SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly shooting are asking the public for help to locate a suspect.

On October 11, police responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of SW Clay Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.

 First responders found 18-year-old s Ra’Juan Spicer,suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased by medical personnel at the scene.&nbsp;

Police are attempting to locate Reginald Rucker-Plakio, 17, of Topeka, in reference to the homicide.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699048664862.png" alt="Rucker-Plakio-photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Rucker-Plakio-photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly shooting are asking the public for help to locate a suspect.On October 11, police responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of SW Clay Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks. First responders found 18-year-old s Ra’Juan Spicer,suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased by medical personnel at the scene.&nbsp;Police are attempting to locate Reginald Rucker-Plakio, 17, of Topeka, in reference to the homicide.

Homicide: Police ask for help to locate Kansas teen 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City-area man accused of carrying a pitchfork and assaulting police during the Jan. 6, 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">riot at the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;has pleaded guilty to three federal felonies.

Christopher Brian Roe, 39, of the Kansas City suburb of Raytown, pleaded guilty Thursday to three counts of assaulting, resisting and impeding certain officers, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article281103623.html">Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;reported. Sentencing is scheduled for March 5.

Roe is the 24th Missouri defendant convicted in connection with the riot at the Capitol. Cases of 12 other Missourians are ongoing.

A probable cause affidavit in Roe's case included 48 photos that showed a man it said was Roe breaching the Capitol, repeatedly scuffling with police and using a metal bike rack to try to break open a door.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699025733542.png" alt="Roe-(front left) photo U.S. Dept. of Justice" />
 <figcaption>Roe-(front left) photo U.S. Dept. of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City-area man accused of carrying a pitchfork and assaulting police during the Jan. 6, 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">riot at the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;has pleaded guilty to three federal felonies.Christopher Brian Roe, 39, of the Kansas City suburb of Raytown, pleaded guilty Thursday to three counts of assaulting, resisting and impeding certain officers, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article281103623.html">Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;reported. Sentencing is scheduled for March 5.Roe is the 24th Missouri defendant convicted in connection with the riot at the Capitol. Cases of 12 other Missourians are ongoing.A probable cause affidavit in Roe's case included 48 photos that showed a man it said was Roe breaching the Capitol, repeatedly scuffling with police and using a metal bike rack to try to break open a door.

KC-area man who carried pitchfork at Capitol riot enters plea

SEWARD COUNTY —The Liberal Police Department is investigating the rumor of a death related to tainted Halloween candy in the city of Liberal.

There is no truth to the rumor, according to a statement from the Liberal Police Department. 

"If the police department were to receive credible information of a threat to the community, the information would be immediately released to the public."

"There is no truth to the rumor of a death from Halloween candy in Liberal"

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699039753194.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>SEWARD COUNTY —The Liberal Police Department is investigating the rumor of a death related to tainted Halloween candy in the city of Liberal.There is no truth to the rumor, according to a statement from the Liberal Police Department. "If the police department were to receive credible information of a threat to the community, the information would be immediately released to the public.""There is no truth to the rumor of a death from Halloween candy in Liberal"

Police: Halloween candy death rumor in SW Kan. is not true

WASHINGTON – On Thursday, thirteen democrat members of the U.S. Senate called for a "Short-term cessation of hostilities" in the Israel-Hamas war.

According to a statement from the Senators “The tragic war in Gaza, initiated by Hamas terrorist attacks on innocent civilians on October 7, is causing heartbreaking suffering among Israelis, Palestinians and citizens of other nations living in the region.

“Israel has the right and obligation to defend itself against Hamas, whose leadership continues to state clearly that their goal is the complete annihilation of Israel.&nbsp;Israel also has the obligation, pursuant to international law, to conduct that defense in such a way as to minimize harm to civilians and allow humanitarian aid to reach those who are suffering.&nbsp;We acknowledge the increased burden that this necessarily places on Israel to accomplish these obligations.

“Hamas’s horrific actions cannot be ascribed to all Palestinians.&nbsp;Indeed, Palestinian residents of Gaza have often been victimized by Hamas."

“As Senators, we have been closely monitoring the war in Gaza and believe that much more must be done to protect civilian life.&nbsp;We have been in ongoing dialogue with government officials in the United States, Israel and other nations in the region.&nbsp;We have communicated extensively with international aid officials doing work in Gaza, including those working together with the U.S. Agency for International Development.&nbsp;And we have talked at length with our own constituents who have family and friends in the region."

“The failure to adequately protect non-combatant civilians risks dramatic escalation of the conflict in the region and imposes severe damage on prospects for peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians.&nbsp;Based on the consensus opinion of U.S. and international aid officials, it is nearly impossible to deliver sufficient humanitarian aid to protect civilian life under current conditions."

“Thus, we join President Biden in his call for a short-term cessation of hostilities that pose high-risk to civilians, aid workers or humanitarian aid delivery in Gaza, in order to accomplish three goals:

Members of the U.S Senate who signed the request include Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), together with Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Peter Welch (D-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), released the following statement:

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out a temporary cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, saying he will press ahead with a devastating military offensive until hostages held by the Hamas militant group are released.

Netanyahu spoke shortly after meeting Friday with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who pressed Israel for a temporary pause in its offensive to improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza. Blinken also urged Israel to do more to protect civilians from its attacks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699029329853.png" alt="U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday to urge protections for civilians in the fighting with Hamas, as Israeli troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">tightened their encirclement</a>&nbsp;of Gaza City.&nbsp;-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday to urge protections for civilians in the fighting with Hamas, as Israeli troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">tightened their encirclement</a>&nbsp;of Gaza City.&nbsp;-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON – On Thursday, thirteen democrat members of the U.S. Senate called for a "Short-term cessation of hostilities" in the Israel-Hamas war.According to a statement from the Senators “The tragic war in Gaza, initiated by Hamas terrorist attacks on innocent civilians on October 7, is causing heartbreaking suffering among Israelis, Palestinians and citizens of other nations living in the region.“Israel has the right and obligation to defend itself against Hamas, whose leadership continues to state clearly that their goal is the complete annihilation of Israel.&nbsp;Israel also has the obligation, pursuant to international law, to conduct that defense in such a way as to minimize harm to civilians and allow humanitarian aid to reach those who are suffering.&nbsp;We acknowledge the increased burden that this necessarily places on Israel to accomplish these obligations.“Hamas’s horrific actions cannot be ascribed to all Palestinians.&nbsp;Indeed, Palestinian residents of Gaza have often been victimized by Hamas."“As Senators, we have been closely monitoring the war in Gaza and believe that much more must be done to protect civilian life.&nbsp;We have been in ongoing dialogue with government officials in the United States, Israel and other nations in the region.&nbsp;We have communicated extensively with international aid officials doing work in Gaza, including those working together with the U.S. Agency for International Development.&nbsp;And we have talked at length with our own constituents who have family and friends in the region."“The failure to adequately protect non-combatant civilians risks dramatic escalation of the conflict in the region and imposes severe damage on prospects for peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians.&nbsp;Based on the consensus opinion of U.S. and international aid officials, it is nearly impossible to deliver sufficient humanitarian aid to protect civilian life under current conditions."“Thus, we join President Biden in his call for a short-term cessation of hostilities that pose high-risk to civilians, aid workers or humanitarian aid delivery in Gaza, in order to accomplish three goals:<ol>
 <li>Successful delivery of needed humanitarian aid to civilians under strict and necessary oversight</li><li>Increased focus on the release of all hostages kidnapped on October 7</li><li>Opportunity for broader discussion amongst Israeli and Palestinian leadership, together with regional and global partners, about long-term strategies to reduce decades-long conflict in the region.”</li>
 </ol>Members of the U.S Senate who signed the request include Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), together with Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Peter Welch (D-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), released the following statement:Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out a temporary cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, saying he will press ahead with a devastating military offensive until hostages held by the Hamas militant group are released.Netanyahu spoke shortly after meeting Friday with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who pressed Israel for a temporary pause in its offensive to improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza. Blinken also urged Israel to do more to protect civilians from its attacks.

Senators join Biden's call for cessation of hostilities in Gaza

MONTGOMERY COUNTY — The Montgomery County Sheriff's Department is investigating a vehicle theft reported some good news in the investigaton.

On October 28, Montgomery County, Kansas Sheriff Ron Wade asked the public for help finding a stolen Maroon 1967 Camaro.

The car was taken sometime between evening of October 26 and the morning of October 28 from rural Cherryvale. The car has a flat grey primed driver front quarter fender.&nbsp;

On Thursday, Sheriff Wade reported deputies found the car and it had been returned to the owner. Authorities have not reported an arrest of additional detais.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698959799969.png" alt="Not the actual vehicle, a an example provided by the sheriff's office" />
 <figcaption>Not the actual vehicle, a an example provided by the sheriff's office</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY — The Montgomery County Sheriff's Department is investigating a vehicle theft reported some good news in the investigaton.On October 28, Montgomery County, Kansas Sheriff Ron Wade asked the public for help finding a stolen Maroon 1967 Camaro.The car was taken sometime between evening of October 26 and the morning of October 28 from rural Cherryvale. The car has a flat grey primed driver front quarter fender.&nbsp;On Thursday, Sheriff Wade reported deputies found the car and it had been returned to the owner. Authorities have not reported an arrest of additional detais.

Sheriff: Stolen 1967 Camaro returned to owner in Kansas 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the sudden death of an infant in Wichita.

Just before 10p.m. Tuesday, police and EMS responded to a retailer near Pawnee and Broadway in Wichita where it was reported&nbsp; a 1-year-old baby was not breathing, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

EMS transported the baby to a local hospital.&nbsp; Medical staff pronounced the baby deceased. The is no signs of foul play at this time, according to Rebolledo. Police are waiting on the autopsy report.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the sudden death of an infant in Wichita.Just before 10p.m. Tuesday, police and EMS responded to a retailer near Pawnee and Broadway in Wichita where it was reported&nbsp; a 1-year-old baby was not breathing, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.EMS transported the baby to a local hospital.&nbsp; Medical staff pronounced the baby deceased. The is no signs of foul play at this time, according to Rebolledo. Police are waiting on the autopsy report.

Police investigate after sudden death of Kansas 1-year-old

FINNEY COUNTY — Just before 4 p.m. Oct. 30, Garden City police conducted a traffic stop&nbsp;in the 1500 block of N. 8th Street in Garden City, according to a media release.

Officers made contact with 36-year-old Joseph Vela and 23-year-old Francisco Garcia.

&nbsp;After further investigation, a search of the vehicle was conducted, where officers located suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. 

Vela and Garcia were arrested at the scene and are now being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of Possession with Intent to Distribute Stimulants and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698937876803.png" alt="Vela-photo Finney Co." />
 <figcaption>Vela-photo Finney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY — Just before 4 p.m. Oct. 30, Garden City police conducted a traffic stop&nbsp;in the 1500 block of N. 8th Street in Garden City, according to a media release.Officers made contact with 36-year-old Joseph Vela and 23-year-old Francisco Garcia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698937964766.png" alt="Garcia-photo Finney Co." />
 <figcaption>Garcia-photo Finney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;After further investigation, a search of the vehicle was conducted, where officers located suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Vela and Garcia were arrested at the scene and are now being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of Possession with Intent to Distribute Stimulants and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

2 accused of selling drugs in southwest Kansas 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate confirmed three top military officers on Thursday — including the first female member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.&nbsp; 

The vote for Admiral Lisa M. Franchetti promotion to be Chief of Naval Operations was 95-1.&nbsp; Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall was the only vote against her confirmation. The two Senators from Florida, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina and Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina did not vote.

Marshall was also the only member of the Senate to vote against the confirmation of General David Allvin to be Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force. The Florida Senators, Scott and Tillis also did not register a vote.

Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran skipped the vote to confirm the&nbsp;nomination of General Christopher J. Mahoney, to be Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. The vote 86-0.&nbsp; In addition to Moran, there were 13 other senators who did not vote.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;bipartisan frustration swirled around&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tommy-tuberville">Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville</a>&nbsp;for blocking hundreds more nominees.

Republican senators plan to hold a closed-door meeting next week to discuss the Alabama senator's blockade of senior military nominees, which he has been waging over a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tuberville-military-holds-senate-officers-45c4230a8aee5222bf32b43823e29acc">Pentagon abortion policy</a>. Republicans have tried, unsuccessfully, for almost nine months to quietly persuade Tuberville to drop the holds on almost 400 nominees. Senior military officials have warned repeatedly that the situation threatens readiness and national security.

Anger over Tuberville's tactic spilled out in the Senate on Wednesday evening, when a group of Republican senators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tuberville-holds-military-schumer-nominations-99a156198d325a329a98208785ea80f9">held the floor</a>&nbsp;for more than four hours and called up 61 of the nominations for votes, praising each nominee for their military service and challenging the Alabama senator to explain himself. Tuberville showed no signs of letting up, quietly standing and objecting to each one even as his colleagues lashed out at him.

With Tuberville dug in, there are no easy answers on how to move forward.

Republicans said they will continue to try and negotiate with him, hoping to persuade Tuberville to hold up civilian nominees instead, and said that they will also try to force more votes. Democrats want stronger action and are seeking to move forward with a resolution that would allow batches of military nominees to be passed over Tuberville's objections. But that would need Republican support, and GOP senators are wary it could set a bad precedent that erodes the power of the minority in the Senate.

Whatever the next steps, Tuberville's Republican colleagues made clear that they are fed up.

“It's time to develop a new and smarter strategy,” said Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, who served in the Marine Corps and was one of the senators who criticized Tuberville’s blockade on the Senate floor.

The Senate on Thursday confirmed three of the nominees that Tuberville was holding up — Adm. Lisa Franchetti to lead the Navy, Gen. David Allvin to be chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force and Lt. Gen. Christopher Mahoney to serve as assistant commandant for the U.S. Marine Corps. Franchetti is the first woman to serve as a Pentagon service chief and hold a seat on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Thursday he was pleased that the Senate confirmed the three officers. But “we still have more than 370 superbly qualified leaders who have seen their nominations unnecessarily stalled," he said. “As we face a variety of urgent challenges, the most powerful fighting force in history must be at full-strength.”

Austin said the delay is hurting readiness and “unnecessarily weighed down our military families, who already give up so much to support those who serve.”

Because of Tuberville's holds and Senate procedure, confirmation of those three military officials took three days and six votes from start to finish — underscoring the difficulty majority Democrats have as they contemplate how to move hundreds of nominations. The Senate has traditionally approved large groups of military nominations by voice vote, but just one senator's objection can upend that process.

Republican Sens. Young and Joni Ernst of Iowa each suggested on Thursday that there would be an effort to try and convince Tuberville to hold up civilian nominations linked to the abortion policy instead of military officers who have nothing to do with it.

“Why are we taking hostages that can’t change the policy?” Ernst said.

But Tuberville said Wednesday there is “zero chance” he will drop the holds, which he first announced in February. Despite several high-level vacancies and the growing backlog, he has said he will continue to hold the nominees up unless the Pentagon ends — or puts to a vote in Congress — its new policy of paying for travel when a servicemember has to go out of state to get an abortion or other reproductive care. President Joe Biden’s administration instituted the policy after the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned the nationwide right to an abortion</a>, and some states have limited or banned the procedure.

“I cannot simply sit idly by while the Biden administration injects politics in our military from the White House and spends taxpayers’ dollars on abortion,” Tuberville said Wednesday evening.

Confronting Tuberville publicly for the first time since he announced the holds, the Republican senators, led by Ernst and Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan, read lengthy biographies, praised the nominees and lashed out at Tuberville as they called for vote after vote. They said they agree with the Alabama senator in opposing the abortion policy but questioned — as Democrats have for months — why he would hold up the highest ranks of the U.S. military.

As Wednesday night wore on, Sullivan, a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, and Ernst, a former commander in the U.S. Army Reserve and Iowa Army National Guard, appeared increasingly frustrated. Sullivan called the blockade a “national security suicide mission.”

The GOP senators noted that they were bringing up the nominations “one by one” as Tuberville had once called for, and they asked why he wouldn’t allow them to go forward. Tuberville did not answer.

“I do not respect men who do not honor their word,” Ernst said of her GOP colleague toward the end of the evening.

The Senate voted to confirm the three top officers on Thursday after the commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Eric Smith, was hospitalized Sunday after suffering a medical emergency at his official residence in Washington. Smith, who is listed in stable condition and is recovering, was confirmed to the top job last month, but he had been holding down two high-level posts for several months because of Tuberville’s holds.

Mahoney, who was confirmed as assistant commandant, could step into the acting commandant role as Smith recovers. He is a fighter pilot who has flown combat in Iraq and served as the deputy commander of Marine forces in the Pacific.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks said after Mahoney’s confirmation that the holds have placed significant stress on the military’s officers and families. “We have seen tragic effects to that stress,” Hicks said. “And I think that’s been well communicated on Capitol Hill.”

When Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced the vote this week on Mahoney’s nomination to be assistant commandant, he said Smith’s sudden medical emergency is “precisely the kind of avoidable emergency that Sen. Tuberville has provoked through his reckless holds.”

Also confirmed was Franchetti, who will lead the Navy. She is the second woman to be promoted to four-star admiral, and did multiple deployments, including as commander of a naval destroyer and two stints as aircraft carrier strike group commander. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed, D-R.I., called Franchetti a “trailblazer.”

Several women have served as military service secretaries as political appointees, but never as their top uniformed officer. Adm. Linda L. Fagan is the commandant of the Coast Guard, but she is not a member of the Joint Staff.

Allvin is the vice chief of staff of the Air Force but has been serving as acting chief since the previous top Air Force officer, Gen. CQ Brown, became c hairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Oct. 1. Allvin is a career air mobility pilot with more than 4,600 flight hours and key deployments in Afghanistan and Europe.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698968702096.png" alt="Franchetti became the first woman to serve as the Navy’s top officer, but the first to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff." />
 <figcaption>Franchetti became the first woman to serve as the Navy’s top officer, but the first to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate confirmed three top military officers on Thursday — including the first female member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.&nbsp; The vote for Admiral Lisa M. Franchetti promotion to be Chief of Naval Operations was 95-1.&nbsp; Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall was the only vote against her confirmation. The two Senators from Florida, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina and Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina did not vote.Marshall was also the only member of the Senate to vote against the confirmation of General David Allvin to be Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force. The Florida Senators, Scott and Tillis also did not register a vote.Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran skipped the vote to confirm the&nbsp;nomination of General Christopher J. Mahoney, to be Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. The vote 86-0.&nbsp; In addition to Moran, there were 13 other senators who did not vote.Meanwhile,&nbsp;bipartisan frustration swirled around&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tommy-tuberville">Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville</a>&nbsp;for blocking hundreds more nominees.Republican senators plan to hold a closed-door meeting next week to discuss the Alabama senator's blockade of senior military nominees, which he has been waging over a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tuberville-military-holds-senate-officers-45c4230a8aee5222bf32b43823e29acc">Pentagon abortion policy</a>. Republicans have tried, unsuccessfully, for almost nine months to quietly persuade Tuberville to drop the holds on almost 400 nominees. Senior military officials have warned repeatedly that the situation threatens readiness and national security.Anger over Tuberville's tactic spilled out in the Senate on Wednesday evening, when a group of Republican senators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tuberville-holds-military-schumer-nominations-99a156198d325a329a98208785ea80f9">held the floor</a>&nbsp;for more than four hours and called up 61 of the nominations for votes, praising each nominee for their military service and challenging the Alabama senator to explain himself. Tuberville showed no signs of letting up, quietly standing and objecting to each one even as his colleagues lashed out at him.With Tuberville dug in, there are no easy answers on how to move forward.Republicans said they will continue to try and negotiate with him, hoping to persuade Tuberville to hold up civilian nominees instead, and said that they will also try to force more votes. Democrats want stronger action and are seeking to move forward with a resolution that would allow batches of military nominees to be passed over Tuberville's objections. But that would need Republican support, and GOP senators are wary it could set a bad precedent that erodes the power of the minority in the Senate.Whatever the next steps, Tuberville's Republican colleagues made clear that they are fed up.“It's time to develop a new and smarter strategy,” said Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, who served in the Marine Corps and was one of the senators who criticized Tuberville’s blockade on the Senate floor.The Senate on Thursday confirmed three of the nominees that Tuberville was holding up — Adm. Lisa Franchetti to lead the Navy, Gen. David Allvin to be chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force and Lt. Gen. Christopher Mahoney to serve as assistant commandant for the U.S. Marine Corps. Franchetti is the first woman to serve as a Pentagon service chief and hold a seat on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Thursday he was pleased that the Senate confirmed the three officers. But “we still have more than 370 superbly qualified leaders who have seen their nominations unnecessarily stalled," he said. “As we face a variety of urgent challenges, the most powerful fighting force in history must be at full-strength.”Austin said the delay is hurting readiness and “unnecessarily weighed down our military families, who already give up so much to support those who serve.”Because of Tuberville's holds and Senate procedure, confirmation of those three military officials took three days and six votes from start to finish — underscoring the difficulty majority Democrats have as they contemplate how to move hundreds of nominations. The Senate has traditionally approved large groups of military nominations by voice vote, but just one senator's objection can upend that process.Republican Sens. Young and Joni Ernst of Iowa each suggested on Thursday that there would be an effort to try and convince Tuberville to hold up civilian nominations linked to the abortion policy instead of military officers who have nothing to do with it.“Why are we taking hostages that can’t change the policy?” Ernst said.But Tuberville said Wednesday there is “zero chance” he will drop the holds, which he first announced in February. Despite several high-level vacancies and the growing backlog, he has said he will continue to hold the nominees up unless the Pentagon ends — or puts to a vote in Congress — its new policy of paying for travel when a servicemember has to go out of state to get an abortion or other reproductive care. President Joe Biden’s administration instituted the policy after the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned the nationwide right to an abortion</a>, and some states have limited or banned the procedure.“I cannot simply sit idly by while the Biden administration injects politics in our military from the White House and spends taxpayers’ dollars on abortion,” Tuberville said Wednesday evening.Confronting Tuberville publicly for the first time since he announced the holds, the Republican senators, led by Ernst and Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan, read lengthy biographies, praised the nominees and lashed out at Tuberville as they called for vote after vote. They said they agree with the Alabama senator in opposing the abortion policy but questioned — as Democrats have for months — why he would hold up the highest ranks of the U.S. military.As Wednesday night wore on, Sullivan, a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, and Ernst, a former commander in the U.S. Army Reserve and Iowa Army National Guard, appeared increasingly frustrated. Sullivan called the blockade a “national security suicide mission.”The GOP senators noted that they were bringing up the nominations “one by one” as Tuberville had once called for, and they asked why he wouldn’t allow them to go forward. Tuberville did not answer.“I do not respect men who do not honor their word,” Ernst said of her GOP colleague toward the end of the evening.The Senate voted to confirm the three top officers on Thursday after the commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Eric Smith, was hospitalized Sunday after suffering a medical emergency at his official residence in Washington. Smith, who is listed in stable condition and is recovering, was confirmed to the top job last month, but he had been holding down two high-level posts for several months because of Tuberville’s holds.Mahoney, who was confirmed as assistant commandant, could step into the acting commandant role as Smith recovers. He is a fighter pilot who has flown combat in Iraq and served as the deputy commander of Marine forces in the Pacific.Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks said after Mahoney’s confirmation that the holds have placed significant stress on the military’s officers and families. “We have seen tragic effects to that stress,” Hicks said. “And I think that’s been well communicated on Capitol Hill.”When Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced the vote this week on Mahoney’s nomination to be assistant commandant, he said Smith’s sudden medical emergency is “precisely the kind of avoidable emergency that Sen. Tuberville has provoked through his reckless holds.”Also confirmed was Franchetti, who will lead the Navy. She is the second woman to be promoted to four-star admiral, and did multiple deployments, including as commander of a naval destroyer and two stints as aircraft carrier strike group commander. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed, D-R.I., called Franchetti a “trailblazer.”Several women have served as military service secretaries as political appointees, but never as their top uniformed officer. Adm. Linda L. Fagan is the commandant of the Coast Guard, but she is not a member of the Joint Staff.Allvin is the vice chief of staff of the Air Force but has been serving as acting chief since the previous top Air Force officer, Gen. CQ Brown, became c hairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Oct. 1. Allvin is a career air mobility pilot with more than 4,600 flight hours and key deployments in Afghanistan and Europe.

95-1: Kan. Senator only no vote naming first woman to Joint Chiefs 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Former Dallas Cowboys running back and Wichita native Joseph Randle is scheduled for a competency hearing Friday, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In April, police arrested Randle on requested charges of aggravated kidnapping and aggravated criminal sodomy, according to the Sedgwick County arrest report.&nbsp; He is not currently in custody, according to online jail records.

Randle spent time in prison in Kansas after convictions for crimes committed in 2016 and 2017 including aggravated burglary, aggravated battery, criminal threat, interference with law enforcement and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

In 2015, Randle faced a misdemeanor shoplifting charge at a Dallas-area mall after police in the suburb of Frisco accused him of taking $123 worth of cologne and underwear from a department store.

In 2014, Randle was the Cowboy's backup to NFL rushing leader DeMarco Murray. Randle had 343 yards rushing and three touchdowns in his second NFL season. A fifth-round draft pick in 2013 after skipping his final season at Oklahoma State, Randle originally signed a four-year, $2.3 million rookie contract with the Cowboys.

-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699012229477.png" alt="Randle -photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Randle -photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Former Dallas Cowboys running back and Wichita native Joseph Randle is scheduled for a competency hearing Friday, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In April, police arrested Randle on requested charges of aggravated kidnapping and aggravated criminal sodomy, according to the Sedgwick County arrest report.&nbsp; He is not currently in custody, according to online jail records.Randle spent time in prison in Kansas after convictions for crimes committed in 2016 and 2017 including aggravated burglary, aggravated battery, criminal threat, interference with law enforcement and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.In 2015, Randle faced a misdemeanor shoplifting charge at a Dallas-area mall after police in the suburb of Frisco accused him of taking $123 worth of cologne and underwear from a department store.In 2014, Randle was the Cowboy's backup to NFL rushing leader DeMarco Murray. Randle had 343 yards rushing and three touchdowns in his second NFL season. A fifth-round draft pick in 2013 after skipping his final season at Oklahoma State, Randle originally signed a four-year, $2.3 million rookie contract with the Cowboys.-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Former Cowboys running back faces competency hearing in Kansas 

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the disappearance of&nbsp;Ebony Duncan who last seen Sept. 6, around 5:00pm in the area of 19200 E. 37th Terrace in Kansas City continue to search for a person of interest in the case.

On Tuesday, Detectives from the Independence Police Department Criminal Investigations Unit responded to the area of 83rd and Hillcrest Road in Kansas City following up on leads in Duncan's disappearance.

 They conducted a search of the area using cadaver dogs in an attempt to locate Duncan, who was believed to be possibly deceased. One of the K9s alerted to and located a deceased person in the woods nearby. 

 The deceased person has identifiers that are consistent with those of Ebony Duncan and at this time, the deceased person is believed to be her. 

However, a positive identification will have to be made with the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office as the case continues. 

Detectives want to question 42-year-old Keaira Ransberg (Jenkins) in connection with Duncan's disappearance and death.&nbsp; Ransberg is described as being 5-foot-tall, 150 pounds with brown eyes Ransberg has a last known address in Kansas City. 

Anyone with information on Ransberg’s whereabouts in urged to contact the Crimestoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS, where you can remain anonymous. You can also report electronically at the KC Crimestoppers website, <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kccrimestoppers.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR30mww3WgXNkhdYLMum8Tmb_0Ksexe8_OKh-Agl0txAeTGuJsZ6TjAaFPQ&amp;h=AT1au-OUKtuQYdUkBXxc61zw99zueNzkRw1GIhZE_YnX_w_20DM0TJ9m7D7-2TmmCGXYCyWtvxza9I2hfOnNsaA4ZwBCs0-_J0XenN5vCdoTO0boz0OmrMsq_6FumRmenU_MJ9E&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT23Z3rI-FkHe5W23159jjPBDSPZJOvJe9kC208b-jAGexrnUbsLaTkCCVbd0953OI6BQAfBAo_5_HURIi88S_vTvjayrb_goBFyVruEnqgEDxPbXGgUZOY-fnbgEbYH2-2cMaq8TwerZ1gpp5oIfItJaOXzfpDqBzrv396eHiklEf-14iUP0DPSELJuLJlrofsWpgPpiTiZ" target="_blank">https://www.kccrimestoppers.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698882030410.png" alt="Jenkins is wanted for questioning in the case- photo Independence PD" />
 <figcaption>Jenkins is wanted for questioning in the case- photo Independence PD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the disappearance of&nbsp;Ebony Duncan who last seen Sept. 6, around 5:00pm in the area of 19200 E. 37th Terrace in Kansas City continue to search for a person of interest in the case.On Tuesday, Detectives from the Independence Police Department Criminal Investigations Unit responded to the area of 83rd and Hillcrest Road in Kansas City following up on leads in Duncan's disappearance.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698881689884.png" alt="Ebony Duncan courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Ebony Duncan courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure> They conducted a search of the area using cadaver dogs in an attempt to locate Duncan, who was believed to be possibly deceased. One of the K9s alerted to and located a deceased person in the woods nearby. The deceased person has identifiers that are consistent with those of Ebony Duncan and at this time, the deceased person is believed to be her. However, a positive identification will have to be made with the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office as the case continues. Detectives want to question 42-year-old Keaira Ransberg (Jenkins) in connection with Duncan's disappearance and death.&nbsp; Ransberg is described as being 5-foot-tall, 150 pounds with brown eyes Ransberg has a last known address in Kansas City. Anyone with information on Ransberg’s whereabouts in urged to contact the Crimestoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS, where you can remain anonymous. You can also report electronically at the KC Crimestoppers website, <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kccrimestoppers.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR30mww3WgXNkhdYLMum8Tmb_0Ksexe8_OKh-Agl0txAeTGuJsZ6TjAaFPQ&amp;h=AT1au-OUKtuQYdUkBXxc61zw99zueNzkRw1GIhZE_YnX_w_20DM0TJ9m7D7-2TmmCGXYCyWtvxza9I2hfOnNsaA4ZwBCs0-_J0XenN5vCdoTO0boz0OmrMsq_6FumRmenU_MJ9E&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT23Z3rI-FkHe5W23159jjPBDSPZJOvJe9kC208b-jAGexrnUbsLaTkCCVbd0953OI6BQAfBAo_5_HURIi88S_vTvjayrb_goBFyVruEnqgEDxPbXGgUZOY-fnbgEbYH2-2cMaq8TwerZ1gpp5oIfItJaOXzfpDqBzrv396eHiklEf-14iUP0DPSELJuLJlrofsWpgPpiTiZ" target="_blank">https://www.kccrimestoppers.com</a>

Woman wanted for questioning after body found in Kansas City

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a hit-and-run incident that injured a 9-year-old in Kansas City have made contact with a person of interest.

Just after 7p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a pedestrian accident where a black sedan struck a 9-year-old boy who was walking across North Hardesty just south of Saida Avenue, according to Officer&nbsp;Alayna Gonzalez.

The sedan fled the scene. EMS transported the 9-year-old to the hospital in critical condition.&nbsp;

Detectives located the suspect vehicle and identified a person of interest. Detectives are pursuing charges as their investigation continues.

Thursday afternoon the child appears to be making positive headway towards recovery, according to Gonzalez.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a hit-and-run incident that injured a 9-year-old in Kansas City have made contact with a person of interest.Just after 7p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a pedestrian accident where a black sedan struck a 9-year-old boy who was walking across North Hardesty just south of Saida Avenue, according to Officer&nbsp;Alayna Gonzalez.The sedan fled the scene. EMS transported the 9-year-old to the hospital in critical condition.&nbsp;Detectives located the suspect vehicle and identified a person of interest. Detectives are pursuing charges as their investigation continues.Thursday afternoon the child appears to be making positive headway towards recovery, according to Gonzalez.

9-year-old critically injured in Kansas City hit-and-run

BAGHDAD (AP) — The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iran-backed Iraqi militias, announced Friday that it will launch a more “intense and expansive” phase of operations against U.S. bases in the region starting next week.

It said the escalation is “in support of our people in Palestine and to avenge the martyrs” in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

The group has launched a string of attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria in recent weeks, some of which have injured U.S. personnel. As of Tuesday, the Pentagon said there had been 27 rocket and drone attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria and that the U.S. was deploying an additional 300 troops to the Middle East to bolster those already there.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Israel for urgent talks with Israeli officials about their escalating war with Hamas in Gaza.

Blinken landed in Tel Aviv on Friday for his third trip to Israel since the war began with Hamas’ incursion into Israel on Oct. 7. Blinken will also visit Jordan and may make additional stops in the region before traveling to Asia early next week.

He will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials at a highly charged and sensitive time as Israel intensifies its military operations in Gaza and international criticism of its tactics increases over the large number of civilian casualties.

U.S. President Joe Biden has called for a “humanitarian pause” in the fighting in order to arrange the evacuation of dual citizens and foreigners still trapped in Gaza as well as to try to secure the release of more than 240 hostages Hamas is holding and to increase humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.

Blinken will again stress Israel’s right to defend itself but will also be making the case for Israel to respect the rules of war as well as consider postwar scenarios for how the territory can be run if and when it succeeds in eradicating Hamas.

For the past week, the U.S. administration has been pushing a two-state resolution to establish a durable and lasting peace, although neither the current Israeli nor Palestinian leaderships have shown interest in such negotiations, which have failed multiple times.

Blinken will also urge Israeli authorities to rein in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank by Jewish settlers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699005785699.png" alt="U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on his arrival in Tel Aviv, Israel Friday, Nov. 3, 2023." />
 <figcaption>U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on his arrival in Tel Aviv, Israel Friday, Nov. 3, 2023.</figcaption>
 </figure>BAGHDAD (AP) — The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iran-backed Iraqi militias, announced Friday that it will launch a more “intense and expansive” phase of operations against U.S. bases in the region starting next week.It said the escalation is “in support of our people in Palestine and to avenge the martyrs” in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.The group has launched a string of attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria in recent weeks, some of which have injured U.S. personnel. As of Tuesday, the Pentagon said there had been 27 rocket and drone attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria and that the U.S. was deploying an additional 300 troops to the Middle East to bolster those already there.Meanwhile,&nbsp;U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Israel for urgent talks with Israeli officials about their escalating war with Hamas in Gaza.Blinken landed in Tel Aviv on Friday for his third trip to Israel since the war began with Hamas’ incursion into Israel on Oct. 7. Blinken will also visit Jordan and may make additional stops in the region before traveling to Asia early next week.He will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials at a highly charged and sensitive time as Israel intensifies its military operations in Gaza and international criticism of its tactics increases over the large number of civilian casualties.U.S. President Joe Biden has called for a “humanitarian pause” in the fighting in order to arrange the evacuation of dual citizens and foreigners still trapped in Gaza as well as to try to secure the release of more than 240 hostages Hamas is holding and to increase humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.Blinken will again stress Israel’s right to defend itself but will also be making the case for Israel to respect the rules of war as well as consider postwar scenarios for how the territory can be run if and when it succeeds in eradicating Hamas.For the past week, the U.S. administration has been pushing a two-state resolution to establish a durable and lasting peace, although neither the current Israeli nor Palestinian leaderships have shown interest in such negotiations, which have failed multiple times.Blinken will also urge Israeli authorities to rein in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank by Jewish settlers.

Iran-backed Iraqi militias expands attacks on U.S. bases 

NEW YORK (AP) — FTX founder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/sam-bankman-fried">Sam Bankman-Fried’s</a>&nbsp;spectacular rise and fall in the cryptocurrency industry — a journey that included his testimony before Congress, a Super Bowl advertisement and dreams of a future run for president — hit rock bottom Thursday when a New York jury convicted him of fraud for stealing at least $10 billion from customers and investors.

After the month-long trial, jurors rejected Bankman-Fried’s claim during testimony in Manhattan federal court that he never committed fraud or meant to cheat customers before FTX, once the world’s second-largest crypto exchange, collapsed into bankruptcy a year ago.

“Mr. Bankman-Fried. Please rise and face the jury,” Judge Lewis A. Kaplan commanded just before a jury forewoman responded “guilty” seven times to two counts of wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud conspiracy and three other conspiracy charges, which carry potential penalties adding up to 110 years in prison. Bankman-Fried is likely to face far less than the maximum at a sentencing set for March 28.

As the verdict was read, Bankman-Fried seemed stunned, appearing stone-faced, his hands clasped before him, as his lawyers remained sitting beside him. When he sat down, he looked down for several minutes.

His lawyer, Mark Cohen, later read a statement outside court to say they “respect the jury’s decision. But we are very disappointed with the result.”

“Mr. Bankman Fried maintains his innocence and will continue to vigorously fight the charges against him,” Cohen said.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, who sat in the front row of the spectator section during the verdict, stood before cameras outside the courthouse and said Bankman-Fried “perpetrated one of the biggest financial frauds in American history, a multibillion dollar scheme designed to make him the king of crypto.”

“But here’s the thing: The cryptocurrency industry might be new. The players like Sam Bankman-Fried might be new. This kind of fraud, this kind of corruption is as old as time and we have no patience for it,” he said.

He said the case should serve as a warning to every other fraudster who “thinks they're untouchable, that their crimes are too complex,” that they are too powerful to prosecute or can talk their way out of their crimes because “I promise we'll have enough handcuffs for all of them.”

The jury rejected Bankman-Fried insistence during three days of testimony that he never committed fraud or plotted to steal from customers, investors and lenders and didn’t realize his companies were at least $10 billion in debt until October 2022.

After the jury left the room, Bankman-Fried's parents, both Stanford University law professors, moved to the front row behind him. His father put his arm around his wife. As Bankman-Fried was led out of the courtroom, he looked back and nodded toward his mother, who nodded back and then became emotional, wiping her hand over her face after he left the room.

The trial attracted intense interest with its focus on a fraud on a scale not seen since the 2009 prosecution of Bernard Madoff, whose Ponzi scheme over decades cheated thousands of investors out of about $20 billion. Madoff pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 150 years in prison, where he died in 2021.

The prosecution of Bankman-Fried, 31, put a spotlight on the emerging industry of cryptocurrency and a group of young executives in their 20s who lived together in a $30 million luxury apartment in the Bahamas as they dreamed of becoming the most powerful player in a new financial field.

Prosecutors made sure jurors knew that the defendant they saw in court with short hair and a suit was not the man with big messy hair and shorts that became his trademark appearance after he started his cryptocurrency hedge fund, Alameda Research, in 2017 and FTX, his cryptocurrency exchange, two years later.

They showed the jury pictures of Bankman-Fried sleeping on a private jet, sitting with a deck of cards and mingling at the Super Bowl with celebrities including the singer Katy Perry. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos called Bankman-Fried someone who liked “celebrity chasing.”

In a closing argument, Cohen said prosecutors were trying to turn “Sam into some sort of villain, some sort of monster.”

“It’s both wrong and unfair, and I hope and believe that you have seen that it’s simply not true,” he said. “According to the government, everything Sam ever touched and said was fraudulent.”

The government relied heavily on the testimony of three former members of Bankman-Fried’s inner circle, his top executives including his former girlfriend, Caroline Ellison, to explain how Bankman-Fried used Alameda Research to siphon billions of dollars from customer accounts at FTX.

With that money, prosecutors said, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate gained influence and power through investments, contributions, tens of millions of dollars in political contributions, Congressional testimony and a publicity campaign that enlisted celebrities like comedian Larry David and football quarterback Tom Brady.

Ellison, 28, testified that Bankman-Fried directed her while she was chief executive of Alameda Research to commit fraud as he pursued ambitions to lead huge companies, spend money influentially and run for U.S. president someday. She said he thought he had a 5% chance to eventually be U.S. president.

Becoming tearful as she described the collapse of the cryptocurrency empire last November, Ellison said the revelations that caused customers collectively to demand their money back, exposing the fraud, brought a “relief that I didn’t have to lie anymore.”

FTX cofounder Gary Wang, who was FTX’s chief technology officer, revealed in his testimony that Bankman-Fried directed him to insert code into FTX’s operations so that Alameda Research could make unlimited withdrawals from FTX and have a credit line up to $65 billion. Wang said the money came from customers.

Nishad Singh, the former head of engineering at FTX, testified that he felt “blindsided and horrified” at the result of the actions of a man he once admired when he saw the extent of the fraud. He said the collapse last November left him suicidal.

Ellison, Wang and Singh all pleaded guilty to fraud charges and testified against Bankman-Fried in the hopes of leniency at sentencing.

Bankman-Fried was arrested in the Bahamas last December and extradited to the United States, where he was freed on a $250 million personal recognizance bond with electronic monitoring and a requirement that he remain at the home of his parents in Palo Alto, California.

His communications, including hundreds of phone calls with journalists and internet influencers, along with emails and texts, eventually got him in trouble when the judge concluded he was trying to influence prospective trial witnesses and ordered him jailed in August.

During the trial, prosecutors used Bankman-Fried’s public statements, online announcements and his Congressional testimony against him, showing how the entrepreneur repeatedly promised customers that their deposits were safe and secure as late as last Nov. 7 when he tweeted “FTX is fine. Assets are fine” as customers furiously tried to withdraw their money. He deleted the tweet the next day. FTX filed for bankruptcy four days later.

In his closing, Roos mocked Bankman-Fried’s testimony, saying that under questioning from his lawyer, the defendant’s words were “smooth, like it had been rehearsed a bunch of times?”

But under cross examination, “he was a different person,” the prosecutor said. “Suddenly on cross-examination he couldn’t remember a single detail about his company or what he said publicly. It was uncomfortable to hear. He never said he couldn’t recall during his direct examination, but it happened over 140 times during his cross-examination.”

Former federal prosecutors said the quick verdict — after only half a day of deliberation — showed how well the government tried the case.

“The government tried the case as we expected," said Joshua A. Naftalis, a partner at Pallas Partners LLP and a former Manhattan prosecutor. “It was a massive fraud, but that doesn’t mean it had to be a complicated fraud, and I think the jury understood that argument.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680015507609.png" alt=" FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried leaves Manhattan federal court in New York, Feb. 16, 2023.&nbsp; (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)" />
 <figcaption> FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried leaves Manhattan federal court in New York, Feb. 16, 2023.&nbsp; (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — FTX founder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/sam-bankman-fried">Sam Bankman-Fried’s</a>&nbsp;spectacular rise and fall in the cryptocurrency industry — a journey that included his testimony before Congress, a Super Bowl advertisement and dreams of a future run for president — hit rock bottom Thursday when a New York jury convicted him of fraud for stealing at least $10 billion from customers and investors.After the month-long trial, jurors rejected Bankman-Fried’s claim during testimony in Manhattan federal court that he never committed fraud or meant to cheat customers before FTX, once the world’s second-largest crypto exchange, collapsed into bankruptcy a year ago.“Mr. Bankman-Fried. Please rise and face the jury,” Judge Lewis A. Kaplan commanded just before a jury forewoman responded “guilty” seven times to two counts of wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud conspiracy and three other conspiracy charges, which carry potential penalties adding up to 110 years in prison. Bankman-Fried is likely to face far less than the maximum at a sentencing set for March 28.As the verdict was read, Bankman-Fried seemed stunned, appearing stone-faced, his hands clasped before him, as his lawyers remained sitting beside him. When he sat down, he looked down for several minutes.His lawyer, Mark Cohen, later read a statement outside court to say they “respect the jury’s decision. But we are very disappointed with the result.”“Mr. Bankman Fried maintains his innocence and will continue to vigorously fight the charges against him,” Cohen said.U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, who sat in the front row of the spectator section during the verdict, stood before cameras outside the courthouse and said Bankman-Fried “perpetrated one of the biggest financial frauds in American history, a multibillion dollar scheme designed to make him the king of crypto.”“But here’s the thing: The cryptocurrency industry might be new. The players like Sam Bankman-Fried might be new. This kind of fraud, this kind of corruption is as old as time and we have no patience for it,” he said.He said the case should serve as a warning to every other fraudster who “thinks they're untouchable, that their crimes are too complex,” that they are too powerful to prosecute or can talk their way out of their crimes because “I promise we'll have enough handcuffs for all of them.”The jury rejected Bankman-Fried insistence during three days of testimony that he never committed fraud or plotted to steal from customers, investors and lenders and didn’t realize his companies were at least $10 billion in debt until October 2022.After the jury left the room, Bankman-Fried's parents, both Stanford University law professors, moved to the front row behind him. His father put his arm around his wife. As Bankman-Fried was led out of the courtroom, he looked back and nodded toward his mother, who nodded back and then became emotional, wiping her hand over her face after he left the room.The trial attracted intense interest with its focus on a fraud on a scale not seen since the 2009 prosecution of Bernard Madoff, whose Ponzi scheme over decades cheated thousands of investors out of about $20 billion. Madoff pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 150 years in prison, where he died in 2021.The prosecution of Bankman-Fried, 31, put a spotlight on the emerging industry of cryptocurrency and a group of young executives in their 20s who lived together in a $30 million luxury apartment in the Bahamas as they dreamed of becoming the most powerful player in a new financial field.Prosecutors made sure jurors knew that the defendant they saw in court with short hair and a suit was not the man with big messy hair and shorts that became his trademark appearance after he started his cryptocurrency hedge fund, Alameda Research, in 2017 and FTX, his cryptocurrency exchange, two years later.They showed the jury pictures of Bankman-Fried sleeping on a private jet, sitting with a deck of cards and mingling at the Super Bowl with celebrities including the singer Katy Perry. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos called Bankman-Fried someone who liked “celebrity chasing.”In a closing argument, Cohen said prosecutors were trying to turn “Sam into some sort of villain, some sort of monster.”“It’s both wrong and unfair, and I hope and believe that you have seen that it’s simply not true,” he said. “According to the government, everything Sam ever touched and said was fraudulent.”The government relied heavily on the testimony of three former members of Bankman-Fried’s inner circle, his top executives including his former girlfriend, Caroline Ellison, to explain how Bankman-Fried used Alameda Research to siphon billions of dollars from customer accounts at FTX.With that money, prosecutors said, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate gained influence and power through investments, contributions, tens of millions of dollars in political contributions, Congressional testimony and a publicity campaign that enlisted celebrities like comedian Larry David and football quarterback Tom Brady.Ellison, 28, testified that Bankman-Fried directed her while she was chief executive of Alameda Research to commit fraud as he pursued ambitions to lead huge companies, spend money influentially and run for U.S. president someday. She said he thought he had a 5% chance to eventually be U.S. president.Becoming tearful as she described the collapse of the cryptocurrency empire last November, Ellison said the revelations that caused customers collectively to demand their money back, exposing the fraud, brought a “relief that I didn’t have to lie anymore.”FTX cofounder Gary Wang, who was FTX’s chief technology officer, revealed in his testimony that Bankman-Fried directed him to insert code into FTX’s operations so that Alameda Research could make unlimited withdrawals from FTX and have a credit line up to $65 billion. Wang said the money came from customers.Nishad Singh, the former head of engineering at FTX, testified that he felt “blindsided and horrified” at the result of the actions of a man he once admired when he saw the extent of the fraud. He said the collapse last November left him suicidal.Ellison, Wang and Singh all pleaded guilty to fraud charges and testified against Bankman-Fried in the hopes of leniency at sentencing.Bankman-Fried was arrested in the Bahamas last December and extradited to the United States, where he was freed on a $250 million personal recognizance bond with electronic monitoring and a requirement that he remain at the home of his parents in Palo Alto, California.His communications, including hundreds of phone calls with journalists and internet influencers, along with emails and texts, eventually got him in trouble when the judge concluded he was trying to influence prospective trial witnesses and ordered him jailed in August.During the trial, prosecutors used Bankman-Fried’s public statements, online announcements and his Congressional testimony against him, showing how the entrepreneur repeatedly promised customers that their deposits were safe and secure as late as last Nov. 7 when he tweeted “FTX is fine. Assets are fine” as customers furiously tried to withdraw their money. He deleted the tweet the next day. FTX filed for bankruptcy four days later.In his closing, Roos mocked Bankman-Fried’s testimony, saying that under questioning from his lawyer, the defendant’s words were “smooth, like it had been rehearsed a bunch of times?”But under cross examination, “he was a different person,” the prosecutor said. “Suddenly on cross-examination he couldn’t remember a single detail about his company or what he said publicly. It was uncomfortable to hear. He never said he couldn’t recall during his direct examination, but it happened over 140 times during his cross-examination.”Former federal prosecutors said the quick verdict — after only half a day of deliberation — showed how well the government tried the case.“The government tried the case as we expected," said Joshua A. Naftalis, a partner at Pallas Partners LLP and a former Manhattan prosecutor. “It was a massive fraud, but that doesn’t mean it had to be a complicated fraud, and I think the jury understood that argument.”

'King of crypto' guilty of fraud; faces 110-years in prison

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a dog bite and searching for the animal involved.

Just after 5p.m. Thursday, a dog bit a person in the 7000 Block of Santa Fe Drive, according to a media release from Overland Park Police.

The victim suffered a minor injury and the dog ran away. It did not have a collar or tags. Police asked the public for help to find the dog. Anyone with information is asked to call 913-895-6420&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699008274230.png" alt="photo Overland Park Police" />
 <figcaption>photo Overland Park Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a dog bite and searching for the animal involved.Just after 5p.m. Thursday, a dog bit a person in the 7000 Block of Santa Fe Drive, according to a media release from Overland Park Police.The victim suffered a minor injury and the dog ran away. It did not have a collar or tags. Police asked the public for help to find the dog. Anyone with information is asked to call 913-895-6420&nbsp;

Police in Kansas ask for help to find dog that bit person

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities have announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for stealing firearms from a federal licensed firearms dealer in Kansas City, Kansas, according to&nbsp;The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department.

Just after 11:45p.m. October 24,&nbsp;an unknown individual rammed a stolen black Kia Soul through the front doors of Frontier Justice, 10000 France Family Drive, Kansas City, Kansas.

&nbsp;Investigators have learned that the same suspect attempted to break into a Bass Pro Shop, approximately one mile south of Frontier Justice, on the same night&nbsp;but was unable to gain entry.&nbsp;

Police have recovered the vehicle used in the break in.

Anyone with information about this theft should contact ATF at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (800-283- 4867), email ATFTips@atf.gov, contact ATF through its website at www.atf.gov/contact/atftips, or text

ATFKC to 63975 and follow the prompts. Tips can also be submitted using the Reportit app, available from both Google Play and the Apple App Store, or by visiting www.reportit.com. Tipsters can remain anonymous.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698958460866.png" alt="Security camera image ATF" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image ATF</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities have announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for stealing firearms from a federal licensed firearms dealer in Kansas City, Kansas, according to&nbsp;The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department.Just after 11:45p.m. October 24,&nbsp;an unknown individual rammed a stolen black Kia Soul through the front doors of Frontier Justice, 10000 France Family Drive, Kansas City, Kansas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698959117260.png" alt="Security camera image ATF" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image ATF</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Investigators have learned that the same suspect attempted to break into a Bass Pro Shop, approximately one mile south of Frontier Justice, on the same night&nbsp;but was unable to gain entry.&nbsp;Police have recovered the vehicle used in the break in.Anyone with information about this theft should contact ATF at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (800-283- 4867), email ATFTips@atf.gov, contact ATF through its website at www.atf.gov/contact/atftips, or textATFKC to 63975 and follow the prompts. Tips can also be submitted using the Reportit app, available from both Google Play and the Apple App Store, or by visiting www.reportit.com. Tipsters can remain anonymous.

Reward offered for information in theft from Kan. gun dealer

BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; a suspect on drug allegations after a traffic stop.

Just&nbsp;before 9 p.m. Wednesday, a deputy sheriff conducted a stop on a vehicle for an alleged traffic violation in the 1000 block of Parish Road in Great Bend, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

During the course the traffic stop, officers became suspicious of illegal drug activity and Sheriff’s Office K9 Maxx was deployed and indicated the presence of controlled substances.

Further investigation revealed a large quantity, approximately 1 pound, of suspected fentanyl. Methamphetamine, oxycodone as well as drug paraphernalia were also located inside the vehicle.

The driver, and sole occupant of the vehicle was identified as 54-year-old Lisa Gomez of Sioux City, New Mexico. 

Gomez was arrested and transported the Barton County Jail without incident where she was booked on requested charges of distribution of fentanyl, possession of methamphetamine, distribution of marijuana, possession of prescription narcotics, possession of drug paraphernalia and illegal transportation of alcohol. Gomez is being held in lieu of a $300,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698944474423.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; a suspect on drug allegations after a traffic stop.Just&nbsp;before 9 p.m. Wednesday, a deputy sheriff conducted a stop on a vehicle for an alleged traffic violation in the 1000 block of Parish Road in Great Bend, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.During the course the traffic stop, officers became suspicious of illegal drug activity and Sheriff’s Office K9 Maxx was deployed and indicated the presence of controlled substances.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698944438065.jpeg" alt="Gomez-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Gomez-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Further investigation revealed a large quantity, approximately 1 pound, of suspected fentanyl. Methamphetamine, oxycodone as well as drug paraphernalia were also located inside the vehicle.The driver, and sole occupant of the vehicle was identified as 54-year-old Lisa Gomez of Sioux City, New Mexico. Gomez was arrested and transported the Barton County Jail without incident where she was booked on requested charges of distribution of fentanyl, possession of methamphetamine, distribution of marijuana, possession of prescription narcotics, possession of drug paraphernalia and illegal transportation of alcohol. Gomez is being held in lieu of a $300,000 bond.

Sheriff: New Mexico woman was selling fentanyl in Kansas

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/last-new-beatles-song-e7b3a349b0e1e58b8668e98ba2d9cd0b">final Beatles recording</a>&nbsp;is here.

Titled “Now and Then,” the almost impossible-to-believe track is four minutes and eight seconds of the first and only original Beatles recording of the 21st century. There's a countdown, then acoustic guitar strumming and piano bleed into the unmistakable vocal tone of John Lennon in the song's introduction: “I know it’s true / It’s all because of you / And if I make it through / It’s all because of you.”

More than four decades since Lennon's murder and two since George Harrison's death, the very last Beatles song has been released as a double A-side single with “Love Me Do,” the band's 1962 debut single.

“Now and Then” comes from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goldradiouk.com/artists/the-beatles/free-bird-real-love-anthology/">same batch of unreleased demos</a>&nbsp;written by Lennon in the 1970s, which were given to his former bandmates by Yoko Ono. They used the tape to construct the songs “Free As a Bird” and “Real Love,” released in the mid-1990s. But there were technical limitations to finishing “Now and Then.”

On Wednesday, a short film titled “The Beatles — Now And Then — The Last Beatles Song” was released, detailing the creation of the track. On the original tape, Lennon's voice was hidden; the piano was “hard to hear,” as Paul McCartney describes it. “And in those days, of course, we didn't have the technology to do the separation.”

That changed in 2022, when the band — now a duo — was able to utilize the same technical restoration methods that separated the Beatles’ voices from background sounds during the making of director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-peter-jackson-e81542a42c74446ad837075140777d65">Peter Jackson’s 2021 documentary series</a>, “The Beatles: Get Back.” And so, they were able to isolate Lennon's voice from the original cassette and complete “Now and Then” using machine learning.

When the song was first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/beatles-artificial-intelligence-record-paul-mccartney-2dc3d8c818e12b708d4e9409cb7dc856">announced in June</a>, McCartney described artificial intelligence technology as “kind of scary but exciting,” adding: “We will just have to see where that leads.”

"To still be working on Beatles' music in 2023 — wow,” he said in “The Beatles — Now And Then — The Last Beatles Song.” “We're actually messing around with state-of-the-art technology, which is something the Beatles would've been very interested in.”

“The rumors were that we just made it up,” Ringo Starr&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/beatles-ringo-starr-interview-rewind-forward-6fc5236cb2a316775fe0723712fc3e41">told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;of Lennon’s contributions to the forthcoming track in September. “Like we would do that anyway.”

“This is the last track, ever, that you’ll get the four Beatles on the track. John, Paul, George, and Ringo,” he continued.

McCartney and Starr built the track from Lennon's demo, adding guitar parts George Harrison wrote in the 1995 sessions and a slide guitar solo in his signature style. McCartney and Starr tracked their bass and drum contributions. A string arrangement was written with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2006/11/25/son-of-beatles-producer-mixes-matches-to-create-new-hits/30284217007/">Giles Martin</a>, son of the late Beatles producer George Martin — a clever recall to the classic ambitiousness of “Strawberry Fields,” or “Yesterday,” or “I Am the Walrus.” Those musicians couldn’t be told they were contributing to the last ever Beatles track, so McCartney played it off like a solo endeavor.

On Friday, an official music video for “Now and Then,” directed by Jackson, will premiere on the Beatles' YouTube channel. It was created using footage McCartney and Starr took of themselves performing, 14 hours of “long forgotten film shot during the 1995 recording sessions, including several hours of Paul, George and Ringo working on ‘Now and Then,’” Jackson said in a statement.

It also uses previously unseen home movie footage provided by Lennon's son Sean and Olivia Harrison, George's wife, and “a few precious seconds of The Beatles performing in their leather suits, the earliest known film of The Beatles and never seen before,” provided by Pete Best, the band's original drummer.

“The result is pretty nutty and provided the video with much needed balance between the sad and the funny,” said Jackson.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/last-new-beatles-song-e7b3a349b0e1e58b8668e98ba2d9cd0b">final Beatles recording</a>&nbsp;is here.Titled “Now and Then,” the almost impossible-to-believe track is four minutes and eight seconds of the first and only original Beatles recording of the 21st century. There's a countdown, then acoustic guitar strumming and piano bleed into the unmistakable vocal tone of John Lennon in the song's introduction: “I know it’s true / It’s all because of you / And if I make it through / It’s all because of you.”<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AW55J2zE3N4?si=vfDah_w3XhXcpsvs&amp;start=2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>More than four decades since Lennon's murder and two since George Harrison's death, the very last Beatles song has been released as a double A-side single with “Love Me Do,” the band's 1962 debut single.“Now and Then” comes from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goldradiouk.com/artists/the-beatles/free-bird-real-love-anthology/">same batch of unreleased demos</a>&nbsp;written by Lennon in the 1970s, which were given to his former bandmates by Yoko Ono. They used the tape to construct the songs “Free As a Bird” and “Real Love,” released in the mid-1990s. But there were technical limitations to finishing “Now and Then.”On Wednesday, a short film titled “The Beatles — Now And Then — The Last Beatles Song” was released, detailing the creation of the track. On the original tape, Lennon's voice was hidden; the piano was “hard to hear,” as Paul McCartney describes it. “And in those days, of course, we didn't have the technology to do the separation.”That changed in 2022, when the band — now a duo — was able to utilize the same technical restoration methods that separated the Beatles’ voices from background sounds during the making of director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-peter-jackson-e81542a42c74446ad837075140777d65">Peter Jackson’s 2021 documentary series</a>, “The Beatles: Get Back.” And so, they were able to isolate Lennon's voice from the original cassette and complete “Now and Then” using machine learning.When the song was first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/beatles-artificial-intelligence-record-paul-mccartney-2dc3d8c818e12b708d4e9409cb7dc856">announced in June</a>, McCartney described artificial intelligence technology as “kind of scary but exciting,” adding: “We will just have to see where that leads.”"To still be working on Beatles' music in 2023 — wow,” he said in “The Beatles — Now And Then — The Last Beatles Song.” “We're actually messing around with state-of-the-art technology, which is something the Beatles would've been very interested in.”“The rumors were that we just made it up,” Ringo Starr&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/beatles-ringo-starr-interview-rewind-forward-6fc5236cb2a316775fe0723712fc3e41">told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;of Lennon’s contributions to the forthcoming track in September. “Like we would do that anyway.”“This is the last track, ever, that you’ll get the four Beatles on the track. John, Paul, George, and Ringo,” he continued.McCartney and Starr built the track from Lennon's demo, adding guitar parts George Harrison wrote in the 1995 sessions and a slide guitar solo in his signature style. McCartney and Starr tracked their bass and drum contributions. A string arrangement was written with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2006/11/25/son-of-beatles-producer-mixes-matches-to-create-new-hits/30284217007/">Giles Martin</a>, son of the late Beatles producer George Martin — a clever recall to the classic ambitiousness of “Strawberry Fields,” or “Yesterday,” or “I Am the Walrus.” Those musicians couldn’t be told they were contributing to the last ever Beatles track, so McCartney played it off like a solo endeavor.On Friday, an official music video for “Now and Then,” directed by Jackson, will premiere on the Beatles' YouTube channel. It was created using footage McCartney and Starr took of themselves performing, 14 hours of “long forgotten film shot during the 1995 recording sessions, including several hours of Paul, George and Ringo working on ‘Now and Then,’” Jackson said in a statement.It also uses previously unseen home movie footage provided by Lennon's son Sean and Olivia Harrison, George's wife, and “a few precious seconds of The Beatles performing in their leather suits, the earliest known film of The Beatles and never seen before,” provided by Pete Best, the band's original drummer.“The result is pretty nutty and provided the video with much needed balance between the sad and the funny,” said Jackson.

🎧  Listen to the last new Beatles song 'Now and Then'

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House approved a nearly $14.5 billion military aid package Thursday for Israel, a muscular U.S. response to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-11-1-2023-7016eb9ebd6a7852c0ed71bc97f14d92">war with Hamas</a>&nbsp;but also a partisan approach by new Speaker Mike Johnson that poses a direct challenge to Democrats and President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>.

In a departure from norms, Johnson's package required that the emergency aid be offset with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-debt-ceiling-budget-x-date-yellen-fe538fd8371cdf647400a27e6d56a9fb">cuts in government spending elsewhere</a>. That tack established the new House GOP's conservative leadership, but it also turned what would typically be a bipartisan vote into one dividing Democrats and Republicans. Biden has said he would veto the bill, which was approved 226-196, with 12 Democrats joining most Republicans on a largely party-line vote.

Johnson, R-La., said the Republican package would provide Israel with the assistance needed to defend itself, free hostages held by Hamas and eradicate the militant Palestinian group, accomplishing "all of this while we also work to ensure responsible spending and reduce the size of the federal government.”

Democrats said that approach would only delay help for Israel. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has warned that the “stunningly unserious” bill has no chances in the Senate.

The first substantial legislative effort in Congress to support Israel in the war falls far short of Biden's request for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">nearly $106 billion</a>&nbsp;that would also back Ukraine as it fights Russia, along with U.S. efforts to counter China and address security at the border with Mexico.

It is also Johnson's first big test as House speaker as the Republican majority tries to get back to work after the month of turmoil since ousting Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as speaker. Johnson has said he will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mike-johnson-israel-ukraine-immigration-gop-agenda-e4054f12f83cfaa09044aa3d087396a8">turn next to aid for Ukraine along with U.S. border security</a>, preferring to address Biden's requests separately as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-funding-zelenskyy-mccarthy-9bced4d9a8c16ae5bf148f640b6f2c31">GOP lawmakers increasingly oppose</a>&nbsp;aiding Kyiv.

The White House's veto warning said Johnson's approach “fails to meet the urgency of the moment” and would set a dangerous precedent by requiring emergency funds to come from cuts elsewhere.

While the amount for Israel in the House bill is similar to what Biden sought, the White House said the Republican plan's failure to include humanitarian assistance for Gaza is a “grave mistake” as the crisis deepens.

Biden on Wednesday called for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-biden-ceasefire-422ed95081e5fe224dd9f0ed7920c4e8">a pause in the war</a>&nbsp;to allow for relief efforts.

"This bill would break with the normal, bipartisan approach to providing emergency national security assistance," the White House wrote in its statement of administration policy on the legislation. It said the GOP stance "would have devastating implications for our safety and alliances in the years ahead."

It was unclear before voting Thursday how many Democrats would join with Republicans. The White House had been directly appealing to lawmakers, particularly calling Jewish Democrats, urging them to reject the bill.

White House chief of staff Jeff Zients, counselor to the president Steve Ricchetti and other senior White House staff have been engaging House Democrats, said a person familiar with the situation and granted anonymity to discuss it.

But the vote was difficult for some lawmakers, particularly Democrats who wanted to support Israel and may have trouble explaining the trade-off to constituents, especially as the large AIPAC lobby and other groups encouraged passage. In all, two Republicans opposed the bill.

Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill, who voted against the package, said: “It was one of the hardest things I've had to do.”

To pay for the bill, House Republicans have attached provisions that would cut billions from the IRS that Democrats approved last year and Biden signed into law as a way to go after tax cheats. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says doing that would end up costing the federal government a net $12.5 billion because of lost revenue from tax collections.

Republicans scoffed at that assessment, but the independent budget office is historically seen as a trusted referee.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698936640397.png" alt="House Speaker Mike Johnson-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Mike Johnson-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House approved a nearly $14.5 billion military aid package Thursday for Israel, a muscular U.S. response to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-11-1-2023-7016eb9ebd6a7852c0ed71bc97f14d92">war with Hamas</a>&nbsp;but also a partisan approach by new Speaker Mike Johnson that poses a direct challenge to Democrats and President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">House Republicans just PASSED the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Ac. In the People’s House, Republicans stand unequivocally with our great ally Israel. <a href="https://t.co/e2ExlWpZGT">pic.twitter.com/e2ExlWpZGT</a>&mdash; House Republicans (@HouseGOP) <a href="https://twitter.com/HouseGOP/status/1720198651778101295?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a departure from norms, Johnson's package required that the emergency aid be offset with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-debt-ceiling-budget-x-date-yellen-fe538fd8371cdf647400a27e6d56a9fb">cuts in government spending elsewhere</a>. That tack established the new House GOP's conservative leadership, but it also turned what would typically be a bipartisan vote into one dividing Democrats and Republicans. Biden has said he would veto the bill, which was approved 226-196, with 12 Democrats joining most Republicans on a largely party-line vote.Johnson, R-La., said the Republican package would provide Israel with the assistance needed to defend itself, free hostages held by Hamas and eradicate the militant Palestinian group, accomplishing "all of this while we also work to ensure responsible spending and reduce the size of the federal government.”Democrats said that approach would only delay help for Israel. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has warned that the “stunningly unserious” bill has no chances in the Senate.The first substantial legislative effort in Congress to support Israel in the war falls far short of Biden's request for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">nearly $106 billion</a>&nbsp;that would also back Ukraine as it fights Russia, along with U.S. efforts to counter China and address security at the border with Mexico.It is also Johnson's first big test as House speaker as the Republican majority tries to get back to work after the month of turmoil since ousting Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as speaker. Johnson has said he will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mike-johnson-israel-ukraine-immigration-gop-agenda-e4054f12f83cfaa09044aa3d087396a8">turn next to aid for Ukraine along with U.S. border security</a>, preferring to address Biden's requests separately as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-funding-zelenskyy-mccarthy-9bced4d9a8c16ae5bf148f640b6f2c31">GOP lawmakers increasingly oppose</a>&nbsp;aiding Kyiv.The White House's veto warning said Johnson's approach “fails to meet the urgency of the moment” and would set a dangerous precedent by requiring emergency funds to come from cuts elsewhere.While the amount for Israel in the House bill is similar to what Biden sought, the White House said the Republican plan's failure to include humanitarian assistance for Gaza is a “grave mistake” as the crisis deepens.Biden on Wednesday called for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-biden-ceasefire-422ed95081e5fe224dd9f0ed7920c4e8">a pause in the war</a>&nbsp;to allow for relief efforts."This bill would break with the normal, bipartisan approach to providing emergency national security assistance," the White House wrote in its statement of administration policy on the legislation. It said the GOP stance "would have devastating implications for our safety and alliances in the years ahead."It was unclear before voting Thursday how many Democrats would join with Republicans. The White House had been directly appealing to lawmakers, particularly calling Jewish Democrats, urging them to reject the bill.White House chief of staff Jeff Zients, counselor to the president Steve Ricchetti and other senior White House staff have been engaging House Democrats, said a person familiar with the situation and granted anonymity to discuss it.But the vote was difficult for some lawmakers, particularly Democrats who wanted to support Israel and may have trouble explaining the trade-off to constituents, especially as the large AIPAC lobby and other groups encouraged passage. In all, two Republicans opposed the bill.Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill, who voted against the package, said: “It was one of the hardest things I've had to do.”To pay for the bill, House Republicans have attached provisions that would cut billions from the IRS that Democrats approved last year and Biden signed into law as a way to go after tax cheats. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says doing that would end up costing the federal government a net $12.5 billion because of lost revenue from tax collections.Republicans scoffed at that assessment, but the independent budget office is historically seen as a trusted referee.Backers said the package would provide support for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, procurement of advanced weaponry and other military needs, and help with protection and evacuations of U.S. citizens. CBO pegged the overall package at about $14.3 billion for Israel.As the floor debate got underway, Democrats pleaded for Republicans to restore the humanitarian aid Biden requested and decried the politicization of typically widely bipartisan Israel support.“Republicans are leveraging the excruciating pain of an international crisis to help rich people who cheat on their taxes and big corporations who regularly dodge their taxes,” said Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the House Rules Committee.Rep. Dan Goldman of New York described hiding in a stairwell with his wife and children while visiting Israel as rockets fired in what he called the most horrific attack on Jews since the Holocaust.Nevertheless, Goldman said he opposed the Republican-led bill as a “shameful effort” to turn the situation in Israel and the Jewish people into a political weapon.“Support for Israel may be a political game for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle," the Democrat said. "But this is personal for us Jews and it is existential for the one Jewish nation in the world that is a safe haven from the rising tide of antisemitism around the globe.”The Republicans have been attacking Democrats who raise questions about Israel's war tactics as antisemitic. The House tried to censure the only Palestinian-American lawmaker in Congress,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-house-censure-resolution-greene-tlaib-48d109c21c11f8df80053d15ff7b77b7">Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.</a>, over remarks she made. The censure measure failed.Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., said he was "so thankful there is no humanitarian aid," which he argued could fall into the hands of Hamas.In the Democratic-controlled Senate, Schumer made clear that the House bill would be rejected.“The Senate will not take up the House GOP's deeply flawed proposal, and instead we'll work on our own bipartisan emergency aid package" that includes money for Israel and Ukraine, as well as humanitarian assistance for Gaza and efforts to confront China.Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is balancing the need to support his GOP allies in the House while also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-biden-congress-republicans-political-blame-7e9137b32a7bcebd8fcdd99a4775ff74">fighting to keep the aid package</a>&nbsp;more in line with Biden's broader request, believing all the issues are linked and demand U.S. attention.McConnell said the aid for Ukraine was “not charity” but was necessary to bolster a Western ally against Russia.In other action Thursday, the House overwhelmingly approved a Republican-led resolution that focused on college campus activism over the Israel-Hamas war. The nonbinding resolution would condemn support of Hamas, Hezbollah and terrorist organizations at institutions of higher education.___