LONDON (AP) — Writer Sophie Kinsella, whose effervescent rom-com “Confessions of a Shopaholic” sparked a millions-selling series, died Wednesday, her family said. She was 55 and had been diagnosed with brain cancer.

The family said in a statement on Kinsella's Instagram account that "she died peacefully, with her final days filled with her true loves: family and music and warmth and Christmas and joy.

“We can’t imagine what life will be like without her radiance and love of life,” the family said.

Kinsella, who also published under her real name, Madeleine Wickham, announced in April 2024 that she had been diagnosed more than a year earlier with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.

“I did not share this before because I wanted to make sure that my children were able to hear and process the news in privacy and adapt to our ’new normal,'" she said at the time.

Kinsella published 10 “Shopaholic” novels starting in 2000 with “The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic,” titled “Confessions of a Shopaholic” in the United States, as well as other fiction. Her books have sold more than 45 million copies worldwide and have been translated into dozens of languages.

Kinsella did not grow up intending to be a writer. One of three girls born to teachers in London, she played piano and violin as a child and also composed music.

She told author-publisher Zibby Owens on her podcast, “Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books,” that the idea of writing never crossed her mind. “It wasn’t my childhood ambition. I wasn’t the child walking around saying, ‘I’m going to write a novel one day.’”

Kinsella enrolled at Oxford University to study music but switched to the politics, philosophy and economics program after one year.

While at college, she met musician Henry Wickham and fell in love. The couple had four sons and a daughter.

After graduating, Kinsella began working as a financial journalist and spent her commute reading. The idea to write fiction herself began to take shape on the train, and she worked on her first novel during her lunch hours.

She published her first novel, ”The Tennis Party,” in 1995, as Madeleine Wickham. Soon after, she left her journalism job to focus on writing. Six other books, including “The Gatecrasher” and “Sleeping Arrangements,” followed.

An otherwise normal shopping excursion sparked the idea for writing her first “Shopaholic” novel

“I remember looking around me and thinking... “We all shop... We talk about it. We do it. We rejoice in it. We make bad decisions. Why hasn’t anybody written about this?” Kinsella said in 2019 on “The Sunday Salon with Alice-Azania Jarvis” podcast.

Kinsella created a story about Becky Bloomwood, a 20-something financial journalist in debt from a shopping habit she can’t (or won’t) kick. The novel contained hilarious back-and-forth correspondence with bill collectors and banks, where she would make excuses for late payments. Kinsella said those letters were one of the most fun bits to write.

There was also a love story with a handsome businessman whom Becky met while on assignment. She went on to marry and have a mini-shopaholic daughter in future books.

The humorous tone of “Confessions of a Shopaholic” was a change from her earlier books, so she decided to submit it to her publishers under a pen name. Her middle name was Sophie and Kinsella was her mother’s maiden name.

The publishers said yes, and “Shopaholic” was published in 2000 under her pseudonym. The novel, blending humor with a cautionary tale about getting in over your head with debt, was an immediate success.

Kinsella said Becky was a modern everywoman whose behavior was "what you wouldn’t do yourself, but maybe you would if you were in absolute extreme circumstances. And that’s what she finds herself in all the time.”

Bloomwood's further adventures followed in books including “Shopaholic Takes Manhattan,” “Shopaholic Ties the Knot” and “Shopaholic &amp; Sister.”

Along with “Bridget Jones” author Helen Fielding and others, Kinsella’s work was often branded “chick lit” by the media. She told the AP in 2004 she didn’t mind the label, interpreting it as signaling a book that is "fun, entertaining and might just have a happy ending.”

“Just because you are interested in frivolous things doesn’t mean that you can’t be bright and have great ideas and the rest of it," she said.

The first two “Shopaholic” books were adapted into the 2009 film “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” starring Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy.

Kinsella also wrote “The Undomestic Goddess”, “Remember Me?” and “Twenties Girl.” A young adult novel, “Finding Audrey,” was released in 2015, followed by the children’s book series “My Mummy Fairy and Me.”

Her novel “Can You Keep a Secret?” was adapted into a 2019 film starring Alexandra Daddario and Tyler Hoechlin. Her last novel was “The Burnout,” released in 2023.

In November 2022, after experiencing symptoms including memory loss, headaches and balance troubles, Kinsella was diagnosed with glioblastoma, for which there is no cure. She kept the news private until April 2024. In an interview with TV personality Robin Roberts aired a few months later, Kinsella said she was focused on living in the moment.

“I’ve already lasted more than the average. That’s how we get through. We hope,” she said.

After her diagnosis, she wrote a novella, “What Does It Feel Like,” about a woman with five children who has brain cancer.

“I thought people might be curious to know what it’s like to go through this,” Kinsella told Roberts. “I hope it’s full of optimism and love most of all.”

Araminta Whitley and Marina de Pass, Kinsella’s agents at The Soho Agency, said the writer “had a rare gift for creating emotionally resonant protagonists and stories that spoke to, and entertained, readers wherever they were in the world and whatever challenges they faced.”

Bill Scott-Kerr, her publisher at Transworld, said Kinsella leaves behind “a unique voice, an unquenchable spirit, a goodness of intent and a body of work that will continue to inspire us to reach higher and be better, just like so many of her characters.”

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                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765382765518.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>LONDON (AP) — Writer Sophie Kinsella, whose effervescent rom-com “Confessions of a Shopaholic” sparked a millions-selling series, died Wednesday, her family said. She was 55 and had been diagnosed with brain cancer.</p><p>The family said in a statement on Kinsella's Instagram account that "she died peacefully, with her final days filled with her true loves: family and music and warmth and Christmas and joy.</p><p>“We can’t imagine what life will be like without her radiance and love of life,” the family said.</p><div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DSFUBmeDKW7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DSFUBmeDKW7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; 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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DSFUBmeDKW7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Sophie Kinsella (@sophiekinsellawriter)</a></p></div></blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div><p>Kinsella, who also published under her real name, Madeleine Wickham, announced in April 2024 that she had been diagnosed more than a year earlier with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.</p><p>“I did not share this before because I wanted to make sure that my children were able to hear and process the news in privacy and adapt to our ’new normal,'" she said at the time.</p><p>Kinsella published 10 “Shopaholic” novels starting in 2000 with “The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic,” titled “Confessions of a Shopaholic” in the United States, as well as other fiction. Her books have sold more than 45 million copies worldwide and have been translated into dozens of languages.</p><h2>From journalism to fiction</h2><p>Kinsella did not grow up intending to be a writer. One of three girls born to teachers in London, she played piano and violin as a child and also composed music.</p><p>She told author-publisher Zibby Owens on her podcast, “Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books,” that the idea of writing never crossed her mind. “It wasn’t my childhood ambition. I wasn’t the child walking around saying, ‘I’m going to write a novel one day.’”</p><p>Kinsella enrolled at Oxford University to study music but switched to the politics, philosophy and economics program after one year.</p><p>While at college, she met musician Henry Wickham and fell in love. The couple had four sons and a daughter.</p><p>After graduating, Kinsella began working as a financial journalist and spent her commute reading. The idea to write fiction herself began to take shape on the train, and she worked on her first novel during her lunch hours.</p><p>She published her first novel, ”The Tennis Party,” in 1995, as Madeleine Wickham. Soon after, she left her journalism job to focus on writing. Six other books, including “The Gatecrasher” and “Sleeping Arrangements,” followed.</p><h2>‘Shopaholic’ success</h2><p>An otherwise normal shopping excursion sparked the idea for writing her first “Shopaholic” novel</p><p>“I remember looking around me and thinking... “We all shop... We talk about it. We do it. We rejoice in it. We make bad decisions. Why hasn’t anybody written about this?” Kinsella said in 2019 on “The Sunday Salon with Alice-Azania Jarvis” podcast.</p><p>Kinsella created a story about Becky Bloomwood, a 20-something financial journalist in debt from a shopping habit she can’t (or won’t) kick. The novel contained hilarious back-and-forth correspondence with bill collectors and banks, where she would make excuses for late payments. Kinsella said those letters were one of the most fun bits to write.</p><p>There was also a love story with a handsome businessman whom Becky met while on assignment. She went on to marry and have a mini-shopaholic daughter in future books.</p><p>The humorous tone of “Confessions of a Shopaholic” was a change from her earlier books, so she decided to submit it to her publishers under a pen name. Her middle name was Sophie and Kinsella was her mother’s maiden name.</p><p>The publishers said yes, and “Shopaholic” was published in 2000 under her pseudonym. The novel, blending humor with a cautionary tale about getting in over your head with debt, was an immediate success.</p><p>Kinsella said Becky was a modern everywoman whose behavior was "what you wouldn’t do yourself, but maybe you would if you were in absolute extreme circumstances. And that’s what she finds herself in all the time.”</p><p>Bloomwood's further adventures followed in books including “Shopaholic Takes Manhattan,” “Shopaholic Ties the Knot” and “Shopaholic &amp; Sister.”</p><p>Along with “Bridget Jones” author Helen Fielding and others, Kinsella’s work was often branded “chick lit” by the media. She told the AP in 2004 she didn’t mind the label, interpreting it as signaling a book that is "fun, entertaining and might just have a happy ending.”</p><p>“Just because you are interested in frivolous things doesn’t mean that you can’t be bright and have great ideas and the rest of it," she said.</p><p>The first two “Shopaholic” books were adapted into the 2009 film “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” starring Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy.</p><p>Kinsella also wrote “The Undomestic Goddess”, “Remember Me?” and “Twenties Girl.” A young adult novel, “Finding Audrey,” was released in 2015, followed by the children’s book series “My Mummy Fairy and Me.”</p><p>Her novel “Can You Keep a Secret?” was adapted into a 2019 film starring Alexandra Daddario and Tyler Hoechlin. Her last novel was “The Burnout,” released in 2023.</p><h2>Illness and hope</h2><p>In November 2022, after experiencing symptoms including memory loss, headaches and balance troubles, Kinsella was diagnosed with glioblastoma, for which there is no cure. She kept the news private until April 2024. In an interview with TV personality Robin Roberts aired a few months later, Kinsella said she was focused on living in the moment.</p><p>“I’ve already lasted more than the average. That’s how we get through. We hope,” she said.</p><p>After her diagnosis, she wrote a novella, “What Does It Feel Like,” about a woman with five children who has brain cancer.</p><p>“I thought people might be curious to know what it’s like to go through this,” Kinsella told Roberts. “I hope it’s full of optimism and love most of all.”</p><p>Araminta Whitley and Marina de Pass, Kinsella’s agents at The Soho Agency, said the writer “had a rare gift for creating emotionally resonant protagonists and stories that spoke to, and entertained, readers wherever they were in the world and whatever challenges they faced.”</p><p>Bill Scott-Kerr, her publisher at Transworld, said Kinsella leaves behind “a unique voice, an unquenchable spirit, a goodness of intent and a body of work that will continue to inspire us to reach higher and be better, just like so many of her characters.”</p>

Sophie Kinsella, bestselling ‘Shopaholic’ author, dies at 55

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/rod-mcguirk">ROD MCGUIRK</a>

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australian Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/anthony-albanese">Anthony Albanese</a>&nbsp;welcomed a world-first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-ban-children-f92aae52b59a6ded4d931856051f4e06">social media ban</a>&nbsp;for children younger than 16 that took effect Wednesday as families taking back power from tech giants but warned the implementation would be difficult.

Many children posted farewell messages, while parents reported distraught children discovering they’d been shut out of platforms as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-ban-children-1abadf5445418c8c14f5f68cf76b38d0">landmark law</a>&nbsp;took effect. Some young children reported fooling the platforms’ age estimation technology by drawing on facial hair. Parents and older siblings are also expected to help some children circumvent the restrictions.

“This is the day when Australian families are taking back power from these big tech companies and they’re asserting the right of kids to be kids and for parents to have greater peace of mind,” Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

“This reform will change lives. For Australian kids ... allowing them to just have their childhood. For Australian parents, enabling them to have greater peace of mind. But also for the global community, who are looking at Australia and saying: well, if Australia can do it, why can’t we?” Albanese later told a gathering of reform supporters at his official Sydney residence, including parents who blame social media for a child’s suicide.

Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and Twitch face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($32.9 million) from Wednesday if they fail to take reasonable steps to remove the accounts of Australian children younger than 16.

Australia to report by Christmas if social media ban is working

The ban will be enforced by Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant. She said the platforms already had the technology and personal data about their users to enforce the age restriction with precision.

She would send the 10 targeted platforms on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-ban-children-95a75437398a652e1463fadc6a0b0225">notices demanding information</a>&nbsp;on how the age restriction was being implemented and how many accounts had been closed.

“We will provide information to the public before Christmas on how these age restrictions are being implemented and whether preliminarily we see them working,” Inman Grant said.

“The responses to these notices will form the baseline against which we will measure compliance,” she added.

Communications Minister Anika Wells said the age-restricted platforms “may not agree with the law and that’s their right — we don’t expect 100% universal support,” but that all had undertaken to comply with the Australian law. She said more than 200,000 TikTok accounts in Australia had already been deactivated by Wednesday.

Wells also warned young children who had so far evaded detection that they would eventually be caught. A child who used a virtual private network to appear to be in Norway would be caught out if they were routinely posting images of Australian beaches, Wells said.

“Just because they might have avoided it (detection) today doesn’t mean they will be able to avoid it in a week’s time or a month’s time because social media platforms have to go back and routinely check under-16 accounts,” Wells said.

“These social media platforms have so much data on us because we choose to give it to them because we like social media and because you’ve had your older brother scan their face for you today, which has bought you a bit of time, doesn’t mean that these accounts aren’t going to see you talking to other 14-year-olds tonight about the under-16 soccer carnival on weekend, about your upcoming school holidays and what your Year 10 teacher is next year,” she added.

Albanese said the implementation would be difficult and “won’t be perfect.”

“This is about, importantly, pushing back against big tech, saying that social media companies have a social responsibility,” he said.

Father of sextortion scam victim says social media ban is a start

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-ban-young-children-c08c470b33f115fb07fc86874bf1b768">Wayne Holdsworth</a>, who became an age restriction advocate because his son Mac took his own life after falling victim to an online sextortion scam, described the new law as a start. Children must now be educated about online dangers before they turn 16.

“Our kids that we’ve lost haven’t died in vain because today they’ll be looking down very proud of the work that we’ve all done,” Holdsworth told the Sydney gathering.

Flossie Brodribb, a 12-year-old advocate for a social media ban for young children, told the gathering she hoped other countries would follow Australia’s lead.

“This ban is bold and brave and I believe it will help kids like me to grow up healthier, safer, kinder and more connected to the real world,” Flossie said.

Simone Clements said the social media ban would come at a financial cost to her 15-year-old twins Carlee and Hayden Clements. Carlee is an actor, model, dancer, singer and influencer. Her brother is an actor and model.

“I know that our situation is unique to our family because the kids are in the entertainment industry and social media goes hand-in-hand with the entertainment industry. We have used social media in the most positive way. And it’s a platform for them to basically show their portfolio, and … this is an income stream for the children,” the mother said.

Privacy commissioner unclear how social media will verify ages

Australia’s Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind said the platforms could potentially ask all account holders across the country to prove they were 16 or older.

The platforms’ age verification options were to ask for copies of identification documents, use a third party to apply age estimation technology to analyze an account holder’s face, or make inferences from data already available such has how long an account has been held, Kind said.

“There’s quite strong privacy protections in the legislation. They require social media platforms to delete any data they collect for the purpose of age assurance under this scheme and to not use it for secondary purposes unless they have individuals’ consent. And that’s a really strong and important safeguard,” Kind said.

The government has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-chldren-banned-social-media-2bbc1f2921af4f008215c16d5e8b3506">requesting all account holders verify their ages</a>&nbsp;would not be a reasonable step, given the platforms already held sufficient personal data of most people to perform that task.

The platforms also cannot compel users to provide government-issued identification.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673457414258.jpeg" alt="Image Associated Press" />
                        <figcaption>Image Associated Press</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/rod-mcguirk">ROD MCGUIRK</a></p><p>MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australian Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/anthony-albanese">Anthony Albanese</a>&nbsp;welcomed a world-first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-ban-children-f92aae52b59a6ded4d931856051f4e06">social media ban</a>&nbsp;for children younger than 16 that took effect Wednesday as families taking back power from tech giants but warned the implementation would be difficult.</p><p>Many children posted farewell messages, while parents reported distraught children discovering they’d been shut out of platforms as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-ban-children-1abadf5445418c8c14f5f68cf76b38d0">landmark law</a>&nbsp;took effect. Some young children reported fooling the platforms’ age estimation technology by drawing on facial hair. Parents and older siblings are also expected to help some children circumvent the restrictions.</p><p>“This is the day when Australian families are taking back power from these big tech companies and they’re asserting the right of kids to be kids and for parents to have greater peace of mind,” Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.</p><p>“This reform will change lives. For Australian kids ... allowing them to just have their childhood. For Australian parents, enabling them to have greater peace of mind. But also for the global community, who are looking at Australia and saying: well, if Australia can do it, why can’t we?” Albanese later told a gathering of reform supporters at his official Sydney residence, including parents who blame social media for a child’s suicide.</p><p>Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and Twitch face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($32.9 million) from Wednesday if they fail to take reasonable steps to remove the accounts of Australian children younger than 16.</p><h2>Australia to report by Christmas if social media ban is working</h2><p>The ban will be enforced by Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant. She said the platforms already had the technology and personal data about their users to enforce the age restriction with precision.</p><p>She would send the 10 targeted platforms on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-ban-children-95a75437398a652e1463fadc6a0b0225">notices demanding information</a>&nbsp;on how the age restriction was being implemented and how many accounts had been closed.</p><p>“We will provide information to the public before Christmas on how these age restrictions are being implemented and whether preliminarily we see them working,” Inman Grant said.</p><p>“The responses to these notices will form the baseline against which we will measure compliance,” she added.</p><p>Communications Minister Anika Wells said the age-restricted platforms “may not agree with the law and that’s their right — we don’t expect 100% universal support,” but that all had undertaken to comply with the Australian law. She said more than 200,000 TikTok accounts in Australia had already been deactivated by Wednesday.</p><p>Wells also warned young children who had so far evaded detection that they would eventually be caught. A child who used a virtual private network to appear to be in Norway would be caught out if they were routinely posting images of Australian beaches, Wells said.</p><p>“Just because they might have avoided it (detection) today doesn’t mean they will be able to avoid it in a week’s time or a month’s time because social media platforms have to go back and routinely check under-16 accounts,” Wells said.</p><p>“These social media platforms have so much data on us because we choose to give it to them because we like social media and because you’ve had your older brother scan their face for you today, which has bought you a bit of time, doesn’t mean that these accounts aren’t going to see you talking to other 14-year-olds tonight about the under-16 soccer carnival on weekend, about your upcoming school holidays and what your Year 10 teacher is next year,” she added.</p><p>Albanese said the implementation would be difficult and “won’t be perfect.”</p><p>“This is about, importantly, pushing back against big tech, saying that social media companies have a social responsibility,” he said.</p><h2>Father of sextortion scam victim says social media ban is a start</h2><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-ban-young-children-c08c470b33f115fb07fc86874bf1b768">Wayne Holdsworth</a>, who became an age restriction advocate because his son Mac took his own life after falling victim to an online sextortion scam, described the new law as a start. Children must now be educated about online dangers before they turn 16.</p><p>“Our kids that we’ve lost haven’t died in vain because today they’ll be looking down very proud of the work that we’ve all done,” Holdsworth told the Sydney gathering.</p><p>Flossie Brodribb, a 12-year-old advocate for a social media ban for young children, told the gathering she hoped other countries would follow Australia’s lead.</p><p>“This ban is bold and brave and I believe it will help kids like me to grow up healthier, safer, kinder and more connected to the real world,” Flossie said.</p><p>Simone Clements said the social media ban would come at a financial cost to her 15-year-old twins Carlee and Hayden Clements. Carlee is an actor, model, dancer, singer and influencer. Her brother is an actor and model.</p><p>“I know that our situation is unique to our family because the kids are in the entertainment industry and social media goes hand-in-hand with the entertainment industry. We have used social media in the most positive way. And it’s a platform for them to basically show their portfolio, and … this is an income stream for the children,” the mother said.</p><h2>Privacy commissioner unclear how social media will verify ages</h2><p>Australia’s Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind said the platforms could potentially ask all account holders across the country to prove they were 16 or older.</p><p>The platforms’ age verification options were to ask for copies of identification documents, use a third party to apply age estimation technology to analyze an account holder’s face, or make inferences from data already available such has how long an account has been held, Kind said.</p><p>“There’s quite strong privacy protections in the legislation. They require social media platforms to delete any data they collect for the purpose of age assurance under this scheme and to not use it for secondary purposes unless they have individuals’ consent. And that’s a really strong and important safeguard,” Kind said.</p><p>The government has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-chldren-banned-social-media-2bbc1f2921af4f008215c16d5e8b3506">requesting all account holders verify their ages</a>&nbsp;would not be a reasonable step, given the platforms already held sufficient personal data of most people to perform that task.</p><p>The platforms also cannot compel users to provide government-issued identification.</p>

Australia's world-first ban on social media for youth begins

WICHITA, KAN. – A Mexican national residing illegally in the United States was sentenced to 20 years in prison for violently attacking a federal law enforcement agent, the maximum punishment allowed under the statute, according to the United State's Attorney's office.

According to court documents, Diego Barron-Esquivel, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of forcible assault of a federal officer.&nbsp;

On February 28, 2025, Barron-Esquivel intentionally assaulted and strangled an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation officer who was in Wichita performing his official duties, causing bodily injury to the officer. &nbsp;

“Violence against law enforcement is completely unacceptable and will be dealt with very seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Our society would cease to function without brave officers enforcing the law. We owe these officers our thanks and our respect. This sentence shows how egregious the conduct was in this case.”

“This sentencing is a victory for justice and a clear warning to anyone who thinks they can assault law enforcement officers without consequences,” said HSI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito. “We are grateful to the Honorable Judge John Broomes for handing down a sentence that reflects the seriousness of this crime. HSI will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those who threaten the safety of our officers and the rule of law are held accountable.”

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742909861775.png" alt="Barron-Esquivel -photo Butler County" />
                        <figcaption>Barron-Esquivel -photo Butler County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WICHITA, KAN. – A Mexican national residing illegally in the United States was sentenced to 20 years in prison for violently attacking a federal law enforcement agent, the maximum punishment allowed under the statute, according to the United State's Attorney's office.</p><p>According to court documents, Diego Barron-Esquivel, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of forcible assault of a federal officer.&nbsp;</p><p>On February 28, 2025, Barron-Esquivel intentionally assaulted and strangled an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation officer who was in Wichita performing his official duties, causing bodily injury to the officer. &nbsp;</p><p>“Violence against law enforcement is completely unacceptable and will be dealt with very seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Our society would cease to function without brave officers enforcing the law. We owe these officers our thanks and our respect. This sentence shows how egregious the conduct was in this case.”</p><p>“This sentencing is a victory for justice and a clear warning to anyone who thinks they can assault law enforcement officers without consequences,” said HSI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito. “We are grateful to the Honorable Judge John Broomes for handing down a sentence that reflects the seriousness of this crime. HSI will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those who threaten the safety of our officers and the rule of law are held accountable.”</p><p>Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.</p>

Prison: Mexican man living illegally in Kansas attacked ICE officer 

COWLEY COUNTY—Explosive experts responded to assist law enforcement with the investigation of an unknown device found in Winfield.

On December 9, during an active investigation, sheriff's deputies located unclaimed property in the 1500 block of Main Street in Winfield, according to Cowley County Sheriff Dave Falletti.

The item was collected and transported to the Cowley County Sheriff’s Office for further examination. During the evaluation process, an additional item was discovered that appeared to be an unknown device. In accordance with safety protocols, the Wichita Bomb Squad was contacted and responded to retrieve the item.

For the safety of the public, the area south of the Cowley County Courthouse was temporarily closed during the response.

The sheriff's office released no additional details late Tuesday.

<p>COWLEY COUNTY—Explosive experts responded to assist law enforcement with the investigation of an unknown device found in Winfield.</p><p>On December 9, during an active investigation, sheriff's deputies located unclaimed property in the 1500 block of Main Street in Winfield, according to Cowley County Sheriff Dave Falletti.</p><p>The item was collected and transported to the Cowley County Sheriff’s Office for further examination. During the evaluation process, an additional item was discovered that appeared to be an unknown device. In accordance with safety protocols, the Wichita Bomb Squad was contacted and responded to retrieve the item.</p><p>For the safety of the public, the area south of the Cowley County Courthouse was temporarily closed during the response.</p><p>The sheriff's office released no additional details late Tuesday.</p>

Bomb squad investigating device found by Kan. deputies

MOUNT POCONO, Pa. (AP) — On the road in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, President Donald Trump tried to emphasize his focus on combating inflation, yet the issue that has damaged his popularity couldn't quite command his full attention.

The president told the crowd gathered at a casino and resort in Mount Pocono that inflation was no longer a problem and that Democrats had used the term “affordability” as a “hoax” to hurt his reputation. But his remarks weaved wildly to include grievances he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-international-news-fdda2ff0b877416c8ae1c1a77a3cc425">first raised behind closed doors</a>&nbsp;in his first term in 2018 — and later denied saying — asking why the U.S. doesn't have more immigrants from Scandinavia.

“Why is it we only take people from s—-hole countries, right?” Trump said onstage. "Why can’t we have some people from Norway, Sweden, just a few?”

Trump said he objected to taking immigrants from “hellholes like Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia and many other countries." He added for emphasis that those places “are a disaster, right? Filthy, dirty, disgusting, ridden with crime.”

Tuesday’s gathering in the swing state — and in a competitive House district — was an official White House event, yet it seemed more like one of his signature campaign rallies that his chief of staff said he would hold regularly ahead of next year’s midterms. But instead of being in an arena that could draw several thousand attendees, it was held in a conference center ballroom at the Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, a small town of about 3,000 residents.

Voters starting to blame lasting inflation on Republicans

Following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-issues-exit-poll-election-2025-6b72dd7ea327d56235c350e84addc8dc">dismal results for Republicans</a>&nbsp;in last month's off-cycle elections, the White House has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-visits-pennsylvania-e39cd8b6253e521d909370012bf3e7af">sought to convince voters</a>&nbsp;that the economy will emerge stronger next year and that any anxieties over inflation have nothing to do with Trump.

He displayed a chart comparing price increases under his predecessor, Joe Biden, to prices under his own watch to argue his case. But the overall inflation rate has climbed since he announced broad tariffs in April and left many Americans worried about their grocery, utility and housing bills.

“I have no higher priority than making America affordable again,” Trump said. “They caused the high prices and we’re bringing them down."

As the president spoke, his party's political vulnerabilities were further seen as Miami voters chose Eileen Higgins to be their first Democratic mayor in nearly 30 years. Higgins defeated the Trump-endorsed Republican Emilio Gonzalez.

The president's reception in the county hosting his Tuesday rally showed he could still appeal to the base, but it was unable to settle questions of whether he could hold together his 2024 coalition. Monroe County flipped to Trump last year after having backed Biden in 2020, helping the Republican win the swing state of Pennsylvania and return to the White House after a four-year hiatus.

As home to the Pocono Mountains, the county has largely relied on tourism for skiing, hiking, hunting and other activities as a source of jobs. Its proximity to New York City — under two hours by car — has also attracted people seeking more affordable housing.

In Monroe County, people agree that prices are a problem

But what seems undeniable — even to Trump supporters in Monroe County — is that inflation seems to be here to stay.

Lou Heddy, a retired maintenance mechanic who voted for Trump last year, said he’s noticed in the past month alone that his and his wife’s grocery bills have risen from $175 to $200, and he’s not sure Trump can bring food prices down.

“Once the prices get up for food, they don’t ever come back down. That’s just the way I feel. I don’t know how the hell he would do it,” said Heddy, 72.

But Suzanne Vena, a Democratic voter, blames Trump’s tariffs for making life more expensive, as she struggles with rising bills for food, rent and electricity on a fixed income. She remembers Trump saying that he would stop inflation.

“That’s what we were originally told,” said Vena, 66. “Did I believe it? That’s another question. I did not.”

The area Trump visited could help decide control of the House in next year's midterm elections.

Trump held his rally in a congressional district held by first-term Republican Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-pennsylvania-house-cognetti-brooks-bresnahan-mackenzie-1e4ec001ee97b229f87e6c3d8635705d">Rob Bresnahan</a>, who is a top target of Democrats. Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, a Democrat, is running for the nomination to challenge him.

Speaking to the crowd before Trump, Bresnahan said the administration was working to lower costs, but voters “aren’t asking for partisan arguments — they’re asking for results.”

It's not clear if Trump can motivate voters in Monroe County to show up in next year's election if they're worried about inflation.

Nick Riley, 38, said he’s cutting back on luxuries, like going out to eat, as he absorbs higher bills for food and electricity and is having a hard time finding a good deal on a used car. Riley voted for Trump in 2020, but he sat out the 2024 election and plans to do so again next year.

“We’re all broke. It doesn’t matter whether you support Republicans or support Democrats,” Riley said. “We’re all broke, and we’re all feeling it.”

Trump to start holding more rallies before midterm elections

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles said on the online conservative talk show “The Mom View” that Trump would be on the campaign trail next year to engage supporters who otherwise might sit out a congressional race.

Wiles, who helped manage Trump's 2024 campaign, said most administrations try to localize midterm elections and keep the president out of the race, but she intends to do the opposite of that.

“We’re actually going to turn that on its head," Wiles said, "and put him on the ballot because so many of those low-propensity voters are Trump voters.”

The challenge for Trump is how to address the concerns of voters about the economy while simultaneously claiming that the economy is enjoying a historic boom.

Asked on a Politico podcast how he'd rate the economy, Trump leaned into grade inflation by answering “A-plus,” only to then amend his answer to “A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus.”

Trump says economy is strong, but Americans should buy fewer dolls

The U.S. economy has shown signs of resilience with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/financial-markets">the stock market</a>&nbsp;up this year and overall growth looking solid for the third quarter. But many Americans see the prices of housing, groceries, education,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2026-election-utility-bills-ai-data-centers-13703f61d1397612fd067e69b9093116">electricity</a>&nbsp;and other basic needs as swallowing up their incomes, a dynamic that the Trump administration has said it expects to fade next year with more investments in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;and manufacturing.

So far, the public has been skeptical about Trump's economic performance. Just 33% of U.S. adults approve of Trump's handling of the economy, according to a November survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

But Trump indicated that his tariffs and other policies were helping industries such as the steel sector. He said those industries mattered for the country as he then specifically told Americans that they should buy fewer pencils and dolls from overseas.

“You don’t need 37 dolls for your daughter,” he told the crowd. “Two or three is nice.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765328781902.png" alt="Photo by Margo Martin, Assistant to the President" />
                        <figcaption>Photo by Margo Martin, Assistant to the President</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>MOUNT POCONO, Pa. (AP) — On the road in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, President Donald Trump tried to emphasize his focus on combating inflation, yet the issue that has damaged his popularity couldn't quite command his full attention.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump Delivers Remarks on the Economy <a href="https://t.co/tLnc8ycDNo">https://t.co/tLnc8ycDNo</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1998545515139461327?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Our nation is STRONG,<br>America is respected again,<br>and the United States is BACK. 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/7gM8MlRZ9u">pic.twitter.com/7gM8MlRZ9u</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1998578042801893532?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">📍 MOUNT POCONO, PENNSYLVANIA<br><br>RALLY STYLE! <a href="https://t.co/VvCJRArvB3">pic.twitter.com/VvCJRArvB3</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998547587054404045?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> in PA: &quot;I&#39;m thrilled to be back in this incredible Commonwealth, with so many proud, hardworking American patriots... Let me begin by wishing each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas!&quot; 🎄❤️ <a href="https://t.co/cfUwmgUmzI">pic.twitter.com/cfUwmgUmzI</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998547681736798287?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Since my inauguration, we&#39;ve created nearly 60,000 new Pennsylvania jobs, including 4,000 Pennsylvania manufacturing jobs...more than 40,000 Pennsylvanians have been lifted off food stamps...we&#39;ve secured commitments for nearly $100 billion dollars of investment in… <a href="https://t.co/I19jU8XGyX">pic.twitter.com/I19jU8XGyX</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998550149875081608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;We&#39;re right now drilling more oil than we&#39;ve ever done — ever before... It was just reported that four states had $1.99 a gallon.&quot; 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/ltvNEbYkwo">pic.twitter.com/ltvNEbYkwo</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998551735363842073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Under Biden, real wages plummeted by $3,000 a year. Under Trump, the typical factory worker has seen their wages increase by more than $1,300... For construction workers, it’s $1,800 up... For miners, their wages went up $3,300.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/C8CDUDGhCy">pic.twitter.com/C8CDUDGhCy</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998552530130031024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="ro" dir="ltr">Trump Dance in Pennsylvania! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/wPlzM36v87">pic.twitter.com/wPlzM36v87</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1998571525461639242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The president told the crowd gathered at a casino and resort in Mount Pocono that inflation was no longer a problem and that Democrats had used the term “affordability” as a “hoax” to hurt his reputation. But his remarks weaved wildly to include grievances he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-international-news-fdda2ff0b877416c8ae1c1a77a3cc425">first raised behind closed doors</a>&nbsp;in his first term in 2018 — and later denied saying — asking why the U.S. doesn't have more immigrants from Scandinavia.</p><p>“Why is it we only take people from s—-hole countries, right?” Trump said onstage. "Why can’t we have some people from Norway, Sweden, just a few?”</p><p>Trump said he objected to taking immigrants from “hellholes like Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia and many other countries." He added for emphasis that those places “are a disaster, right? Filthy, dirty, disgusting, ridden with crime.”</p><p>Tuesday’s gathering in the swing state — and in a competitive House district — was an official White House event, yet it seemed more like one of his signature campaign rallies that his chief of staff said he would hold regularly ahead of next year’s midterms. But instead of being in an arena that could draw several thousand attendees, it was held in a conference center ballroom at the Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, a small town of about 3,000 residents.</p><h2>Voters starting to blame lasting inflation on Republicans</h2><p>Following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-issues-exit-poll-election-2025-6b72dd7ea327d56235c350e84addc8dc">dismal results for Republicans</a>&nbsp;in last month's off-cycle elections, the White House has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-visits-pennsylvania-e39cd8b6253e521d909370012bf3e7af">sought to convince voters</a>&nbsp;that the economy will emerge stronger next year and that any anxieties over inflation have nothing to do with Trump.</p><p>He displayed a chart comparing price increases under his predecessor, Joe Biden, to prices under his own watch to argue his case. But the overall inflation rate has climbed since he announced broad tariffs in April and left many Americans worried about their grocery, utility and housing bills.</p><p>“I have no higher priority than making America affordable again,” Trump said. “They caused the high prices and we’re bringing them down."</p><p>As the president spoke, his party's political vulnerabilities were further seen as Miami voters chose Eileen Higgins to be their first Democratic mayor in nearly 30 years. Higgins defeated the Trump-endorsed Republican Emilio Gonzalez.</p><p>The president's reception in the county hosting his Tuesday rally showed he could still appeal to the base, but it was unable to settle questions of whether he could hold together his 2024 coalition. Monroe County flipped to Trump last year after having backed Biden in 2020, helping the Republican win the swing state of Pennsylvania and return to the White House after a four-year hiatus.</p><p>As home to the Pocono Mountains, the county has largely relied on tourism for skiing, hiking, hunting and other activities as a source of jobs. Its proximity to New York City — under two hours by car — has also attracted people seeking more affordable housing.</p><h2>In Monroe County, people agree that prices are a problem</h2><p>But what seems undeniable — even to Trump supporters in Monroe County — is that inflation seems to be here to stay.</p><p>Lou Heddy, a retired maintenance mechanic who voted for Trump last year, said he’s noticed in the past month alone that his and his wife’s grocery bills have risen from $175 to $200, and he’s not sure Trump can bring food prices down.</p><p>“Once the prices get up for food, they don’t ever come back down. That’s just the way I feel. I don’t know how the hell he would do it,” said Heddy, 72.</p><p>But Suzanne Vena, a Democratic voter, blames Trump’s tariffs for making life more expensive, as she struggles with rising bills for food, rent and electricity on a fixed income. She remembers Trump saying that he would stop inflation.</p><p>“That’s what we were originally told,” said Vena, 66. “Did I believe it? That’s another question. I did not.”</p><p>The area Trump visited could help decide control of the House in next year's midterm elections.</p><p>Trump held his rally in a congressional district held by first-term Republican Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-pennsylvania-house-cognetti-brooks-bresnahan-mackenzie-1e4ec001ee97b229f87e6c3d8635705d">Rob Bresnahan</a>, who is a top target of Democrats. Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, a Democrat, is running for the nomination to challenge him.</p><p>Speaking to the crowd before Trump, Bresnahan said the administration was working to lower costs, but voters “aren’t asking for partisan arguments — they’re asking for results.”</p><p>It's not clear if Trump can motivate voters in Monroe County to show up in next year's election if they're worried about inflation.</p><p>Nick Riley, 38, said he’s cutting back on luxuries, like going out to eat, as he absorbs higher bills for food and electricity and is having a hard time finding a good deal on a used car. Riley voted for Trump in 2020, but he sat out the 2024 election and plans to do so again next year.</p><p>“We’re all broke. It doesn’t matter whether you support Republicans or support Democrats,” Riley said. “We’re all broke, and we’re all feeling it.”</p><h2>Trump to start holding more rallies before midterm elections</h2><p>White House chief of staff Susie Wiles said on the online conservative talk show “The Mom View” that Trump would be on the campaign trail next year to engage supporters who otherwise might sit out a congressional race.</p><p>Wiles, who helped manage Trump's 2024 campaign, said most administrations try to localize midterm elections and keep the president out of the race, but she intends to do the opposite of that.</p><p>“We’re actually going to turn that on its head," Wiles said, "and put him on the ballot because so many of those low-propensity voters are Trump voters.”</p><p>The challenge for Trump is how to address the concerns of voters about the economy while simultaneously claiming that the economy is enjoying a historic boom.</p><p>Asked on a Politico podcast how he'd rate the economy, Trump leaned into grade inflation by answering “A-plus,” only to then amend his answer to “A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus.”</p><h2>Trump says economy is strong, but Americans should buy fewer dolls</h2><p>The U.S. economy has shown signs of resilience with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/financial-markets">the stock market</a>&nbsp;up this year and overall growth looking solid for the third quarter. But many Americans see the prices of housing, groceries, education,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2026-election-utility-bills-ai-data-centers-13703f61d1397612fd067e69b9093116">electricity</a>&nbsp;and other basic needs as swallowing up their incomes, a dynamic that the Trump administration has said it expects to fade next year with more investments in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;and manufacturing.</p><p>So far, the public has been skeptical about Trump's economic performance. Just 33% of U.S. adults approve of Trump's handling of the economy, according to a November survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.</p><p>But Trump indicated that his tariffs and other policies were helping industries such as the steel sector. He said those industries mattered for the country as he then specifically told Americans that they should buy fewer pencils and dolls from overseas.</p><p>“You don’t need 37 dolls for your daughter,” he told the crowd. “Two or three is nice.”</p>

🎥Highlights of President Trump's rally on the economy, affordability worries

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged criminal damage at a museum in Atchison.

On Monday, police&nbsp;responded to the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, 223 North Terrace Street in Atchison, after museum staff had arrived and found that an antique glass window on an exterior door with an estimated $350 had been broken, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. An investigation followed that lead officers to arrest 21-year-old Bernard M. Rempe, 21, Atchison, on requested charges of criminal damage to property. He was issued a notice to appear in court.

Police believe the damage occurred sometime between midnight and 1:00a.m. on Saturday night. &nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765293134903.png" alt="Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum,-google image" />
                        <figcaption>Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum,-google image</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged criminal damage at a museum in Atchison.</p><p>On Monday, police&nbsp;responded to the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, 223 North Terrace Street in Atchison, after museum staff had arrived and found that an antique glass window on an exterior door with an estimated $350 had been broken, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. An investigation followed that lead officers to arrest 21-year-old Bernard M. Rempe, 21, Atchison, on requested charges of criminal damage to property. He was issued a notice to appear in court.</p><p>Police believe the damage occurred sometime between midnight and 1:00a.m. on Saturday night. &nbsp;</p>

Man accused of breaking an antique glass window at Kan. museum

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military flew a pair of fighter jets over the Gulf of Venezuela on Tuesday in what appears to be the closest American warplanes have come to the South American country’s airspace since the start of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">Trump administration’s pressure campaign</a>.

Public flight tracking websites showed a pair of U.S. Navy F/A-18 fighter jets fly over the Gulf — a body of water bounded by Venezuela and only about 150 miles at its widest point — and spend more than 30 minutes flying over water. A U.S. defense official confirmed that a pair of jets conducted a “routine training flight” in the area.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations, could not say if the jets were armed but noted that they stayed in international airspace during their flight.

The official likened the training flight to previous exercises that were aimed at showing the reach of U.S. planes and said the move was not meant to be provocative.

The military has previously sent B-52 Stratofortress and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-maduro-supersonic-bombers-03b246ca6cf7ed9fa6d39e1f716b1754">B-1 Lancer bombers</a>&nbsp;to the region, but those planes flew up to and along the coast of Venezuela. There was no indication that those aircraft ever flew as close to the country’s territory as the F/A-18 fighter jets on Tuesday.

The flights are the latest action the U.S. military has taken as it has built up its largest presence in the region in decades and launched a series of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-pentagon-drug-boats-pacific-35a60ce3bc018e5f66c18b2d18b49c35">deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. President Donald Trump says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-maduro-colombia-petro-boats-559a73dbfcbdc9245494f441be1aad39">land attacks are coming soon</a>&nbsp;but has not offered any details on location.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has insisted the real purpose of the U.S. military operations is to force him from office.

The Trump administration is facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-pete-hegseth-venezuela-9f46a5f074b5b3c979ee41082949b196">increasing scrutiny from lawmakers</a>&nbsp;over the boat strike campaign, which has killed at least 87 people in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-petro-colombia-drugs-us-aid-c3955b2ce351737119920741178e0567">22 known strikes</a>&nbsp;since early September, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-strike-video-footage-boat-caribbean-3cf2ca9cbe4523978e935b99c2979caa">a follow-up strike that killed two survivors</a>&nbsp;clinging to the wreckage of a boat after the first hit.

Lawmakers are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/defense-bill-ndaa-boat-strikes-video-152bef4ad429ae2c62937daeea2235a4">demanding to get unedited video</a>&nbsp;from the strikes, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told congressional leaders Tuesday he was still weighing whether to release it. Hegseth provided a classified briefing for congressional leaders alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other top national security officials.

The same day, Adm. Alvin Holsey, who will be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alvin-holsey-southern-command-boat-strikes-venezuela-7cf34c822b56945129baf7f0d2635f95">retiring from U.S. Southern Command</a>&nbsp;in this week, spoke separately with the Republican chairman and ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e">justified the attacks</a>&nbsp;as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and asserted the U.S. is engaged in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">“armed conflict” with drug cartels</a>.

Flightradar24, one of the websites that allowed the public to see the jets flying in real time, said the planes were the most tracked flights on its site at the time.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734705079925.png" alt="File photo U.S. Department of War" />
                        <figcaption>File photo U.S. Department of War</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military flew a pair of fighter jets over the Gulf of Venezuela on Tuesday in what appears to be the closest American warplanes have come to the South American country’s airspace since the start of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">Trump administration’s pressure campaign</a>.</p><p>Public flight tracking websites showed a pair of U.S. Navy F/A-18 fighter jets fly over the Gulf — a body of water bounded by Venezuela and only about 150 miles at its widest point — and spend more than 30 minutes flying over water. A U.S. defense official confirmed that a pair of jets conducted a “routine training flight” in the area.</p><p>The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations, could not say if the jets were armed but noted that they stayed in international airspace during their flight.</p><p>The official likened the training flight to previous exercises that were aimed at showing the reach of U.S. planes and said the move was not meant to be provocative.</p><p>The military has previously sent B-52 Stratofortress and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-maduro-supersonic-bombers-03b246ca6cf7ed9fa6d39e1f716b1754">B-1 Lancer bombers</a>&nbsp;to the region, but those planes flew up to and along the coast of Venezuela. There was no indication that those aircraft ever flew as close to the country’s territory as the F/A-18 fighter jets on Tuesday.</p><p>The flights are the latest action the U.S. military has taken as it has built up its largest presence in the region in decades and launched a series of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-pentagon-drug-boats-pacific-35a60ce3bc018e5f66c18b2d18b49c35">deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. President Donald Trump says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-maduro-colombia-petro-boats-559a73dbfcbdc9245494f441be1aad39">land attacks are coming soon</a>&nbsp;but has not offered any details on location.</p><p>Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has insisted the real purpose of the U.S. military operations is to force him from office.</p><p>The Trump administration is facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-pete-hegseth-venezuela-9f46a5f074b5b3c979ee41082949b196">increasing scrutiny from lawmakers</a>&nbsp;over the boat strike campaign, which has killed at least 87 people in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-petro-colombia-drugs-us-aid-c3955b2ce351737119920741178e0567">22 known strikes</a>&nbsp;since early September, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-strike-video-footage-boat-caribbean-3cf2ca9cbe4523978e935b99c2979caa">a follow-up strike that killed two survivors</a>&nbsp;clinging to the wreckage of a boat after the first hit.</p><p>Lawmakers are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/defense-bill-ndaa-boat-strikes-video-152bef4ad429ae2c62937daeea2235a4">demanding to get unedited video</a>&nbsp;from the strikes, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told congressional leaders Tuesday he was still weighing whether to release it. Hegseth provided a classified briefing for congressional leaders alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other top national security officials.</p><p>The same day, Adm. Alvin Holsey, who will be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alvin-holsey-southern-command-boat-strikes-venezuela-7cf34c822b56945129baf7f0d2635f95">retiring from U.S. Southern Command</a>&nbsp;in this week, spoke separately with the Republican chairman and ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee.</p><p>Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e">justified the attacks</a>&nbsp;as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and asserted the U.S. is engaged in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">“armed conflict” with drug cartels</a>.</p><p>Flightradar24, one of the websites that allowed the public to see the jets flying in real time, said the planes were the most tracked flights on its site at the time.</p>

US military flies fighter jets over the Gulf of Venezuela

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating the death of a 4-year-old have made an arrest.

Just before 3:30p.m. Monday, police&nbsp; responded to a medical call regarding an unresponsive 4-year-old child in the 2600 block of South Topeka in Wichita, according to police department spokesman Andrew Ford. The child was transported to a local hospital in critical condition and was pronounced deceased at 4:07 p.m.

Police booked a suspect, identified as 34-year-old Daniel Martin,&nbsp; into the Sedgwick County Jail on a requested charge of Child Abuse pending the Medical Examiners autopsy report.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765296481475.png" alt="Martin photo Sedgwick County" />
                        <figcaption>Martin photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating the death of a 4-year-old have made an arrest.</p><p>Just before 3:30p.m. Monday, police&nbsp; responded to a medical call regarding an unresponsive 4-year-old child in the 2600 block of South Topeka in Wichita, according to police department spokesman Andrew Ford. The child was transported to a local hospital in critical condition and was pronounced deceased at 4:07 p.m.</p><p>Police booked a suspect, identified as 34-year-old Daniel Martin,&nbsp; into the Sedgwick County Jail on a requested charge of Child Abuse pending the Medical Examiners autopsy report.</p>

Kansas man arrested after 4-year-old dies at a hospital

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

TOPEKA — Joe Ceballos, a Kansas man who made national news after being charged with voting illegally, resigned his position as mayor of Coldwater.

The Coldwater City Council announced Monday that it had accepted Ceballos’ resignation.

“We will continue with the daily work of the city ensuring that all services and operations move forward without interruption,” a statement said. “Our priority is keeping the community informed and maintaining stability during this transition.”

The council swore in Britt Lenertz, president of the city council, as the town’s mayor. She will serve out the rest of Ceballos’ term, Lenertz said.

Ceballos was elected to his second term as mayor one day before Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/11/05/small-town-kansas-mayor-charged-with-alleged-voter-fraud-state-leader-says-hundreds-more-cases-expected/">announced at a November news conference</a>&nbsp;that Ceballos had been arrested for multiple felonies. Ceballos has a green card, which means he is a legal permanent resident of the United States, but he did not apply for citizenship until February,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/11/13/dhs-reveals-new-records-criminal-alien-who-voted-multiple-times-kansas-elections" target="_blank">according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security</a>.

Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Ceballos will be “placed in removal proceedings” if he is convicted.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762377337825.png" alt="-Joe Ceballos resigned Monday as mayor of Coldwater. A legal resident who&nbsp;is not a U.S. citizen, he faces election fraud charges. (City of Coldwater)" />
                        <figcaption>-Joe Ceballos resigned Monday as mayor of Coldwater. A legal resident who&nbsp;is not a U.S. citizen, he faces election fraud charges. (City of Coldwater)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><b>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a><br></b><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a></p><p>TOPEKA — Joe Ceballos, a Kansas man who made national news after being charged with voting illegally, resigned his position as mayor of Coldwater.</p><p>The Coldwater City Council announced Monday that it had accepted Ceballos’ resignation.</p><p>“We will continue with the daily work of the city ensuring that all services and operations move forward without interruption,” a statement said. “Our priority is keeping the community informed and maintaining stability during this transition.”</p><p>The council swore in Britt Lenertz, president of the city council, as the town’s mayor. She will serve out the rest of Ceballos’ term, Lenertz said.</p><p>Ceballos was elected to his second term as mayor one day before Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/11/05/small-town-kansas-mayor-charged-with-alleged-voter-fraud-state-leader-says-hundreds-more-cases-expected/">announced at a November news conference</a>&nbsp;that Ceballos had been arrested for multiple felonies. Ceballos has a green card, which means he is a legal permanent resident of the United States, but he did not apply for citizenship until February,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/11/13/dhs-reveals-new-records-criminal-alien-who-voted-multiple-times-kansas-elections" target="_blank">according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security</a>.</p><p>Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Ceballos will be “placed in removal proceedings” if he is convicted.</p>

Kansas man charged with election fraud resigns his position as mayor

ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV insisted Tuesday that Europe must have a role in any Ukraine peace deal and criticized what he said was the Trump administration’s effort to “break apart” the long-standing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-us-security-strategy-russia-interference-dd672c0d0b3f31378c39381ef8ea8dea">U.S.-European alliance.</a>

Leo spoke to reporters after meeting with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>, who is on another tour to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-europe-talks-297fc6a148fdb8dce4defb31b953ce0f">rally European support</a>&nbsp;for Kyiv. The American pope said they discussed the need for a ceasefire and the Vatican’s efforts to facilitate the return of Ukrainian children taken by Russian authorities.

Leo was asked about the U.S. peace proposal and the seeming sidelining of European powers in the process. Speaking as he left his vacation home in Castel Gandolfo, Leo insisted that Europe’s role was crucial to any deal.

“Seeking a peace agreement without including Europe in the talks is unrealistic, given the war is in Europe,” he said. “Guarantees are also being sought for security today and in the future. Europe must be part of this, and unfortunately not everyone understands this, but I think there is a great opportunity for European leaders to unite and seek a solution together.”

Zelenskyy has said there are three documents in the peace agreement being discussed with U.S. and European partners, a framework document of 20 points, a second document with security guarantees, and a third document about Ukraine's recovery.

Leo was asked about the U.S. peace plan for Ukraine but appeared to respond to a broader question about the Trump administration’s views on the U.S.-Europe alliance. Just last week, the Trump administration released its U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-security-strategy-europe-russia-america-first-068488ca7e6d1c92ccaddd1649958218">national security strategy</a>, which questions the U.S.-European alliance and stresses a desire to improve U.S.-Russia relations.

Leo said what he had read would “make a huge change in what was for many, many years a true alliance between Europe and the United States.” Additionally, some comments by U.S. President Donald Trump suggest an effort “trying to break apart what I think needs to be an alliance today and in the future.”

While some people in the United States may agree with that effort, “I think many others would see things in a different way,” Leo said.

The Holy See has tried to remain neutral in Russia's war while offering solidarity and concrete assistance to what it calls the “martyred” people of Ukraine. Leo has met now three times with Zelenskyy and has spoken by telephone at least once with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The American pope has called for a ceasefire and urged Russia in particular to make gestures to promote peace.

The Vatican has also tried to facilitate the return of Ukrainian children taken by Russian authorities, and last month Leo met with some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-ukraine-russia-war-negotiations-children-c83dc48e3c197a66bb1377bbb50a341a">returned children at the Vatican.</a>

<p>ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV insisted Tuesday that Europe must have a role in any Ukraine peace deal and criticized what he said was the Trump administration’s effort to “break apart” the long-standing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-us-security-strategy-russia-interference-dd672c0d0b3f31378c39381ef8ea8dea">U.S.-European alliance.</a></p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ukraine deeply appreciates all the support of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV <a href="https://twitter.com/Pontifex?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Pontifex</a> and the Holy See – the ongoing humanitarian assistance and the readiness to expand humanitarian missions.<br><br>During today’s audience with His Holiness, I thanked him for his constant prayers for… <a href="https://t.co/J2iPAdArQn">pic.twitter.com/J2iPAdArQn</a></p>&mdash; Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1998350658936742348?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Leo spoke to reporters after meeting with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>, who is on another tour to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-europe-talks-297fc6a148fdb8dce4defb31b953ce0f">rally European support</a>&nbsp;for Kyiv. The American pope said they discussed the need for a ceasefire and the Vatican’s efforts to facilitate the return of Ukrainian children taken by Russian authorities.</p><p>Leo was asked about the U.S. peace proposal and the seeming sidelining of European powers in the process. Speaking as he left his vacation home in Castel Gandolfo, Leo insisted that Europe’s role was crucial to any deal.</p><p>“Seeking a peace agreement without including Europe in the talks is unrealistic, given the war is in Europe,” he said. “Guarantees are also being sought for security today and in the future. Europe must be part of this, and unfortunately not everyone understands this, but I think there is a great opportunity for European leaders to unite and seek a solution together.”</p><p>Zelenskyy has said there are three documents in the peace agreement being discussed with U.S. and European partners, a framework document of 20 points, a second document with security guarantees, and a third document about Ukraine's recovery.</p><p>Leo was asked about the U.S. peace plan for Ukraine but appeared to respond to a broader question about the Trump administration’s views on the U.S.-Europe alliance. Just last week, the Trump administration released its U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-security-strategy-europe-russia-america-first-068488ca7e6d1c92ccaddd1649958218">national security strategy</a>, which questions the U.S.-European alliance and stresses a desire to improve U.S.-Russia relations.</p><p>Leo said what he had read would “make a huge change in what was for many, many years a true alliance between Europe and the United States.” Additionally, some comments by U.S. President Donald Trump suggest an effort “trying to break apart what I think needs to be an alliance today and in the future.”</p><p>While some people in the United States may agree with that effort, “I think many others would see things in a different way,” Leo said.</p><p>The Holy See has tried to remain neutral in Russia's war while offering solidarity and concrete assistance to what it calls the “martyred” people of Ukraine. Leo has met now three times with Zelenskyy and has spoken by telephone at least once with Russian President Vladimir Putin.</p><p>The American pope has called for a ceasefire and urged Russia in particular to make gestures to promote peace.</p><p>The Vatican has also tried to facilitate the return of Ukrainian children taken by Russian authorities, and last month Leo met with some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-ukraine-russia-war-negotiations-children-c83dc48e3c197a66bb1377bbb50a341a">returned children at the Vatican.</a></p>

Pope Leo issues demand on Ukraine peace deal

NEMAHA COUNTY —A Kansas man died in a residential fire Friday in Nemaha County.

Just after 7:30p.m. Friday, the Wetmore Fire Chief noticed smoke in the valley near the community and&nbsp; eventually found a trailer fully involved in fire in the 300 Block of 1st Street, according to the Kansas Fire Marshal's office.

 Wetmore Fire Department, Nemaha County Fire District #3, and the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office all responded to the fire incident.

The occupant was known to be homebound and believed to be in the residence. Special Agents arrived at the scene, and the victim, identified as 65-year-old Randall Nott, was soon located inside the residence deceased. He was a user of Home Oxygen Therapy and a known smoker.

&nbsp;The Kansas State Fire Marshal (KSFM) Investigation Division was requested to assist with the investigation.&nbsp;Three Special Agents/Certified Fire Investigators from the KSFM responded to assist with the investigation.&nbsp;

The fire incident is classified as undetermined.

<p>NEMAHA COUNTY —A Kansas man died in a residential fire Friday in Nemaha County.</p><p>Just after 7:30p.m. Friday, the Wetmore Fire Chief noticed smoke in the valley near the community and&nbsp; eventually found a trailer fully involved in fire in the 300 Block of 1st Street, according to the Kansas Fire Marshal's office.</p><p> Wetmore Fire Department, Nemaha County Fire District #3, and the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office all responded to the fire incident.</p><p>The occupant was known to be homebound and believed to be in the residence. Special Agents arrived at the scene, and the victim, identified as 65-year-old Randall Nott, was soon located inside the residence deceased. He was a user of Home Oxygen Therapy and a known smoker.</p><p>&nbsp;The Kansas State Fire Marshal (KSFM) Investigation Division was requested to assist with the investigation.&nbsp;Three Special Agents/Certified Fire Investigators from the KSFM responded to assist with the investigation.&nbsp;</p><p>The fire incident is classified as undetermined.</p>

Kansas man dies in trailer house fire

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas CIty man faces several felony charges in connection with a shooting that injured two people last month.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2767/BankstonMarquise-Complaint-PC-Red">Marquise Bankston</a>, 29, faces two counts of 1st Degree Assault, three counts of Armed Criminal Action, one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm – Dangerous Felon/Prior Conviction, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

On Nov. 5, Kansas City police responded to a shooting and located two victims suffering from gunshot wounds. They were transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Nearby surveillance footage showed a vehicle stopping at an intersection. The driver exited the vehicle and began firing shots toward the victims as they were walking down the street. The victims began firing back. The vehicle then fled.

Detectives began using investigative leads, including license plate readers, location data from the vehicle, which was discovered to be stolen, and surveillance footage to identify Bankston and connect him to the shooting.&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764970947269.png" alt="Bankston photo Jackson County" />
                        <figcaption>Bankston photo Jackson County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas CIty man faces several felony charges in connection with a shooting that injured two people last month.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2767/BankstonMarquise-Complaint-PC-Red">Marquise Bankston</a>, 29, faces two counts of 1st Degree Assault, three counts of Armed Criminal Action, one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm – Dangerous Felon/Prior Conviction, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.</p><p>On Nov. 5, Kansas City police responded to a shooting and located two victims suffering from gunshot wounds. They were transported to a local hospital for treatment.</p><p>Nearby surveillance footage showed a vehicle stopping at an intersection. The driver exited the vehicle and began firing shots toward the victims as they were walking down the street. The victims began firing back. The vehicle then fled.</p><p>Detectives began using investigative leads, including license plate readers, location data from the vehicle, which was discovered to be stolen, and surveillance footage to identify Bankston and connect him to the shooting.&nbsp;</p>

Kansas City man jailed for gunfight that injured two

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/christopher-rugaber">CHRISTOPHER RUGABER</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve faces an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-8a0060c2f52f884ed3489450a66619b8">unusually contentious</a>&nbsp;meeting this week that will test Chair Jerome Powell’s ability to corral the necessary support from fellow policymakers for a third straight interest rate cut.

The Fed’s 19-member rate-setting committee is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-8a0060c2f52f884ed3489450a66619b8">sharply divided</a>&nbsp;over whether to lower borrowing costs again. The divisions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-economy-federal-reserve-d6f4bbc6c458f73cd230c63e6abb1985">have been exacerbated</a>&nbsp;by the convoluted nature of the economy: Inflation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-spending-eaa913f6df77db354019d0d22a4b01fe">remains elevated</a>, which would typically lead the Fed to keep its key rate unchanged, while hiring is weak and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-tariff-bf603d63e13d6dc1083e9a6616c7ffee">unemployment rate has risen</a>, which often leads to rate cuts.

Some economists expect three Fed officials could vote against the quarter-point cut that Powell is likely to support at the Dec. 9-10 meeting, which would be the most dissenting votes in six years. Just 12 of the 19 members vote on rate decisions. Several of the non-voting officials have also said they oppose another rate cut.

“It’s just a really tricky time. Perfectly sensible people can reach different answers,” said William English, an economist at the Yale School of Management and a former top Fed staff member. “And the committee kind of likes to work by consensus, but this is a situation where that consensus is hard to reach.”

The debate, which has also been fueled by a lack of official federal data on employment and inflation during the government shutdown, could be a preview of where the Fed is headed after Powell’s term as chair ends in May. His successor will be appointed by President Donald Trump and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-bessent-26f23d4bbccd2476e913c0e675fbffdc">widely expected to be</a>&nbsp;Kevin Hassett, the top White House economic adviser. Hassett may push for faster cuts than other officials would be willing to support.

English said the potential for greater disagreement could be seen as a sign of healthy debate between different views. The Fed’s tradition of reaching unanimous or nearly-unanimous decisions has often been criticized as evidence of “groupthink.” Yet some Fed officials warn that there are downsides to sharp splits. If the committee votes end up as 8-4 or even 7-5, then financial markets could lose confidence in where the central bank is headed next.

Fed Governor Christopher Waller, for example, has said that in the case of a 7-5 vote, if just one official changed their view, it could bring about a significant shift in Fed policy.

For now, however, most economists expect what’s called a “hawkish cut” — the Fed will reduce rates, while also signaling that it may stand pat for some time to assess the economy’s health. (“Hawks” refer to officials who generally support higher rates to combat inflation, while “doves” more often support lower rates to boost hiring).

The president of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, Jeffrey Schmid, is expected to dissent for a second straight meeting in favor of keeping rates unchanged. He may be joined by St. Louis Fed president Alberto Musalem. Fed governor Stephen Miran, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-miran-trump-70a09bdf2e10839f35e1596cafe5c415">hurriedly appointed</a>&nbsp;to the Fed’s board by Trump in September, will likely dissent for a third straight meeting in favor of a larger, half-point reduction in the Fed’s key rate.

After the Fed’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-cut-inflation-jobs-e689e1397856aa24ffebdaaefa9762a2">last meeting Oct. 28-29</a>, several policymakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-economy-federal-reserve-d6f4bbc6c458f73cd230c63e6abb1985">said</a>&nbsp;they would prefer to keep rates unchanged at the December meeting, leading Wall Street investors to briefly downgrade the odds of a third rate cut to less than 30%. But then John Williams, president of the New York Fed, said that this year’s uptick in inflation appears to be a temporary blip driven by Trump’s tariffs that would likely fade by the middle of 2026.

As a result, “I still see room for a further adjustment” in the Fed’s short-term rate, Williams said. As president of the New York Fed and vice chair of the rate-setting committee, Williams gets to vote on every interest rate decision and is close to Powell. Analysts said it was unlikely Williams would have made such a statement without Powell’s support. Investors rapidly lifted the odds of a cut, which now are at 89%, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html" target="_blank">CME Fedwatch</a>.

“You’re seeing the power of the chair,” said Nathan Sheets, chief global economist at Citi and also a former top Fed staffer. “Members of the committee, my instinct is, are wanting to underscore their support for Powell.”

Powell has come under relentless attack from Trump, who just last month said he would “love to fire his ass” and called Powell “this clown.”

The Fed is required by Congress to seek low inflation and maximum employment, two goals that are potentially in conflict.

For now, Powell and many other Fed officials are more concerned about hiring and unemployment rather than inflation. While the official government jobs reports have been delayed, in September the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.4%, the third straight increase and the highest in four years.

Payroll provider ADP, meanwhile, reported that in November, its data showed companies shed 32,000 jobs. And many large firms have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/layoffs-us-economy-job-numbers-cd9d657cb7d7b4429f2c8346e18f8840">announced sweeping layoffs.</a>

Worries that the job market could get worse are a key reason a rate cut in December is likely — but not necessarily beyond that. Fed officials will have up to three months of backlogged jobs and inflation data to consider when they meet in late January. Those figures could show inflation remains stubbornly high or that hiring has rebounded, which would suggest further cuts aren’t needed.

“What they may end up agreeing to do is cut rates now, but give some guidance ... that signals that they’re on&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718218288023.png" alt="Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell-image courtesy CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/christopher-rugaber">CHRISTOPHER RUGABER</a></p><p>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve faces an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-8a0060c2f52f884ed3489450a66619b8">unusually contentious</a>&nbsp;meeting this week that will test Chair Jerome Powell’s ability to corral the necessary support from fellow policymakers for a third straight interest rate cut.</p><p>The Fed’s 19-member rate-setting committee is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-8a0060c2f52f884ed3489450a66619b8">sharply divided</a>&nbsp;over whether to lower borrowing costs again. The divisions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-economy-federal-reserve-d6f4bbc6c458f73cd230c63e6abb1985">have been exacerbated</a>&nbsp;by the convoluted nature of the economy: Inflation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-spending-eaa913f6df77db354019d0d22a4b01fe">remains elevated</a>, which would typically lead the Fed to keep its key rate unchanged, while hiring is weak and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-tariff-bf603d63e13d6dc1083e9a6616c7ffee">unemployment rate has risen</a>, which often leads to rate cuts.</p><p>Some economists expect three Fed officials could vote against the quarter-point cut that Powell is likely to support at the Dec. 9-10 meeting, which would be the most dissenting votes in six years. Just 12 of the 19 members vote on rate decisions. Several of the non-voting officials have also said they oppose another rate cut.</p><p>“It’s just a really tricky time. Perfectly sensible people can reach different answers,” said William English, an economist at the Yale School of Management and a former top Fed staff member. “And the committee kind of likes to work by consensus, but this is a situation where that consensus is hard to reach.”</p><p>The debate, which has also been fueled by a lack of official federal data on employment and inflation during the government shutdown, could be a preview of where the Fed is headed after Powell’s term as chair ends in May. His successor will be appointed by President Donald Trump and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-bessent-26f23d4bbccd2476e913c0e675fbffdc">widely expected to be</a>&nbsp;Kevin Hassett, the top White House economic adviser. Hassett may push for faster cuts than other officials would be willing to support.</p><p>English said the potential for greater disagreement could be seen as a sign of healthy debate between different views. The Fed’s tradition of reaching unanimous or nearly-unanimous decisions has often been criticized as evidence of “groupthink.” Yet some Fed officials warn that there are downsides to sharp splits. If the committee votes end up as 8-4 or even 7-5, then financial markets could lose confidence in where the central bank is headed next.</p><p>Fed Governor Christopher Waller, for example, has said that in the case of a 7-5 vote, if just one official changed their view, it could bring about a significant shift in Fed policy.</p><p>For now, however, most economists expect what’s called a “hawkish cut” — the Fed will reduce rates, while also signaling that it may stand pat for some time to assess the economy’s health. (“Hawks” refer to officials who generally support higher rates to combat inflation, while “doves” more often support lower rates to boost hiring).</p><p>The president of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, Jeffrey Schmid, is expected to dissent for a second straight meeting in favor of keeping rates unchanged. He may be joined by St. Louis Fed president Alberto Musalem. Fed governor Stephen Miran, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-miran-trump-70a09bdf2e10839f35e1596cafe5c415">hurriedly appointed</a>&nbsp;to the Fed’s board by Trump in September, will likely dissent for a third straight meeting in favor of a larger, half-point reduction in the Fed’s key rate.</p><p>After the Fed’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-cut-inflation-jobs-e689e1397856aa24ffebdaaefa9762a2">last meeting Oct. 28-29</a>, several policymakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-economy-federal-reserve-d6f4bbc6c458f73cd230c63e6abb1985">said</a>&nbsp;they would prefer to keep rates unchanged at the December meeting, leading Wall Street investors to briefly downgrade the odds of a third rate cut to less than 30%. But then John Williams, president of the New York Fed, said that this year’s uptick in inflation appears to be a temporary blip driven by Trump’s tariffs that would likely fade by the middle of 2026.</p><p>As a result, “I still see room for a further adjustment” in the Fed’s short-term rate, Williams said. As president of the New York Fed and vice chair of the rate-setting committee, Williams gets to vote on every interest rate decision and is close to Powell. Analysts said it was unlikely Williams would have made such a statement without Powell’s support. Investors rapidly lifted the odds of a cut, which now are at 89%, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html" target="_blank">CME Fedwatch</a>.</p><p>“You’re seeing the power of the chair,” said Nathan Sheets, chief global economist at Citi and also a former top Fed staffer. “Members of the committee, my instinct is, are wanting to underscore their support for Powell.”</p><p>Powell has come under relentless attack from Trump, who just last month said he would “love to fire his ass” and called Powell “this clown.”</p><p>The Fed is required by Congress to seek low inflation and maximum employment, two goals that are potentially in conflict.</p><p>For now, Powell and many other Fed officials are more concerned about hiring and unemployment rather than inflation. While the official government jobs reports have been delayed, in September the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.4%, the third straight increase and the highest in four years.</p><p>Payroll provider ADP, meanwhile, reported that in November, its data showed companies shed 32,000 jobs. And many large firms have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/layoffs-us-economy-job-numbers-cd9d657cb7d7b4429f2c8346e18f8840">announced sweeping layoffs.</a></p><p>Worries that the job market could get worse are a key reason a rate cut in December is likely — but not necessarily beyond that. Fed officials will have up to three months of backlogged jobs and inflation data to consider when they meet in late January. Those figures could show inflation remains stubbornly high or that hiring has rebounded, which would suggest further cuts aren’t needed.</p><p>“What they may end up agreeing to do is cut rates now, but give some guidance ... that signals that they’re on&nbsp;</p>

Divided Fed expected to deliver another interest rate cut

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Opponents of Missouri’s new congressional map submitted thousands of petition signatures Tuesday calling for a statewide referendum on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-redistricting-trump-republicans-a89de205d535c8a8cd6054ed191b161c">redistricting plan</a>&nbsp;backed by President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;as part of his quest to hold on to a slim Republican majority in next year’s elections.

Organizers of the petition drive said they turned in more than 300,000 signatures to the secretary of state’s office — well more than the roughly 110,000 needed to suspend the new U.S. House districts from taking effect until a public vote can be held sometime next year.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765304429176.png" alt=" Missouri Capitol Police officers conduct security checks Tuesday on the 691 boxes of petitions filed by People Not Politicians to force a referendum on the gerrymandered Congressional district map passed by lawmakers in September. Of the 27 times a referendum has been placed on the Missouri ballot, voters have rejected the General Assembly’s actions all but twice. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)" />
                        <figcaption> Missouri Capitol Police officers conduct security checks Tuesday on the 691 boxes of petitions filed by People Not Politicians to force a referendum on the gerrymandered Congressional district map passed by lawmakers in September. Of the 27 times a referendum has been placed on the Missouri ballot, voters have rejected the General Assembly’s actions all but twice. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Opponents of Missouri’s new congressional map submitted thousands of petition signatures Tuesday calling for a statewide referendum on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-redistricting-trump-republicans-a89de205d535c8a8cd6054ed191b161c">redistricting plan</a>&nbsp;backed by President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;as part of his quest to hold on to a slim Republican majority in next year’s elections.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757444658128.png" alt="Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors / Map by Anna Sago  " />
                        <figcaption>Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors / Map by Anna Sago  </figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Organizers of the petition drive said they turned in more than 300,000 signatures to the secretary of state’s office — well more than the roughly 110,000 needed to suspend the new U.S. House districts from taking effect until a public vote can be held sometime next year.</p><p>Referendum votes in Missouri are automatically set for the upcoming November election, unless the General Assembly approves an earlier date during its regular session that begins in January. Missouri’s candidate filing period runs from Feb. 24 through March 31, but districts can still be changed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-census-2020-missouri-congress-73dbf242acd05bfea4f24223228d0621">after the deadline</a>, as occurred when the legislature last&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-missouri-redistricting-congress-38efa0999c9901cc531c3768bb53a3c4">approved districts in 2022</a>.</p><p>The signatures also need to be formally verified by local election authorities and Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who has argued the referendum is unconstitutional. But if the signatures hold up, the referendum could create a significant obstacle for Republicans who hope the new districts could help them win a currently Democratic-held seat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymander-missouri-trump-e5b75246cbee8eb674dfdb27381cc8ac">in the Kansas City area</a>&nbsp;in the November election.</p><p>“At the end of the day, these are going to have to get counted, and people are going to vote on this,” said Richard von Glahn, executive director of People Not Politicians, which sponsored the referendum drive.</p><p><a href="https://apnews.com/hub/redistricting">Redistricting</a>&nbsp;typically happens once a decade, after each census. But the national political parties are engaged in an unusual mid-decade redistricting battle after Trump urged Republican-led states to reshape House voting districts to their advantage. The Republican president is trying to avert a historical tendency for the incumbent’s party to lose seats in midterm elections.</p><p>Each House seat could be crucial, because Democrats need a net gain of just three seats to win control of the chamber and impede Trump’s agenda.</p><h2>Redistricting is spreading through states</h2><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-texas-redistricting-trump-republicans-discrimination-c1bbf88e2a1f7d49cda512b8ef165750">Texas was the first</a>&nbsp;to respond to Trump’s call by passing a new congressional map that could help Republicans win five additional seats. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-redistricting-texas-trump-02b07b477b153f23ed5c387f2f9ae0c4">U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way</a>&nbsp;last week for the new districts to be used in the 2026 elections.</p><p>Republicans could gain one seat each under new maps passed in Missouri and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-north-carolina-map-lawsuit-trump-ce0c6f203eef66a46f1aabb4eaaf32ed">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;and have an improved chance at taking two additional seats under a new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-ohio-congressional-redistricting-trump-midterm-election-6c617a08c84f453eacc1727f9be9ef52">Ohio congressional map</a>. In Indiana,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-state-senate-redistricting-vote-b7200fcdba1e8cca2c14a808f3e0b3e0">senators are considering</a>&nbsp;a proposal this week that also could help Republicans win two additional seats.</p><p>Democrats scored a victory in California, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-redistricting-prop-50-gavin-newsom-839193bfc2a817086acca7365315f26f">voters in November approved</a>&nbsp;a new Democratic-drawn congressional map that could help the party win five additional seats. Democrats could gain a seat in Utah under new congressional&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-redistricting-congressional-map-democrats-a443a6584fad0adeeb5eadcc336a4390">districts imposed by a judge</a>.</p><p>But Republicans are challenging both states’ measures in court. And Utah lawmakers are meeting in a special session Tuesday to consider delaying the candidate filing deadline to allow more time for the legal challenge.</p><p>Virginia Democrats have also taken a first step toward mid-decade redistricting, with additional votes expected in the new year.</p><h2>Missouri referendum sparks intense battle</h2><p>People Not Politicians has raised about $5 million, coming mostly from out-of-state organizations opposed to the new map. National Republican-aligned groups have countered with more than $2 million for a committee supporting the new map.</p><p>Republicans have tried to thwart the referendum in numerous ways.</p><p>Organizations supporting the Republican redistricting have attempted to pay people up to $30,000 to quit gathering petition signatures, according to a lawsuit filed by Advanced Micro Targeting Inc., a company hired by People Not Politicians.</p><p>Hoskins, the secretary of state, contends he cannot legally count about 100,000 petition signatures gathered in the one-month span between legislative passage of the redistricting bill and his approval of the referendum petition’s format, but can only count those gathered after that.</p><p>Hoskins also wrote a ballot summary stating the new map “repeals Missouri’s existing gerrymandered congressional plan ... and better reflects statewide voting patterns.” That’s the opposite of what referendum backers contends it does, and People Not Politicians is challenging that wording in court.</p><p>Meanwhile, Republican Attorney General Catherine Hanaway filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Hoskins and the General Assembly asserting that congressional redistricting legislation cannot be subject to a referendum. Although a federal judge dismissed that suit Monday, the judge noted that Hoskins has “the power to declare the petition unconstitutional himself,” which would likely trigger a new court case.</p><p>Missouri’s restricting effort already has sparked an intense court battle. Lawsuits by opponents challenge the legality of Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe’s special session proclamation, assert that mid-decade redistricting isn’t allowed under Missouri’s constitution, and claim the new districts run afoul of requirements to be compact, contiguous and equally populated.</p><p>It’s been more than a century since Missouri last held a referendum on a congressional redistricting plan. In 1922, the U.S. House districts approved by the Republican-led legislature were defeated by nearly 62% of the statewide vote.</p>