scientist who has dedicated his life to the study and use of energy. He believes in science and supports the research that will deliver the affordable, reliable and clean energy" that will lower costs and make the country more secure, Sen. John Hickenlooper said.“While we don’t always agree, we will work together because none of us have four years to wait to act,” Hickenlooper said.Sen. Michael Bennet called Wright a successful Colorado entrepreneur with deep expertise in energy innovation and technology. He pledged to work with Wright to “ensure Colorado continues to lead the country in energy production and innovation.”While acknowledging that climate change is real, Wright said at his hearing that he believes “there isn’t dirty energy or clean energy.” Rather, he said, there are different sources of energy with different tradeoffs.Wright, 60, has been chairman and CEO of Liberty Energy since 2011 and has no prior experience in government. He grew up in Colorado, earned an undergraduate degree at MIT and did graduate work in electrical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley and MIT. In 1992, he founded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pinnacle-financial-partners-inc">Pinnacle Technologies</a>, which helped launch commercial shale gas production through hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.He later served as chairman of Stroud Energy, an early shale gas producer, before founding Liberty Resources in 2010.As energy secretary, Wright will join Interior Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/doug-burgum">Doug Burgum</a>&nbsp;as a key player on energy policy. Both will serve on a new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-transition-white-house-cheung-gor-f3e02df04ffece1b07a44062ee723d71">National Energy Council</a>&nbsp;that Burgum will chair. The panel will include all executive branch agencies involved in energy permitting, production, generation, distribution, regulation and transportation, with a focus on “cutting red tape” and boosting domestic energy production, Trump said. The council’s mission represents a near-complete reversal from actions pursued by Democratic President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, who made fighting climate change a top priority.Wright said he would sever all ties across the energy industry if confirmed.Lena Moffitt, executive director of Evergreen Action, an environmental group, said Democrats should have unanimously opposed Wright.“Senate Republicans just handed Trump’s Big Oil allies the keys to the Department of Energy,'' she said in a statement. “Chris Wright built his career expanding fossil fuels and denying climate science. Now, he’ll be in a position to help Trump" stall clean energy investments, hike energy prices “and keep Americans addicted to expensive, volatile fossil fuels."Now is the time, she added, "for Democrats to stand united and fight back against Trump’s relentless push to rig the system for Big Oil.”

More good news for oil producers: Senate confirms Wright as energy secretary

WICHITA – American Airlines CEO Robert Isom, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, Wichita Mayor Lily Wu, and U.S. Representative Ron Estes (KS-4) today released the following statement following a visit with American Airlines team members and first responders at Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT):&nbsp;

“As the close-knit community of Wichita continues to mourn this tragic accident, American Airlines and representatives from all levels of government came together today to unequivocally stand with the families and friends of the passengers of Flight 5342."

"Caring for and supporting those impacted is our top priority. This morning, we visited with and expressed our gratitude to American team members based at Eisenhower National Airport and thanked those who came from other parts of the country to support this Wichita-based team and the passengers’ loved ones immediately following the accident. Together, we will be unrelenting in our work at the local, state and federal levels to ensure U.S. aviation safety remains the best in the world.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738624981503.png" alt="Photos city of Wichita" />
 <figcaption>Photos city of Wichita</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA – American Airlines CEO Robert Isom, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, Wichita Mayor Lily Wu, and U.S. Representative Ron Estes (KS-4) today released the following statement following a visit with American Airlines team members and first responders at Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT):&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738624941136.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>“As the close-knit community of Wichita continues to mourn this tragic accident, American Airlines and representatives from all levels of government came together today to unequivocally stand with the families and friends of the passengers of Flight 5342.""Caring for and supporting those impacted is our top priority. This morning, we visited with and expressed our gratitude to American team members based at Eisenhower National Airport and thanked those who came from other parts of the country to support this Wichita-based team and the passengers’ loved ones immediately following the accident. Together, we will be unrelenting in our work at the local, state and federal levels to ensure U.S. aviation safety remains the best in the world.”

American Airlines CEO, Kan. elected officials show support for crash survivors

WASHINGTON (AP)—President Donald Trump on Monday held off on his tariff threats against Mexico and Canada for 30 days after the two U.S. neighbors agreed to boost border security efforts.

Trump on Saturday had directed that 25% tariffs on most imports from the two American partners — and 10% on Canadian energy products — go into effect at midnight Tuesday. The two nations threatened retaliation of their own, raising the prospects of a broader regional trade war.

In a statement on X, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that on a call with Trump he pledged additional cooperation on border security. It follows similar moves by Mexico earlier Monday.

“Proposed tariffs will be paused for at least 30 days while we work together,” Trudeau said.

WASHINGTON (AP)—President Donald Trump on Monday held off on his tariff threats against Mexico and Canada for 30 days after the two U.S. neighbors agreed to boost border security efforts.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I just had a good call with President Trump. Canada is implementing our $1.3 billion border plan — reinforcing the border with new choppers, technology and personnel, enhanced coordination with our American partners, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl. Nearly…&mdash; Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1886529228193022429?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/7lBE3mP51J">pic.twitter.com/7lBE3mP51J</a>&mdash; Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1886536040548028868?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump on Saturday had directed that 25% tariffs on most imports from the two American partners — and 10% on Canadian energy products — go into effect at midnight Tuesday. The two nations threatened retaliation of their own, raising the prospects of a broader regional trade war.In a statement on X, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that on a call with Trump he pledged additional cooperation on border security. It follows similar moves by Mexico earlier Monday.“Proposed tariffs will be paused for at least 30 days while we work together,” Trudeau said.