KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two Missouri police officers were indicted separately this week and accused of similar crimes — pulling over women and searching their phones to find nude photos.

The indictments of former Missouri State Highway Patrol officer David McKnight on Tuesday and former Florissant, Missouri, officer Julian Alcala on Wednesday were unrelated, but the indictments spelled out similar allegations. Both men face federal charges accusing them of depriving the rights of several women, and destroying evidence.

McKnight, 39, victimized nine women between September 2023 and Aug. 19, his indictment said. Typically, according to the indictment, he would pull over a woman for a traffic violation and tell her he needed to look at her phone to either verify identity or confirm insurance coverage.

McKnight searched the phones and used his own phone to photograph nude pictures he found, the indictment said.

McKnight was arrested by patrol investigators on Aug. 21 and resigned five days later, patrol Capt. Scott White said in an email.

White declined to discuss McKnight's case but said that patrol employees “are held to high standards and if it is determined that those standards were not met, they are held accountable.”

McKnight pleaded not guilty during a court appearance on Thursday. Messages were left Friday with his lawyer.

Alcala, 29, was accused of crimes involving 20 women between Feb. 6 and May 18. Five of the alleged crimes happened on the same day.

Alcala confiscated phones from women under the auspices of confirming insurance coverage and vehicle registration, the indictment said. Like McKnight, he was accused of searching the phones for nude photos, then using his own phone to take pictures.

The indictment said Alcala also found a video on one victim's phone and texted the video to his own phone.

Alcala doesn't yet have a listed attorney. No phone listing for him could be found. He also is named in four lawsuits filed against him and the city of Florissant, a St. Louis suburb.

Alcala had been with the Florissant department since January 2023. He resigned in June amid an FBI investigation.

“We are disgusted at this behavior, which is a complete betrayal of the values we uphold and in no way reflects the professionalism and integrity of our dedicated officers," Florissant police said in a statement. “We recognize the gravity of this breach of trust and its impact on our community.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731693869313.png" alt="McKnight New Madrid County" />
 <figcaption>McKnight New Madrid County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two Missouri police officers were indicted separately this week and accused of similar crimes — pulling over women and searching their phones to find nude photos.The indictments of former Missouri State Highway Patrol officer David McKnight on Tuesday and former Florissant, Missouri, officer Julian Alcala on Wednesday were unrelated, but the indictments spelled out similar allegations. Both men face federal charges accusing them of depriving the rights of several women, and destroying evidence.McKnight, 39, victimized nine women between September 2023 and Aug. 19, his indictment said. Typically, according to the indictment, he would pull over a woman for a traffic violation and tell her he needed to look at her phone to either verify identity or confirm insurance coverage.McKnight searched the phones and used his own phone to photograph nude pictures he found, the indictment said.McKnight was arrested by patrol investigators on Aug. 21 and resigned five days later, patrol Capt. Scott White said in an email.White declined to discuss McKnight's case but said that patrol employees “are held to high standards and if it is determined that those standards were not met, they are held accountable.”McKnight pleaded not guilty during a court appearance on Thursday. Messages were left Friday with his lawyer.Alcala, 29, was accused of crimes involving 20 women between Feb. 6 and May 18. Five of the alleged crimes happened on the same day.Alcala confiscated phones from women under the auspices of confirming insurance coverage and vehicle registration, the indictment said. Like McKnight, he was accused of searching the phones for nude photos, then using his own phone to take pictures.The indictment said Alcala also found a video on one victim's phone and texted the video to his own phone.Alcala doesn't yet have a listed attorney. No phone listing for him could be found. He also is named in four lawsuits filed against him and the city of Florissant, a St. Louis suburb.Alcala had been with the Florissant department since January 2023. He resigned in June amid an FBI investigation.“We are disgusted at this behavior, which is a complete betrayal of the values we uphold and in no way reflects the professionalism and integrity of our dedicated officers," Florissant police said in a statement. “We recognize the gravity of this breach of trust and its impact on our community.”

Officers accused of pulling over women, searching phones for nude pictures

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A federal judge granted a request to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/11/11/topeka-man-who-participated-in-jan-6-attack-requests-trial-delay-after-trump-victory/">delay the trial</a>&nbsp;of a Topeka man who blocked officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol building.&nbsp;

William Pope, who is representing himself in the case charging him with federal crimes in connection with his actions on Jan. 6, requested a trial delay on Nov. 8, citing President-elect Donald Trump’s victory and concerns over a fair jury.&nbsp;

Trump promised throughout his third presidential campaign to pardon those criminally charged Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol if he were to be reelected. Pope was one of many defendants pursuing case changes following Trump’s win.&nbsp;

Judge&nbsp;Rudolph Contreras for the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., was sympathetic to Pope’s arguments during a Thursday hearing, which culminated in Contreras granting Pope’s motion to delay the trial.&nbsp;

Contreras said he’d been considering motions like Pope’s on a case-by-case basis,&nbsp;according to an official transcript of the Thursday hearing.

In his original motion, Pope argued his jury “was the entire American public, and they voted for a mandate to set me free.” He also expressed concerns that his case wouldn’t be heard by a fair jury because the vast majority of D.C. residents voted for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.

Contreras said he was focused on the conservation of resources for the case’s parties, the court and any potential jurors or witnesses, according to the transcript.

“I don’t want them to bring in 70 people or so just to have it go for naught, which there’s a real possibility of,” Contreras said. “Of course, it’s speculative, but there is a real possibility of that happening.”

Federal prosecutors opposed any delay. Benet Kearney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office said during Thursday’s hearing that the case could be efficiently tried if it proceeded as scheduled. Instead, it was Pope’s “insistence of going down, kind of, a side rabbit hole that has the potential to drag this out,” Benet said.

“And so this is a manufactured situation by the defendant, you know?” she said.&nbsp;

Pope’s case has dragged on since he was indicted in February 2021, jailed in Shawnee County that same month and released on his own recognizance in early March 2021. His July 2024 trial date was delayed to weigh the possible impacts of a U.S. Supreme Court decision in June that threw out charges against a former Pennsylvania police officer who also participated in the Jan. 6 attack.

The parties are scheduled to meet again in December to set a future trial date.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613161028525.png" alt="&nbsp;Will Pope, in red, holds a flag inside the Senate Carriage Entrance on the east side of the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Pope ran for the Topeka City Council in 2018. (Screen capture from Jayden X video on YouTube)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Will Pope, in red, holds a flag inside the Senate Carriage Entrance on the east side of the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Pope ran for the Topeka City Council in 2018. (Screen capture from Jayden X video on YouTube)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A federal judge granted a request to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/11/11/topeka-man-who-participated-in-jan-6-attack-requests-trial-delay-after-trump-victory/">delay the trial</a>&nbsp;of a Topeka man who blocked officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol building.&nbsp;William Pope, who is representing himself in the case charging him with federal crimes in connection with his actions on Jan. 6, requested a trial delay on Nov. 8, citing President-elect Donald Trump’s victory and concerns over a fair jury.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613160278542.png" alt="Pope photo Shawnee Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Pope photo Shawnee Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>Trump promised throughout his third presidential campaign to pardon those criminally charged Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol if he were to be reelected. Pope was one of many defendants pursuing case changes following Trump’s win.&nbsp;Judge&nbsp;Rudolph Contreras for the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., was sympathetic to Pope’s arguments during a Thursday hearing, which culminated in Contreras granting Pope’s motion to delay the trial.&nbsp;A new trial date was not set.Contreras said he’d been considering motions like Pope’s on a case-by-case basis,&nbsp;according to an official transcript of the Thursday hearing.In his original motion, Pope argued his jury “was the entire American public, and they voted for a mandate to set me free.” He also expressed concerns that his case wouldn’t be heard by a fair jury because the vast majority of D.C. residents voted for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.Contreras said he was focused on the conservation of resources for the case’s parties, the court and any potential jurors or witnesses, according to the transcript.“I don’t want them to bring in 70 people or so just to have it go for naught, which there’s a real possibility of,” Contreras said. “Of course, it’s speculative, but there is a real possibility of that happening.”Federal prosecutors opposed any delay. Benet Kearney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office said during Thursday’s hearing that the case could be efficiently tried if it proceeded as scheduled. Instead, it was Pope’s “insistence of going down, kind of, a side rabbit hole that has the potential to drag this out,” Benet said.“And so this is a manufactured situation by the defendant, you know?” she said.&nbsp;Pope’s case has dragged on since he was indicted in February 2021, jailed in Shawnee County that same month and released on his own recognizance in early March 2021. His July 2024 trial date was delayed to weigh the possible impacts of a U.S. Supreme Court decision in June that threw out charges against a former Pennsylvania police officer who also participated in the Jan. 6 attack.The parties are scheduled to meet again in December to set a future trial date.

Judge delays trial for Kansas man who participated in Jan. 6 attack

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.

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.

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Karoline Leavitt

Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history.

The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps.

Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-inflation-donald-trump-51418003338eb89abfbfc6aac6909abd">she ran for Congress in New Hampshire,</a>&nbsp;winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas.

Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign.

In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.”

SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE MIDDLE EAST: Steven Witkoff

The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination.

Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud."

Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee.

Huckabee is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-huckabee-ambassador-israel-ace1894ce731c36622d5f09982a0a9b2">staunch defender of Israel</a>&nbsp;and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah.

“He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.”

Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland.

Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Huckabee has rejected a Palestinian homeland in territory occupied by Israel, calling for a so-called “one-state solution.”

Here are the people Trump has picked for key positions thru Saturday

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man was sentenced to 35 years in prison last week for a series of crimes against a young child who was found naked in the area of Brush Creek in 2019, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Gerald Smith was convicted of Statutory Sodomy in the 1st Degree, Assault in the 1st Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. He was sentenced today to 20 years on the Statutory Sodomy conviction and 15 years on the Assault in the 1st Degree conviction. Those were sentenced to run consecutively for a total of 35 years. The Endangering the Welfare of a Child conviction was sentenced to 7 years and was set by the judge to run concurrently to the Assault conviction.

According to court records, police were dispatched Sept. 13, 2019 to the area Blue Parkway and Lawn on a reported found juvenile. The caller told responding officers that he had seen a naked girl in the middle of the road. Officers found the child. The girl was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. KCPD detectives used video, cell phone records and other data to pinpoint the defendant. In April 2020, Detectives were notified that the defendant's DNA was found on the child victim.

The prosecutor's office has made every effort to protect the identity of this victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1725033186313.png" alt="Smith photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Smith photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man was sentenced to 35 years in prison last week for a series of crimes against a young child who was found naked in the area of Brush Creek in 2019, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Gerald Smith was convicted of Statutory Sodomy in the 1st Degree, Assault in the 1st Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. He was sentenced today to 20 years on the Statutory Sodomy conviction and 15 years on the Assault in the 1st Degree conviction. Those were sentenced to run consecutively for a total of 35 years. The Endangering the Welfare of a Child conviction was sentenced to 7 years and was set by the judge to run concurrently to the Assault conviction.According to court records, police were dispatched Sept. 13, 2019 to the area Blue Parkway and Lawn on a reported found juvenile. The caller told responding officers that he had seen a naked girl in the middle of the road. Officers found the child. The girl was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. KCPD detectives used video, cell phone records and other data to pinpoint the defendant. In April 2020, Detectives were notified that the defendant's DNA was found on the child victim.The prosecutor's office has made every effort to protect the identity of this victim.

Prison for KC man after young child found naked on the road

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man received a letter cashing in on a stranger’s life insurance policy. The Investigations Division of the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office received a copy of the letter.

The Federal Trade Commission posted the following information on the scam:

“The letter looks like it’s from a law firm and offers an “easy way” to get money using someone else’s life insurance policy. “In the letter, the “lawyer” says they have a deceased client with an unclaimed life insurance policy worth millions. Because you “supposedly” have the same name last name and nationality as the deceased, the lawyer can add your name to the policy and split the money between you, their law firm, and a charity. All you have to do, they say, is keep this information secret and email them immediately.

“There is no lawyer. It’s a scammer. If you email them, they will ask for personal information, or money, or both. The life insurance policy does not exist.

• Don’t respond. Never share your information with someone who contacts you and says they need it. And never send anyone cash or pay with gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.

• Share this information with a friend. You probably throw away these kinds of letters. But you may know someone who could use a friendly reminder to help them spot the scam.

• Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Your report makes a difference: by telling your story to the FTC and to others in your community, you help others avoid the scam. 

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731533471458.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man received a letter cashing in on a stranger’s life insurance policy. The Investigations Division of the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office received a copy of the letter.The Federal Trade Commission posted the following information on the scam:“The letter looks like it’s from a law firm and offers an “easy way” to get money using someone else’s life insurance policy. “In the letter, the “lawyer” says they have a deceased client with an unclaimed life insurance policy worth millions. Because you “supposedly” have the same name last name and nationality as the deceased, the lawyer can add your name to the policy and split the money between you, their law firm, and a charity. All you have to do, they say, is keep this information secret and email them immediately.“There is no lawyer. It’s a scammer. If you email them, they will ask for personal information, or money, or both. The life insurance policy does not exist.If you get one of these letters:• Don’t respond. Never share your information with someone who contacts you and says they need it. And never send anyone cash or pay with gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.• Share this information with a friend. You probably throw away these kinds of letters. But you may know someone who could use a friendly reminder to help them spot the scam.• Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Your report makes a difference: by telling your story to the FTC and to others in your community, you help others avoid the scam.

DA reports life insurance policy scam in Kansas

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MATTHEW%20PERRONE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MATTHEW PERRONE &nbsp;AP Health Writer</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — Those ever-present TV drug ads showing patients hiking, biking or enjoying a day at the beach could soon have a different look: New rules require drugmakers to be clearer and more direct when explaining their medications' risks and side effects.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration spent more than 15 years crafting the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/175074/download">guidelines</a>, which are designed to do away with industry practices that downplay or distract viewers from risk information.

<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/175074/download">Click here to read </a>the guidelines

Many companies have already adopted the rules, which become binding Nov. 20. But while regulators were drafting them, a new trend emerged: thousands of pharma influencers pushing drugs online with little oversight. A new bill in Congress would compel the FDA to more aggressively police such promotions on social media platforms.

“Some people become very attached to social media influencers and ascribe to them credibility that, in some cases, they don’t deserve,” said Tony Cox, professor emeritus of marketing at Indiana University.

Still, TV remains the industry's primary advertising format, with over $4 billion spent in the past year, led by blockbuster drugs like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mounjaro-wegovy-ozempic-obesity-weight-loss-bd0e037cc5981513487260d40636752a">weight-loss treatment Wegovy</a>, according to ispot.tv, which tracks ads.

The new rules, which cover both TV and radio, instruct drugmakers to use simple, consumer-friendly language when describing their drugs, without medical jargon, distracting visuals or audio effects. A 2007 law directed the FDA to ensure that drug risk information appears “in a clear, conspicuous and neutral manner.”

FDA has always required that ads give a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-143d1bd257e147cdbbebfa0a97f40519">balanced picture</a>&nbsp;of both benefits and risks, a requirement that gave rise to those long, rapid-fire lists of side effects parodied on shows like “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VByZc4Hn7pI">Saturday Night Live</a>.”

But in the early 2000s, researchers began showing how companies could manipulate images and audio to de-emphasize safety information. In one example, a Duke University professor found that ads for the allergy drug Nasonex, which featured a buzzing bee voiced by Antonio Banderas, distracted viewers from listening to side effect information, making it harder to remember.

Such overt tactics have largely disappeared from drug ads.

“In general, I would say the ads have gotten more complete and transparent,” says Ruth Day, director of the medical cognition lab at Duke University and author of the Nasonex study.

The new rules are “significant steps forward,” Day said, but certain requirements could also open the door to new ways of downplaying risks.

One requirement instructs companies to show on-screen text about side effects while the audio information plays. A 2011 FDA study found that combining text with audio increased recall and understanding.

But the agency leaves it to companies to decide whether to display a few keywords or a full transcript.

“You often cannot put all that on the screen and expect people to read and understand it,” Day said. “If you wanted to hide or decrease the likelihood of people remembering risk information, that could be the way to do it.”

Viewers tend to tune out long lists of warnings and other information. But experts who work with drug companies don’t expect those lists to disappear. While the guidelines describe how the information should be presented, companies still decide the content.

“If you’re a company and you’re worried about possible FDA enforcement or product liability and other litigation, all your incentives are to say more, not less,” said Torrey Cope, a food and drug lawyer who advises companies.

Experts also say the new rules will have little effect on the overall tone and appearance of ads.

“The most salient element of these ads are the visuals, and they are uniformly positive,” said Cox. “Even if the risk message is about, for instance, sudden heart failure, they’re still showing someone diving into a swimming pool.”

The new rules come as Donald Trump's advisers begin floating plans for the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-trump-vaccines-779495533a80ba142086a9621d75a59c">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>, an anti-vaccine activist who has advised the president-elect, wants to eliminate TV drug ads. He and other industry critics point out that the U.S. and New Zealand are the only countries where prescription drugs can be promoted on TV.

Even so, many companies are looking beyond TV and expanding into social media. They often partner with patient influencers who post about managing their conditions, new treatments or navigating the health system.

“They’re teaching people to live a good life with their disease, but then some of them are also paid to advertise and persuade,” said Erin Willis, who studies advertising and media at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Advertising executives say companies like the format because it’s cheaper than TV and consumers generally feel influencers are more trustworthy than companies.

FDA’s requirement for truthful, balanced risk and benefit information applies to drugmakers, leaving a loophole for both influencers and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hims-ro-lemonaid-subscription-health-care-6bbd960335fd8a7cc71563858e1a441a">telehealth companies</a>&nbsp;like Hims, Ro and Teledoc, who may not have a direct financial connection to makers of the drugs they’re promoting.

The issue has attracted attention from members of Congress.

“The power of social media and the deluge of misleading promotions has meant too many young people are receiving medical advice from influencers instead of their health care professional,” Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Mike Braun of Indiana wrote the FDA in a February letter.

A recently introduced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.durbin.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Durbin-Braun_Deceptive%20Social%20Media%20Rx%20Promotion.pdf">bill from the senators</a>&nbsp;would bring influencers and telehealth companies clearly under FDA’s jurisdiction, requiring them to disclose risk and side effect information. The bill also would require drugmakers to publicly disclose payments to influencers.

“It’s asking the FDA to take a more serious stance with this kind of marketing,” said Willis. "They know it’s happening, but they could be doing more and their regulations haven’t been updated since 2014."

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731609279169.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MATTHEW%20PERRONE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MATTHEW PERRONE &nbsp;AP Health Writer</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — Those ever-present TV drug ads showing patients hiking, biking or enjoying a day at the beach could soon have a different look: New rules require drugmakers to be clearer and more direct when explaining their medications' risks and side effects.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration spent more than 15 years crafting the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/175074/download">guidelines</a>, which are designed to do away with industry practices that downplay or distract viewers from risk information.<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/175074/download">Click here to read </a>the guidelinesMany companies have already adopted the rules, which become binding Nov. 20. But while regulators were drafting them, a new trend emerged: thousands of pharma influencers pushing drugs online with little oversight. A new bill in Congress would compel the FDA to more aggressively police such promotions on social media platforms.“Some people become very attached to social media influencers and ascribe to them credibility that, in some cases, they don’t deserve,” said Tony Cox, professor emeritus of marketing at Indiana University.Still, TV remains the industry's primary advertising format, with over $4 billion spent in the past year, led by blockbuster drugs like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mounjaro-wegovy-ozempic-obesity-weight-loss-bd0e037cc5981513487260d40636752a">weight-loss treatment Wegovy</a>, according to ispot.tv, which tracks ads.<h2>Simpler language and no distractions</h2>The new rules, which cover both TV and radio, instruct drugmakers to use simple, consumer-friendly language when describing their drugs, without medical jargon, distracting visuals or audio effects. A 2007 law directed the FDA to ensure that drug risk information appears “in a clear, conspicuous and neutral manner.”FDA has always required that ads give a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-143d1bd257e147cdbbebfa0a97f40519">balanced picture</a>&nbsp;of both benefits and risks, a requirement that gave rise to those long, rapid-fire lists of side effects parodied on shows like “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VByZc4Hn7pI">Saturday Night Live</a>.”But in the early 2000s, researchers began showing how companies could manipulate images and audio to de-emphasize safety information. In one example, a Duke University professor found that ads for the allergy drug Nasonex, which featured a buzzing bee voiced by Antonio Banderas, distracted viewers from listening to side effect information, making it harder to remember.Such overt tactics have largely disappeared from drug ads.“In general, I would say the ads have gotten more complete and transparent,” says Ruth Day, director of the medical cognition lab at Duke University and author of the Nasonex study.The new rules are “significant steps forward,” Day said, but certain requirements could also open the door to new ways of downplaying risks.<h2>Information overload?</h2>One requirement instructs companies to show on-screen text about side effects while the audio information plays. A 2011 FDA study found that combining text with audio increased recall and understanding.But the agency leaves it to companies to decide whether to display a few keywords or a full transcript.“You often cannot put all that on the screen and expect people to read and understand it,” Day said. “If you wanted to hide or decrease the likelihood of people remembering risk information, that could be the way to do it.”Viewers tend to tune out long lists of warnings and other information. But experts who work with drug companies don’t expect those lists to disappear. While the guidelines describe how the information should be presented, companies still decide the content.“If you’re a company and you’re worried about possible FDA enforcement or product liability and other litigation, all your incentives are to say more, not less,” said Torrey Cope, a food and drug lawyer who advises companies.Experts also say the new rules will have little effect on the overall tone and appearance of ads.“The most salient element of these ads are the visuals, and they are uniformly positive,” said Cox. “Even if the risk message is about, for instance, sudden heart failure, they’re still showing someone diving into a swimming pool.”<h2>Patient influencers</h2>The new rules come as Donald Trump's advisers begin floating plans for the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-trump-vaccines-779495533a80ba142086a9621d75a59c">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>, an anti-vaccine activist who has advised the president-elect, wants to eliminate TV drug ads. He and other industry critics point out that the U.S. and New Zealand are the only countries where prescription drugs can be promoted on TV.Even so, many companies are looking beyond TV and expanding into social media. They often partner with patient influencers who post about managing their conditions, new treatments or navigating the health system.“They’re teaching people to live a good life with their disease, but then some of them are also paid to advertise and persuade,” said Erin Willis, who studies advertising and media at the University of Colorado Boulder.Advertising executives say companies like the format because it’s cheaper than TV and consumers generally feel influencers are more trustworthy than companies.FDA’s requirement for truthful, balanced risk and benefit information applies to drugmakers, leaving a loophole for both influencers and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hims-ro-lemonaid-subscription-health-care-6bbd960335fd8a7cc71563858e1a441a">telehealth companies</a>&nbsp;like Hims, Ro and Teledoc, who may not have a direct financial connection to makers of the drugs they’re promoting.The issue has attracted attention from members of Congress.“The power of social media and the deluge of misleading promotions has meant too many young people are receiving medical advice from influencers instead of their health care professional,” Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Mike Braun of Indiana wrote the FDA in a February letter.A recently introduced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.durbin.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Durbin-Braun_Deceptive%20Social%20Media%20Rx%20Promotion.pdf">bill from the senators</a>&nbsp;would bring influencers and telehealth companies clearly under FDA’s jurisdiction, requiring them to disclose risk and side effect information. The bill also would require drugmakers to publicly disclose payments to influencers.“It’s asking the FDA to take a more serious stance with this kind of marketing,” said Willis. "They know it’s happening, but they could be doing more and their regulations haven’t been updated since 2014."___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

New rules for TV drug ads: Simpler language and no distractions

Law enforcement officials are seeking information which will lead to the identification of an unknown individual known as John Doe 49, according to a media release from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

&nbsp; It is believed that this individual may have critical information pertaining to the identity of a child victim in a sexual exploitation investigation.

The video depicting John Doe 49 is believed to have been produced on or before July of 2024.&nbsp;

John Doe 49 is described as a White male between 45 and 65 years old, bald, with a dark goatee. He has at least five visual tattoos: the word Dabby on the right side of his chest, 197 followed by possible additional unknown text on his left bicep, and additional tattoos on his left and right forearms and right bicep.

If you have any information concerning this case, please call the FBI's toll-free tip-line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), contact a Crimes Against Children Investigator at your<a href="http://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field/" target="_blank">local FBI office</a>, or the nearest&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/legat/" target="_blank">American Embassy or Consulate</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731603932482.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Law enforcement officials are seeking information which will lead to the identification of an unknown individual known as John Doe 49, according to a media release from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.&nbsp; It is believed that this individual may have critical information pertaining to the identity of a child victim in a sexual exploitation investigation.The video depicting John Doe 49 is believed to have been produced on or before July of 2024.&nbsp;John Doe 49 is described as a White male between 45 and 65 years old, bald, with a dark goatee. He has at least five visual tattoos: the word Dabby on the right side of his chest, 197 followed by possible additional unknown text on his left bicep, and additional tattoos on his left and right forearms and right bicep.<ul>
 <li><a href="mailto:RescueMe@fbi.gov?subject=Contact%20an%20Investigator">Contact an ECAP Investigator</a></li>
 </ul><h2>Submit a Tip:</h2>If you have any information concerning this case, please call the FBI's toll-free tip-line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), contact a Crimes Against Children Investigator at your<a href="http://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field/" target="_blank">local FBI office</a>, or the nearest&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/legat/" target="_blank">American Embassy or Consulate</a>.

FBI seeks identity of 'John Doe 49' in child sexual exploitation case

WASHINGTON (AP) — After one of the most&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-campaign-house-republicans-majority-elections-ef7ef9a498e1c7a04971bf28b59c81f7">chaotic and least productive sessions</a>&nbsp;in modern history, voters made a surprising choice in elections for the U.S. House -- they overwhelmingly stuck with the status quo.

House Republicans will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republicans-house-elections-e3754a684a7b96b129841d4b207c15e9">hold onto a thin majority</a>, and while the chamber's exact partisan divide is still to be determined as votes are tallied in a handful of states, the results of 435 House races nationwide have produced hardly any change to the makeup of the chamber.

In fact, it's more like a stalemate: Republicans and Democrats have each flipped seven seats, while just eight incumbents nationwide have lost their races.

The results show just how entrenched the political dynamics have become in a legislative chamber that is meant to closely reflect the will of the people. Neither&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-trump-harris-white-house-83c8e246ab97f5b97be45cdc156af4e2">Donald Trump's sweep of swing states</a>&nbsp;nor a record of two years marked by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republicans-house-leadership-chaos-states-infighting-bb5d9287214cd5aa0a1fdf03b56bebcb">infighting among GOP House members</a>&nbsp;seemed to weigh much on House election results. Instead, the contest for control of the chamber boiled down to just a couple dozen politically divided districts and fewer truly close races even as House candidates nationwide spent a combined $1.5 billion, according to Open Secrets, which tracks political spending.

House Democratic Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hakeem-jeffries">Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;called it “bitterly disappointing” to see his party's bid to retake the House fall short by just a few seats. But he also made sure to note, “Notwithstanding the adverse political environment that happened with a Trump wave sweeping every single battleground state in America, Democrats will actually have increased the number of seats in the new Congress.”

Still, that hasn't stopped Republican leaders from taking a victory lap and talking of a mandate to implement a conservative agenda.

“On Election Day, Americans sent a clear message to reject the consequences of Democratic control,” said Rep. Richard Hudson, the chair of the GOP's House campaign committee, adding, “That's why voters delivered House Republicans a majority and sent Donald Trump to the White House in a landslide.”

Trump is on track to win the popular vote for the first time, but it will likely be a narrow victory once all ballots are counted, reflecting how politically deadlocked the country has become. In the House, the margins will also be close, particularly after Trump chose several House Republicans for roles in his administration.

“Every single vote will count,” said House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>. “Because if someone gets ill, or has a car accident or a late flight on their plane, then it affects the votes on the floor.”

Johnson's party held onto the majority largely thanks to two seats the party flipped in Pennsylvania, as well as three more that were redistricted by the GOP-controlled North Carolina General Assembly to favor their party.

Democrats, meanwhile, did best in New York — Jeffries' home state — where they flipped three seats. They also picked up two redistricted seats, in Louisiana and Alabama, that were ordered by courts to ensure fair representation for Black voters.

But as the congressional map becomes clear after the latest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/redistricting">redistricting cycle</a>&nbsp;following the 2020 census, some democracy advocates are concerned about the small number of House districts that are in play.

While Republicans for years won more congressional seats than expected through gerrymandered districts,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymandering-2022-elections-e576c35ee37ef7ae14337953a42541c2">Democrats have battled back by shaping districts</a>&nbsp;to their advantage and essentially evened out the playing field.

“The consequences are that the people’s House barely reflects the will of the people. Voters have very little possibility to shift the balance of power in the House even when their moods change,” said David Peters, who has written about gerrymandering and is a senior fellow at FairVote, an organization that advocates for voting reforms.

FairVote estimates that 85% of House seats are now safe for one party — the highest percentage it has tracked in two decades. Political polarization also plays a role in that trend, and Peters said it has resulted in a dynamic where House members are less likely to work across the aisle and are more worried about facing a primary opponent who criticizes them for not being partisan enough.

Several of the incumbents who lost reelection, such as Democratic Rep. Yadira Caraveo of Colorado or Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro of New York, were some of the most willing to work on bipartisan legislation.

But now that Republicans hold the House, Senate and White House, there is little talk of working with Democrats. Instead, they hope to use a special budget process to implement partisan legislation aimed at extending tax breaks, bolstering immigration enforcement at the southern border and dismantling federal regulations.

To do that, they will also have to overcome the infighting that has hampered them the last two years — and cracks are already showing in their unity.

In an internal vote this week, Johnson received his party's nomination to remain speaker when the new Congress starts Jan. 3. But lawmakers are still haggling over whether to keep in place rules that allowed a small group of conservatives to trigger the ouster of Johnson's predecessor,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">former Speaker Kevin McCarthy</a>.

With a razor-thin majority, almost any Republican can block legislation from moving forward, as the conservative bloc has done periodically.

“As usual, it’s going to be very difficult for Congress to get anything done,” said Rob Speel, a political science professor at Penn State Behrend.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731758967267.png" alt="Results as of&nbsp; 6a.m. Saturday&nbsp; November 16-image Associated press" />
 <figcaption>Results as of&nbsp; 6a.m. Saturday&nbsp; November 16-image Associated press</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — After one of the most&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-campaign-house-republicans-majority-elections-ef7ef9a498e1c7a04971bf28b59c81f7">chaotic and least productive sessions</a>&nbsp;in modern history, voters made a surprising choice in elections for the U.S. House -- they overwhelmingly stuck with the status quo.House Republicans will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republicans-house-elections-e3754a684a7b96b129841d4b207c15e9">hold onto a thin majority</a>, and while the chamber's exact partisan divide is still to be determined as votes are tallied in a handful of states, the results of 435 House races nationwide have produced hardly any change to the makeup of the chamber.In fact, it's more like a stalemate: Republicans and Democrats have each flipped seven seats, while just eight incumbents nationwide have lost their races.The results show just how entrenched the political dynamics have become in a legislative chamber that is meant to closely reflect the will of the people. Neither&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-trump-harris-white-house-83c8e246ab97f5b97be45cdc156af4e2">Donald Trump's sweep of swing states</a>&nbsp;nor a record of two years marked by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republicans-house-leadership-chaos-states-infighting-bb5d9287214cd5aa0a1fdf03b56bebcb">infighting among GOP House members</a>&nbsp;seemed to weigh much on House election results. Instead, the contest for control of the chamber boiled down to just a couple dozen politically divided districts and fewer truly close races even as House candidates nationwide spent a combined $1.5 billion, according to Open Secrets, which tracks political spending.House Democratic Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hakeem-jeffries">Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;called it “bitterly disappointing” to see his party's bid to retake the House fall short by just a few seats. But he also made sure to note, “Notwithstanding the adverse political environment that happened with a Trump wave sweeping every single battleground state in America, Democrats will actually have increased the number of seats in the new Congress.”Still, that hasn't stopped Republican leaders from taking a victory lap and talking of a mandate to implement a conservative agenda.“On Election Day, Americans sent a clear message to reject the consequences of Democratic control,” said Rep. Richard Hudson, the chair of the GOP's House campaign committee, adding, “That's why voters delivered House Republicans a majority and sent Donald Trump to the White House in a landslide.”Trump is on track to win the popular vote for the first time, but it will likely be a narrow victory once all ballots are counted, reflecting how politically deadlocked the country has become. In the House, the margins will also be close, particularly after Trump chose several House Republicans for roles in his administration.“Every single vote will count,” said House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>. “Because if someone gets ill, or has a car accident or a late flight on their plane, then it affects the votes on the floor.”Johnson's party held onto the majority largely thanks to two seats the party flipped in Pennsylvania, as well as three more that were redistricted by the GOP-controlled North Carolina General Assembly to favor their party.Democrats, meanwhile, did best in New York — Jeffries' home state — where they flipped three seats. They also picked up two redistricted seats, in Louisiana and Alabama, that were ordered by courts to ensure fair representation for Black voters.But as the congressional map becomes clear after the latest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/redistricting">redistricting cycle</a>&nbsp;following the 2020 census, some democracy advocates are concerned about the small number of House districts that are in play.While Republicans for years won more congressional seats than expected through gerrymandered districts,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymandering-2022-elections-e576c35ee37ef7ae14337953a42541c2">Democrats have battled back by shaping districts</a>&nbsp;to their advantage and essentially evened out the playing field.“The consequences are that the people’s House barely reflects the will of the people. Voters have very little possibility to shift the balance of power in the House even when their moods change,” said David Peters, who has written about gerrymandering and is a senior fellow at FairVote, an organization that advocates for voting reforms.FairVote estimates that 85% of House seats are now safe for one party — the highest percentage it has tracked in two decades. Political polarization also plays a role in that trend, and Peters said it has resulted in a dynamic where House members are less likely to work across the aisle and are more worried about facing a primary opponent who criticizes them for not being partisan enough.Several of the incumbents who lost reelection, such as Democratic Rep. Yadira Caraveo of Colorado or Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro of New York, were some of the most willing to work on bipartisan legislation.But now that Republicans hold the House, Senate and White House, there is little talk of working with Democrats. Instead, they hope to use a special budget process to implement partisan legislation aimed at extending tax breaks, bolstering immigration enforcement at the southern border and dismantling federal regulations.To do that, they will also have to overcome the infighting that has hampered them the last two years — and cracks are already showing in their unity.In an internal vote this week, Johnson received his party's nomination to remain speaker when the new Congress starts Jan. 3. But lawmakers are still haggling over whether to keep in place rules that allowed a small group of conservatives to trigger the ouster of Johnson's predecessor,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">former Speaker Kevin McCarthy</a>.With a razor-thin majority, almost any Republican can block legislation from moving forward, as the conservative bloc has done periodically.“As usual, it’s going to be very difficult for Congress to get anything done,” said Rob Speel, a political science professor at Penn State Behrend.

House elections a stalemate. Can GOP figure out how to work with a thin majority?

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Two brothers involved in a stabbing on Friday morning in Lawrence are in custody.

The attack occurred about 10a.m in the 1900 block of East 19th Street, according to a media release. The victim was in serious condition when paramedics transported him to an area trauma center. 

Evidence shows one of the brothers sent a threatening message to an ex-girlfriend stating they were coming to her home to harm her other “ex”, who was there. Investigators found they did just that – and when the four met, a fight started. The man who was visiting was stabbed. The brothers fled.

Officers safely arrested one of the brothers at his home and, after a short search, were able to take the other into custody.

The victim is expected to recover. Police did not release names of the suspects. Police detective are working to submit an affidavit to the District Attorney’s Office detailing what led up to the violence.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Two brothers involved in a stabbing on Friday morning in Lawrence are in custody.The attack occurred about 10a.m in the 1900 block of East 19th Street, according to a media release. The victim was in serious condition when paramedics transported him to an area trauma center. Evidence shows one of the brothers sent a threatening message to an ex-girlfriend stating they were coming to her home to harm her other “ex”, who was there. Investigators found they did just that – and when the four met, a fight started. The man who was visiting was stabbed. The brothers fled.Officers safely arrested one of the brothers at his home and, after a short search, were able to take the other into custody.The victim is expected to recover. Police did not release names of the suspects. Police detective are working to submit an affidavit to the District Attorney’s Office detailing what led up to the violence.

Two Kan. brothers jailed after knife attack at ex-girlfriend's home

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The boos from a crowd wanting more action were growing again when Jake Paul dropped his gloves before the final bell and bowed toward 58-year-old Mike Tyson.

Paying homage to one of the biggest names in boxing history didn't do much for the estimated 72,000 fans who filled the home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys on Friday night.

Paul won an eight-round unanimous decision over Tyson as the hits didn't match the hype in a fight between the 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer and the former heavyweight champion in his first sanctioned pro bout in almost 20 years.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mike-tyson-jake-paul-fight-443168254174c23f7e9a8b7deb4c9173">All the hate</a>&nbsp;from the prefight buildup was gone, replaced by boos from bewildered fans hoping for more from a fight that drew&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tyson-vs-paul-fight-efae4cab8a8731a938a3da3da54854ea">plenty of questions about its legitimacy</a>&nbsp;long beforehand.

The fight wasn't close on the judge's cards, with one giving Paul an 80-72 edge and the other two calling it 79-73.

“Let’s give it up for Mike,” Paul said in the ring, not getting much response from a crowd that started filing out before the decision was announced. “He’s the greatest to ever do it. I look up to him. I’m inspired by him.”

Tyson came after Paul immediately after the opening bell and landed a couple of quick punches but didn't try much else the rest of the way.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731676276473.jpeg" alt="Mike Tyson, front left, and Jake Paul, front right, face off during a news conference ahead of their fight, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)" />
 <figcaption>Mike Tyson, front left, and Jake Paul, front right, face off during a news conference ahead of their fight, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)</figcaption>
 </figure>ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The boos from a crowd wanting more action were growing again when Jake Paul dropped his gloves before the final bell and bowed toward 58-year-old Mike Tyson.Paying homage to one of the biggest names in boxing history didn't do much for the estimated 72,000 fans who filled the home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys on Friday night.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Yes, it feels like we should all be able to file criminal complaints against Netflix. No, we can’t.&mdash; Lawrence Police (@LawrenceKS_PD) <a href="https://twitter.com/LawrenceKS_PD/status/1857632918123982996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Paul won an eight-round unanimous decision over Tyson as the hits didn't match the hype in a fight between the 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer and the former heavyweight champion in his first sanctioned pro bout in almost 20 years.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mike-tyson-jake-paul-fight-443168254174c23f7e9a8b7deb4c9173">All the hate</a>&nbsp;from the prefight buildup was gone, replaced by boos from bewildered fans hoping for more from a fight that drew&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tyson-vs-paul-fight-efae4cab8a8731a938a3da3da54854ea">plenty of questions about its legitimacy</a>&nbsp;long beforehand.The fight wasn't close on the judge's cards, with one giving Paul an 80-72 edge and the other two calling it 79-73.“Let’s give it up for Mike,” Paul said in the ring, not getting much response from a crowd that started filing out before the decision was announced. “He’s the greatest to ever do it. I look up to him. I’m inspired by him.”Tyson came after Paul immediately after the opening bell and landed a couple of quick punches but didn't try much else the rest of the way.Even fewer rounds than the normal 10 or 12 and two-minute rounds instead of three, along with heavier gloves designed to lessen the power of punches, couldn't do much to generate action.Paul was more aggressive after the quick burst from Tyson in the opening seconds, but the punching wasn't very efficient. There were quite a few wild swings and misses.“I was trying to hurt him a little bit,” said Paul, who is 11-1 with seven knockouts. “I was scared he was going to hurt me. I was trying to hurt him. I did my best. I did my best.”Tyson mostly sat back and waited for Paul to come to him, with a few exceptions. It was quite the contrast to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/katie-taylor-amanda-serrano-fight-a65985c40c86c45546ffe2060b0f70eb">the co-main event</a>, another slugfest between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano in which Taylor kept her undisputed super lightweight championship with another disputed decision.Paul, who said an ankle injury limited his sparring sessions in the final weeks of training camp, said he eased up starting in about the third round because he thought Tyson was tired and vulnerable.“I wanted to give the fans a show, but I didn't want to hurt somebody that didn't need to be hurt,” Paul said.It was the first sanctioned fight since 2005 for Tyson, who fought Roy Jones Jr. in a much more entertaining exhibition in 2020. Paul started fighting a little more than four years ago.“I didn’t prove nothing to anybody, only to myself,” Tyson said when asked what it meant to complete the fight. “I'm not one of those guys that looks to please the world. I'm just happy with what I can do.”The fight was originally scheduled for July 20 but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mike-tyson-postponed-jake-paul-7383b668be4a94f5e6fe9037a84be87c">had to be postponed</a>&nbsp;when Tyson was treated for a stomach ulcer after falling ill on a flight. His record is now 50-7 with 44 knockouts.Tyson slapped Paul on the face during the weigh-in a night before the fight, and they traded insults in several of the hype events, before and after the postponement.The hate was long gone by the end of the anticlimactic fight.“I have so much respect for him,” Paul said. “That violence, war thing between us, like after he slapped me, I wanted to be aggressive and take him down and knock him out and all that stuff. That kind of went away as the rounds went on.”The fight set a Texas record for combat sports with a gate of nearly $18 million, according to organizers, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tyson-paul-netflix-f8815c0789e4f202731cbaff9bf85bf6">Netflix had problems with the feed</a>&nbsp;in the streaming platform's first live combat sports event. Netflix has more than 280 million subscribers globally.“This is the biggest event,” Paul said. “Over 120 million people on Netflix. We crashed the site.”Among the celebrities on hand were basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal and former NFL star Rob Gronkowski, along with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis, two foes from Tyson's heyday, greeted him in his locker room before the fight.Tyson infamously bit Holyfield on the ear in a 1997 bout, and he appeared to have one of his gloves in his mouth several times during the Paul bout. He was asked if he had problem with his mouthpiece.“I have a habit of biting my gloves,” Tyson said. “I have a biting fixation.”“I've heard about that,” the interview responded.According to reports, Paul's payday was $40 million, compared with $20 million for Tyson. Paul mentioned his number during a promotional event over the summer. Tyson has a history of legal and financial troubles but had said he didn't take the fight for money.Mario Barrios retained the WBC welterweight title in a draw with Abel Ramos on the undercard. Barrios was in control early before Ramos dominated the middle rounds. Each had a knockdown in the 12-round bout.It was the first fight for the 29-year-old Barrios since he was appointed the WBC welterweight champ when Terence Crawford started the process of moving up from the 147-pound class.Barrios, who is 29-2-1, won the interim WBC title with a unanimous decision over Yordenis Ugás last year. The 33-year-old Ramos is 28-6-3.