By ISABELLA VOLMERT and JOHN HANNA Associated Press

For most of President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;second term, Republicans have bent to his will. But in two Midwestern states, Trump's plan to maintain control of the U.S. House in next year’s election by having Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-know-redistricting-states-voting-maps-congress-d3a30328bec161d50a7ab52ac48f23d5">redraw congressional districts</a>&nbsp;has hit a roadblock.

Despite weeks of campaigning by the White House, Republicans in Indiana and Kansas say their party doesn't have enough votes to pass new, more GOP-friendly maps. It's made the two states outliers in the rush to redistrict — places where Republican-majority legislatures are unwilling or unable to heed Trump's call and help preserve the party’s control on Capitol Hill.

Lawmakers in the two states still may be persuaded, and the White House push, which has included an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-redistricting-trump-white-house-eb176b036043caafb923fa30b8ef856d">Oval Office meeting</a>&nbsp;for Indiana lawmakers and two trips to Indianapolis by Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">JD Vance</a>, is expected to continue. But for now, it's a rare setback for the president and his efforts to maintain a compliant GOP-held Congress after the 2026 midterms.

Typically, states redraw the boundaries of their congressional districts every 10 years, based on census data. But because midterm elections typically tend to favor the party not in power, Trump is pressuring Republicans to devise new maps that favor the GOP.

Democrats only need to gain three seats to flip House control, and the fight has become a bruising back-and-forth.

With new maps of their own, multiple Democratic states are moving to counter any gains made by Republicans. The latest, Virginia, is expected to take up the issue in a special session starting Monday.

Indiana, whose House delegation has seven Republicans and two Democrats, was one of the first states on which the Trump administration focused its redistricting efforts this summer.

But a spokesperson for state Senate Leader Rodric Bray’s office said Thursday that the chamber lacks the votes to redistrict. With only 10 Democrats in the 50-member Senate, that means more than a dozen of the 40 Republicans oppose the idea.

Bray's office did not respond to multiple requests for an interview.

The holdouts may come from a few schools of thought. New political lines, if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymandering-dummymandering-885d3af597621322b10d889fb9a81f96">poorly executed</a>, could make solidly Republican districts more competitive. Others believe it is simply wrong to stack the deck.

“We are being asked to create a new culture in which it would be normal for a political party to select new voters, not once a decade — but any time it fears the consequences of an approaching election,” state Sen. Spencer Deery, a Republican, said in a statement in August.

Deery’s office did not respond to a request for an interview and said the statement stands.

A common argument in favor of new maps is that Democratic-run states such as Massachusetts have no Republican representatives while Illinois has used redistricting for partisan advantage — a process known as gerrymandering.

“For decades, Democrat states have gerrymandered in the dark of the night,” Republican state Sen. Chris Garten said on social media. “We can no longer sit idly by as our country is stolen from us.”

Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith, who would vote to break a tie in the state Senate if needed, recently called on lawmakers to forge ahead with redistricting and criticized then for not being sufficiently conservative.

“For years, it has been said accurately that the Indiana Senate is where conservative ideas from the House go to die,” Beckwith said in a social media post.

Indiana is staunchly conservative, but its Republicans tend to foster a deliberate temperance.

“Hoosiers, it’s very tough to to predict us, other than to say we’re very cautious," former GOP state lawmaker Mike Murphy said. “We’re not into trends.”

The squeamishness reflects a certain independent streak held by voters in both states and a willingness by some to push back.

Writing in The Washington Post last week, former Gov. Mitch Daniels, a Republican, urged Indiana lawmakers to resist the push to redistrict. "Someone has to lead in climbing out of the mudhole,” he said.

“Hoosiers, like most Americans, place a high value on fairness and react badly to its naked violation,” he wrote.

In Kansas, Republicans also struggle to find votes

In Kansas, Republican legislative leaders are trying to bypass the Democratic governor and force a special session for only the second time in the state’s 164-year history. Gov. Laura Kelly opposes mid-decade redistricting and has suggested it could be unconstitutional.

The Kansas Constitution allows GOP lawmakers to force a special session with a petition signed by two-thirds of both chambers — also the supermajorities needed to override Kelly's expected veto of a new map. Republicans hold four more seats than the two-thirds majority in both the state Senate and House. In either, a defection of five Republicans would sink the effort.

Weeks after state Senate President Ty Masterson announced the push for a special session, GOP leaders were struggling to get the last few signatures needed.

Among the holdouts is Rep. Mark Schreiber, who represents a district southwest of Topeka,. He told The Associated Press that "did not sign a petition to call a special session, and I have no plans to sign one.” Schreiber said he believes redistricting should be used only to reflect shifts in population after the once-every-10-year census.

“Redistricting by either party in midcycle should not be done,” he said.

Republicans would likely target U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the Democrat representing the mostly Kansas City area 3rd Congressional District, which includes Johnson County, the state’s most populous. The suburban county accounts for more than 85% of the vote and has trended to the left since 2016.

Kansas has a sizable number of moderate Republicans, and 29% of the state's 2 million voters are registered as politically unaffiliated. Both groups are prominent in Johnson County.

Republican legislators previously tried to hurt Davids’ chances of reelection when redrawing the district, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-biden-legislature-c33d92d6b33fc33c524f6b78024f3700">she won</a>&nbsp;in 2022 and 2024 by more than 10 percentage points.

“They tried it once and couldn’t get it done,” said Jack Shearer, an 82-year-old registered Republican from suburban Kansas City.

But a mid-decade redistricting has support among some Republicans in the county. State Sen. Doug Shane, whose district includes part of the county, said he believes his constituents would be amenable to splitting it.

“Splitting counties is not unprecedented and occurs in a number of congressional districts around the country,” he said in an email.

Volmert reported from Lansing, Mich., and Hanna from Topeka, Kan. Associated Press writer Heather Hollingsworth in Lenexa, Kan., contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643147273216.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By ISABELLA VOLMERT and JOHN HANNA Associated PressFor most of President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;second term, Republicans have bent to his will. But in two Midwestern states, Trump's plan to maintain control of the U.S. House in next year’s election by having Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-know-redistricting-states-voting-maps-congress-d3a30328bec161d50a7ab52ac48f23d5">redraw congressional districts</a>&nbsp;has hit a roadblock.Despite weeks of campaigning by the White House, Republicans in Indiana and Kansas say their party doesn't have enough votes to pass new, more GOP-friendly maps. It's made the two states outliers in the rush to redistrict — places where Republican-majority legislatures are unwilling or unable to heed Trump's call and help preserve the party’s control on Capitol Hill.Lawmakers in the two states still may be persuaded, and the White House push, which has included an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-redistricting-trump-white-house-eb176b036043caafb923fa30b8ef856d">Oval Office meeting</a>&nbsp;for Indiana lawmakers and two trips to Indianapolis by Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">JD Vance</a>, is expected to continue. But for now, it's a rare setback for the president and his efforts to maintain a compliant GOP-held Congress after the 2026 midterms.Typically, states redraw the boundaries of their congressional districts every 10 years, based on census data. But because midterm elections typically tend to favor the party not in power, Trump is pressuring Republicans to devise new maps that favor the GOP.Democrats only need to gain three seats to flip House control, and the fight has become a bruising back-and-forth.With new maps of their own, multiple Democratic states are moving to counter any gains made by Republicans. The latest, Virginia, is expected to take up the issue in a special session starting Monday.<h2>Hoosier state hesitates</h2>Indiana, whose House delegation has seven Republicans and two Democrats, was one of the first states on which the Trump administration focused its redistricting efforts this summer.But a spokesperson for state Senate Leader Rodric Bray’s office said Thursday that the chamber lacks the votes to redistrict. With only 10 Democrats in the 50-member Senate, that means more than a dozen of the 40 Republicans oppose the idea.Bray's office did not respond to multiple requests for an interview.The holdouts may come from a few schools of thought. New political lines, if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymandering-dummymandering-885d3af597621322b10d889fb9a81f96">poorly executed</a>, could make solidly Republican districts more competitive. Others believe it is simply wrong to stack the deck.“We are being asked to create a new culture in which it would be normal for a political party to select new voters, not once a decade — but any time it fears the consequences of an approaching election,” state Sen. Spencer Deery, a Republican, said in a statement in August.Deery’s office did not respond to a request for an interview and said the statement stands.A common argument in favor of new maps is that Democratic-run states such as Massachusetts have no Republican representatives while Illinois has used redistricting for partisan advantage — a process known as gerrymandering.“For decades, Democrat states have gerrymandered in the dark of the night,” Republican state Sen. Chris Garten said on social media. “We can no longer sit idly by as our country is stolen from us.”Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith, who would vote to break a tie in the state Senate if needed, recently called on lawmakers to forge ahead with redistricting and criticized then for not being sufficiently conservative.“For years, it has been said accurately that the Indiana Senate is where conservative ideas from the House go to die,” Beckwith said in a social media post.Indiana is staunchly conservative, but its Republicans tend to foster a deliberate temperance.“Hoosiers, it’s very tough to to predict us, other than to say we’re very cautious," former GOP state lawmaker Mike Murphy said. “We’re not into trends.”The squeamishness reflects a certain independent streak held by voters in both states and a willingness by some to push back.Writing in The Washington Post last week, former Gov. Mitch Daniels, a Republican, urged Indiana lawmakers to resist the push to redistrict. "Someone has to lead in climbing out of the mudhole,” he said.“Hoosiers, like most Americans, place a high value on fairness and react badly to its naked violation,” he wrote.<h2>In Kansas, Republicans also struggle to find votes</h2>In Kansas, Republican legislative leaders are trying to bypass the Democratic governor and force a special session for only the second time in the state’s 164-year history. Gov. Laura Kelly opposes mid-decade redistricting and has suggested it could be unconstitutional.The Kansas Constitution allows GOP lawmakers to force a special session with a petition signed by two-thirds of both chambers — also the supermajorities needed to override Kelly's expected veto of a new map. Republicans hold four more seats than the two-thirds majority in both the state Senate and House. In either, a defection of five Republicans would sink the effort.Weeks after state Senate President Ty Masterson announced the push for a special session, GOP leaders were struggling to get the last few signatures needed.Among the holdouts is Rep. Mark Schreiber, who represents a district southwest of Topeka,. He told The Associated Press that "did not sign a petition to call a special session, and I have no plans to sign one.” Schreiber said he believes redistricting should be used only to reflect shifts in population after the once-every-10-year census.“Redistricting by either party in midcycle should not be done,” he said.Republicans would likely target U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the Democrat representing the mostly Kansas City area 3rd Congressional District, which includes Johnson County, the state’s most populous. The suburban county accounts for more than 85% of the vote and has trended to the left since 2016.Kansas has a sizable number of moderate Republicans, and 29% of the state's 2 million voters are registered as politically unaffiliated. Both groups are prominent in Johnson County.Republican legislators previously tried to hurt Davids’ chances of reelection when redrawing the district, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-biden-legislature-c33d92d6b33fc33c524f6b78024f3700">she won</a>&nbsp;in 2022 and 2024 by more than 10 percentage points.“They tried it once and couldn’t get it done,” said Jack Shearer, an 82-year-old registered Republican from suburban Kansas City.But a mid-decade redistricting has support among some Republicans in the county. State Sen. Doug Shane, whose district includes part of the county, said he believes his constituents would be amenable to splitting it.“Splitting counties is not unprecedented and occurs in a number of congressional districts around the country,” he said in an email.__Volmert reported from Lansing, Mich., and Hanna from Topeka, Kan. Associated Press writer Heather Hollingsworth in Lenexa, Kan., contributed to this report.

Redistricting push hits roadblocks in Kansas and Indiana as GOP lawmakers resist

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/alex-veiga">ALEX VEIGA</a>

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes accelerated in September as declining mortgage rates and a pickup in available properties on the market encouraged home shoppers.

Existing home sales rose 1.5% last month from August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.06 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. That’s the fastest sales pace since February.

Sales jumped 4.1% compared with September last year. The latest sales figure came in slightly below the roughly 4.07 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet.

The national median sales price climbed 2.1% in September from a year earlier to $415,200. That’s the 27th consecutive month that home prices have risen on an annual basis and the highest median sales price for any September on data going back to 1999.

“The home sales in September showed an increase, but I would not characterize (it) as a breakout,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “It does show that consumers do respond to lower mortgage rates.”

The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump since 2022, when mortgage rates began climbing from historic lows.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-b7645724538b7a860c1d739e8b05380d" rel="nofollow">Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes sank last year</a>&nbsp;to their lowest level in nearly 30 years.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-c30936bfb9ab1eb0823f7b28e92807ad" rel="nofollow">Mortgage rates</a>&nbsp;started declining in July in the lead-up to the Federal Reserve’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-trump-2d05401d7c9cb2393925f494aac71d89" rel="nofollow">decision</a>&nbsp;last month to cut its main interest rate for the first time in a year amid growing concern over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-economy-unemployment-trump-firing-f686eab61f7d6b702ca10b12b0250498" rel="nofollow">U.S. job market</a>.

Homes purchased last month likely went under contract in July and August, when the average rate on a 30-year mortgage ranged from 6.75% to 6.56%, according to Freddie Mac. The decline in mortgage rates accelerated in September and continued month, pulling the average rate down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-6dfe7db9f54eeee330cb8b669cab60ac" rel="nofollow">this week to its lowest level in more than a year.</a>

While lower rates boost home shoppers’ purchasing power, borrowing costs remain too high for many Americans to afford to buy a home following years of skyrocketing prices. The U.S. median home sales price has risen 53% over the past six years, before the housing market superheated during the initial years of the pandemic.

Home shoppers who can afford to buy at current mortgage rates have benefited from a wider selection of properties on the market, which has brought supply and demand more into balance.

There were 1.55 million unsold homes at the end of last month, up 1.3% from August and up 14% from September last year, NAR said. The latest inventory snapshot matches a 5-year high, but remains well below the roughly 2 million homes for sale that was typical before the pandemic.

That chronic shortage of homes for sale, especially those in the more affordable end of the market, continues to weigh especially on first-time homebuyers, who don’t have home equity gains to put toward a new home purchase. They accounted for 30% of homes sales last month. Historically, they made up 40% of home sales.

September’s month-end inventory translates to a 4.6-month supply at the current sales pace, matching the supply level at the end of August and an increase from 4.2 months in September last year. Traditionally, a 5- to 6-month supply is considered a balanced market between buyers and sellers.

Homes are also taking longer to sell. Properties typically remained on the market for 33 days last month before selling, up from 31 days in August and 28 days in September last year, NAR said.

The longer homes linger on the market, the more pressure it puts on homeowners eager to sell to give buyers a better deal.

Despite easing mortgage rates, many home shoppers bought homes entirely with cash last month. Such transactions made up 30% of all sales, up from 28% in August and unchanged compared to September last year, NAR said.

That reflects a broader trend this year. Roughly one-third of homes sold in the first half of 2025 were paid for in all cash, down slightly from the same period last year, but well above pre-pandemic levels, according to a recent report by Realtor.com.

Mortgage rates will probably ease further through the end of the year, but prospective homebuyers are likely to remain cautious amid uncertain economic conditions, said Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist at Bright MLS.

“The push and pull of lower rates and rising economic uncertainty means that home sales activity is likely to remain steady through the fourth quarter, with total 2025 transactions ending only slightly above last year,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659001075252.jpeg" alt="Photo AP" />
 <figcaption>Photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/alex-veiga">ALEX VEIGA</a>Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes accelerated in September as declining mortgage rates and a pickup in available properties on the market encouraged home shoppers.Existing home sales rose 1.5% last month from August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.06 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. That’s the fastest sales pace since February.Sales jumped 4.1% compared with September last year. The latest sales figure came in slightly below the roughly 4.07 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet.The national median sales price climbed 2.1% in September from a year earlier to $415,200. That’s the 27th consecutive month that home prices have risen on an annual basis and the highest median sales price for any September on data going back to 1999.“The home sales in September showed an increase, but I would not characterize (it) as a breakout,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “It does show that consumers do respond to lower mortgage rates.”The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump since 2022, when mortgage rates began climbing from historic lows.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-b7645724538b7a860c1d739e8b05380d" rel="nofollow">Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes sank last year</a>&nbsp;to their lowest level in nearly 30 years.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-c30936bfb9ab1eb0823f7b28e92807ad" rel="nofollow">Mortgage rates</a>&nbsp;started declining in July in the lead-up to the Federal Reserve’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-trump-2d05401d7c9cb2393925f494aac71d89" rel="nofollow">decision</a>&nbsp;last month to cut its main interest rate for the first time in a year amid growing concern over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-economy-unemployment-trump-firing-f686eab61f7d6b702ca10b12b0250498" rel="nofollow">U.S. job market</a>.Homes purchased last month likely went under contract in July and August, when the average rate on a 30-year mortgage ranged from 6.75% to 6.56%, according to Freddie Mac. The decline in mortgage rates accelerated in September and continued month, pulling the average rate down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-6dfe7db9f54eeee330cb8b669cab60ac" rel="nofollow">this week to its lowest level in more than a year.</a>While lower rates boost home shoppers’ purchasing power, borrowing costs remain too high for many Americans to afford to buy a home following years of skyrocketing prices. The U.S. median home sales price has risen 53% over the past six years, before the housing market superheated during the initial years of the pandemic.Home shoppers who can afford to buy at current mortgage rates have benefited from a wider selection of properties on the market, which has brought supply and demand more into balance.There were 1.55 million unsold homes at the end of last month, up 1.3% from August and up 14% from September last year, NAR said. The latest inventory snapshot matches a 5-year high, but remains well below the roughly 2 million homes for sale that was typical before the pandemic.That chronic shortage of homes for sale, especially those in the more affordable end of the market, continues to weigh especially on first-time homebuyers, who don’t have home equity gains to put toward a new home purchase. They accounted for 30% of homes sales last month. Historically, they made up 40% of home sales.September’s month-end inventory translates to a 4.6-month supply at the current sales pace, matching the supply level at the end of August and an increase from 4.2 months in September last year. Traditionally, a 5- to 6-month supply is considered a balanced market between buyers and sellers.Homes are also taking longer to sell. Properties typically remained on the market for 33 days last month before selling, up from 31 days in August and 28 days in September last year, NAR said.The longer homes linger on the market, the more pressure it puts on homeowners eager to sell to give buyers a better deal.Despite easing mortgage rates, many home shoppers bought homes entirely with cash last month. Such transactions made up 30% of all sales, up from 28% in August and unchanged compared to September last year, NAR said.That reflects a broader trend this year. Roughly one-third of homes sold in the first half of 2025 were paid for in all cash, down slightly from the same period last year, but well above pre-pandemic levels, according to a recent report by Realtor.com.Mortgage rates will probably ease further through the end of the year, but prospective homebuyers are likely to remain cautious amid uncertain economic conditions, said Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist at Bright MLS.“The push and pull of lower rates and rising economic uncertainty means that home sales activity is likely to remain steady through the fourth quarter, with total 2025 transactions ending only slightly above last year,” she said.

US home sales accelerated in September; fastest pace since February

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris" rel="nofollow">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;isn’t ruling out another run for the White House.

In an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2n7k2veywo" target="_blank">interview with the BBC</a>&nbsp;posted Saturday, Harris said she expects a woman will be president in the coming years, and it could “possibly” be her.

The former vice-president said she hasn’t decided whether to mount a 2028 presidential campaign. But she dismissed the suggestion that she’d face long odds.

“I have lived my entire career a life of service and it’s in my bones. And there are many ways to serve,” she said. “I’ve never listened to polls.”

She’s recently given a series of interviews following the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-book-democrats-donald-trump-53cd29f4e85ff80dcea8ee3d201204f7" rel="nofollow">September release</a>&nbsp;of her book,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-donald-trump-campaign-book-f8663d56a637bd1be494348021141eba" rel="nofollow">“107 Days.”</a>&nbsp;It looks back on her experience replacing then-President Joe Biden as the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6" rel="nofollow">he dropped out</a>&nbsp;of the race.

She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-trump-harris-white-house-83c8e246ab97f5b97be45cdc156af4e2" rel="nofollow">ultimately lost&nbsp;</a>to Republican President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump" rel="nofollow">Donald Trump</a>.

In an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-karris-democrats-trump-2028-6a2bf6f7861b7a7600f168c623364c85" rel="nofollow">interview with The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;last week, Harris, 60, also made clear that running again in 2028 is still on the table. She said she sees herself as a leader of the party, including in pushing back against Trump and preparing for the 2026 midterms.

Asked in an Oct. 17 interview with AP whether she had plans for a 2028 bid, Harris said, “I haven’t decided. Sincerely. I have not decided. I may or I may not. I have not decided.”

Asked specifically whether she still wanted to do the job itself, she used the past tense, saying, “It’s a job I wanted to do.” But she noted that the only way to do it “is to run” and win.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-presidential-election-2028-biden-trump-c9302d96806951c08443df9a8d368a46" rel="nofollow">political jockeying</a>&nbsp;among Democrats for the 2028 presidential contest appears to be playing out even earlier than usual.

Several potential candidates are already taking steps to get to know voters in key states, including California Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gavin-newsom-south-carolina-democratic-primary-d04d1f313fbe7697aa31785e0e47440b" rel="nofollow">Gavin Newsom</a>, term-limited Kentucky Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/early-childhood-education-kentucky-governor-beshear-fee0175f20937a83ef46068cad9d7375" rel="nofollow">Andy Beshear</a>&nbsp;and California Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/war-powers-act-trump-congress-9e6832fb5f5f844acf8992008d3a8d63" rel="nofollow">Ro Khanna</a>. Upwards of 30 high-profile Democrats could ultimately enter the primary.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761438529782.png" alt="Former Vice President Kamala Harris-image from a No Kings Rally promotion on her social media page." />
 <figcaption>Former Vice President Kamala Harris-image from a No Kings Rally promotion on her social media page.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris" rel="nofollow">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;isn’t ruling out another run for the White House.In an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2n7k2veywo" target="_blank">interview with the BBC</a>&nbsp;posted Saturday, Harris said she expects a woman will be president in the coming years, and it could “possibly” be her.“I am not done,” she said.The former vice-president said she hasn’t decided whether to mount a 2028 presidential campaign. But she dismissed the suggestion that she’d face long odds.“I have lived my entire career a life of service and it’s in my bones. And there are many ways to serve,” she said. “I’ve never listened to polls.”She’s recently given a series of interviews following the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-book-democrats-donald-trump-53cd29f4e85ff80dcea8ee3d201204f7" rel="nofollow">September release</a>&nbsp;of her book,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-donald-trump-campaign-book-f8663d56a637bd1be494348021141eba" rel="nofollow">“107 Days.”</a>&nbsp;It looks back on her experience replacing then-President Joe Biden as the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6" rel="nofollow">he dropped out</a>&nbsp;of the race.She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-trump-harris-white-house-83c8e246ab97f5b97be45cdc156af4e2" rel="nofollow">ultimately lost&nbsp;</a>to Republican President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump" rel="nofollow">Donald Trump</a>.In an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-karris-democrats-trump-2028-6a2bf6f7861b7a7600f168c623364c85" rel="nofollow">interview with The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;last week, Harris, 60, also made clear that running again in 2028 is still on the table. She said she sees herself as a leader of the party, including in pushing back against Trump and preparing for the 2026 midterms.Asked in an Oct. 17 interview with AP whether she had plans for a 2028 bid, Harris said, “I haven’t decided. Sincerely. I have not decided. I may or I may not. I have not decided.”Asked specifically whether she still wanted to do the job itself, she used the past tense, saying, “It’s a job I wanted to do.” But she noted that the only way to do it “is to run” and win.Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-presidential-election-2028-biden-trump-c9302d96806951c08443df9a8d368a46" rel="nofollow">political jockeying</a>&nbsp;among Democrats for the 2028 presidential contest appears to be playing out even earlier than usual.Several potential candidates are already taking steps to get to know voters in key states, including California Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gavin-newsom-south-carolina-democratic-primary-d04d1f313fbe7697aa31785e0e47440b" rel="nofollow">Gavin Newsom</a>, term-limited Kentucky Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/early-childhood-education-kentucky-governor-beshear-fee0175f20937a83ef46068cad9d7375" rel="nofollow">Andy Beshear</a>&nbsp;and California Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/war-powers-act-trump-congress-9e6832fb5f5f844acf8992008d3a8d63" rel="nofollow">Ro Khanna</a>. Upwards of 30 high-profile Democrats could ultimately enter the primary.

Kamala Harris leaves door open for 2028 presidential run

The investigation into the fatal crash that claimed the life of 10-year-old Duke Ommert in Leawood is completed, according to a statement from the Leawood Police Department.

Police officers certified in crash reconstruction conducted a thorough investigation, which included interviews with the driver involved—who remained at the scene and has been cooperative throughout—as well as multiple eyewitnesses. Officers also analyzed the physical evidence from the scene and searched for available video footage of the crash. 

According to the investigation, Duke, who was wearing a helmet and riding an e-scooter, started across Lee Boulevard mid-block from the east side of the roadway when he was struck by an approaching southbound vehicle. The driver stopped the vehicle immediately after the collision. The investigation determined that the driver’s actions were not a contributing factor in the crash. 

"As our community grieves this tragic loss, the Leawood Police Department reminds everyone—motorists, cyclists, scooter riders, and pedestrians—to remain alert, stay aware of their surroundings, and look out for one another on our roadways."

JOHNSON COUNTY—A Kansas boy injured when a vehicle struck the electric scooter he was riding on October 13 has died.

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/prayers-and-support-for-duke-ommert">Click here to see the online fundraiser</a>

At approximately 6 p.m. on Monday, emergency crews responded to an injury crash on Lee Boulevard just north of W 103rd Street, according to a media release from Leawood Police.

Duke Ommert, a 4th grader at Brockwood Elementary in Leawood, was on an e-scooter crossing Lee Boulevard in Leawood after an afternoon of playing with friends when he was struck by a vehicle, according to the online fundraiser.

He had a severe head injury and a fractured leg from the crash. He was taken to an area hospital before being transferred to Children's Mercy. He died earlier this week, according to the online fundraiser.

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating&nbsp; a 2-vehicle crash that injured a juvenile.

The crash involved a vehicle and a juvenile on an electric scooter. EMS transported the juvenile to an area hospital in critical condition. The Leawood Police Department Major Crash Investigation Unit is investigating the crash. Lee Boulevard was closed north of W 103rd St while the investigation was underway.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761301582903.png" alt="Duke Ommert-photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Duke Ommert-photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>The investigation into the fatal crash that claimed the life of 10-year-old Duke Ommert in Leawood is completed, according to a statement from the Leawood Police Department.Police officers certified in crash reconstruction conducted a thorough investigation, which included interviews with the driver involved—who remained at the scene and has been cooperative throughout—as well as multiple eyewitnesses. Officers also analyzed the physical evidence from the scene and searched for available video footage of the crash. According to the investigation, Duke, who was wearing a helmet and riding an e-scooter, started across Lee Boulevard mid-block from the east side of the roadway when he was struck by an approaching southbound vehicle. The driver stopped the vehicle immediately after the collision. The investigation determined that the driver’s actions were not a contributing factor in the crash. "As our community grieves this tragic loss, the Leawood Police Department reminds everyone—motorists, cyclists, scooter riders, and pedestrians—to remain alert, stay aware of their surroundings, and look out for one another on our roadways."----------------JOHNSON COUNTY—A Kansas boy injured when a vehicle struck the electric scooter he was riding on October 13 has died.<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/prayers-and-support-for-duke-ommert">Click here to see the online fundraiser</a>At approximately 6 p.m. on Monday, emergency crews responded to an injury crash on Lee Boulevard just north of W 103rd Street, according to a media release from Leawood Police.Duke Ommert, a 4th grader at Brockwood Elementary in Leawood, was on an e-scooter crossing Lee Boulevard in Leawood after an afternoon of playing with friends when he was struck by a vehicle, according to the online fundraiser.He had a severe head injury and a fractured leg from the crash. He was taken to an area hospital before being transferred to Children's Mercy. He died earlier this week, according to the online fundraiser.-------------------JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating&nbsp; a 2-vehicle crash that injured a juvenile.At approximately 6 p.m. on Monday, emergency crews responded to an injury crash on Lee Boulevard just north of W 103rd Street, according to a media release from Leawood Police.The crash involved a vehicle and a juvenile on an electric scooter. EMS transported the juvenile to an area hospital in critical condition. The Leawood Police Department Major Crash Investigation Unit is investigating the crash. Lee Boulevard was closed north of W 103rd St while the investigation was underway.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

Police investigation: Driver not at fault in crash that killed Kan. boy

Soon after he stepped out of the plane, U.S. President Trump displayed his signature dance moves to Malaysian performers on Sunday. He arrived in Malaysia to attend the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Trade tensions between the United States and China appeared to cool on Sunday ahead of a meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, with the Chinese government suggesting that a mutual understanding had been reached between the world's two largest economies.

The talks followed China placing limits on the exporting of rare earth elements needed for advanced technologies and Trump’s threat of an additional 100% tariffs on Chinese goods. The conflict has been poised to weaken economic growth worldwide.

China’s top trade negotiator, Li Chenggang, told reporters that the two sides had reached a “preliminary consensus” on areas of dispute and would seek to further stabilize the relationship. Trump also expressed confidence that an agreement was at hand.

“They want to make a deal and we want to make a deal,” he said. Trump reiterated his plan to visit China in the future and suggested that Xi could come to Washington or Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida.

The announcement came at the annual summit of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asean-summit-malaysia-trump-east-timor-leste-0721a23439e22009b9d37ed5adc2f03e">the Association of Southeast Asian Nations</a>, hosted in Kuala Lumpur, with Trump seeking to burnish his reputation as an international dealmaker.

Yet the path to those deals has involved serious disruptions at home and abroad, with his tariff hikes scrambling the global economy and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-trump-congress-presidential-power-157d0d2d6d00d273dca722232ff252ad">a U.S. government shutdown</a>&nbsp;that has him feuding with Democrats.

Trump attends ceasefire ceremony between Thailand and Cambodia

At the summit, Thailand and Cambodia signed an expanded ceasefire agreement on Sunday during a ceremony attended by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>, whose threats of economic pressure prodded the two nations to halt skirmishes along their disputed border earlier this year.

Thailand will release Cambodian prisoners and Cambodia will begin withdrawing heavy artillery as part of the first phase of the deal. Regional observers will monitor the situation to ensure fighting doesn't restart.

“We did something that a lot of people said couldn’t be done," Trump said. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet called it a “historic day,” and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the agreement creates “the building blocks for a lasting peace.”

Trump touched down in the Malaysian capital shortly before 0200 GMT, where he performed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ymca-dance-rallies-05da758dfeb2dd9c2ed22ebb88610b24">his trademark campaign trail dance</a>&nbsp;with local performers and waved an American flag in one hand and a Malaysian flag in the other. His trip will also include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-xi-jinping-china-asia-8f21df3df6fa3f51ca4ab4dfcf7669ba">visits to Japan and South Korea</a>&nbsp;and a planned meeting with Xi.

The president signed economic agreements with Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia, some of them aimed at increasing trade involving critical minerals. The U.S. wants to rely less on China,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-earths-exports-trump-dad99d532f858f04d750d0b8c50e5ed6">which has limited exports</a>&nbsp;of key components in technology manufacturing.

“It’s very important that we cooperate as willing partners with each other to ensure that we can have smooth supply chains, secure supply chains, for the quality of life, for our people and security,” said U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

Trump reengages with a key region of the world

The president attended this summit only once during his first term, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-duckworth-asean-trump-cabinet-senate-d06bda55cfa19b2454c5cac0a6e897a5">Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seemed unfamiliar</a>&nbsp;with ASEAN during his confirmation hearing in January.

But this year's event was a chance for Trump to reengage with a collection of nations that have a combined $3.8 trillion economy and 680 million people.

“The United States is with you 100%, and we intend to be a strong partner and friend for many generations to come," Trump said. He described his counterparts as “spectacular leaders” and said, “everything you touch turns to gold.”

The summit also allowed Trump to play global peacemaker with Thailand and Cambodia, which have competing territorial claims that result in periodic violence along their border. Some of the worst modern fighting between the two countries took place over five days in July, killing dozens and displacing hundreds of thousands of people, some of the worst modern fighting between the two countries.

Trump threatened, at the time, to withhold trade agreements unless the fighting stopped in a display of economic leverage credited with spurring negotiations.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/thailand-cambodia-border-conflict-explainer-0eb99510a4ea16ee769a5934e0c07383">A shaky truce</a>&nbsp;has persisted since then.

“The fact that Trump was holding the tariff card was actually very, very significant,” said Ou Virak, president of Phnom Penh’s Future Forum think tank. “That’s probably the main reason, if not the only reason, but definitely the main reason why the two sides agreed immediately to the ceasefire.”

Now, he said, “there’s a ceremony for Trump to be in front of cameras” so he can be “seen as the champion that brings an end to wars and conflicts,” giving him ”more ammunition for his bid for Nobel Peace Prize.”

Trump has explicitly campaigned for the honor,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-eight-wars-trump-ended-fact-check-ff41789ca242462c1c0ab65eb4ae8c7e">continuously adding to a list of conflicts</a>&nbsp;that he either helped resolve or claims to have ended.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/anwar-ibrahim">Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim</a>&nbsp;praised the agreement between Thailand and Cambodia during opening remarks at the summit, saying, "it reminds us that reconciliation is not concession, but an act of courage.”

Trump sat down with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Kuala Lumpur, who was also attending the summit. There has been friction between the two leaders over the Brazilian prosecution of Jair Bolsonaro, the country's former president, who has been close to Trump. Bolsonaro was convicted of attempting a coup in his country earlier this week.

During his meeting with Lula on Sunday, Trump said he could reduce tariffs on Brazil that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-brazil-tariffs-bolsonaro-lula-trade-imbalance-de4cf0669b00a76149e8f39f200af502">he enacted in a push for leniency for Bolsonaro.</a>

“I think we should be able to make some good deals for both countries,” he said.

While Trump was warming to Lula, he avoided Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The president is angry with Canada because of a television advertisement protesting his trade policies, and on his way to the summit, announced on social media he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-canada-tariffs-3cbc1cbf9ed53a10b442fd55dae1e0a3">hike tariffs on Canada</a>&nbsp;because of it.

Trump has expressed confidence about reaching deals during the rest of his trip, including with China. Fentanyl trafficking and soybean sales are among Trump's priorities.

“I think we have a really good chance of making a very comprehensive deal,” Trump said.

It remains to be seen whether Trump’s dealmaking addresses longstanding issues or puts them off for another day.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested Sunday that Washington and Beijing could step back from their confrontation instead of pushing forward with higher tariffs by America and export restrictions on rare earth elements by China.

When asked if the two countries could extend the trade truce from earlier this year, Bessent said: “I would say yes." However, he emphasized that the final decision would be up to Trump.

One leader who was absent from the summit in Kuala Lumpur is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Although he was close with Trump during his first term, the relationship has been more tense lately. Trump caused irritation by boasting that he settled a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-india-pakistan-kashmir-trade-e3cedcad801ce78c85194fcbf3b917f0">recent conflict between India and Pakistan</a>, and he has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/india-trump-modi-russia-oil-e03d5e496250e55b839d8915b85fab1d">increased tariffs on India</a>&nbsp;for its purchase of Russian oil.

Soon after he stepped out of the plane, U.S. President Trump displayed his signature dance moves to Malaysian performers on Sunday. He arrived in Malaysia to attend the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">MUST WATCH! President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> dances at Malaysian arrival ceremony 🇺🇸🇲🇾 <a href="https://t.co/e7Zrw3L35Y">pic.twitter.com/e7Zrw3L35Y</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1982270726481887274?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Today, the Prime Minister and I signed a major trade deal between the United States and Malaysia—and...we took part in the signing of a historic peace agreement, ending the hostilities between Cambodia and Thailand. We&#39;re calling it the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/SL3jlijnho">pic.twitter.com/SL3jlijnho</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1982337322713506279?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> participates in a family photo with leaders at the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia <a href="https://t.co/xGxpgmlp4e">pic.twitter.com/xGxpgmlp4e</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1982330031750942950?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> in Malaysia: &quot;Today, alongside this peace treaty, we also are signing a major trade deal with Cambodia, and a very important critical minerals agreement with Thailand.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/F2U8xxBKXS">pic.twitter.com/F2U8xxBKXS</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1982309797920739715?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Trade tensions between the United States and China appeared to cool on Sunday ahead of a meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, with the Chinese government suggesting that a mutual understanding had been reached between the world's two largest economies.The talks followed China placing limits on the exporting of rare earth elements needed for advanced technologies and Trump’s threat of an additional 100% tariffs on Chinese goods. The conflict has been poised to weaken economic growth worldwide.China’s top trade negotiator, Li Chenggang, told reporters that the two sides had reached a “preliminary consensus” on areas of dispute and would seek to further stabilize the relationship. Trump also expressed confidence that an agreement was at hand.“They want to make a deal and we want to make a deal,” he said. Trump reiterated his plan to visit China in the future and suggested that Xi could come to Washington or Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida.The announcement came at the annual summit of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asean-summit-malaysia-trump-east-timor-leste-0721a23439e22009b9d37ed5adc2f03e">the Association of Southeast Asian Nations</a>, hosted in Kuala Lumpur, with Trump seeking to burnish his reputation as an international dealmaker.Yet the path to those deals has involved serious disruptions at home and abroad, with his tariff hikes scrambling the global economy and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-trump-congress-presidential-power-157d0d2d6d00d273dca722232ff252ad">a U.S. government shutdown</a>&nbsp;that has him feuding with Democrats.<h2>Trump attends ceasefire ceremony between Thailand and Cambodia</h2>At the summit, Thailand and Cambodia signed an expanded ceasefire agreement on Sunday during a ceremony attended by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>, whose threats of economic pressure prodded the two nations to halt skirmishes along their disputed border earlier this year.Thailand will release Cambodian prisoners and Cambodia will begin withdrawing heavy artillery as part of the first phase of the deal. Regional observers will monitor the situation to ensure fighting doesn't restart.“We did something that a lot of people said couldn’t be done," Trump said. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet called it a “historic day,” and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the agreement creates “the building blocks for a lasting peace.”Trump touched down in the Malaysian capital shortly before 0200 GMT, where he performed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ymca-dance-rallies-05da758dfeb2dd9c2ed22ebb88610b24">his trademark campaign trail dance</a>&nbsp;with local performers and waved an American flag in one hand and a Malaysian flag in the other. His trip will also include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-xi-jinping-china-asia-8f21df3df6fa3f51ca4ab4dfcf7669ba">visits to Japan and South Korea</a>&nbsp;and a planned meeting with Xi.The president signed economic agreements with Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia, some of them aimed at increasing trade involving critical minerals. The U.S. wants to rely less on China,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-earths-exports-trump-dad99d532f858f04d750d0b8c50e5ed6">which has limited exports</a>&nbsp;of key components in technology manufacturing.“It’s very important that we cooperate as willing partners with each other to ensure that we can have smooth supply chains, secure supply chains, for the quality of life, for our people and security,” said U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.<h2>Trump reengages with a key region of the world</h2>The president attended this summit only once during his first term, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-duckworth-asean-trump-cabinet-senate-d06bda55cfa19b2454c5cac0a6e897a5">Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seemed unfamiliar</a>&nbsp;with ASEAN during his confirmation hearing in January.But this year's event was a chance for Trump to reengage with a collection of nations that have a combined $3.8 trillion economy and 680 million people.“The United States is with you 100%, and we intend to be a strong partner and friend for many generations to come," Trump said. He described his counterparts as “spectacular leaders” and said, “everything you touch turns to gold.”The summit also allowed Trump to play global peacemaker with Thailand and Cambodia, which have competing territorial claims that result in periodic violence along their border. Some of the worst modern fighting between the two countries took place over five days in July, killing dozens and displacing hundreds of thousands of people, some of the worst modern fighting between the two countries.Trump threatened, at the time, to withhold trade agreements unless the fighting stopped in a display of economic leverage credited with spurring negotiations.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/thailand-cambodia-border-conflict-explainer-0eb99510a4ea16ee769a5934e0c07383">A shaky truce</a>&nbsp;has persisted since then.“The fact that Trump was holding the tariff card was actually very, very significant,” said Ou Virak, president of Phnom Penh’s Future Forum think tank. “That’s probably the main reason, if not the only reason, but definitely the main reason why the two sides agreed immediately to the ceasefire.”Now, he said, “there’s a ceremony for Trump to be in front of cameras” so he can be “seen as the champion that brings an end to wars and conflicts,” giving him ”more ammunition for his bid for Nobel Peace Prize.”Trump has explicitly campaigned for the honor,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-eight-wars-trump-ended-fact-check-ff41789ca242462c1c0ab65eb4ae8c7e">continuously adding to a list of conflicts</a>&nbsp;that he either helped resolve or claims to have ended.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/anwar-ibrahim">Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim</a>&nbsp;praised the agreement between Thailand and Cambodia during opening remarks at the summit, saying, "it reminds us that reconciliation is not concession, but an act of courage.”<h2>Tariffs are in focus on Trump's trip</h2>Trump sat down with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Kuala Lumpur, who was also attending the summit. There has been friction between the two leaders over the Brazilian prosecution of Jair Bolsonaro, the country's former president, who has been close to Trump. Bolsonaro was convicted of attempting a coup in his country earlier this week.During his meeting with Lula on Sunday, Trump said he could reduce tariffs on Brazil that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-brazil-tariffs-bolsonaro-lula-trade-imbalance-de4cf0669b00a76149e8f39f200af502">he enacted in a push for leniency for Bolsonaro.</a>“I think we should be able to make some good deals for both countries,” he said.While Trump was warming to Lula, he avoided Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The president is angry with Canada because of a television advertisement protesting his trade policies, and on his way to the summit, announced on social media he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-canada-tariffs-3cbc1cbf9ed53a10b442fd55dae1e0a3">hike tariffs on Canada</a>&nbsp;because of it.Trump has expressed confidence about reaching deals during the rest of his trip, including with China. Fentanyl trafficking and soybean sales are among Trump's priorities.“I think we have a really good chance of making a very comprehensive deal,” Trump said.It remains to be seen whether Trump’s dealmaking addresses longstanding issues or puts them off for another day.U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested Sunday that Washington and Beijing could step back from their confrontation instead of pushing forward with higher tariffs by America and export restrictions on rare earth elements by China.When asked if the two countries could extend the trade truce from earlier this year, Bessent said: “I would say yes." However, he emphasized that the final decision would be up to Trump.One leader who was absent from the summit in Kuala Lumpur is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Although he was close with Trump during his first term, the relationship has been more tense lately. Trump caused irritation by boasting that he settled a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-india-pakistan-kashmir-trade-e3cedcad801ce78c85194fcbf3b917f0">recent conflict between India and Pakistan</a>, and he has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/india-trump-modi-russia-oil-e03d5e496250e55b839d8915b85fab1d">increased tariffs on India</a>&nbsp;for its purchase of Russian oil.___

 🎥President Trump  dances at Malaysian arrival ceremony

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

TOPEKA — A California judge said states suing the federal government over demands for food program data are likely to win their claims and ruled program funding must continue while the case progresses.&nbsp;

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and Department for Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/19/sad-political-stunt-lawsuit-between-kobach-kansas-governor-heats-up/">have been criticized and sued</a>&nbsp;by state Republican leaders for refusing to turn over Supplemental and Nutrition Assistance Program data, potentially causing the USDA to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/22/kansas-governors-office-disputes-accuracy-of-kobachs-claims-about-snap-funding/">withhold $10 million</a>&nbsp;in administrative costs. The state has appealed that decision.

Although Kansas didn’t join the national lawsuit, state leaders are watching the outcome, as it may support their reasons for refusing to yield to USDA demands.&nbsp;

A&nbsp;spokeswoman for the governor’s office said it wouldn’t comment about ongoing litigation.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In a 25-page order filed last week, U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney considered the arguments of 21 states and the District of Columbia that have signed onto the lawsuit.&nbsp;

The national case was filed in the Northern District of California in July, outlining why states believe the federal request for personal data of SNAP recipients and applicants violates privacy rules.&nbsp;

Plaintiff states are likely to establish that they are not required by SNAP Act provisions to provide data and “consequently, have shown a likelihood of success on their claim that USDA, in demanding such data, acted in a manner contrary to law,” Chesney wrote.

To determine her ruling on the injunction, Chesney considered multiple factors, including whether the plaintiffs are likely to succeed based on case merits and whether they are likely to suffer irreparable harm.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/08/26/kansas-official-defends-refusal-to-turn-over-private-food-program-data-in-face-of-political-attacks/">Howard told Kansas Reflector</a>&nbsp;the state is concerned that turning over private data before the California lawsuit is settled could put the state at risk.&nbsp;

“I honestly believe that if I were to release that data, then the courts find in favor of the states, then I’m putting the state at liability for releasing the personal information of more than 700,000 Kansans,” she said.&nbsp;

At least 27 Republican-led states have turned over the data requested,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/10/16/nx-s1-5533045/snap-privacy-usda-lawsuit" target="_blank">according to NPR</a>, while most the states resisting the USDA demands are led by Democrats.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761348061715.png" alt=" Department for Children and Families secretary Laura Howard is closely watching a California lawsuit that's looking at whether the federal government has the right to access personal data of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program applicants and recipients. Kansas officials have refused to turn over the data because of concerns it would be a privacy violation. (Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Department for Children and Families secretary Laura Howard is closely watching a California lawsuit that's looking at whether the federal government has the right to access personal data of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program applicants and recipients. Kansas officials have refused to turn over the data because of concerns it would be a privacy violation. (Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A California judge said states suing the federal government over demands for food program data are likely to win their claims and ruled program funding must continue while the case progresses.&nbsp;Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and Department for Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/19/sad-political-stunt-lawsuit-between-kobach-kansas-governor-heats-up/">have been criticized and sued</a>&nbsp;by state Republican leaders for refusing to turn over Supplemental and Nutrition Assistance Program data, potentially causing the USDA to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/22/kansas-governors-office-disputes-accuracy-of-kobachs-claims-about-snap-funding/">withhold $10 million</a>&nbsp;in administrative costs. The state has appealed that decision.Although Kansas didn’t join the national lawsuit, state leaders are watching the outcome, as it may support their reasons for refusing to yield to USDA demands.&nbsp;A&nbsp;spokeswoman for the governor’s office said it wouldn’t comment about ongoing litigation.&nbsp;&nbsp;In a 25-page order filed last week, U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney considered the arguments of 21 states and the District of Columbia that have signed onto the lawsuit.&nbsp;The national case was filed in the Northern District of California in July, outlining why states believe the federal request for personal data of SNAP recipients and applicants violates privacy rules.&nbsp;Plaintiff states are likely to establish that they are not required by SNAP Act provisions to provide data and “consequently, have shown a likelihood of success on their claim that USDA, in demanding such data, acted in a manner contrary to law,” Chesney wrote.To determine her ruling on the injunction, Chesney considered multiple factors, including whether the plaintiffs are likely to succeed based on case merits and whether they are likely to suffer irreparable harm.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/08/26/kansas-official-defends-refusal-to-turn-over-private-food-program-data-in-face-of-political-attacks/">Howard told Kansas Reflector</a>&nbsp;the state is concerned that turning over private data before the California lawsuit is settled could put the state at risk.&nbsp;“I honestly believe that if I were to release that data, then the courts find in favor of the states, then I’m putting the state at liability for releasing the personal information of more than 700,000 Kansans,” she said.&nbsp;At least 27 Republican-led states have turned over the data requested,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/10/16/nx-s1-5533045/snap-privacy-usda-lawsuit" target="_blank">according to NPR</a>, while most the states resisting the USDA demands are led by Democrats.&nbsp;

National injunction strengthens Kansas’ stance on withholding food program data

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a high speed chase.

Just after 1 p.m. October 22, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Apprehension Unit attempted to stop a black passenger car with a stolen license plate south of Harrisonville, according to a media release.

The driver, later identified as  David S. Wilson, 39, Warrensburg, failed to stop for deputies and fled at a high rate of speed north on Interstate 49. Wilsonexited the highway at Harrisonville and continued through the city before traveling north on Rock Haven Road at 291 Highway.

Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle with a Grappler Device, but Wilson drove through the grass median and continued north on Interstate 49.

Just south of J Highway in Peculiar the driver attempted to pass a vehicle and trveled into the highway median, struck an embankment causing the vehicle to become disabled.  Deputies assisted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol took Wilson and a passenger into custody without further incident.  The vehicle was confirmed stolen from Lee’s Summit.

Wilson was charged in Cass County with Aggravated Fleeing a Stop or Detention, Possession of Controlled Substance, and Tampering with a Motor Vehicle First Degree.  All three charges are Class D Felony.

Wilson is currently being held at the Cass County Jail with no bond allowed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761301398952.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a high speed chase.Just after 1 p.m. October 22, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Apprehension Unit attempted to stop a black passenger car with a stolen license plate south of Harrisonville, according to a media release.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761301355436.png" alt="Wilson photo Cass County" />
 <figcaption>Wilson photo Cass County</figcaption>
 </figure>The driver, later identified as David S. Wilson, 39, Warrensburg, failed to stop for deputies and fled at a high rate of speed north on Interstate 49. Wilsonexited the highway at Harrisonville and continued through the city before traveling north on Rock Haven Road at 291 Highway.Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle with a Grappler Device, but Wilson drove through the grass median and continued north on Interstate 49.Just south of J Highway in Peculiar the driver attempted to pass a vehicle and trveled into the highway median, struck an embankment causing the vehicle to become disabled. Deputies assisted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol took Wilson and a passenger into custody without further incident. The vehicle was confirmed stolen from Lee’s Summit.Wilson was charged in Cass County with Aggravated Fleeing a Stop or Detention, Possession of Controlled Substance, and Tampering with a Motor Vehicle First Degree. All three charges are Class D Felony.Wilson is currently being held at the Cass County Jail with no bond allowed.

Kansas City car theft suspect captured after high-speed chase

TOPEKA —Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt announced a Cherokee county man was sentenced to 12 months of probation for insurance fraud.

<a></a>William Owens, age 71, pleaded guilty in Cherokee County District Court to one felony count of insurance fraud. Owens attempted to fraudulently collect benefits from his insurance company by seeking coverage for stolen and damaged items that were not actually stolen or damaged.

He pleaded guilty and was sentenced on 12 months probation and ordered to pay $500 fine plus court cost and fees with 18 months underlying prison time if his probation is violated.

“Insurance fraud costs all Kansans in the form of increased premiums every year,” Schmidt said. “The Department will continue pursuing penalties against anyone committing insurance fraud in Kansas.”&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Insurance investigated this case which was prosecuted by the Kansas Attorney General’s Office.&nbsp;

TOPEKA —Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt announced a Cherokee county man was sentenced to 12 months of probation for insurance fraud.<a></a>William Owens, age 71, pleaded guilty in Cherokee County District Court to one felony count of insurance fraud. Owens attempted to fraudulently collect benefits from his insurance company by seeking coverage for stolen and damaged items that were not actually stolen or damaged. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced on 12 months probation and ordered to pay $500 fine plus court cost and fees with 18 months underlying prison time if his probation is violated.“Insurance fraud costs all Kansans in the form of increased premiums every year,” Schmidt said. “The Department will continue pursuing penalties against anyone committing insurance fraud in Kansas.”&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Insurance investigated this case which was prosecuted by the Kansas Attorney General’s Office.&nbsp;

Kan. man tried to collect insurance benefits for items not stolen, damaged

LOS ANGELES (AP) — June Lockhart, who became a mother figure for a generation of television viewers whether at home in “Lassie” or up in the stratosphere in “Lost In Space,” has died. She was 100.

Lockhart died Thursday of natural causes at her home in Santa Monica, family spokesman Lyle Gregory, a friend of 40 years, said Saturday.

“She was very happy up until the very end, reading the New York Times and LA Times everyday,” he said. “It was very important to her to stay focused on the news of the day.”

The daughter of prolific character actor Gene Lockhart, Lockhart was cast frequently in ingenue roles as a young film actor. Television made her a star.

From 1958 to 1964, she portrayed Ruth Martin, who raised the orphaned Timmy (Jon Provost), in the popular CBS series “Lassie.” From 1965 to 1968, she traveled aboard the spaceship Jupiter II as mother to the Robinson family in the campy CBS adventure “Lost in Space.”

Her portrayals of warm, compassionate mothers endeared her to young viewers, and decades later baby boomers flocked to nostalgia conventions to meet Lockhart and buy her autographed photos.

Offscreen, Lockhart insisted, she was nothing like the women she portrayed.

“I must quote Dan Rather,” she said in a 1994 interview. “I can control my reputation, but not my image, because my image is how you see me.

“I love rock ‘n’ roll and going to the concerts. I have driven Army tanks and flown in hot air balloons. And I go plane-gliding — the ones with no motors. I do a lot of things that don’t go with my image.”

Early in her career, Lockhart appeared in numerous films. Among them: “All This and Heaven Too,” “Adam Had Four Sons,” “Sergeant York,” “Miss Annie Rooney,” “Forever and a Day” and “Meet Me in St. Louis.”

She also made “Son of Lassie,” the 1945 sequel to “Lassie, Come Home,” playing the grown-up version of the role created by Elizabeth Taylor.

When her movie career as an adult faltered, Lockhart shifted to television, appearing in live drama from New York and game and talk shows. She was the third actress to play the female lead in “Lassie” on TV, following Jan Clayton and Cloris Leachman. (Provost had replaced the show’s original child star, Tommy Rettig, in 1957.)

Lockhart spoke frankly about her canine co-star. In the first place, she said in 1989, Lassie was a laddie, because male collies “are bigger, the ruff is bigger, they’re more imposing looking.”

She added: “I worked with four Lassies. There was only one main Lassie at a time. Then there was a dog that did the running, a dog that did the fighting, and a dog that was a stand-in, because only humans can work 14 hours a day without needing a nap.

“Lassie was not especially friendly with anybody. Lassie was wholly concentrated on the trainers.”

After six years in the rural setting of “Lassie,” Lockhart moved to outer space, embarking on the role of Maureen Robinson, the wise, reassuring mother of a family that departs on a five-year flight to a faraway planet in “Lost in Space.”

After their mission is sabotaged by a fellow passenger, the nefarious Dr. Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris), the party bounces from planet to planet, encountering weird creatures and near-disasters that required viewers to tune in the following week to learn of the escape. Throughout the three-year run, Mrs. Robinson offered consolation and a slice of her “space pie.”

As with “Lassie,” Lockhart enjoyed working on “Lost in Space”: “It was like going to work at Disneyland every day.”

In 1968, Lockhart joined the cast of “Petticoat Junction” for the rural comedy’s last two seasons, playing Dr. Janet Craig. The original star, Bea Benaderet, had been diagnosed with cancer and died, also in 1968.

Lockhart remained active long after “Lost in Space,” appearing often in episodic television as well as in recurring roles in the daytime soap opera “General Hospital” and nighttime soaps, “Knots Landing” and “The Colbys.” Her film credits included “The Remake” and the animated “Bongee Bear and the Kingdom of Rhythm,” for which she provided the voice for Mindy the Owl.

She also used her own media pass to attend presidential news conferences, narrated beauty pageants and holiday parades, appeared in B pictures and toured in the plays “Steel Magnolias,” “Bedroom Farce” and “Once More with Feeling.”

“Her true passion was journalism,” Gregory said. “She loved going to the White House briefing rooms.”

Lockhart liked to tell the story of how her parents met, saying they were hired separately for a touring production sponsored by inventor Thomas A. Edison and decided on marriage during a stop at Lake Louise, Alberta.

Their daughter was born June 25, 1925, in New York City. The family moved to Hollywood 10 years later, and Gene Lockhart worked steadily as a character actor, usually in avuncular roles, sometimes as a villain. His wife, Kathleen, often appeared with him.

Young June made her stage debut at 8, dancing in a children’s ballet at the Metropolitan Opera House. Her first film appearance was a small role in the 1938 “A Christmas Carol,” playing the daughter of Bob Cratchit and his wife, who were played by her parents.

She was married and divorced twice: to John Maloney, a physician, father of her daughters Anne Kathleen and June Elizabeth; and architect John C. Lindsay.

Throughout her later career, Lockhart was connected in the public mind with “Lassie.”

Even though she sometimes mocked the show, she conceded: “How wonderful that in a career there is one role for which you are known. Many actors work all their lives and never have one part that is really theirs.”

Bob Thomas, a longtime Associated Press journalist who died in 2014, was the principal writer of this obituary.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761421981822.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — June Lockhart, who became a mother figure for a generation of television viewers whether at home in “Lassie” or up in the stratosphere in “Lost In Space,” has died. She was 100.Lockhart died Thursday of natural causes at her home in Santa Monica, family spokesman Lyle Gregory, a friend of 40 years, said Saturday.“She was very happy up until the very end, reading the New York Times and LA Times everyday,” he said. “It was very important to her to stay focused on the news of the day.”The daughter of prolific character actor Gene Lockhart, Lockhart was cast frequently in ingenue roles as a young film actor. Television made her a star.From 1958 to 1964, she portrayed Ruth Martin, who raised the orphaned Timmy (Jon Provost), in the popular CBS series “Lassie.” From 1965 to 1968, she traveled aboard the spaceship Jupiter II as mother to the Robinson family in the campy CBS adventure “Lost in Space.”Her portrayals of warm, compassionate mothers endeared her to young viewers, and decades later baby boomers flocked to nostalgia conventions to meet Lockhart and buy her autographed photos.Offscreen, Lockhart insisted, she was nothing like the women she portrayed.“I must quote Dan Rather,” she said in a 1994 interview. “I can control my reputation, but not my image, because my image is how you see me.“I love rock ‘n’ roll and going to the concerts. I have driven Army tanks and flown in hot air balloons. And I go plane-gliding — the ones with no motors. I do a lot of things that don’t go with my image.”Early in her career, Lockhart appeared in numerous films. Among them: “All This and Heaven Too,” “Adam Had Four Sons,” “Sergeant York,” “Miss Annie Rooney,” “Forever and a Day” and “Meet Me in St. Louis.”She also made “Son of Lassie,” the 1945 sequel to “Lassie, Come Home,” playing the grown-up version of the role created by Elizabeth Taylor.<h2>New life on television</h2>When her movie career as an adult faltered, Lockhart shifted to television, appearing in live drama from New York and game and talk shows. She was the third actress to play the female lead in “Lassie” on TV, following Jan Clayton and Cloris Leachman. (Provost had replaced the show’s original child star, Tommy Rettig, in 1957.)Lockhart spoke frankly about her canine co-star. In the first place, she said in 1989, Lassie was a laddie, because male collies “are bigger, the ruff is bigger, they’re more imposing looking.”She added: “I worked with four Lassies. There was only one main Lassie at a time. Then there was a dog that did the running, a dog that did the fighting, and a dog that was a stand-in, because only humans can work 14 hours a day without needing a nap.“Lassie was not especially friendly with anybody. Lassie was wholly concentrated on the trainers.”After six years in the rural setting of “Lassie,” Lockhart moved to outer space, embarking on the role of Maureen Robinson, the wise, reassuring mother of a family that departs on a five-year flight to a faraway planet in “Lost in Space.”After their mission is sabotaged by a fellow passenger, the nefarious Dr. Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris), the party bounces from planet to planet, encountering weird creatures and near-disasters that required viewers to tune in the following week to learn of the escape. Throughout the three-year run, Mrs. Robinson offered consolation and a slice of her “space pie.”As with “Lassie,” Lockhart enjoyed working on “Lost in Space”: “It was like going to work at Disneyland every day.”In 1968, Lockhart joined the cast of “Petticoat Junction” for the rural comedy’s last two seasons, playing Dr. Janet Craig. The original star, Bea Benaderet, had been diagnosed with cancer and died, also in 1968.<h2>A little bit of everything</h2>Lockhart remained active long after “Lost in Space,” appearing often in episodic television as well as in recurring roles in the daytime soap opera “General Hospital” and nighttime soaps, “Knots Landing” and “The Colbys.” Her film credits included “The Remake” and the animated “Bongee Bear and the Kingdom of Rhythm,” for which she provided the voice for Mindy the Owl.She also used her own media pass to attend presidential news conferences, narrated beauty pageants and holiday parades, appeared in B pictures and toured in the plays “Steel Magnolias,” “Bedroom Farce” and “Once More with Feeling.”“Her true passion was journalism,” Gregory said. “She loved going to the White House briefing rooms.”Lockhart liked to tell the story of how her parents met, saying they were hired separately for a touring production sponsored by inventor Thomas A. Edison and decided on marriage during a stop at Lake Louise, Alberta.Their daughter was born June 25, 1925, in New York City. The family moved to Hollywood 10 years later, and Gene Lockhart worked steadily as a character actor, usually in avuncular roles, sometimes as a villain. His wife, Kathleen, often appeared with him.Young June made her stage debut at 8, dancing in a children’s ballet at the Metropolitan Opera House. Her first film appearance was a small role in the 1938 “A Christmas Carol,” playing the daughter of Bob Cratchit and his wife, who were played by her parents.She was married and divorced twice: to John Maloney, a physician, father of her daughters Anne Kathleen and June Elizabeth; and architect John C. Lindsay.Throughout her later career, Lockhart was connected in the public mind with “Lassie.”Even though she sometimes mocked the show, she conceded: “How wonderful that in a career there is one role for which you are known. Many actors work all their lives and never have one part that is really theirs.”___Bob Thomas, a longtime Associated Press journalist who died in 2014, was the principal writer of this obituary.

June Lockhart, beloved mother figure from ‘Lassie’ and ‘Lost In Space,’ dies at 100

The indictments announced Thursday of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-terry-rozier-gambling-probe-de98ecb76bb8f13b85f4c5ac62f66221">poker cheating ring</a>&nbsp;involving NBA figures and backed by the mafia emphasized their alleged high-tech cheating methods. But the con tactics they described are as old as poker itself, familiar from heist movies and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-bond-new-movie-what-to-know-2d7bbd7b3ca86e86194952b681e6179d">James Bond films</a>.

<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eT7xaYmsbTNbHsaP1mTkMy2MSPYQiV0G/view">Click here to read the complete charging documents.</a>

Shady shuffles came not from quick-handed card sharks, but tricked-out machines. Instead of mirrors or guys in the corner peeking over shoulders, there were X-ray tables and high-tech contact lenses. Low-tech signals between players and old-fashioned beatings for debtors allegedly were used too.

Here's a look at how the alleged fraudsters rigged the games, according to an unsealed indictment and the announcement from federal officials.

The underground games were illegal by their very existence, and operated by mafia families. So the indictments go out of their way to emphasize that these were extra illegal — as opposed to “straight” illegal games where at least the poker itself is legit.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/beyonce-new-music-act-ii-14ab5948ecfb76c283c638162b7a53f7">Texas Hold ’em</a>&nbsp;was the poker they played, like most games these days. It involves very few cards — just five face-up public cards and two for each player. That potentially simplifies the scamming.

Rich targets known as “fish” were brought in by the allure of playing for high stakes in posh secret spots in Manhattan with names like “The Lexington Avenue Game,” the indictment said. They were also attracted by the prospect of playing with pro athletes and coaches, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/portland-trail-blazers">Portland Trail Blazers</a>&nbsp;coach and Hall-of-Fame NBA player Chauncey Billups. The operators called these “face cards.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trail-blazers-chauncey-billups-57c920d0fcace5dbce25cd474468cd40">Billups</a>&nbsp;was charged with participating in a conspiracy to fix high-stakes card games tied to La Cosa Nostra organized crime families that cheated unsuspecting gamblers out of at least $7 million. Also charged was former NBA assistant coach and player Damon Jones.

Authorities gave no hints about the identity of the victims other than to say they were usually wealthy people who lost tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cheaters.

The “face cards” and everyone else at the table who was not a target was in on the scam.

The shuffling machine did most of the work. Using machines is common, but the advanced tech on these ones could determine the exact order of cards after a shuffle, and who was holding what once they were dealt. That information was transmitted wirelessly to someone off-site, who would send the identity of the player with the winning hand to the phone of a player at the table, known as “the quarterback.”

Then it got low-tech. The “quarterback” would use classic subtle signals like touching certain chips to pass the information to the fellow cheaters. They'd all bet accordingly.

The shuffling machine con was apparently the main tactic, but the conspirators supposedly tried other gadgetry, some of it similar to the tech used to identify players' hands on poker telecasts. Authorities didn't go into detail about them, but they included:

-An X-ray table that could identify the face-down cards used in Texas Hold 'em from underneath.

-Hidden cameras built into the trays that hold players' chips that could identify cards.

-Customized contact lenses and glasses that could detect special marks on cards.

The cheating winners would share a percentage of their take with the game operators. The victims were often told to wire money to shell companies that laundered it. And the organizers sometimes used robbery, extortion and assault to get debtors to pay. Authorities said two game operators used their fists to extract payment from one cheated player.

Also charged was former NBA assistant coach and player Damon Jones, who stands accused of participating in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prop-bets-nba-scandal-624ce04b410eb3e97806c3c011412476">separate scheme of exploiting private information</a>&nbsp;about players to win bets on NBA games.

Billups made his first court appearance Thursday before a judge in Portland, Oregon. His attorney, Chris Heywood, declined to comment after the hearing.

A message was left at a phone number and email address listed in public records for Jones.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761308821925.png" alt="A card shuffler allegedly used by defendants in a sports betting and illegal gambling case announced Thursday -photo U.S. Attorney's office" />
 <figcaption>A card shuffler allegedly used by defendants in a sports betting and illegal gambling case announced Thursday -photo U.S. Attorney's office</figcaption>
 </figure>By ANDREW DALTON Associated PressThe indictments announced Thursday of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-terry-rozier-gambling-probe-de98ecb76bb8f13b85f4c5ac62f66221">poker cheating ring</a>&nbsp;involving NBA figures and backed by the mafia emphasized their alleged high-tech cheating methods. But the con tactics they described are as old as poker itself, familiar from heist movies and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-bond-new-movie-what-to-know-2d7bbd7b3ca86e86194952b681e6179d">James Bond films</a>.<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eT7xaYmsbTNbHsaP1mTkMy2MSPYQiV0G/view">Click here to read the complete charging documents.</a>Shady shuffles came not from quick-handed card sharks, but tricked-out machines. Instead of mirrors or guys in the corner peeking over shoulders, there were X-ray tables and high-tech contact lenses. Low-tech signals between players and old-fashioned beatings for debtors allegedly were used too.Here's a look at how the alleged fraudsters rigged the games, according to an unsealed indictment and the announcement from federal officials.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761225884441.png" alt="Chauncey Billups played for the University of Colorado, which was part of the Big 12 conference, leading the team to a second-place finish and an NCAA tournament appearance in the inaugural season of the Big 12 in 1996-97. He earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors that season. photo courtesy Portland Trail Blazers" />
 <figcaption>Chauncey Billups played for the University of Colorado, which was part of the Big 12 conference, leading the team to a second-place finish and an NCAA tournament appearance in the inaugural season of the Big 12 in 1996-97. He earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors that season. photo courtesy Portland Trail Blazers</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The poker</h2>The underground games were illegal by their very existence, and operated by mafia families. So the indictments go out of their way to emphasize that these were extra illegal — as opposed to “straight” illegal games where at least the poker itself is legit.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/beyonce-new-music-act-ii-14ab5948ecfb76c283c638162b7a53f7">Texas Hold ’em</a>&nbsp;was the poker they played, like most games these days. It involves very few cards — just five face-up public cards and two for each player. That potentially simplifies the scamming.<h2>The victims and the ‘face cards’</h2>Rich targets known as “fish” were brought in by the allure of playing for high stakes in posh secret spots in Manhattan with names like “The Lexington Avenue Game,” the indictment said. They were also attracted by the prospect of playing with pro athletes and coaches, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/portland-trail-blazers">Portland Trail Blazers</a>&nbsp;coach and Hall-of-Fame NBA player Chauncey Billups. The operators called these “face cards.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trail-blazers-chauncey-billups-57c920d0fcace5dbce25cd474468cd40">Billups</a>&nbsp;was charged with participating in a conspiracy to fix high-stakes card games tied to La Cosa Nostra organized crime families that cheated unsuspecting gamblers out of at least $7 million. Also charged was former NBA assistant coach and player Damon Jones.Authorities gave no hints about the identity of the victims other than to say they were usually wealthy people who lost tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cheaters.The “face cards” and everyone else at the table who was not a target was in on the scam.<h2>The cheating tactics</h2>The shuffling machine did most of the work. Using machines is common, but the advanced tech on these ones could determine the exact order of cards after a shuffle, and who was holding what once they were dealt. That information was transmitted wirelessly to someone off-site, who would send the identity of the player with the winning hand to the phone of a player at the table, known as “the quarterback.”Then it got low-tech. The “quarterback” would use classic subtle signals like touching certain chips to pass the information to the fellow cheaters. They'd all bet accordingly.<h2>The other cheating methods</h2>The shuffling machine con was apparently the main tactic, but the conspirators supposedly tried other gadgetry, some of it similar to the tech used to identify players' hands on poker telecasts. Authorities didn't go into detail about them, but they included:-An X-ray table that could identify the face-down cards used in Texas Hold 'em from underneath.-Hidden cameras built into the trays that hold players' chips that could identify cards.-Customized contact lenses and glasses that could detect special marks on cards.<h2>The postgame</h2>The cheating winners would share a percentage of their take with the game operators. The victims were often told to wire money to shell companies that laundered it. And the organizers sometimes used robbery, extortion and assault to get debtors to pay. Authorities said two game operators used their fists to extract payment from one cheated player.Also charged was former NBA assistant coach and player Damon Jones, who stands accused of participating in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prop-bets-nba-scandal-624ce04b410eb3e97806c3c011412476">separate scheme of exploiting private information</a>&nbsp;about players to win bets on NBA games.Billups made his first court appearance Thursday before a judge in Portland, Oregon. His attorney, Chris Heywood, declined to comment after the hearing.A message was left at a phone number and email address listed in public records for Jones.