NEW YORK (AP) — If anything about Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” annoys you, best to avoid shopping malls now. Or the radio. Maybe music altogether, for that matter.

Her 1994 carol dominates holiday music like nothing else.

The Christmas colossus has reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart the past four years in a row — measuring the most popular songs each week by airplay, sales and streaming, not just the holiday-themed — and it’s reasonable to assume 2023 will be no different. One expert predicts it will soon exceed $100 million in earnings. Even its ringtone has sold millions.

“That song is just embedded in history now,” says&nbsp;<a href="https://davidfoster.com/">David Foster</a>, the 16-time Grammy-winning composer and producer. “It’s embedded in Christmas. When you think of Christmas right now, you think of that song.”

Yet the story behind “All I Want for Christmas is You” is not all holly and mistletoe.

The song’s co-authors, Carey and Walter Afanasieff, are in a mystifying feud. The authors of a different song with the same title have sued seeking $20 million in damages. While Carey calls herself the Queen of Christmas, her bid to trademark that title failed.

Every year on Nov. 1, the song’s hibernation ends when Carey posts on social media that “it’s time” to play it again. This year’s message depicted her being freed from a block of ice to make the declaration.

In both music and lyrics, the song was perfectly engineered for success, says&nbsp;<a href="https://college.berklee.edu/faculty/joe-bennett">Joe Bennett</a>, musicologist and professor at the Berklee College of Music. And it came from an artist who was at the top of her game at the time.

“All I Want for Christmas is You” works as a love and holiday song. Carey sets it up: She doesn’t care about all the holiday trappings, she has one thing — one person — on her mind. She sprinkles in specific holiday references, from Santa Claus to mistletoe.

The instruments and brisk arrangement recall Phil Spector’s 1965 album, “A Christmas Gift for You,” itself a holiday classic. To top it off, part of the melody slyly references “White Christmas,” Bennett says.

“That was my goal, to do something timeless,” Carey explained in a recent “Good Morning America” interview.

Billboard has produced lists of top seasonal hits since 2010, and “All I Want for Christmas is You” has been No. 1 for 57 of the 62 weeks it has run, said Gary Trust, chart director. Will Page, Spotify’s former chief economist and author of the book “Pivot,” estimates the song will exceed $100 million in earnings this holiday season.

“By most objective measures,” Bennett says, “it’s the most successful Christmas song of all time.”

As Afanasieff has told it, much of the work on “All I Want for Christmas is You” was done by him and Carey working in a rented house in the summer of 1994. The team had a history, working on Carey's albums “Emotions” and “Music Box.”

He started with a boogie-woogie piano, tossing out melodic ideas that Carey would respond to with lyrics, he said on&nbsp;<a href="https://wdrv.com/mariah-careys-co-writer-says-her-version-of-how-her-christmas-hit-was-written-is-a-tall-tale/">last year’s podcast</a>, “Hot Takes &amp; Deep Dives with Jess Rothschild” (Afanasieff did not return messages from The Associated Press). Later, Carey completed the lyrics herself and Afanasieff recorded all the instruments, he said.

Then things became complicated. Carey was married at the time to Tommy Mottola, head of Sony Music. They broke up in 1997 and her relationship with Afanasieff, who kept working for Mottola, became a casualty of that fractured marriage. Afanasieff said they've spoken once in more than 20 years, and it his contributions have been written out of Carey's telling of the song's creation.

On “Good Morning America” last month, she said, "I was working on it by myself so I was writing on this little Casio keyboard, writing down words and thinking about, ’What do I think about Christmas? What do I love? What do I want? What do I dream of?” she says. “And that’s what started it.”

Afanasieff sounds almost bewildered by the turn of events. He&nbsp;<a href="https://variety.com/2019/music/news/mariah-carey-all-i-want-for-christmas-co-writer-walter-afanasieff-interview-1203447527/">told Variety in 1999</a>&nbsp;that every holiday season he has to defend himself against people who don’t believe he co-wrote the song.

“Mariah has been very wonderful, positive and a force of nature,” he told Variety. “She’s the one that made the song a hit and she’s awesome. But she definitely does not share credit where credit is due."

Last month, songwriters Andy Stone and Troy Powers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2023/11/03/mariah-carey-is-being-sued-over-all-i-want-for-christmas-is-you-again/?sh=4d07dc9d2667">sued Carey and Afanasieff</a>&nbsp;in federal court in California, seeking $20 million in copyright infringement and citing their own 1989 country song, “All I Want for Christmas is You.”

Their song has a similar theme, with a narrator desiring a love interest before Christmas comforts. The writers cite an “overwhelming likelihood” that Carey and Afanasieff had heard their song.

The two songs have no musical similarities, Berklee’s Bennett says, and the theme is hardly unique. He pointed out Bing Crosby’s “You’re All I Want for Christmas,” Carla Thomas’ “All I Want for Christmas is You” and Buck Owens’ “All I Want for Christmas, Dear, is You.”

Says the musicologist: “It’s nonsense.”

In his podcast appearance, Afanasieff noted how Foster once told him that “All I Want for Christmas is You” was the last song to enter the Christmas canon and “that vault is sealed.”

Foster told AP he exaggerated a little, but not a lot. Writing a new holiday song is brutally hard, since you’re competing with not just current hits but hundreds of years of songs and memories. The old classics never go away.

“I just stay away from them, because they scare me,” Foster says. “Lyrically, it’s sort of all been done before — better than I can ever do.”

While he appreciates Foster’s compliment, Afanasieff told Rothschild that he hoped others don’t take it to heart.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703367567358.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — If anything about Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” annoys you, best to avoid shopping malls now. Or the radio. Maybe music altogether, for that matter.Her 1994 carol dominates holiday music like nothing else.The Christmas colossus has reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart the past four years in a row — measuring the most popular songs each week by airplay, sales and streaming, not just the holiday-themed — and it’s reasonable to assume 2023 will be no different. One expert predicts it will soon exceed $100 million in earnings. Even its ringtone has sold millions.“That song is just embedded in history now,” says&nbsp;<a href="https://davidfoster.com/">David Foster</a>, the 16-time Grammy-winning composer and producer. “It’s embedded in Christmas. When you think of Christmas right now, you think of that song.”Yet the story behind “All I Want for Christmas is You” is not all holly and mistletoe.The song’s co-authors, Carey and Walter Afanasieff, are in a mystifying feud. The authors of a different song with the same title have sued seeking $20 million in damages. While Carey calls herself the Queen of Christmas, her bid to trademark that title failed.Every year on Nov. 1, the song’s hibernation ends when Carey posts on social media that “it’s time” to play it again. This year’s message depicted her being freed from a block of ice to make the declaration.In both music and lyrics, the song was perfectly engineered for success, says&nbsp;<a href="https://college.berklee.edu/faculty/joe-bennett">Joe Bennett</a>, musicologist and professor at the Berklee College of Music. And it came from an artist who was at the top of her game at the time.“All I Want for Christmas is You” works as a love and holiday song. Carey sets it up: She doesn’t care about all the holiday trappings, she has one thing — one person — on her mind. She sprinkles in specific holiday references, from Santa Claus to mistletoe.The instruments and brisk arrangement recall Phil Spector’s 1965 album, “A Christmas Gift for You,” itself a holiday classic. To top it off, part of the melody slyly references “White Christmas,” Bennett says.“That was my goal, to do something timeless,” Carey explained in a recent “Good Morning America” interview.Billboard has produced lists of top seasonal hits since 2010, and “All I Want for Christmas is You” has been No. 1 for 57 of the 62 weeks it has run, said Gary Trust, chart director. Will Page, Spotify’s former chief economist and author of the book “Pivot,” estimates the song will exceed $100 million in earnings this holiday season.“By most objective measures,” Bennett says, “it’s the most successful Christmas song of all time.”As Afanasieff has told it, much of the work on “All I Want for Christmas is You” was done by him and Carey working in a rented house in the summer of 1994. The team had a history, working on Carey's albums “Emotions” and “Music Box.”He started with a boogie-woogie piano, tossing out melodic ideas that Carey would respond to with lyrics, he said on&nbsp;<a href="https://wdrv.com/mariah-careys-co-writer-says-her-version-of-how-her-christmas-hit-was-written-is-a-tall-tale/">last year’s podcast</a>, “Hot Takes &amp; Deep Dives with Jess Rothschild” (Afanasieff did not return messages from The Associated Press). Later, Carey completed the lyrics herself and Afanasieff recorded all the instruments, he said.Then things became complicated. Carey was married at the time to Tommy Mottola, head of Sony Music. They broke up in 1997 and her relationship with Afanasieff, who kept working for Mottola, became a casualty of that fractured marriage. Afanasieff said they've spoken once in more than 20 years, and it his contributions have been written out of Carey's telling of the song's creation.On “Good Morning America” last month, she said, "I was working on it by myself so I was writing on this little Casio keyboard, writing down words and thinking about, ’What do I think about Christmas? What do I love? What do I want? What do I dream of?” she says. “And that’s what started it.”Afanasieff sounds almost bewildered by the turn of events. He&nbsp;<a href="https://variety.com/2019/music/news/mariah-carey-all-i-want-for-christmas-co-writer-walter-afanasieff-interview-1203447527/">told Variety in 1999</a>&nbsp;that every holiday season he has to defend himself against people who don’t believe he co-wrote the song.“Mariah has been very wonderful, positive and a force of nature,” he told Variety. “She’s the one that made the song a hit and she’s awesome. But she definitely does not share credit where credit is due."Last month, songwriters Andy Stone and Troy Powers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2023/11/03/mariah-carey-is-being-sued-over-all-i-want-for-christmas-is-you-again/?sh=4d07dc9d2667">sued Carey and Afanasieff</a>&nbsp;in federal court in California, seeking $20 million in copyright infringement and citing their own 1989 country song, “All I Want for Christmas is You.”Their song has a similar theme, with a narrator desiring a love interest before Christmas comforts. The writers cite an “overwhelming likelihood” that Carey and Afanasieff had heard their song.The two songs have no musical similarities, Berklee’s Bennett says, and the theme is hardly unique. He pointed out Bing Crosby’s “You’re All I Want for Christmas,” Carla Thomas’ “All I Want for Christmas is You” and Buck Owens’ “All I Want for Christmas, Dear, is You.”Says the musicologist: “It’s nonsense.”In his podcast appearance, Afanasieff noted how Foster once told him that “All I Want for Christmas is You” was the last song to enter the Christmas canon and “that vault is sealed.”Foster told AP he exaggerated a little, but not a lot. Writing a new holiday song is brutally hard, since you’re competing with not just current hits but hundreds of years of songs and memories. The old classics never go away.“I just stay away from them, because they scare me,” Foster says. “Lyrically, it’s sort of all been done before — better than I can ever do.”While he appreciates Foster’s compliment, Afanasieff told Rothschild that he hoped others don’t take it to heart.

Why Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas is You' became so popular

SHAWNEE COUNTY–Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with an incident that occurred on December 15,&nbsp; in the 1100 block of South West Washburn Ave, where a male subject struck a Shawnee County Sheriff’s Deputy with a vehicle.

Shortly before 3:30 Dec. 22, members of the Fugitive Warrants Unit, Uniformed Patrol Division, K-9 Unit, and Investigations Division, responded to the 1400 block of South West 72nd Terrace in Shawnee County to execute a felony arrest warrant for the subject wanted in connection with striking the deputy.

While at that location, deputies arrested 39-year-old James Rich of Topeka. During execution of the warrant, deputies also arrested the homeowner identified as 53-year-old James Allen Jr., of Topeka on an unrelated warrant.

Rich was booked into the Shawnee County Department of corrections on requested charges of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, felony criminal damage to property, felony interference with a law enforcement officer, felony theft, and a fugitive from justice charge in connection with a felony absconder charge from the Michigan Department of Corrections.&nbsp; &nbsp;The sheriff's office released no additional details on the deputy's condition or recovery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703355987542.png" alt="Rich-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Rich-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY–Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with an incident that occurred on December 15,&nbsp; in the 1100 block of South West Washburn Ave, where a male subject struck a Shawnee County Sheriff’s Deputy with a vehicle.Shortly before 3:30 Dec. 22, members of the Fugitive Warrants Unit, Uniformed Patrol Division, K-9 Unit, and Investigations Division, responded to the 1400 block of South West 72nd Terrace in Shawnee County to execute a felony arrest warrant for the subject wanted in connection with striking the deputy.While at that location, deputies arrested 39-year-old James Rich of Topeka. During execution of the warrant, deputies also arrested the homeowner identified as 53-year-old James Allen Jr., of Topeka on an unrelated warrant.Rich was booked into the Shawnee County Department of corrections on requested charges of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, felony criminal damage to property, felony interference with a law enforcement officer, felony theft, and a fugitive from justice charge in connection with a felony absconder charge from the Michigan Department of Corrections.&nbsp; &nbsp;The sheriff's office released no additional details on the deputy's condition or recovery.

Suspect who struck Kansas deputy with a vehicle is in custody

JERUSALEM —On December 23 two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles were fired into international shipping lanes in the Southern Red Sea from Houthi controlled areas of Yemen, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command. No ships reported being impacted by the ballistic missiles.

Between 3 and 8 p.m. (Sanaa time), the USS LABOON (DDG 58) was patrolling in the Southern Red Sea as part of Operation Properity Guardian(OPG) and shot down four unmanned aerial drones originating from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen that were inbound to the USS LABOON. There were no injuries or damage in this incident. 

At approximately 8 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Naval Forces Central Command received reports from two ships in the Southern Red Sea that they were under attack. 

The M/V BLAAMANEN, a Norwegian-flagged, owned, and operated chemical/oil tanker, reported a near miss of a Houthi one-way attack drone with no injuries or damage reported. A second vessel, the M/V SAIBABA, a Gabon-owned, Indian-flagged crude oil tanker, reported that it was hit by a one-way attack drone with no injuries reported. 

The USS LABOON (DDG 58) responded to the distress calls from these attacks. These attacks represent&nbsp; the 14th and 15th attacks on commercial shipping by Houthi militants since Oct. 17.

The United States said Friday that Iran was “deeply involved” in the planning of attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels against commercial vessels in the Red Sea, providing weapons as well as “tactical intelligence” to enable the strikes along a critical sea corridor.

U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement, citing newly declassified intelligence assessments, that “Iranian support throughout the Gaza crisis has enabled the Houthis to launch attacks against Israel and maritime targets, though Iran has often deferred operational decision-making authority to the Houthis.”

Watson said the U.S. believes that without ongoing Iranian support, “the Houthis would struggle to effectively track and strike commercial vessels.”

“Iranian support to these Houthi operations remains critical,” Watson said. “We know the intelligence picture which the Houthis use to operate in the maritime space is reliant on Iranian-provided monitoring systems.”

Iran, which has long backed the Yemen-based group, has provided unmanned aerial systems, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles to the Houthis, including those used in recent strikes on commercial and military vessels and attempted attacks on Israel, according to the U.S. assessment.

Additionally, the U.S. believes Iran has provided financial, training and tactical support for attacks by the Houthis, who say their strikes aim to end Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

“We have no reason to believe that Iran is trying to dissuade the Houthis from this reckless behavior,” Watson said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703418619283.png" alt="photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM —On December 23 two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles were fired into international shipping lanes in the Southern Red Sea from Houthi controlled areas of Yemen, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command. No ships reported being impacted by the ballistic missiles.Between 3 and 8 p.m. (Sanaa time), the USS LABOON (DDG 58) was patrolling in the Southern Red Sea as part of Operation Properity Guardian(OPG) and shot down four unmanned aerial drones originating from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen that were inbound to the USS LABOON. There were no injuries or damage in this incident. At approximately 8 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Naval Forces Central Command received reports from two ships in the Southern Red Sea that they were under attack. The M/V BLAAMANEN, a Norwegian-flagged, owned, and operated chemical/oil tanker, reported a near miss of a Houthi one-way attack drone with no injuries or damage reported. A second vessel, the M/V SAIBABA, a Gabon-owned, Indian-flagged crude oil tanker, reported that it was hit by a one-way attack drone with no injuries reported. The USS LABOON (DDG 58) responded to the distress calls from these attacks. These attacks represent&nbsp; the 14th and 15th attacks on commercial shipping by Houthi militants since Oct. 17.The United States said Friday that Iran was “deeply involved” in the planning of attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels against commercial vessels in the Red Sea, providing weapons as well as “tactical intelligence” to enable the strikes along a critical sea corridor.U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement, citing newly declassified intelligence assessments, that “Iranian support throughout the Gaza crisis has enabled the Houthis to launch attacks against Israel and maritime targets, though Iran has often deferred operational decision-making authority to the Houthis.”Watson said the U.S. believes that without ongoing Iranian support, “the Houthis would struggle to effectively track and strike commercial vessels.”“Iranian support to these Houthi operations remains critical,” Watson said. “We know the intelligence picture which the Houthis use to operate in the maritime space is reliant on Iranian-provided monitoring systems.”Iran, which has long backed the Yemen-based group, has provided unmanned aerial systems, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles to the Houthis, including those used in recent strikes on commercial and military vessels and attempted attacks on Israel, according to the U.S. assessment.Additionally, the U.S. believes Iran has provided financial, training and tactical support for attacks by the Houthis, who say their strikes aim to end Israel’s offensive in Gaza.“We have no reason to believe that Iran is trying to dissuade the Houthis from this reckless behavior,” Watson said.

U.S. warship responds to ballistic missile attack in the Red Sea

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces multiple felony charges in connection with the Nov. 18,&nbsp; fatal shooting of another man outside a KC residence following a conflict, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Gabriel B. Eredia, 45, faces Murder 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and two counts of Armed Criminal Action charges.

According to court records, police responded on Nov. 18, to the sound of gunfire in Kansas City. They were unable initially to locate a crime scene. Several minutes later, officers were dispatched to a person who was found shot outside a residence. 

A witness identified the Eredia who was a federally convicted felon and prohibited from carrying a firearm, as the person who was in the yard with the victim when shots rang out. The defendant's DNA was found on spent shell casings at the crime scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703173719569.png" alt="Eredia-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Eredia-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces multiple felony charges in connection with the Nov. 18,&nbsp; fatal shooting of another man outside a KC residence following a conflict, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Gabriel B. Eredia, 45, faces Murder 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and two counts of Armed Criminal Action charges.According to court records, police responded on Nov. 18, to the sound of gunfire in Kansas City. They were unable initially to locate a crime scene. Several minutes later, officers were dispatched to a person who was found shot outside a residence. A witness identified the Eredia who was a federally convicted felon and prohibited from carrying a firearm, as the person who was in the yard with the victim when shots rang out. The defendant's DNA was found on spent shell casings at the crime scene.

Witness IDs convicted felon at scene of Kansas City murder

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas couple on drug allegations.

Just after 1 p.m. December 18, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to the area of the 9800 block of US Highway 75 for a suspicious vehicle, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

  The deputy made contact with two occupants and discovered that the woman had an active protection order against the driver. 

A Jackson County Sheriff’ Office K-9 alerted to the presence of an illegal substance within the vehicle.  A search located a substance believed to be methamphetamine.&nbsp;

Deputies arrested the driver, Freedom Spirit Hood, 46, of Portland, Oregon on a requested charges of violation of a protection order and possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful vehicle registration.

  The passenger, Rosalie Marie Hood, 38, of Boise, Idaho was arrested on requested charge of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both subjects remain in the Jackson County Jail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703174164827.png" alt="Hood-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Hood-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas couple on drug allegations.Just after 1 p.m. December 18, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to the area of the 9800 block of US Highway 75 for a suspicious vehicle, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. The deputy made contact with two occupants and discovered that the woman had an active protection order against the driver. A Jackson County Sheriff’ Office K-9 alerted to the presence of an illegal substance within the vehicle. A search located a substance believed to be methamphetamine.&nbsp;Deputies arrested the driver, Freedom Spirit Hood, 46, of Portland, Oregon on a requested charges of violation of a protection order and possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful vehicle registration. The passenger, Rosalie Marie Hood, 38, of Boise, Idaho was arrested on requested charge of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both subjects remain in the Jackson County Jail.

Kan. traffic stop: Woman had protection order against the driver

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas man has been charged through a criminal complaint in Kansas City, Kansas, for allegedly robbing a bank.

According to court documents, Cesar Serrano, 46, of Overland Park is charged with one count of bank robbery.

On December 16, 2023, Serrano allegedly used a firearm to demand money from employees at Great Southern Bank in Prairie Village, Kansas. He was arrested and booked into jail late Sunday, according to online jail records.

The defendant was scheduled for his initial court appearance on December 20, 2023, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Angel D. Mitchell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703025399081.png" alt="Serrano photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Serrano photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas man has been charged through a criminal complaint in Kansas City, Kansas, for allegedly robbing a bank.According to court documents, Cesar Serrano, 46, of Overland Park is charged with one count of bank robbery.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702817029294.png" alt="photo Prairie Village Police" />
 <figcaption>photo Prairie Village Police</figcaption>
 </figure>On December 16, 2023, Serrano allegedly used a firearm to demand money from employees at Great Southern Bank in Prairie Village, Kansas. He was arrested and booked into jail late Sunday, according to online jail records.The defendant was scheduled for his initial court appearance on December 20, 2023, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Angel D. Mitchell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.

Suspect in December Kan. bank robbery is arrested and charged 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday blocked a California law that would have banned carrying firearms in most public places, ruling that it violates the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and deprives people of their ability to defend themselves and their loved ones.

The law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-guns-ammunition-tax-school-safety-0870a673a3d4e85c78466897cfd7ff6f">in September</a>&nbsp;was set to take effect Jan. 1. It would have prohibited people from carrying concealed guns in 26 places including public parks and playgrounds, churches, banks and zoos. The ban would apply whether the person has a permit to carry a concealed weapon or not. One exception would be for privately owned businesses that put up signs saying people are allowed to bring guns on their premises.

U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney granted a preliminary injunction blocking the law, which he wrote was “sweeping, repugnant to the Second Amendment, and openly defiant of the Supreme Court.”

The court case against the law will proceed while the law is blocked. The judge wrote that gun rights groups are likely to succeed in proving it unconstitutional, meaning it would be permanently overturned.

The decision is a victory for the California Rifle and Pistol Association, which sued to block the law. The measure overhauled the state’s rules for concealed carry permits in light of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-gun-politics-new-york-violence-kathy-hochul-ebe58ea297c154a25a62650dec935529">U.S. Supreme Court’s decision</a>&nbsp;in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, which set several states scrambling to react with their own laws. That decision said the constitutionality of gun laws must be assessed by whether they are “consistent with the nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.”

“California progressive politicians refuse to accept the Supreme Court’s mandate from the Bruen case and are trying every creative ploy they can imagine to get around it,” the California association's president, Chuck Michel, said in a statement. “The Court saw through the State’s gambit.”

Michel said under the law, gun permit holders “wouldn’t be able to drive across town without passing through a prohibited area and breaking the law.” He said the judge's decision makes Californians safer because criminals are deterred when law-abiding citizens can defend themselves.

State Attorney General Rob Bonta said his office will appeal the decision, which he said if allowed to stand “would endanger communities by allowing guns in places where families and children gather.”

Newsom said he will keep pushing for stricter gun measures.

“Defying common sense, this ruling outrageously calls California’s data-backed gun safety efforts ‘repugnant.’ What is repugnant is this ruling, which greenlights the proliferation of guns in our hospitals, libraries, and children’s playgrounds — spaces, which should be safe for all," the governor said in a statement Wednesday evening.

Newsom has positioned himself as a national leader on gun control while he is being increasingly eyed as a potential presidential candidate. He has called for and signed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-gun-politics-legislature-gavin-newsom-42081c0b5d0e0a65b73e3c0e846d1851">a variety of bills</a>, including measures targeting untraceable “ghost guns,” the marketing of firearms to children and allowing people to bring lawsuits over gun violence. That legislation was patterned on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-gun-violence-us-supreme-court-politics-gavin-newsom-fbb51411fcbb46276060db967e1d4680">a Texas anti-abortion law</a>.

Carney is a former Orange County Superior Court judge who was appointed to the federal bench by President George W. Bush in 2003.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702505915425.png" alt="File photo Aristide Economopoulos" />
 <figcaption>File photo Aristide Economopoulos</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday blocked a California law that would have banned carrying firearms in most public places, ruling that it violates the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and deprives people of their ability to defend themselves and their loved ones.The law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-guns-ammunition-tax-school-safety-0870a673a3d4e85c78466897cfd7ff6f">in September</a>&nbsp;was set to take effect Jan. 1. It would have prohibited people from carrying concealed guns in 26 places including public parks and playgrounds, churches, banks and zoos. The ban would apply whether the person has a permit to carry a concealed weapon or not. One exception would be for privately owned businesses that put up signs saying people are allowed to bring guns on their premises.U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney granted a preliminary injunction blocking the law, which he wrote was “sweeping, repugnant to the Second Amendment, and openly defiant of the Supreme Court.”The court case against the law will proceed while the law is blocked. The judge wrote that gun rights groups are likely to succeed in proving it unconstitutional, meaning it would be permanently overturned.The decision is a victory for the California Rifle and Pistol Association, which sued to block the law. The measure overhauled the state’s rules for concealed carry permits in light of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-gun-politics-new-york-violence-kathy-hochul-ebe58ea297c154a25a62650dec935529">U.S. Supreme Court’s decision</a>&nbsp;in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, which set several states scrambling to react with their own laws. That decision said the constitutionality of gun laws must be assessed by whether they are “consistent with the nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.”“California progressive politicians refuse to accept the Supreme Court’s mandate from the Bruen case and are trying every creative ploy they can imagine to get around it,” the California association's president, Chuck Michel, said in a statement. “The Court saw through the State’s gambit.”Michel said under the law, gun permit holders “wouldn’t be able to drive across town without passing through a prohibited area and breaking the law.” He said the judge's decision makes Californians safer because criminals are deterred when law-abiding citizens can defend themselves.State Attorney General Rob Bonta said his office will appeal the decision, which he said if allowed to stand “would endanger communities by allowing guns in places where families and children gather.”Newsom said he will keep pushing for stricter gun measures.“Defying common sense, this ruling outrageously calls California’s data-backed gun safety efforts ‘repugnant.’ What is repugnant is this ruling, which greenlights the proliferation of guns in our hospitals, libraries, and children’s playgrounds — spaces, which should be safe for all," the governor said in a statement Wednesday evening.Newsom has positioned himself as a national leader on gun control while he is being increasingly eyed as a potential presidential candidate. He has called for and signed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-gun-politics-legislature-gavin-newsom-42081c0b5d0e0a65b73e3c0e846d1851">a variety of bills</a>, including measures targeting untraceable “ghost guns,” the marketing of firearms to children and allowing people to bring lawsuits over gun violence. That legislation was patterned on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-gun-violence-us-supreme-court-politics-gavin-newsom-fbb51411fcbb46276060db967e1d4680">a Texas anti-abortion law</a>.Carney is a former Orange County Superior Court judge who was appointed to the federal bench by President George W. Bush in 2003.

Judge blocks first state law that banned carrying guns in public

KANSAS CITY —Liberty Hospital, 2525 Glenn Hendren Drive, Liberty, Mo.,continues to experience a disruption to their computer systems that began Monday.

Late Friday, the hospital reported third-party specialists were assisting in investigating the nature and scope of the disruption. "While we expect the process to take time, we are making progress," the notice said.

The emergency department at Liberty Hospital is open to ambulances. It has remained open to walk-in patients. A call to the hospital emergency room reported they were accepting patients that did not require radiology. Those who needed an x-ray, CT or ultrasound would be sent elsewhere.

Phone systems at hospital clinics were fully operational. The hospital reported they continue to perform surgeries in main operating rooms and outpatient surgery center as well as the Birthing Center. All clinics were treating patients.

The hospital has not reported they transferred any additional patients to other facilities since Tuesday when the Kansas City Fire Department, along with the other strike team Ambulances, transported approximately 30 patients, according to KCFD Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. Liberty EMS also transported an additional 10 to 15 patients.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703037649784.png" alt="-The Kansas City Fire Department, along with the other strike team Ambulances, transported approximately 30 patients from the hospital on Tuesday-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>-The Kansas City Fire Department, along with the other strike team Ambulances, transported approximately 30 patients from the hospital on Tuesday-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Liberty Hospital, 2525 Glenn Hendren Drive, Liberty, Mo.,continues to experience a disruption to their computer systems that began Monday.Late Friday, the hospital reported third-party specialists were assisting in investigating the nature and scope of the disruption. "While we expect the process to take time, we are making progress," the notice said.The emergency department at Liberty Hospital is open to ambulances. It has remained open to walk-in patients. A call to the hospital emergency room reported they were accepting patients that did not require radiology. Those who needed an x-ray, CT or ultrasound would be sent elsewhere.Phone systems at hospital clinics were fully operational. The hospital reported they continue to perform surgeries in main operating rooms and outpatient surgery center as well as the Birthing Center. All clinics were treating patients.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703156650753.png" alt="photo courtesy Liberty Hospital" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy Liberty Hospital</figcaption>
 </figure>The hospital has not reported they transferred any additional patients to other facilities since Tuesday when the Kansas City Fire Department, along with the other strike team Ambulances, transported approximately 30 patients, according to KCFD Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. Liberty EMS also transported an additional 10 to 15 patients.------

Specialists investigating computer attack at KC-area hospital

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden made thousands of people who were convicted of use and simple possession of marijuana on federal lands and in the District of Columbia eligible for pardons, the White House said Friday.

Biden also granted clemency to 11 people who are serving what the White House called “disproportionately long” sentences for nonviolent drug offenses.

The list receiving clemency includes Deondre Cordell Higgins of&nbsp; Kansas City.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/12/22/clemency-recipient-list-5/">Click here to see </a>the full clemency recipient list

In 2011, Deondre Cordell Higgins, 35, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ortrie D. Smith to life in federal prison without parole, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

On Sept. 27, 2010, Higgins was found guilty following a bench trial of participating in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine in Jackson County, Mo., from Jan. 1, 2005, to Nov. 18, 2008. Higgins was also convicted of distributing crack cocaine.

Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Higgins had hundreds of customers and sold large quantities of crack cocaine. Undercover police detectives purchased crack cocaine from Higgins and several co-defendants. Higgins and coconspirators distributed up to five kilograms of crack cocaine in Jackson County. Higgins also paid prostitutes who worked for him with crack cocaine.

Higgins was the final defendant to be sentenced in the case. Four co-defendants also pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.

Higgins Sentence was commuted to a term of 25 years, leaving intact and in effect all other components of the sentence and with the final two years of his incarceration in prerelease custody, to the maximum extent permitted by law, according to the White House.

Biden, in a statement, said his actions would help make the “promise of equal justice a reality.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703254418222.png" alt="President Biden, in a statement, said his actions would help make the “promise of equal justice a reality.”&nbsp; White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden, in a statement, said his actions would help make the “promise of equal justice a reality.”&nbsp; White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden made thousands of people who were convicted of use and simple possession of marijuana on federal lands and in the District of Columbia eligible for pardons, the White House said Friday.Biden also granted clemency to 11 people who are serving what the White House called “disproportionately long” sentences for nonviolent drug offenses.The list receiving clemency includes Deondre Cordell Higgins of&nbsp; Kansas City.<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/12/22/clemency-recipient-list-5/">Click here to see </a>the full clemency recipient listIn 2011, Deondre Cordell Higgins, 35, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ortrie D. Smith to life in federal prison without parole, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.On Sept. 27, 2010, Higgins was found guilty following a bench trial of participating in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine in Jackson County, Mo., from Jan. 1, 2005, to Nov. 18, 2008. Higgins was also convicted of distributing crack cocaine.Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Higgins had hundreds of customers and sold large quantities of crack cocaine. Undercover police detectives purchased crack cocaine from Higgins and several co-defendants. Higgins and coconspirators distributed up to five kilograms of crack cocaine in Jackson County. Higgins also paid prostitutes who worked for him with crack cocaine.Higgins was the final defendant to be sentenced in the case. Four co-defendants also pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.Higgins Sentence was commuted to a term of 25 years, leaving intact and in effect all other components of the sentence and with the final two years of his incarceration in prerelease custody, to the maximum extent permitted by law, according to the White House.Biden, in a statement, said his actions would help make the “promise of equal justice a reality.”-The AP contributed to this report

List of inmates Biden granted clemency includes Kansas City man

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement and fire officials are investigating the cause of a fire at a popular bar near the University of Kansas.

On Friday morning, crews responded to a fire at The Wagon Wheel,&nbsp; 507 W. 14th Street, in Lawrence, according to a media release from Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical.

&nbsp;Crews found and extinguished fire on the outside of the building. The business was unoccupied and there were no injuries reported.

Investigators determined the fire was intentionally set and identified a suspect identified according to sheriff's office booking report as 39-year-old Robert Shane Johnson on a requested charge of arson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703337662127.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement and fire officials are investigating the cause of a fire at a popular bar near the University of Kansas.On Friday morning, crews responded to a fire at The Wagon Wheel,&nbsp; 507 W. 14th Street, in Lawrence, according to a media release from Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical.&nbsp;Crews found and extinguished fire on the outside of the building. The business was unoccupied and there were no injuries reported.Investigators determined the fire was intentionally set and identified a suspect identified according to sheriff's office booking report as 39-year-old Robert Shane Johnson on a requested charge of arson.Police released no additional details.

Arrest made in alleged arson fire at popular bar near KU campus

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly shooting have identified the victim as 45-year-old Jennifer Eisele of Topeka.

Just before 6p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 600 block of SW Fillmore in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Ron Ekis. First responders found Eisele suffering from a gunshot wound. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;

Police have not reported an arrest or additional details early Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703333783490.png" alt="Police investigators at the scene -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police investigators at the scene -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly shooting have identified the victim as 45-year-old Jennifer Eisele of Topeka.Just before 6p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 600 block of SW Fillmore in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Ron Ekis. First responders found Eisele suffering from a gunshot wound. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;Police have not reported an arrest or additional details early Saturday.

Homicide: Police ID Kansas woman who died in shooting

GARDNER, Kansas. –Kansas Department of Corrections inmate 52-year-old Clifford Leon Evans has been placed on escape status after it was reported at 2:45p.m. Monday that he did not return to the facility while serving his sentence at the Johnson County Work Release center, according to a statement from the KDOC.

Evans is described as a white male, has brown hair, brown eyes, is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 131 pounds.

He currently serving a sentence for violating his parole. Evans was convicted in Johnson County for possession of opiates. He is serving that sentence at the Johnson County Department of Corrections (JCDOC) Adult Residential Center (ARC) from which he walked away. Under an agreement between the KDOC and JCDOC, residents who have release plans that are appropriate to Johnson County are housed at the ARC to promote their successful reintegration back into the community.

Anyone with information on Evans can call EAI at 816-266-2102, JCDOC 913-715-6539, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (800) 572-7463 or local law enforcement at 911. Kansans can also contact EAI via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:KDOC_EAI_Intel@ks.gov">KDOC_EAI_Intel@ks.gov</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702940092760.png" alt="Evans photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Evans photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>GARDNER, Kansas. –Kansas Department of Corrections inmate 52-year-old Clifford Leon Evans has been placed on escape status after it was reported at 2:45p.m. Monday that he did not return to the facility while serving his sentence at the Johnson County Work Release center, according to a statement from the KDOC.Evans is described as a white male, has brown hair, brown eyes, is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 131 pounds.He currently serving a sentence for violating his parole. Evans was convicted in Johnson County for possession of opiates. He is serving that sentence at the Johnson County Department of Corrections (JCDOC) Adult Residential Center (ARC) from which he walked away. Under an agreement between the KDOC and JCDOC, residents who have release plans that are appropriate to Johnson County are housed at the ARC to promote their successful reintegration back into the community.Anyone with information on Evans can call EAI at 816-266-2102, JCDOC 913-715-6539, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (800) 572-7463 or local law enforcement at 911. Kansans can also contact EAI via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:KDOC_EAI_Intel@ks.gov">KDOC_EAI_Intel@ks.gov</a>

Kansas inmate who walked away from work release is still missing

By Jim Garamone&nbsp;, Department of Defense

Houthi attacks on vessels transiting the Red Sea are attacks on the international community and the international community is coming together to defend against the missiles and drones aimed at their vessels, said Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder at a Pentagon news conference.&nbsp;

The press secretary detailed how Operation Prosperity Guardian will work and called on the Houthis, an Iranian proxy group, to cease targeting international commerce.&nbsp;

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III&nbsp;<a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3622360/austin-lauds-key-partnerships-in-middle-east/">announced the operation</a>&nbsp;during a trip to the Middle East that ended last night. The secretary met with leaders in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Israel during the trip. "The secretary emphasized the strong and enduring partnership between the United States and his key partner nations towards furthering our shared goals of security and stability throughout the Middle East region," Ryder said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Austin discussed the importance of freedom of navigation in international waterways and the threat the Houthi attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea pose to world commerce. Between 10 and 15 percent of global shipping flows through the Red Sea, "and these attacks are impacting global trade and commerce, negatively impacting the economies of nations around the world and costing commercial shipping firms billions of dollars," Ryder said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In Bahrain, Austin announced Operation Prosperity Guardian. The operation is a new multinational security operation under the umbrella the Combined Maritime Forces and the leadership of Task Force 153, which focuses on security in the Red Sea.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Austin further convened a virtual ministerial from Bahrain with ministers, chiefs of defense and senior representatives from more than 40 countries as well as representatives from the European Union and NATO to discuss the increased threat to maritime security in the Red Sea.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Austin used the forum to highlight the effects of the Houthi attacks and called on the representatives to act collectively. The nations must come together "to address this issue collectively, emphasizing that this is an international problem that requires an international response," Ryder said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

There have been solid results: To date more than 20 nations have signed on to participate, Ryder said. "In the days ahead, the United States will continue to consult closely with our allies and partners who share the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation, and we expect to see the coalition continue to grow," he said.&nbsp;

The operation is a global answer to an international issue and the United States will continue to "work with this coalition of the willing where countries will be able to contribute what they feel that they can," Ryder said. Some of these contributions are military assets like ships and aircraft and other contributions include staff and other types of support.&nbsp;

"It's very important to understand that the Houthis aren't attacking just one country, they're really attacking the international community," Ryder said. "They are attacking the economic well-being and prosperity of nations around the world. So in effect, they really become bandits along the international highway that is the Red Sea."&nbsp;

To further this analogy, the forces assigned to Operation Prosperity Guardian, will serve the highway patrol in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden "to respond to and assist as necessary commercial vessels that are transiting this vital international waterway," the general said. "It's a defensive coalition meant to reassure global shipping and mariners that the international community is there to help with safe passage."&nbsp;

The area is large, roughly the distance between Boston and Washington, D.C., and the operation will work to assure safe passage all along the way.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Last thing I'd say on this is that the Houthis need to stop these attacks, and they need to stop them now," Ryder said. "That's clear and simple. They really need to ask themselves if they've bitten off more than they can chew, when it comes to taking on the entire international community and negatively impacting billions and billions, billions of dollars in global trade, economic prosperity and international law."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703248865569.png" alt="-The guided-missile destroyer USS Mason sails alongside the Japanese destroyer Akebono in the Gulf of Aden, Nov. 25, 2023. Sailors from both ships trained on visit, board, search and seizure procedures, helicopter operations, and division tactic exercises, increasing interoperability between the two allies. The USS Mason is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to support maritime security and stability in the Middle East.&nbsp;Photo By:Petty Officer 3rd Class Samantha Alaman" />
 <figcaption>-The guided-missile destroyer USS Mason sails alongside the Japanese destroyer Akebono in the Gulf of Aden, Nov. 25, 2023. Sailors from both ships trained on visit, board, search and seizure procedures, helicopter operations, and division tactic exercises, increasing interoperability between the two allies. The USS Mason is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to support maritime security and stability in the Middle East.&nbsp;Photo By:Petty Officer 3rd Class Samantha Alaman</figcaption>
 </figure>By Jim Garamone&nbsp;, Department of DefenseHouthi attacks on vessels transiting the Red Sea are attacks on the international community and the international community is coming together to defend against the missiles and drones aimed at their vessels, said Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder at a Pentagon news conference.&nbsp;The press secretary detailed how Operation Prosperity Guardian will work and called on the Houthis, an Iranian proxy group, to cease targeting international commerce.&nbsp;Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III&nbsp;<a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3622360/austin-lauds-key-partnerships-in-middle-east/">announced the operation</a>&nbsp;during a trip to the Middle East that ended last night. The secretary met with leaders in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Israel during the trip. "The secretary emphasized the strong and enduring partnership between the United States and his key partner nations towards furthering our shared goals of security and stability throughout the Middle East region," Ryder said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Austin discussed the importance of freedom of navigation in international waterways and the threat the Houthi attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea pose to world commerce. Between 10 and 15 percent of global shipping flows through the Red Sea, "and these attacks are impacting global trade and commerce, negatively impacting the economies of nations around the world and costing commercial shipping firms billions of dollars," Ryder said.&nbsp;&nbsp;In Bahrain, Austin announced Operation Prosperity Guardian. The operation is a new multinational security operation under the umbrella the Combined Maritime Forces and the leadership of Task Force 153, which focuses on security in the Red Sea.&nbsp;&nbsp;Austin further convened a virtual ministerial from Bahrain with ministers, chiefs of defense and senior representatives from more than 40 countries as well as representatives from the European Union and NATO to discuss the increased threat to maritime security in the Red Sea.&nbsp;&nbsp;Austin used the forum to highlight the effects of the Houthi attacks and called on the representatives to act collectively. The nations must come together "to address this issue collectively, emphasizing that this is an international problem that requires an international response," Ryder said.&nbsp;&nbsp;There have been solid results: To date more than 20 nations have signed on to participate, Ryder said. "In the days ahead, the United States will continue to consult closely with our allies and partners who share the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation, and we expect to see the coalition continue to grow," he said.&nbsp;The operation is a global answer to an international issue and the United States will continue to "work with this coalition of the willing where countries will be able to contribute what they feel that they can," Ryder said. Some of these contributions are military assets like ships and aircraft and other contributions include staff and other types of support.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I spoke with 🇫🇷 Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/SebLecornu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SebLecornu</a> yesterday to discuss the ongoing threat posed by Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. France and the U.S. are working in concert to address these reckless and illegal attacks and ensure the safety of mariners and global shipping.…&mdash; Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef/status/1737915918770950445?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>"It's very important to understand that the Houthis aren't attacking just one country, they're really attacking the international community," Ryder said. "They are attacking the economic well-being and prosperity of nations around the world. So in effect, they really become bandits along the international highway that is the Red Sea."&nbsp;To further this analogy, the forces assigned to Operation Prosperity Guardian, will serve the highway patrol in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden "to respond to and assist as necessary commercial vessels that are transiting this vital international waterway," the general said. "It's a defensive coalition meant to reassure global shipping and mariners that the international community is there to help with safe passage."&nbsp;The area is large, roughly the distance between Boston and Washington, D.C., and the operation will work to assure safe passage all along the way.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Last thing I'd say on this is that the Houthis need to stop these attacks, and they need to stop them now," Ryder said. "That's clear and simple. They really need to ask themselves if they've bitten off more than they can chew, when it comes to taking on the entire international community and negatively impacting billions and billions, billions of dollars in global trade, economic prosperity and international law."

Details revealed on US effort to stop attacks in the Red Sea

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspect in connection with a theft ring in Kansas.

Just after 8p.m. Monday, police officers were alerted to a theft taking place at a local Walmart near 65th Street and Maurer Road, according to a media release.

Near the store, first responding officers located two suspects who were taken into custody. &nbsp; 

Officers also found several thousand dollars worth of Legos that had been reported stolen from area Walmart stores, along with drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle that the suspects were driving. 



The same suspects are under investigation and suspected of committing similar thefts, resulting in the loss of more than $47,000 worth of merchandise from various Walmart stores in the metro area.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703011803268.png" alt="Photos Shawnee Police" />
 <figcaption>Photos Shawnee Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspect in connection with a theft ring in Kansas.Just after 8p.m. Monday, police officers were alerted to a theft taking place at a local Walmart near 65th Street and Maurer Road, according to a media release.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703011778380.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Near the store, first responding officers located two suspects who were taken into custody. &nbsp; 

Officers also found several thousand dollars worth of Legos that had been reported stolen from area Walmart stores, along with drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle that the suspects were driving. 

The same suspects are under investigation and suspected of committing similar thefts, resulting in the loss of more than $47,000 worth of merchandise from various Walmart stores in the metro area.&nbsp;

Police make arrest, break up Lego theft ring in Kansas

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman after her arrest following a 2-vehicle crash.

Just after 11:30 p.m. Dec. 20, police responded to an injury crash involving a vehicle and a motorcycle near SW 29th St. and SW Topeka Blvd. in Topeka, according to a media release.

First responders found the two vehicles had crashed. An ambulance transported he driver of the motorcycle to a local hospital to be treated for life-threatening injuries. 

The driver of the other involved vehicle was identified as Shana L. Estes, 36, of Topeka. It was determined that she had a warrant for her arrest and she was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on that warrant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703284509788.png" alt="Estes photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Estes photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman after her arrest following a 2-vehicle crash.Just after 11:30 p.m. Dec. 20, police responded to an injury crash involving a vehicle and a motorcycle near SW 29th St. and SW Topeka Blvd. in Topeka, according to a media release.First responders found the two vehicles had crashed. An ambulance transported he driver of the motorcycle to a local hospital to be treated for life-threatening injuries. The driver of the other involved vehicle was identified as Shana L. Estes, 36, of Topeka. It was determined that she had a warrant for her arrest and she was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on that warrant.

Kan. woman jailed following crash that injured motorcyclist

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide and asking the public for help&nbsp;after the discovery of a body at Rocky Hollow Park Friday.

A Clay County, Mo. parks employee found the body at about 8:15 a.m. off a roadway at the park, located at 14812 Old Quarry Road, Excelsior Springs.

The victim remains unidentified. He appears to be a white or Hispanic man between the approximate ages of 35 and 45 years old. Evidence indicates the body was placed at the location recently.

The victim had a picture of a bull tattooed on his upper left arm.&nbsp; Please share and call 816-407-3723 or 816-474-TIPS if you recognize it.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703285918610.png" alt="Photo Clay Co Sheriff's office" />
 <figcaption>Photo Clay Co Sheriff's office</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide and asking the public for help&nbsp;after the discovery of a body at Rocky Hollow Park Friday.A Clay County, Mo. parks employee found the body at about 8:15 a.m. off a roadway at the park, located at 14812 Old Quarry Road, Excelsior Springs.The victim remains unidentified. He appears to be a white or Hispanic man between the approximate ages of 35 and 45 years old. Evidence indicates the body was placed at the location recently.The victim had a picture of a bull tattooed on his upper left arm.&nbsp; Please share and call 816-407-3723 or 816-474-TIPS if you recognize it.

Homicide investigation: Do you recognize the tattoo?

WABAUNSEE COUNTY —A law enforcement officer in Wabaunsee County is being recognized for his work to stop a child predator.

On Nov. 15, Corporal Jon Sumner of the Wabaunsee County Sheriff's Office met with a female child victim and her parents at the sheriff's office in Alma, according to a media release.

The girl reported extreme distress after being contacted/solicited online by an aggressive child predator on the phone app Snapchat.

Sumner immediately began an equally aggressive and relentless offensive investigation of the Suspect. Via use of lawfully obtained multiple digital search warrants Sumner, obtained the suspect's account information from his <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2FSnapchat.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR08Pf4JYrQc7XNF5gughwApUCF-UTWuMQ6hV8vgjIzkdc0FLbccMRAJUN4&amp;h=AT26e6d9GChESOv-Tsx9XyGuqP6j75qnBGQkMjo3uvlpkXhZHYGnnDz8FWpX4_Rq6A-YWL1cGclvPh4YzbFzaK-n93_2RpiR9LWNRheyQoMmL7oJua4iXv-fNBpo2FtD6lykSKw&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT1lR3YyHPI2qxhIfTYx9Rx7D4ELAbmHXSsIh8FAkB4xaR3MKgs7Ox2TIao4JkJsYQTTFPDAy68be_7xbZuW81IY0G9k3STy5QUBoWBGBq5UC3DQtlK498PXzsQ9_vorkWBDPhlKS8zEC4jN64W8ITFWSgZUf4dwICAzD9jSTCwVon2QtA" target="_blank">Snapchat.com</a> account.

Upon review of the account, Sumner discovered evidence of horrific crimes against children. Through tireless investigative action, Sumner identified another 20 to 30 further child victims within the large cache of (CSAM) illegal digital media located within the suspect’s Snapchat account. 

The suspect via deception and threat was soliciting minors, receiving and transmitting child pornography, and transmitting obscene photographs of himself to children.&nbsp;

 Sumner discovered that the multiple victims located on the suspect’s accounts each appeared to be girls, well under the age of 18. Via his efforts alone, Sumner identified this child predator suspect as 25-year-old Miles Steven McGough of&nbsp;Castlerock, Colorado. 

Upon confirmation of positive identification, Sumner immediately contacted the Castlerock Colorado Police Department and conducted rapid multi-agency investigative liaison/action. 

Colorado authorities rapidly tasked their detectives who are assigned to the Colorado ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Team to this case. All evidence and suspect information was given to Colorado authorities to ensure case continuance aid in apprehension efforts.

Colorado ICAC and Castlerock Police Department continued the investigation and identified an additional 2 dozen underage female victims. They also discovered that McGough had flown to Florida, and while there did allegedly rape an underage female who McGough had groomed online for months before flying to meet this child in person. 

Arrest warrants were issued and McGough was arrested in March 2023 in Douglas County Colorado as a Fugitive from Justice. 

On Dec. 7 in the Southern District of Florida, McGough was sentenced to 235 months, more than 19 years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge K. Michael Moore. 

McGough had previously pleaded guilty to enticing a minor victim to engage in criminal sexual activity. According to documents in support of his guilty plea, McGough ngaged in illegal conduct with a Southern District of Florida minor. This includes the suspect sending sexually explicit communications to the minor victim through the Snapchat messaging service. 

A search warrant of McGough's cellular phone revealed images of the suspects genitals that he shared with the minor victim, and McGough's cell phone revealed videos and images of the minor victim performing sex acts on him that were created during his visit to Florida. 

Judge Moore ordered McGough's term of incarceration be followed by 15 years of supervised release. McGough was also ordered to pay a $25,000 fine.

Detectives with Colorado ICAC, the Castlerock Colorado Police Department &amp; the Douglas County Colorado Sheriff's Office are also waiting for sentencing on 22 Felony sex crimes that will place McGough into Colorado State Prison for 15-20 years after his sentencing has been served at the federal level.

Corporal Jon Sumner of the Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office is formally recognized for his outstanding performance of duties, above and beyond the call of duty as a Wabaunsee County Kansas Deputy Sheriff. 

Sumner’s unrelenting drive, indefatigable resolve &amp; persistent grit via robust investigative efforts allowed state and Federal Law Enforcement to identify and apprehend this monster.&nbsp;

 Sumner’s thankless and extraordinary determination within this case were those necessary qualities demanded by our elite quiet professionals nationwide who bring these child predators to justice. For his summary actions, Sumner has brought great credit upon himself, the Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office, and to the profession of Kansas Peace Officer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599845246253.png" alt="Snapchat Logo" />
 <figcaption>Snapchat Logo</figcaption>
 </figure>WABAUNSEE COUNTY —A law enforcement officer in Wabaunsee County is being recognized for his work to stop a child predator.On Nov. 15, Corporal Jon Sumner of the Wabaunsee County Sheriff's Office met with a female child victim and her parents at the sheriff's office in Alma, according to a media release.The girl reported extreme distress after being contacted/solicited online by an aggressive child predator on the phone app Snapchat.Sumner immediately began an equally aggressive and relentless offensive investigation of the Suspect. Via use of lawfully obtained multiple digital search warrants Sumner, obtained the suspect's account information from his <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2FSnapchat.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR08Pf4JYrQc7XNF5gughwApUCF-UTWuMQ6hV8vgjIzkdc0FLbccMRAJUN4&amp;h=AT26e6d9GChESOv-Tsx9XyGuqP6j75qnBGQkMjo3uvlpkXhZHYGnnDz8FWpX4_Rq6A-YWL1cGclvPh4YzbFzaK-n93_2RpiR9LWNRheyQoMmL7oJua4iXv-fNBpo2FtD6lykSKw&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT1lR3YyHPI2qxhIfTYx9Rx7D4ELAbmHXSsIh8FAkB4xaR3MKgs7Ox2TIao4JkJsYQTTFPDAy68be_7xbZuW81IY0G9k3STy5QUBoWBGBq5UC3DQtlK498PXzsQ9_vorkWBDPhlKS8zEC4jN64W8ITFWSgZUf4dwICAzD9jSTCwVon2QtA" target="_blank">Snapchat.com</a> account. Upon review of the account, Sumner discovered evidence of horrific crimes against children. Through tireless investigative action, Sumner identified another 20 to 30 further child victims within the large cache of (CSAM) illegal digital media located within the suspect’s Snapchat account. The suspect via deception and threat was soliciting minors, receiving and transmitting child pornography, and transmitting obscene photographs of himself to children.&nbsp; Sumner discovered that the multiple victims located on the suspect’s accounts each appeared to be girls, well under the age of 18. Via his efforts alone, Sumner identified this child predator suspect as 25-year-old Miles Steven McGough of&nbsp;Castlerock, Colorado. Upon confirmation of positive identification, Sumner immediately contacted the Castlerock Colorado Police Department and conducted rapid multi-agency investigative liaison/action. Colorado authorities rapidly tasked their detectives who are assigned to the Colorado ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Team to this case. All evidence and suspect information was given to Colorado authorities to ensure case continuance aid in apprehension efforts.Colorado ICAC and Castlerock Police Department continued the investigation and identified an additional 2 dozen underage female victims. They also discovered that McGough had flown to Florida, and while there did allegedly rape an underage female who McGough had groomed online for months before flying to meet this child in person. Arrest warrants were issued and McGough was arrested in March 2023 in Douglas County Colorado as a Fugitive from Justice. On Dec. 7 in the Southern District of Florida, McGough was sentenced to 235 months, more than 19 years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge K. Michael Moore. McGough had previously pleaded guilty to enticing a minor victim to engage in criminal sexual activity. According to documents in support of his guilty plea, McGough ngaged in illegal conduct with a Southern District of Florida minor. This includes the suspect sending sexually explicit communications to the minor victim through the Snapchat messaging service. A search warrant of McGough's cellular phone revealed images of the suspects genitals that he shared with the minor victim, and McGough's cell phone revealed videos and images of the minor victim performing sex acts on him that were created during his visit to Florida. Judge Moore ordered McGough's term of incarceration be followed by 15 years of supervised release. McGough was also ordered to pay a $25,000 fine.Detectives with Colorado ICAC, the Castlerock Colorado Police Department &amp; the Douglas County Colorado Sheriff's Office are also waiting for sentencing on 22 Felony sex crimes that will place McGough into Colorado State Prison for 15-20 years after his sentencing has been served at the federal level.Corporal Jon Sumner of the Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office is formally recognized for his outstanding performance of duties, above and beyond the call of duty as a Wabaunsee County Kansas Deputy Sheriff. Sumner’s unrelenting drive, indefatigable resolve &amp; persistent grit via robust investigative efforts allowed state and Federal Law Enforcement to identify and apprehend this monster.&nbsp; Sumner’s thankless and extraordinary determination within this case were those necessary qualities demanded by our elite quiet professionals nationwide who bring these child predators to justice. For his summary actions, Sumner has brought great credit upon himself, the Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office, and to the profession of Kansas Peace Officer.

Kansas Sheriff's Corporal recognized for stopping a child predator

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;said Friday that it will not immediately take up a plea by special counsel Jack Smith to rule on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-prosecution-immunity-f3e7206bdf169c9faa15a19084541824">whether former President Donald Trump can be prosecuted</a>&nbsp;for his actions to overturn the 2020 election results.

The issue will now be decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which has signaled it will act quickly to decide the case. Special counsel Jack Smith had cautioned that even a rapid appellate decision might not get to the Supreme Court in time for review and final word before the court’s traditional summer break.

Smith had pressed the Supreme Court to intervene over concerns that the legal fight over the issue could delay the start of Trump’s trial, now scheduled for March 4, beyond next year’s presidential election.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-judge-tanya-chutkan-capitol-riot-9ba5c18d315697d759521425ea203012">U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan</a>&nbsp;has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-january-6-appeal-20726ba42ac87cd2f3a3ffc6a2145490">put the case on hold</a>&nbsp;while Trump pursues his claim in higher courts that he is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-lawsuits-donald-trump-election-2020-congress-5cd9c285faf1b08567d565440fcfff5b">immune from prosecution</a>. Chutkan raised the possibility of keeping the March date if the case promptly returns to her court.

She already has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-donald-trump-a98872759762c95fa925ff831df27388">rejected the Trump team’s arguments</a>&nbsp;that an ex-president could not be prosecuted over acts that fall within the official duties of the job.

“Former presidents enjoy no special conditions on their federal criminal liability,” Chutkan wrote in her Dec. 1 ruling. “Defendant may be subject to federal investigation, indictment, prosecution, conviction, and punishment for any criminal acts undertaken while in office.”

The Supreme Court separately has agreed to hear a case over the charge of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-capitol-riot-obstruction-charge-trump-5cf0db4a71766f0b40ec199dd0d5a1ab">obstruction of an official proceeding</a>&nbsp;that has been brought against Trump as well as more than 300 of his supporters who stormed the Capitol on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">Jan. 6, 2021</a>.

In the immunity case, Smith had tried to persuade the justices to take up the matter directly, bypassing the appeals court.

“This case presents a fundamental question at the heart of our democracy: whether a former president is absolutely immune from federal prosecution for crimes committed while in office or is constitutionally protected from federal prosecution when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">has been impeached</a>&nbsp;but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-riots-trials-impeachments-b245b52fd7d4a079ae199c954baba452">not convicted</a>&nbsp;before the criminal proceedings begin,” prosecutors wrote.

Underscoring the urgency for prosecutors in securing a quick resolution that can push the case forward, Smith and his team wrote: “It is of imperative public importance that respondent’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-9528a29b2dbebb6ee4a4ebd26780f98c">claims of immunity</a>&nbsp;be resolved by this Court and that respondent’s trial proceed as promptly as possible if his claim of immunity is rejected.”

Justice Department policy prohibits the indictment of a sitting president. Though there’s no such bar against prosecution for a former commander in chief, lawyers for Trump say that he cannot be charged for actions that fell within his official duties as president — a claim that prosecutors have vigorously rejected.

Trump faces charges accusing him of working&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-hearings-trump-capitol-10351fe6d555eaee7554379ceed8bb24">to overturn the results</a>&nbsp;of the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">violent riot</a>&nbsp;by his supporters at the U.S. Capitol. He has denied any wrongdoing.

The high court still could act quickly once the appeals court issues its decision. A Supreme Court case usually lasts several months, but on rare occasions, the justices shift into high gear.

Nearly 50 years ago, the justices acted within two months of being asked to force President Richard Nixon to turn over Oval Office recordings in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/john-dean-richard-nixon-government-and-politics-crime-c7a7b99cca7c685cfc239f5e08b53378">the Watergate scandal</a>. The tapes were then used later in 1974 in the corruption prosecutions of Nixon’s former aides.

It took the high court just a few days to effectively decide the 2000 presidential election for Republican George W. Bush over Democrat Al Gore

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692923629903.png" alt="Trump faces charges accusing him of working&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-hearings-trump-capitol-10351fe6d555eaee7554379ceed8bb24">to overturn the results</a>&nbsp;of the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">violent riot</a>&nbsp;by his supporters at the U.S. Capitol. He has denied any wrongdoing.-file photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Trump faces charges accusing him of working&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-hearings-trump-capitol-10351fe6d555eaee7554379ceed8bb24">to overturn the results</a>&nbsp;of the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">violent riot</a>&nbsp;by his supporters at the U.S. Capitol. He has denied any wrongdoing.-file photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;said Friday that it will not immediately take up a plea by special counsel Jack Smith to rule on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-prosecution-immunity-f3e7206bdf169c9faa15a19084541824">whether former President Donald Trump can be prosecuted</a>&nbsp;for his actions to overturn the 2020 election results.The issue will now be decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which has signaled it will act quickly to decide the case. Special counsel Jack Smith had cautioned that even a rapid appellate decision might not get to the Supreme Court in time for review and final word before the court’s traditional summer break.Smith had pressed the Supreme Court to intervene over concerns that the legal fight over the issue could delay the start of Trump’s trial, now scheduled for March 4, beyond next year’s presidential election.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-judge-tanya-chutkan-capitol-riot-9ba5c18d315697d759521425ea203012">U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan</a>&nbsp;has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-january-6-appeal-20726ba42ac87cd2f3a3ffc6a2145490">put the case on hold</a>&nbsp;while Trump pursues his claim in higher courts that he is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-lawsuits-donald-trump-election-2020-congress-5cd9c285faf1b08567d565440fcfff5b">immune from prosecution</a>. Chutkan raised the possibility of keeping the March date if the case promptly returns to her court.She already has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-donald-trump-a98872759762c95fa925ff831df27388">rejected the Trump team’s arguments</a>&nbsp;that an ex-president could not be prosecuted over acts that fall within the official duties of the job.“Former presidents enjoy no special conditions on their federal criminal liability,” Chutkan wrote in her Dec. 1 ruling. “Defendant may be subject to federal investigation, indictment, prosecution, conviction, and punishment for any criminal acts undertaken while in office.”The Supreme Court separately has agreed to hear a case over the charge of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-capitol-riot-obstruction-charge-trump-5cf0db4a71766f0b40ec199dd0d5a1ab">obstruction of an official proceeding</a>&nbsp;that has been brought against Trump as well as more than 300 of his supporters who stormed the Capitol on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">Jan. 6, 2021</a>.In the immunity case, Smith had tried to persuade the justices to take up the matter directly, bypassing the appeals court.“This case presents a fundamental question at the heart of our democracy: whether a former president is absolutely immune from federal prosecution for crimes committed while in office or is constitutionally protected from federal prosecution when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">has been impeached</a>&nbsp;but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-riots-trials-impeachments-b245b52fd7d4a079ae199c954baba452">not convicted</a>&nbsp;before the criminal proceedings begin,” prosecutors wrote.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BREAKING: We have filed a brief at the United States Supreme Court to halt Jack Smith’s move to circumvent the appeals process in his prosecution of President Trump. The DOJ’s attempt to accelerate the prosecution is blatantly partisan, and SCOTUS must reject it. <a href="https://t.co/kJw2krar6U">pic.twitter.com/kJw2krar6U</a>&mdash; Attorney General Andrew Bailey (@AGAndrewBailey) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGAndrewBailey/status/1737857405445353754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Underscoring the urgency for prosecutors in securing a quick resolution that can push the case forward, Smith and his team wrote: “It is of imperative public importance that respondent’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-9528a29b2dbebb6ee4a4ebd26780f98c">claims of immunity</a>&nbsp;be resolved by this Court and that respondent’s trial proceed as promptly as possible if his claim of immunity is rejected.”Justice Department policy prohibits the indictment of a sitting president. Though there’s no such bar against prosecution for a former commander in chief, lawyers for Trump say that he cannot be charged for actions that fell within his official duties as president — a claim that prosecutors have vigorously rejected.Trump faces charges accusing him of working&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-hearings-trump-capitol-10351fe6d555eaee7554379ceed8bb24">to overturn the results</a>&nbsp;of the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">violent riot</a>&nbsp;by his supporters at the U.S. Capitol. He has denied any wrongdoing.The high court still could act quickly once the appeals court issues its decision. A Supreme Court case usually lasts several months, but on rare occasions, the justices shift into high gear.Nearly 50 years ago, the justices acted within two months of being asked to force President Richard Nixon to turn over Oval Office recordings in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/john-dean-richard-nixon-government-and-politics-crime-c7a7b99cca7c685cfc239f5e08b53378">the Watergate scandal</a>. The tapes were then used later in 1974 in the corruption prosecutions of Nixon’s former aides.It took the high court just a few days to effectively decide the 2000 presidential election for Republican George W. Bush over Democrat Al Gore

Supreme Court declines to fast-track Trump immunity dispute

JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israel-American man thought to have been taken hostage in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack has been declared dead.

The death of Gadi Haggai, 73, was announced Friday by Kibbutz Nir Oz, which said it had been determined that Haggai was killed in the kibbutz on Oct. 7 and his body was taken to Gaza.

He is the first American to die in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nationalreview.com/news/hamas-close-to-reaching-deal-with-israel-to-release-hostages-terror-group-chief-says/">Hamas captivity</a>, according to the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum.

Haggai had been thought to be among the more than 100 Israeli hostages still alive in Gaza. The announcement did not say how his death had been determined.

It described Haggai as a “gifted wind instrument player … connected to the earth, a chef and a follower of a healthy vegan diet and sports.” It said his wife, Judy Weinstein, was wounded and remains in captivity in Gaza.

Nir Oz was among the hardest hit communities on Oct. 7, with roughly a quarter of its residents taken hostage or killed.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;The U.N. Security Council passed a new resolution that calls for speeding up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cyprus-israel-gaza-humanitarian-aid-maritime-corridor-28ab035dcaa18413ddfa36929dd1b457">humanitarian aid deliveries</a>&nbsp;into Gaza, but without the original call for an “urgent suspension of hostilities” between Israel and Hamas.

The United States and Russia abstained from Friday's vote, which was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-gaza-humanitarian-un-resolution-security-council-0a490667ff6ae96a299c9133aa2b054b">delayed for days</a>&nbsp;as diplomats sought to avoid a veto by the U.S., Israel’s closest ally.

The U.N. says more than a half-million people are starving in Gaza because not enough food has entered the besieged territory as Israel keeps up its blistering campaign of airstrikes and ground operations for over 10 weeks.

Palestinian officials said Friday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-22-2023-7453c6f92d74eb1e12e506489031b91b">the death toll has now exceeded 20,000</a>&nbsp;— around 1% of the territory's prewar population. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Gaza</a>&nbsp;does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Israel says more than 130 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive after Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">raided southern Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and taking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-b6ffc286ca7d4b48caaada43e9c6e411">about 240 hostages</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703271147260.png" alt="Haggai-photo courtesy&nbsp;Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum." />
 <figcaption>Haggai-photo courtesy&nbsp;Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum.</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israel-American man thought to have been taken hostage in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack has been declared dead.The death of Gadi Haggai, 73, was announced Friday by Kibbutz Nir Oz, which said it had been determined that Haggai was killed in the kibbutz on Oct. 7 and his body was taken to Gaza.He is the first American to die in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nationalreview.com/news/hamas-close-to-reaching-deal-with-israel-to-release-hostages-terror-group-chief-says/">Hamas captivity</a>, according to the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum.Haggai had been thought to be among the more than 100 Israeli hostages still alive in Gaza. The announcement did not say how his death had been determined.It described Haggai as a “gifted wind instrument player … connected to the earth, a chef and a follower of a healthy vegan diet and sports.” It said his wife, Judy Weinstein, was wounded and remains in captivity in Gaza.Nir Oz was among the hardest hit communities on Oct. 7, with roughly a quarter of its residents taken hostage or killed.Meanwhile,&nbsp;The U.N. Security Council passed a new resolution that calls for speeding up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cyprus-israel-gaza-humanitarian-aid-maritime-corridor-28ab035dcaa18413ddfa36929dd1b457">humanitarian aid deliveries</a>&nbsp;into Gaza, but without the original call for an “urgent suspension of hostilities” between Israel and Hamas.The United States and Russia abstained from Friday's vote, which was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-gaza-humanitarian-un-resolution-security-council-0a490667ff6ae96a299c9133aa2b054b">delayed for days</a>&nbsp;as diplomats sought to avoid a veto by the U.S., Israel’s closest ally.The U.N. says more than a half-million people are starving in Gaza because not enough food has entered the besieged territory as Israel keeps up its blistering campaign of airstrikes and ground operations for over 10 weeks.Palestinian officials said Friday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-22-2023-7453c6f92d74eb1e12e506489031b91b">the death toll has now exceeded 20,000</a>&nbsp;— around 1% of the territory's prewar population. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Gaza</a>&nbsp;does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Israel says more than 130 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive after Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">raided southern Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and taking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-b6ffc286ca7d4b48caaada43e9c6e411">about 240 hostages</a>.