TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has promised to provide more hospital beds for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3df19ed1b2db0247cff89f62c2020e1b">mentally ill criminal defendants</a>&nbsp;to settle a federal lawsuit filed over defendants waiting months for evaluations of whether they were fit for a trial.

The agreement between state officials and representatives of five defendants requires the state to “use its best efforts”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kdads.ks.gov/state-hospitals/south-central-regional-psychiatric-hospital">to open a new psychiatric hospital</a>&nbsp;by January 2027 in Wichita, the state's largest city. Officials also must seek funding from the Kansas Legislature to reopen a previously closed 30-bed unit at its psychiatric hospital in Larned in western Kansas, about 130 miles (209 kilometers) northwest of Wichita.

The agreement was announced this week by the two groups pursuing the lawsuit, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and the National Police Accountability Project, based in the Seattle area. The groups sued in 2022 on behalf of attorneys for four defendants and the mother of a fifth. The accused were identified only by their initials.

The state operates two psychiatric hospitals, but only the one in Larned has a unit for evaluating whether mentally ill criminal defendants can understand their cases and participate in their own defense. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Larned State Hospital has had fewer than 80 beds for defendants awaiting evaluation.

The state Department for Aging and Disability Services, which runs the Larned facility, acknowledged before the lawsuit was filed that defendants were waiting an average of about 11 months to be evaluated. The lawsuit said defendants remained in county jails that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-mental-health-kansas-lawrence-d3ede575eff20302e7fc0b5ad4006c72">weren't providing adequate treatment</a>, making the inmates' conditions worse and violating their rights. The lawsuit also said the state was violating the federal Americans with Disabilities Act by discriminating against people with mental health problems.

“This settlement is more than a legal agreement; it’s a lifeline for those who have been lost in the system, a promise that their dignity and humanity will no longer be ignored,” said Lauren Bonds, the police accountability group's executive director.

One of the five defendants covered by the lawsuit had been held in a county jail for 13 months facing criminal threat charges when the lawsuit was filed. That's longer than the maximum prison sentence for a conviction on that charge.

“Remaining in the jail environment is devastating and deeply harmful even for those whose mental health is not in question, and condemning Kansans to languish across the state in their county jails was contradictory to our values of justice," said Monica Bennett, the ACLU of Kansas' legal director.

State officials argued that they already had been addressing the long waits. The state began having Larned State Hospital officials operate a mobile evaluation unit in 2019; and in 2022, the Legislature passed a law to allow other qualified hospitals and organizations to examine criminal defendants.

The state and Wichita's home county hope to start construction early next year on a secure, $101.5 million psychiatric hospital with 104 beds, half of them set aside for the state. Federal COVID-19 relief dollars provided part of the funding.

KDADS spokesperson Cara Sloan-Ramos said the department and Gov. Laura Kelly are committed to reducing wait times.

Republican state Rep. Stephen Owens, chair of the House committee handling criminal justice issues, was pleased that the state could settle the lawsuit.

“We’ve certainly been aware of this issue and have been working on solutions," Owens said Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575316797715.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has promised to provide more hospital beds for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3df19ed1b2db0247cff89f62c2020e1b">mentally ill criminal defendants</a>&nbsp;to settle a federal lawsuit filed over defendants waiting months for evaluations of whether they were fit for a trial.The agreement between state officials and representatives of five defendants requires the state to “use its best efforts”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kdads.ks.gov/state-hospitals/south-central-regional-psychiatric-hospital">to open a new psychiatric hospital</a>&nbsp;by January 2027 in Wichita, the state's largest city. Officials also must seek funding from the Kansas Legislature to reopen a previously closed 30-bed unit at its psychiatric hospital in Larned in western Kansas, about 130 miles (209 kilometers) northwest of Wichita.The agreement was announced this week by the two groups pursuing the lawsuit, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and the National Police Accountability Project, based in the Seattle area. The groups sued in 2022 on behalf of attorneys for four defendants and the mother of a fifth. The accused were identified only by their initials.The state operates two psychiatric hospitals, but only the one in Larned has a unit for evaluating whether mentally ill criminal defendants can understand their cases and participate in their own defense. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Larned State Hospital has had fewer than 80 beds for defendants awaiting evaluation.The state Department for Aging and Disability Services, which runs the Larned facility, acknowledged before the lawsuit was filed that defendants were waiting an average of about 11 months to be evaluated. The lawsuit said defendants remained in county jails that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-mental-health-kansas-lawrence-d3ede575eff20302e7fc0b5ad4006c72">weren't providing adequate treatment</a>, making the inmates' conditions worse and violating their rights. The lawsuit also said the state was violating the federal Americans with Disabilities Act by discriminating against people with mental health problems.“This settlement is more than a legal agreement; it’s a lifeline for those who have been lost in the system, a promise that their dignity and humanity will no longer be ignored,” said Lauren Bonds, the police accountability group's executive director.One of the five defendants covered by the lawsuit had been held in a county jail for 13 months facing criminal threat charges when the lawsuit was filed. That's longer than the maximum prison sentence for a conviction on that charge.“Remaining in the jail environment is devastating and deeply harmful even for those whose mental health is not in question, and condemning Kansans to languish across the state in their county jails was contradictory to our values of justice," said Monica Bennett, the ACLU of Kansas' legal director.State officials argued that they already had been addressing the long waits. The state began having Larned State Hospital officials operate a mobile evaluation unit in 2019; and in 2022, the Legislature passed a law to allow other qualified hospitals and organizations to examine criminal defendants.The state and Wichita's home county hope to start construction early next year on a secure, $101.5 million psychiatric hospital with 104 beds, half of them set aside for the state. Federal COVID-19 relief dollars provided part of the funding.KDADS spokesperson Cara Sloan-Ramos said the department and Gov. Laura Kelly are committed to reducing wait times.Republican state Rep. Stephen Owens, chair of the House committee handling criminal justice issues, was pleased that the state could settle the lawsuit.“We’ve certainly been aware of this issue and have been working on solutions," Owens said Tuesday.

Kansas agrees to increase hospital beds for mentally ill defendants

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are seeking information about a sexual assault and theft that occurred Tuesday morning.

The incident occurred&nbsp; just after 2:30a.m. in a home near W. 97th Street and Reeder in Overland Park, according to Overland Park Police Officer John Lacy.

The victim did not know the suspect but was able to provide a description. The suspect is stocky build, clean-shaven, late twenties to early thirties man. He was last seen wearing a black jacket with a black beanie-style cap. 

EMS transported the victim to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. If you have any information to assist with this investigation, please contact the Overland Park Police Department at 913-890-1413.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732041800750.png" alt="Photo Overland Park Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Overland Park Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are seeking information about a sexual assault and theft that occurred Tuesday morning.The incident occurred&nbsp; just after 2:30a.m. in a home near W. 97th Street and Reeder in Overland Park, according to Overland Park Police Officer John Lacy.The victim did not know the suspect but was able to provide a description. The suspect is stocky build, clean-shaven, late twenties to early thirties man. He was last seen wearing a black jacket with a black beanie-style cap. EMS transported the victim to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. If you have any information to assist with this investigation, please contact the Overland Park Police Department at 913-890-1413.&nbsp;

Police investigating sex assault, theft at Kansas home

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday tapped Dr. Mehmet Oz, a former television talk show host and heart surgeon, to head the agency that oversees health insurance programs for millions of older, poor and disabled Americans and selected Wall Street executive Howard Lutnick to lead the Commerce Department.

“Dr. Oz will be a leader in incentivizing Disease Prevention, so we get the best results in the World for every dollar we spend on Healthcare in our Great Country,” Trump said in a statement. “He will also cut waste and fraud within our Country’s most expensive Government Agency, which is a third of our Nation’s Healthcare spend, and a quarter of our entire National Budget.”

Oz, who ran a failed 2022 bid to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate, has been an outspoken support of Trump and in recent days expressed support for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination for the nation’s top health agency, the Department of Health and Human Services.

As the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Oz would report to Kennedy. If confirmed by the Senate, Oz would be responsible for the programs — Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act — that more than half the country relies on for health insurance. Medicaid provides nearly-free health care coverage to millions of the poorest children and adults in the U.S. while Medicare gives older Americans and the disabled access to health insurance. The Affordable Care Act is the Obama-era program that offers health insurance plans to millions of Americans who do not qualify for government-assisted health insurance, but do not get insurance through their employer.

“Americans need better research on healthy lifestyle choices from unbiased scientists, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/robertfkennedyjr/">@robertfkennedyjr</a>&nbsp;can help as HHS secretary,” Oz shared in a post on Instagram last week, along with a photo of him and Kennedy together.

Oz has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dr-mehmet-oz-political-career-2022-midterm-f6ecd9ac9f0e95cda41193adc13c8437">accused</a>&nbsp;of hawking dubious medical treatments and products on his defunct TV show. And during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hydroxychloroquine-covid-treatment-campaign-8f136d7e9dc52fd2d8da8854680d6004">pressured</a>&nbsp;government officials to make hydroxychloroquine widely available, despite unresolved questions about its safety and effectiveness.

Lutnick, meanwhile, will have a key role carrying out Trump's plan to raise and enforce tariffs as commerce secretary, Trump said on Tuesday. Lutnick is a cryptocurrency enthusiast and head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald.

Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. In the post, Trump said Lutnick “will lead our Tariff and Trade agenda, with additional direct responsibility for the Office of the United States Trade Representative."

Lutnick is a co-chair of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-transition-security-e9b282a5861c67573d19ad3667580448">Trump’s transition team</a>, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration.

The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial.

An advocate for imposing wide-ranging tariffs, Lutnick told CNBC in September that “tariffs are an amazing tool for the president to use — we need to protect the American worker." Trump on the campaign trail&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-taxes-imports-inflation-consumers-prices-c2eef295a078a76ce2bb7fedb0c5e58c">proposed a 60% tariff on goods from China</a>&nbsp;— and a tariff of up to 20% on everything else the United States imports.

Mainstream economists are generally skeptical of tariffs, considering them a mostly inefficient way for governments to raise money and promote prosperity.

Lutnick had been considered for treasury secretary, a role that has been at the center of high-profile jockeying within the Trump world. At the same time, the treasury position is closely watched in financial circles, where a disruptive nominee could have immediate negative consequences on the stock market, which Trump watches closely.

The news also comes after billionaire Elon Musk and others in Trump’s orbit called on Trump to dump previous front-runner for treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, in favor of Lutnick. Musk said in his post that “Bessent is a business-as-usual choice, whereas @howardlutnick will actually enact change.”

Lutnick joined Cantor Fitzgerald in 1983 and rose through the ranks to be appointed president and CEO in 1991.

Lutnick also chairs financial technology company BGC Group, Inc. and the commercial real estate services firm Newmark Group, Inc.

Lutnick has donated to both Democrats and Republicans in the past, and once appeared on Trump’s NBC reality show, “The Apprentice.” He has become a part of the president-elect’s inner circle, and has shared the stage with Trump at events in the closing days of his campaign, including a rally at Madison Square Garden.

He came under criticism in the campaign’s final days for an interview with CNN in which he repeated Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s debunked criticisms of vaccines.

— Associated Press writer Matthew Perrone in Washington contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732052071521.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday tapped Dr. Mehmet Oz, a former television talk show host and heart surgeon, to head the agency that oversees health insurance programs for millions of older, poor and disabled Americans and selected Wall Street executive Howard Lutnick to lead the Commerce Department.“Dr. Oz will be a leader in incentivizing Disease Prevention, so we get the best results in the World for every dollar we spend on Healthcare in our Great Country,” Trump said in a statement. “He will also cut waste and fraud within our Country’s most expensive Government Agency, which is a third of our Nation’s Healthcare spend, and a quarter of our entire National Budget.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732051989242.png" alt="Trump" />
 <figcaption>Trump</figcaption>
 </figure>Oz, who ran a failed 2022 bid to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate, has been an outspoken support of Trump and in recent days expressed support for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination for the nation’s top health agency, the Department of Health and Human Services.As the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Oz would report to Kennedy. If confirmed by the Senate, Oz would be responsible for the programs — Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act — that more than half the country relies on for health insurance. Medicaid provides nearly-free health care coverage to millions of the poorest children and adults in the U.S. while Medicare gives older Americans and the disabled access to health insurance. The Affordable Care Act is the Obama-era program that offers health insurance plans to millions of Americans who do not qualify for government-assisted health insurance, but do not get insurance through their employer.“Americans need better research on healthy lifestyle choices from unbiased scientists, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/robertfkennedyjr/">@robertfkennedyjr</a>&nbsp;can help as HHS secretary,” Oz shared in a post on Instagram last week, along with a photo of him and Kennedy together.Oz has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dr-mehmet-oz-political-career-2022-midterm-f6ecd9ac9f0e95cda41193adc13c8437">accused</a>&nbsp;of hawking dubious medical treatments and products on his defunct TV show. And during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hydroxychloroquine-covid-treatment-campaign-8f136d7e9dc52fd2d8da8854680d6004">pressured</a>&nbsp;government officials to make hydroxychloroquine widely available, despite unresolved questions about its safety and effectiveness.Lutnick, meanwhile, will have a key role carrying out Trump's plan to raise and enforce tariffs as commerce secretary, Trump said on Tuesday. Lutnick is a cryptocurrency enthusiast and head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald.Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. In the post, Trump said Lutnick “will lead our Tariff and Trade agenda, with additional direct responsibility for the Office of the United States Trade Representative."Lutnick is a co-chair of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-transition-security-e9b282a5861c67573d19ad3667580448">Trump’s transition team</a>, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration.The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial.An advocate for imposing wide-ranging tariffs, Lutnick told CNBC in September that “tariffs are an amazing tool for the president to use — we need to protect the American worker." Trump on the campaign trail&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-taxes-imports-inflation-consumers-prices-c2eef295a078a76ce2bb7fedb0c5e58c">proposed a 60% tariff on goods from China</a>&nbsp;— and a tariff of up to 20% on everything else the United States imports.Mainstream economists are generally skeptical of tariffs, considering them a mostly inefficient way for governments to raise money and promote prosperity.Lutnick had been considered for treasury secretary, a role that has been at the center of high-profile jockeying within the Trump world. At the same time, the treasury position is closely watched in financial circles, where a disruptive nominee could have immediate negative consequences on the stock market, which Trump watches closely.The news also comes after billionaire Elon Musk and others in Trump’s orbit called on Trump to dump previous front-runner for treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, in favor of Lutnick. Musk said in his post that “Bessent is a business-as-usual choice, whereas @howardlutnick will actually enact change.”Lutnick joined Cantor Fitzgerald in 1983 and rose through the ranks to be appointed president and CEO in 1991.Lutnick also chairs financial technology company BGC Group, Inc. and the commercial real estate services firm Newmark Group, Inc.Lutnick has donated to both Democrats and Republicans in the past, and once appeared on Trump’s NBC reality show, “The Apprentice.” He has become a part of the president-elect’s inner circle, and has shared the stage with Trump at events in the closing days of his campaign, including a rally at Madison Square Garden.He came under criticism in the campaign’s final days for an interview with CNN in which he repeated Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s debunked criticisms of vaccines.— Associated Press writer Matthew Perrone in Washington contributed.

Trump chooses TV doctor to lead Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine fired several American-supplied longer-range missiles into Russia, officials said Tuesday, marking the first time Kyiv used the weapons that way in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-1000-days-ade5a60cf2345d694871f85df162d08a">1,000 days of war</a>.

The use of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-biden-what-are-atacms-missiles-8d8621321af8c673bd42a5693c2ad1f4">Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS</a>, came as Russian President Vladimir Putin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-nuclear-doctrine-putin-91f20e0c9b0f9e5eaa3ed97c35789898">formally lowered the threshold</a>&nbsp;for using nuclear weapons, opening the door to a potential nuclear response by Moscow to even a conventional attack by any nation supported by a nuclear power. That could include Ukrainian attacks backed by the U.S.

A Telegram channel affiliated with the Ukrainian military posted a video Tuesday that it says shows U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles being fired from an undisclosed location in Ukraine. The Associated Press could not independently verify the date and location the video was filmed.

According to a U.S. official, Ukraine fired about eight of the missiles, and just two were intercepted by the Russians. The official said that the U.S. was still assessing battle damage, but that the missiles struck an ammunition supply location in Karachev, a city of about 18,000 people in Russia's Bryansk region. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence assessments.

The developments marked a worrying escalation in the conflict that has repeatedly ratcheted up international tensions. U.S. officials recently expressed dismay at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-north-korea-war-735ab717dcf92a718adcb68bfbddc653">Russia’s deployment of North Korean troops</a>&nbsp;to help it fight Ukraine, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-missile-attack-sumy-5cd4f9fe2cee1ae8aed67d63c22b0703">Moscow seethed</a>&nbsp;when Washington&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-long-range-weapons-russia-52d424158182de2044ecc8bfcf011f9c">eased restrictions</a>&nbsp;on the ATACMS in recent days.

The 1,000-day mark has magnified scrutiny of how the war is unfolding and how it might end, amid signs that a turning point may be coming with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump entering the White House in about two months’ time. Trump has pledged to swiftly end the war and has criticized the amount the U.S. has spent on supporting Ukraine.

Neither Russia nor Ukraine can sustain the war for a long time, analysts say, though Russia would be able to keep going for longer due to its vaster resources.

Ukraine’s forces are under severe Russian pressure on the battlefield at places on the about 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-f7f56e494df1dbbcdec1853001796c45">its army is stretched thin</a>. Ukrainian civilians, meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-missile-strike-85dea3d9af59589d372333a23de9130a">have repeatedly been attacked</a>&nbsp;by Russian drones and missiles.

Ukraine claimed Tuesday that it hit a military weapons depot in Russia's Bryansk region overnight, though it didn't specify what weapons it used. The Ukrainian General Staff said multiple explosions and detonations were heard in the targeted area around Karachev.

Asked at a news conference if Ukraine had struck the Bryansk region ammunition depot with ATACMS, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declined to provide any details. However, he said, “Ukraine has long-range capabilities, including domestically produced long-range drones … and now we have ATACMS as well."

In a statement carried by Russian news agencies, the Russian Defense Ministry said the military shot down five&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/atacms-ukraine-longrange-missiles-5fd95f32449d14da22b82d57d6ccab22">ATACMS</a>&nbsp;missiles and damaged one more. The fragments fell on the territory of an unspecified military facility and sparked a fire, but didn’t cause any damage or casualties, it said.

Neither side's claims could be independently verified.

Karachev is roughly 115 kilometers (70 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border. Ukraine in the course of the war has been able to reach much deeper into the vast country — but with drones rather than missiles. For instance, Russian officials have reported intercepting Ukrainian drones over Moscow, which is about 500 kilometers (310 miles) from the border and most recently Izhevsk, a city about 1,450 kilometers (900 miles) from the frontier.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ukrainian officials reported a third Russian strike in as many days on a residential area in Ukraine killed at least 12 people, including a child.

The strike by a Shahed drone in the northern Sumy region late Monday hit a dormitory of an educational facility in the town of Hlukhiv and wounded 11 others, including two children, authorities said, adding that more people could be trapped under the rubble.

On Sunday, a Russian ballistic missile with cluster munitions struck a residential area of Sumy in northern Ukraine, killing 11 people and wounding 84 others. On Monday, a Russian missile barrage sparked apartment fires in the southern port of Odesa, killing at least 10 people and wounding 43.

Zelenskyy said that the series of aerial strikes proved that Putin wasn't interested in ending the war.

“Each new attack by Russia only confirms Putin’s true intentions. He wants the war to continue. Talks about peace are not interesting to him. We must force Russia to a just peace by force,” Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy told European Union lawmakers in a speech via video link that Russia has deployed about 11,000 North Korean troops along Ukraine’s borders and that the number could swell to 100,000.

He appeared in person at the Ukrainian parliament, where he presented what he called a “resilience plan” to dig in against the relentless Russian onslaught. He said he expects pivotal moments to occur in the war next year.

The plan outlines new approaches to army management, including the creation of a military ombudsman position and a new system of handling military contracts.

There are no plans to lower the mobilization age from the current 25, even though Ukraine is short-handed on the front line, especially in infantry.

Ukraine urgently needs to tackle its manpower difficulties on the front, but it can use the longer-range missiles in the meantime to slow the tempo of Russia’s recent advances, said Jack Watling, an analyst at the Royal United Services Institute, a London think tank.

“Ukraine’s partners can do little to change the character of the fighting on the line of contact, but by targeting capabilities that are currently giving Russia a battlefield advantage, time can be bought,” Watling wrote Tuesday.

Next year, Zelenskyy said, Ukraine plans to produce at least 30,000 long-range drones and aims to manufacture 3,000 long-range missiles, reducing its dependence on Western military support.

A fuller version of the plan will be presented next month, he said.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Western countries are debating further help for Ukraine — “more aid, more money we have to make available to them, particularly now that the North Koreans have come on board,” he said in Brussels.

Meanwhile, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola led a special plenary session on Ukraine marking “one thousand days of terror, suffering and unimaginable loss. One thousand days of courage, resilience and unbreakable spirits.”

“Your people are an inspiration to all who value freedom around the world,” she told Zelenskyy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732047530088.png" alt="On Tuesday, Zelenskyy addressed the participants of an extraordinary session of the European Parliament marking the 1,000th day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.-courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>On Tuesday, Zelenskyy addressed the participants of an extraordinary session of the European Parliament marking the 1,000th day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.-courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine fired several American-supplied longer-range missiles into Russia, officials said Tuesday, marking the first time Kyiv used the weapons that way in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-1000-days-ade5a60cf2345d694871f85df162d08a">1,000 days of war</a>.The use of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-biden-what-are-atacms-missiles-8d8621321af8c673bd42a5693c2ad1f4">Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS</a>, came as Russian President Vladimir Putin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-nuclear-doctrine-putin-91f20e0c9b0f9e5eaa3ed97c35789898">formally lowered the threshold</a>&nbsp;for using nuclear weapons, opening the door to a potential nuclear response by Moscow to even a conventional attack by any nation supported by a nuclear power. That could include Ukrainian attacks backed by the U.S.A Telegram channel affiliated with the Ukrainian military posted a video Tuesday that it says shows U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles being fired from an undisclosed location in Ukraine. The Associated Press could not independently verify the date and location the video was filmed.According to a U.S. official, Ukraine fired about eight of the missiles, and just two were intercepted by the Russians. The official said that the U.S. was still assessing battle damage, but that the missiles struck an ammunition supply location in Karachev, a city of about 18,000 people in Russia's Bryansk region. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence assessments.The developments marked a worrying escalation in the conflict that has repeatedly ratcheted up international tensions. U.S. officials recently expressed dismay at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-north-korea-war-735ab717dcf92a718adcb68bfbddc653">Russia’s deployment of North Korean troops</a>&nbsp;to help it fight Ukraine, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-missile-attack-sumy-5cd4f9fe2cee1ae8aed67d63c22b0703">Moscow seethed</a>&nbsp;when Washington&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-long-range-weapons-russia-52d424158182de2044ecc8bfcf011f9c">eased restrictions</a>&nbsp;on the ATACMS in recent days.The 1,000-day mark has magnified scrutiny of how the war is unfolding and how it might end, amid signs that a turning point may be coming with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump entering the White House in about two months’ time. Trump has pledged to swiftly end the war and has criticized the amount the U.S. has spent on supporting Ukraine.Neither Russia nor Ukraine can sustain the war for a long time, analysts say, though Russia would be able to keep going for longer due to its vaster resources.Ukraine’s forces are under severe Russian pressure on the battlefield at places on the about 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-f7f56e494df1dbbcdec1853001796c45">its army is stretched thin</a>. Ukrainian civilians, meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-missile-strike-85dea3d9af59589d372333a23de9130a">have repeatedly been attacked</a>&nbsp;by Russian drones and missiles.Ukraine claimed Tuesday that it hit a military weapons depot in Russia's Bryansk region overnight, though it didn't specify what weapons it used. The Ukrainian General Staff said multiple explosions and detonations were heard in the targeted area around Karachev.Asked at a news conference if Ukraine had struck the Bryansk region ammunition depot with ATACMS, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declined to provide any details. However, he said, “Ukraine has long-range capabilities, including domestically produced long-range drones … and now we have ATACMS as well."In a statement carried by Russian news agencies, the Russian Defense Ministry said the military shot down five&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/atacms-ukraine-longrange-missiles-5fd95f32449d14da22b82d57d6ccab22">ATACMS</a>&nbsp;missiles and damaged one more. The fragments fell on the territory of an unspecified military facility and sparked a fire, but didn’t cause any damage or casualties, it said.Neither side's claims could be independently verified.Karachev is roughly 115 kilometers (70 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border. Ukraine in the course of the war has been able to reach much deeper into the vast country — but with drones rather than missiles. For instance, Russian officials have reported intercepting Ukrainian drones over Moscow, which is about 500 kilometers (310 miles) from the border and most recently Izhevsk, a city about 1,450 kilometers (900 miles) from the frontier.Earlier on Tuesday, Ukrainian officials reported a third Russian strike in as many days on a residential area in Ukraine killed at least 12 people, including a child.The strike by a Shahed drone in the northern Sumy region late Monday hit a dormitory of an educational facility in the town of Hlukhiv and wounded 11 others, including two children, authorities said, adding that more people could be trapped under the rubble.On Sunday, a Russian ballistic missile with cluster munitions struck a residential area of Sumy in northern Ukraine, killing 11 people and wounding 84 others. On Monday, a Russian missile barrage sparked apartment fires in the southern port of Odesa, killing at least 10 people and wounding 43.Zelenskyy said that the series of aerial strikes proved that Putin wasn't interested in ending the war.“Each new attack by Russia only confirms Putin’s true intentions. He wants the war to continue. Talks about peace are not interesting to him. We must force Russia to a just peace by force,” Zelenskyy said.Zelenskyy told European Union lawmakers in a speech via video link that Russia has deployed about 11,000 North Korean troops along Ukraine’s borders and that the number could swell to 100,000.He appeared in person at the Ukrainian parliament, where he presented what he called a “resilience plan” to dig in against the relentless Russian onslaught. He said he expects pivotal moments to occur in the war next year.The plan outlines new approaches to army management, including the creation of a military ombudsman position and a new system of handling military contracts.There are no plans to lower the mobilization age from the current 25, even though Ukraine is short-handed on the front line, especially in infantry.Ukraine urgently needs to tackle its manpower difficulties on the front, but it can use the longer-range missiles in the meantime to slow the tempo of Russia’s recent advances, said Jack Watling, an analyst at the Royal United Services Institute, a London think tank.“Ukraine’s partners can do little to change the character of the fighting on the line of contact, but by targeting capabilities that are currently giving Russia a battlefield advantage, time can be bought,” Watling wrote Tuesday.Next year, Zelenskyy said, Ukraine plans to produce at least 30,000 long-range drones and aims to manufacture 3,000 long-range missiles, reducing its dependence on Western military support.A fuller version of the plan will be presented next month, he said.NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Western countries are debating further help for Ukraine — “more aid, more money we have to make available to them, particularly now that the North Koreans have come on board,” he said in Brussels.Meanwhile, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola led a special plenary session on Ukraine marking “one thousand days of terror, suffering and unimaginable loss. One thousand days of courage, resilience and unbreakable spirits.”“Your people are an inspiration to all who value freedom around the world,” she told Zelenskyy.

U.S. confirms Ukraine fires first US-made longer-range missiles into Russia 

NEW YORK (AP) — New York prosecutors oppose any effort to dismiss President-elect Donald Trump’s hush money conviction, but they expressed some openness Tuesday to delaying sentencing until after his impending second term.

In a court filing Tuesday, the Manhattan district attorney’s office said Trump's forthcoming presidency isn't grounds for dropping a case that was already tried. But “given the need to balance competing constitutional interests," prosecutors said, “consideration must be given” to potentially freezing the case until after he's out of office.

The former and future president was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-deliberations-jury-testimony-verdict-85558c6d08efb434d05b694364470aa0">convicted in May</a>&nbsp;of falsifying business records to cover up a scheme to influence the 2016 election by paying hush money to squelch a story of extramarital sex. Trump denies the allegations.

His sentencing had been set for Nov. 26. But after Trump's election win this month, his lawyers urged Judge Juan M. Merchan to throw out the case. They wrote that it must be scrapped “to facilitate the orderly transition of executive power — and in the interests of justice.”

Merchan gave prosecutors until Tuesday to weigh in on how to proceed.

Manhattan prosecutors said Tuesday they “are mindful of the demands and obligations of the presidency” and realize that Trump’s return to the White House “will raise unprecedented legal questions.”

“We also deeply respect the fundamental role of the jury in our constitutional system,” they added.

No decision has been made, and Merchan has not said when he will rule. Still, Trump spokesperson and incoming White House communications director Steven Cheung cast Tuesday's filing from prosecutors as “a total and definitive victory for President Trump” in a case that he has long deplored as a “witch hunt.”

“President Trump’s legal team is moving to get it dismissed once and for all,” Cheung said in a statement.

The judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-immunity-ruling-1b555b96443f38d35e995b8b4853a32c">last week delayed</a>&nbsp;ruling on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immunity-hush-money-merchan-stormy-daniels-02e54baf65b233ad7f6875536fb998ea">Trump’s earlier bid to reverse his conviction</a>&nbsp;because of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immunity-supreme-court-capitol-riot-trial-72ec35de776315183e1db561257cb108">U.S. Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;in July that gave presidents broad immunity from criminal prosecution.

A dismissal would erase Trump’s historic conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record as well as a possible prison sentence.

Merchan could also decide to delay the case for some other length of time, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option.

Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-opening-stormy-daniels-6beee9b99114898ee0dd60185d43bac5">$130,000 hush money payment</a>&nbsp;to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. The payment was made shortly before the 2016 election.

Trump says they did not have sex and denies any wrongdoing.

Prosecutors cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged.

Trump has pledged to appeal the verdict if the case is not dismissed. He and his lawyers said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work.

Trump’s lawyers have been fighting for months to reverse his conviction.

A month after the verdict, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-capitol-riot-immunity-2dc0d1c2368d404adc0054151490f542">Supreme Court ruled</a>&nbsp;that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for official acts — things they did in the course of running the country — and that prosecutors can’t cite those actions to bolster a case centered on purely personal, unofficial conduct.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immunity-hush-money-new-york-conviction-b67bafcb92b287933c6e6d54fc122117">Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to</a>&nbsp;argue that the hush money jury got some improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made during his first term.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-new-york-immunity-a6662f61014a7f47400a4af163e01eb3">Prosecutors disagreed</a>&nbsp;and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case.

After Trump’s election win, his lawyers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25289985-people-v-djt-joint-application-for-adjournment-11-12-24">redoubled their efforts</a>, arguing that dismissing the case “in the interests of justice” was warranted both under the immunity ruling and because of his status as president-elect.

If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump’s punishments would range from a fine or probation to up to four years in prison — but it’s unlikely he’d spend any time behind bars for a first-time conviction involving charges in the lowest tier of felonies.

Some of Trump’s supporters embraced his conviction, showing up to campaign rallies in T-shirts with slogans like “Free Trump” and “I’m Voting For the Convicted Felon.”

Because it is a state case, Trump would not be able to pardon himself once he returns to office. Presidential pardons apply only to federal crimes.

The hush money case was the only one of Trump’s four criminal indictments to go to trial.

Special counsel Jack Smith is taking steps to wind down his two federal cases against the president-elect. One centers on Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss, the other on allegations that he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A separate state election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, is largely on hold.

Trump, a Republican, has decried the hush money verdict as a “rigged, disgraceful” result. He has claimed, without evidence, that the case brought by Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg was part of a Democrat-led “witch hunt” meant to harm his presidential campaign.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713453574310.png" alt="File photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — New York prosecutors oppose any effort to dismiss President-elect Donald Trump’s hush money conviction, but they expressed some openness Tuesday to delaying sentencing until after his impending second term.In a court filing Tuesday, the Manhattan district attorney’s office said Trump's forthcoming presidency isn't grounds for dropping a case that was already tried. But “given the need to balance competing constitutional interests," prosecutors said, “consideration must be given” to potentially freezing the case until after he's out of office.The former and future president was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-deliberations-jury-testimony-verdict-85558c6d08efb434d05b694364470aa0">convicted in May</a>&nbsp;of falsifying business records to cover up a scheme to influence the 2016 election by paying hush money to squelch a story of extramarital sex. Trump denies the allegations.His sentencing had been set for Nov. 26. But after Trump's election win this month, his lawyers urged Judge Juan M. Merchan to throw out the case. They wrote that it must be scrapped “to facilitate the orderly transition of executive power — and in the interests of justice.”Merchan gave prosecutors until Tuesday to weigh in on how to proceed.Manhattan prosecutors said Tuesday they “are mindful of the demands and obligations of the presidency” and realize that Trump’s return to the White House “will raise unprecedented legal questions.”“We also deeply respect the fundamental role of the jury in our constitutional system,” they added.No decision has been made, and Merchan has not said when he will rule. Still, Trump spokesperson and incoming White House communications director Steven Cheung cast Tuesday's filing from prosecutors as “a total and definitive victory for President Trump” in a case that he has long deplored as a “witch hunt.”“President Trump’s legal team is moving to get it dismissed once and for all,” Cheung said in a statement.The judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-immunity-ruling-1b555b96443f38d35e995b8b4853a32c">last week delayed</a>&nbsp;ruling on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immunity-hush-money-merchan-stormy-daniels-02e54baf65b233ad7f6875536fb998ea">Trump’s earlier bid to reverse his conviction</a>&nbsp;because of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immunity-supreme-court-capitol-riot-trial-72ec35de776315183e1db561257cb108">U.S. Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;in July that gave presidents broad immunity from criminal prosecution.A dismissal would erase Trump’s historic conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record as well as a possible prison sentence.Merchan could also decide to delay the case for some other length of time, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option.Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-opening-stormy-daniels-6beee9b99114898ee0dd60185d43bac5">$130,000 hush money payment</a>&nbsp;to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. The payment was made shortly before the 2016 election.Trump says they did not have sex and denies any wrongdoing.Prosecutors cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged.Trump has pledged to appeal the verdict if the case is not dismissed. He and his lawyers said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work.Trump’s lawyers have been fighting for months to reverse his conviction.A month after the verdict, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-capitol-riot-immunity-2dc0d1c2368d404adc0054151490f542">Supreme Court ruled</a>&nbsp;that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for official acts — things they did in the course of running the country — and that prosecutors can’t cite those actions to bolster a case centered on purely personal, unofficial conduct.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immunity-hush-money-new-york-conviction-b67bafcb92b287933c6e6d54fc122117">Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to</a>&nbsp;argue that the hush money jury got some improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made during his first term.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-new-york-immunity-a6662f61014a7f47400a4af163e01eb3">Prosecutors disagreed</a>&nbsp;and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case.After Trump’s election win, his lawyers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25289985-people-v-djt-joint-application-for-adjournment-11-12-24">redoubled their efforts</a>, arguing that dismissing the case “in the interests of justice” was warranted both under the immunity ruling and because of his status as president-elect.If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump’s punishments would range from a fine or probation to up to four years in prison — but it’s unlikely he’d spend any time behind bars for a first-time conviction involving charges in the lowest tier of felonies.Some of Trump’s supporters embraced his conviction, showing up to campaign rallies in T-shirts with slogans like “Free Trump” and “I’m Voting For the Convicted Felon.”Because it is a state case, Trump would not be able to pardon himself once he returns to office. Presidential pardons apply only to federal crimes.The hush money case was the only one of Trump’s four criminal indictments to go to trial.Special counsel Jack Smith is taking steps to wind down his two federal cases against the president-elect. One centers on Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss, the other on allegations that he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A separate state election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, is largely on hold.Trump, a Republican, has decried the hush money verdict as a “rigged, disgraceful” result. He has claimed, without evidence, that the case brought by Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg was part of a Democrat-led “witch hunt” meant to harm his presidential campaign.

Sentencing in President-elect Trump's criminal case delayed again

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

A 57-year-old Ellis County man was recently sentenced to more
than 19 years in prison for the murder of his brother in 2022.

In September, Monte Joe Wilson pleaded no contest to voluntary
manslaughter in the death of 54-year-old Mark Wilson on Sept. 19, 2022.

Monte Wilson was initially arrested and charged with second-degree
murder and aggravated battery.

According to court documents, Mark Wilson was found beaten
to death at a home in the 200 block of West Sixth in Hays on the night of Sept. 19, 2022.&nbsp; Monte Wilson was located and arrested at the scene.

Thursday, Ellis County District Court Judge Glenn Braun sentenced Monte Wilson to 233 months in prison for voluntary manslaughter. 

Monte Wilson’s attorney filed a motion for a downward departure at
sentencing.&nbsp; He argued&nbsp; Monte Wilson deserved a lesser sentence due to
several factors. Among those were his age, his lack of a recent criminal
history and his acceptance of responsibility in the case. Braun denied the motion.

Braun called Monte Wilson an “experienced criminal defendant” with
nine prior felony convictions ranging from theft and drug possession to aggravated
battery.

The judge also said there are more aggravating factors than
what would allow the court to consider a downward departure.&nbsp; Braun said Mark Wilson’s disability was also a factor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732034618096.png" alt="Wilson photo Ellis County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Wilson photo Ellis County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostA 57-year-old Ellis County man was recently sentenced to more
than 19 years in prison for the murder of his brother in 2022.In September, Monte Joe Wilson pleaded no contest to voluntary
manslaughter in the death of 54-year-old Mark Wilson on Sept. 19, 2022.Monte Wilson was initially arrested and charged with second-degree
murder and aggravated battery.According to court documents, Mark Wilson was found beaten
to death at a home in the 200 block of West Sixth in Hays on the night of Sept. 19, 2022.&nbsp; Monte Wilson was located and arrested at the scene.Thursday, Ellis County District Court Judge Glenn Braun sentenced Monte Wilson to 233 months in prison for voluntary manslaughter. Monte Wilson’s attorney filed a motion for a downward departure at
sentencing.&nbsp; He argued&nbsp; Monte Wilson deserved a lesser sentence due to
several factors. Among those were his age, his lack of a recent criminal
history and his acceptance of responsibility in the case. Braun denied the motion.Braun called Monte Wilson an “experienced criminal defendant” with
nine prior felony convictions ranging from theft and drug possession to aggravated
battery.The judge also said there are more aggravating factors than
what would allow the court to consider a downward departure.&nbsp; Braun said Mark Wilson’s disability was also a factor.

NW Kansas man going to prison for killing his brother

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged school threat at a southwest Kansas middle school and have made an arrest.

On Monday, a School Resource Officer was notified of a possible criminal threat at Kenneth Henderson Middle School,&nbsp;2406 Fleming Street in Garden City, according to a media release from Garden City Police.

The resource officer learned that 14-year-old Jose Miguel Tapia had allegedly made threats toward the school, and began an investigation. 

During an encounter with the boy during the investigation, Tapia did not listen to school personnel or the Officer and attempted to strike the Officer. Police took the teen into custody and as a precaution, the school was placed into a brief lockdown.

Tapia is being held in the Southwest Kansas Juvenile Detention Center on requested charges of&nbsp; Aggravated Criminal Threat, Assault LEO, and Interference LEO.

Police continue to encourage parents to remind your child to immediately report information about any school safety-related incident(s) to administrators/staff and/or the Garden City Police Department.

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged school threat at a southwest Kansas middle school and have made an arrest.On Monday, a School Resource Officer was notified of a possible criminal threat at Kenneth Henderson Middle School,&nbsp;2406 Fleming Street in Garden City, according to a media release from Garden City Police.The resource officer learned that 14-year-old Jose Miguel Tapia had allegedly made threats toward the school, and began an investigation. During an encounter with the boy during the investigation, Tapia did not listen to school personnel or the Officer and attempted to strike the Officer. Police took the teen into custody and as a precaution, the school was placed into a brief lockdown.Tapia is being held in the Southwest Kansas Juvenile Detention Center on requested charges of&nbsp; Aggravated Criminal Threat, Assault LEO, and Interference LEO.Police continue to encourage parents to remind your child to immediately report information about any school safety-related incident(s) to administrators/staff and/or the Garden City Police Department.

SW Kan. teen attempted to strike officer during investigation

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man convicted of child sex crimes involving a 14-year-0ld rescued from a closet in Wichita is going to prison for the rest of his life.

On Monday, Judge Jeff Syrios sentenced David Roark to a life sentence, followed by 122 months in prison.&nbsp; In October, Roark was convicted by a jury of 18 counts including Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child, Kidnapping, Child Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of a Child.&nbsp; Roark will be eligible for parole only after he has served 35 years in prison.&nbsp; This was the maximum sentence available to the court under Kansas law.

Just after midnight Dec. 14, 2022, a detective with the White County, Arkansas Sheriff’s Office contacted Wichita Police requesting assistance locating a missing child from their jurisdiction, according to Wichita Police Officer Chad Ditch.

&nbsp; A 14-year-old girl had left her home in Arkansas in early November and not returned.&nbsp; A follow-up investigation by White County detectives revealed she had been&nbsp;seen in a convenience store&nbsp;with a man before leaving in a vehicle with the same man later identified as 35-year-old&nbsp;David E. Roark of Wichita. Police also learned Roark was wanted on two warrants from the state of Kentucky.

Additional information provided by White County suggested that Roark was possibly in the Wichita area.

The Wichita Police Exploited and Missing Child Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit began investigating and located an address in the 1800 block of N. Litchfield in Wichita, where they believed Roark was staying.

Police observed Roark leaving the home and took him into custody. Officers then found the missing girl in a closet inside the house. Police took both of them for additional interviews, where it was discovered further crimes had occurred in Wichita.

A search warrant for the residence was completed, and David Roark was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731957172859.png" alt="Roark photo KBI offender registry" />
 <figcaption>Roark photo KBI offender registry</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man convicted of child sex crimes involving a 14-year-0ld rescued from a closet in Wichita is going to prison for the rest of his life.On Monday, Judge Jeff Syrios sentenced David Roark to a life sentence, followed by 122 months in prison.&nbsp; In October, Roark was convicted by a jury of 18 counts including Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child, Kidnapping, Child Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of a Child.&nbsp; Roark will be eligible for parole only after he has served 35 years in prison.&nbsp; This was the maximum sentence available to the court under Kansas law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671545735044.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Just after midnight Dec. 14, 2022, a detective with the White County, Arkansas Sheriff’s Office contacted Wichita Police requesting assistance locating a missing child from their jurisdiction, according to Wichita Police Officer Chad Ditch.&nbsp; A 14-year-old girl had left her home in Arkansas in early November and not returned.&nbsp; A follow-up investigation by White County detectives revealed she had been&nbsp;seen in a convenience store&nbsp;with a man before leaving in a vehicle with the same man later identified as 35-year-old&nbsp;David E. Roark of Wichita. Police also learned Roark was wanted on two warrants from the state of Kentucky.Additional information provided by White County suggested that Roark was possibly in the Wichita area.The Wichita Police Exploited and Missing Child Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit began investigating and located an address in the 1800 block of N. Litchfield in Wichita, where they believed Roark was staying.Police observed Roark leaving the home and took him into custody. Officers then found the missing girl in a closet inside the house. Police took both of them for additional interviews, where it was discovered further crimes had occurred in Wichita.A search warrant for the residence was completed, and David Roark was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp;

Maximum sentence: Teen runaway rescued from Kan. man's closet

Washington, D.C.-&nbsp; Kansas&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall and other members of the Senate Ag committee are not happy with Democrat Senate Agriculture Chairman Debbie&nbsp;Stabenow. According to Marshall, she blindsided the Republicans on the bipartisan Ag committee dropping a 1,400-page Farm Bill with no advance notice or cooperation."

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/rural_prosperity_and_food_security_act_of_2024.pdf">here to read&nbsp; the full text of the bill</a>&nbsp;or <a href="https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/summary_of_the_rural_prosperity_and_food_security_act.pdf">here to read the summary</a>

“This morning, Chairwoman Stabenow released her Farm Bill text—a 1,400-page document that no Republican committee member has reviewed or had the opportunity to collaborate on. This is not a sincere or transparent effort to address the urgent needs of Rural America. Instead, it is a last-minute power play in the final hours- manipulating her majority power in the Senate Ag Committee before losing the gavel. Today's move shows that Senate Democrats have walked away from meaningful bipartisan negotiations that are a tradition in this committee and have opted to play politics with the livelihoods of hard-working farmers and ranchers at a time when Rural America needs real solutions.”&nbsp;

Senator Marshall continued, “Thoughtful negotiation and bipartisan cooperation are essential to delivering a&nbsp;Farmers First&nbsp;Farm Bill that Kansans deserves. Despite Stabenow's attempt to upend the process, as a member of the Senate Ag Committee representing Kansas agriculture, I remain committed to reviewing this bill and advocating for the needs of our farmers and ranchers. With farmers facing record decreases in net farm income, we must put&nbsp;FARM back in the Farm Bill&nbsp;by increasing crop insurance coverage and reference prices for the American farmer.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731969781719.png" alt="Senate Ag Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow of Michigan- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Senate Ag Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow of Michigan- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Washington, D.C.-&nbsp; Kansas&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall and other members of the Senate Ag committee are not happy with Democrat Senate Agriculture Chairman Debbie&nbsp;Stabenow. According to Marshall, she blindsided the Republicans on the bipartisan Ag committee dropping a 1,400-page Farm Bill with no advance notice or cooperation."Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/rural_prosperity_and_food_security_act_of_2024.pdf">here to read&nbsp; the full text of the bill</a>&nbsp;or <a href="https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/summary_of_the_rural_prosperity_and_food_security_act.pdf">here to read the summary</a>“This morning, Chairwoman Stabenow released her Farm Bill text—a 1,400-page document that no Republican committee member has reviewed or had the opportunity to collaborate on. This is not a sincere or transparent effort to address the urgent needs of Rural America. Instead, it is a last-minute power play in the final hours- manipulating her majority power in the Senate Ag Committee before losing the gavel. Today's move shows that Senate Democrats have walked away from meaningful bipartisan negotiations that are a tradition in this committee and have opted to play politics with the livelihoods of hard-working farmers and ranchers at a time when Rural America needs real solutions.”&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Disappointed Congress is unable to deliver certainty to Kansas farmers &amp; ranchers by passing a new Farm Bill. Chairwoman Stabenow’s legislation is over a year late and missed the opportunity for bipartisan outcomes. We now focus fully on the Senate Appropriations Committee to…&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1858882846242251086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Senator Marshall continued, “Thoughtful negotiation and bipartisan cooperation are essential to delivering a&nbsp;Farmers First&nbsp;Farm Bill that Kansans deserves. Despite Stabenow's attempt to upend the process, as a member of the Senate Ag Committee representing Kansas agriculture, I remain committed to reviewing this bill and advocating for the needs of our farmers and ranchers. With farmers facing record decreases in net farm income, we must put&nbsp;FARM back in the Farm Bill&nbsp;by increasing crop insurance coverage and reference prices for the American farmer.”

Read the latest Farm Bill proposal that has Kan. U.S. Senators unhappy

President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is filling key posts in his second administration, and it's shaping up much differently than his first. He's prioritizing loyalists for top jobs.

Trump was bruised and hampered by internal squabbles during his initial term in office. Now he appears focused on remaking the federal government in his own image. Some of his choices could face difficult confirmation battles even with Republicans in control of the U.S. Senate.

Here's a look at whom he has selected so far.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-marco-rubio-secretary-of-state-25664371f80dcf3332838352165e4d48">named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio</a>&nbsp;to be secretary of state, making the critic-turned-ally his choice for top diplomat.

Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement.

The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator once called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations.

Trump said Wednesday he will nominate Florida Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/matt-gaetz">Matt Gaetz</a>&nbsp;to serve as his attorney general, naming a loyalist in the role of the nation's top prosecutor.

In selecting Gaetz, 42, Trump passed over some of the more established lawyers whose names had been mentioned as being contenders for the job.

“Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and Restore Americans' badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department,” Trump said in a statement.

Gaetz resigned from Congress Wednesday night. The House Ethics Committee has been investigating an allegation that Gaetz paid for sex with a 17-year-old, though that probe effectively ended when he resigned. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing.

DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Tulsi Gabbard

Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-gabbard-director-national-intelligence-466dfdfe2f949ea20bc2f4ef13e21438">has been tapped by Trump</a>&nbsp;to be director of national intelligence, another example of Trump prizing loyalty over experience.

Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall, and she's been accused of echoing Russian propaganda.

“I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement.

Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions.

Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox &amp; Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014. He developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show.

Hegseth served in the Army National Guard from 2002 to 2021, deploying to Iraq in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2011. He has two Bronze Stars. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-defense-secretary-pentagon-2d8030921ecef933778cf92afd40ec72">Hegseth lacks</a>&nbsp;senior military and national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea.

Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year.

Noem is a well-known conservative who used her two terms leading South Dakota to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic.

More recently, Noem faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting and killing her dog.

She is set to lead a department crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda as well as other missions. Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports.

Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump’s first term, leading the U.S. government’s spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation’s highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.”

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kennedy ran for president as a Democrat, then as an independent, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-trump-speech-arizona-a2638f89ddcb5de03edbe4574ca17d45">then endorsed Trump</a>. He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign.

The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/robert-f-kennedy-vaccines-trump-rfkjr-7f8dcb25de76a5a70710d22bbc63f6fa">his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines</a>. For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism.

Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business.

Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children.

Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate.

Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command.

"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 statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The governor of North Dakota, once little-known outside his state, is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump and then spent months traveling to drum up support for Trump after dropping out of the race.

Burgum was a serious contender to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vice-president-rubio-vance-burgum-scott-8b6a3a22eecdfff668a5002ddfd3af18">be Trump’s vice presidential choice</a>&nbsp;this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs.

Trump initially announced his choice of Burgum while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Thursday night. The president-elect's formal announcement on Friday said he wanted Burgum to be Interior secretary and chairman of a new National Energy Council “that will oversee the path to U.S. ENERGY DOMINANCE." As chairman of the council, Trump said Burgum will also have a seat on the National Security Council, which would be a first for the Interior secretary.

A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market.

Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States.

Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ADMINISTRATOR: Lee Zeldin

Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/LeeMZeldin/status/1856068555865026956">X</a>, “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.”

“We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added.

During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration’s promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referred to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign that his administration would “drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration.

In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.”

Wiles, 67,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-susie-wiles-32df8958bedde5f3f2d55fd071979692">was a senior adviser</a>&nbsp;to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager.

She has a background in Florida politics, helping Ron DeSantis win his first race for Florida governor. Six years later, she was key to Trump’s defeat of him in the 2024 Republican primary.

Wiles’ hire was Trump’s first major decision as president-elect and one that could be a defining test of his incoming administration considering her close relationship with him. Wiles is said to have earned Trump’s trust in part by guiding what was the most disciplined of Trump’s three presidential campaigns.

Wiles was able to help keep Trump on track as few others have, not by criticizing his impulses, but by winning his respect by demonstrating his success after taking her advice.

Waltz is a three-term Republican congressman from east-central Florida.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-security-adviser-mike-wlatz-0c81d044c9ffe18dfd745202e8351b9c">A former Army Green Beret</a>, he served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs.

He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population.

Homan, 62,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-homan-ice-border-czar-7dea915b5ea43896390b8020d254f887">has been tasked</a>&nbsp;with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history.

He served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and he was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border once Trump won the election. Homan said at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to “run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.”

Democrats have criticized Homan for defending Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border.

DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR POLICY: Stephen Miller

Miller, an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-stephen-miller-policy-immigration-9cc6ad3118779b23bff88022ca5e2260">immigration hardliner</a>, was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump’s priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump’s first administration.

Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump’s policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation’s economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally.

Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security.

Scavino was an adviser to all three of the president-elect's campaigns, and the transition team referred to him as one of “Trump’s longest serving and most trusted aides." He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president.

He previously ran Trump’s social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Blair was political director for Trump’s 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president.

Blair was key to Trump’s economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate’s “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago.

Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump’s 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president.

Budowich had also served as a spokesman for Trump after his first presidency.