HARVEY COUNTY&nbsp; — Law enforcement authorities are investigating after a woman was shot in Newton.

Just before 2a.m. Friday, police responded to a report of a shooting in the 2000 block of Terrace Drive in Newton, according to a media release from from police.

A man at the house reported his 74-year-old wife had been shot and refused to answer any further questions.

EMS transported the victim to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita with life-threatening injuries. Police arrested her husband identified as 70-year-old Edward Altum. He is being held in the Harvey County Jail on a requested charge of attempted murder. Police also recovered&nbsp; gun at the scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702667856753.png" alt="Altum-photo Harvey County" />
 <figcaption>Altum-photo Harvey County</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY&nbsp; — Law enforcement authorities are investigating after a woman was shot in Newton.Just before 2a.m. Friday, police responded to a report of a shooting in the 2000 block of Terrace Drive in Newton, according to a media release from from police.A man at the house reported his 74-year-old wife had been shot and refused to answer any further questions.EMS transported the victim to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita with life-threatening injuries. Police arrested her husband identified as 70-year-old Edward Altum. He is being held in the Harvey County Jail on a requested charge of attempted murder. Police also recovered&nbsp; gun at the scene.

Kansas man accused of attempting to kill his wife

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a shooting that seriously injured a 15-year-old and a 14-year-old from Wichita continue to search for a suspect.

just before 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a shooting call at the intersection of 15th Street North and Poplar Avenue in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.&nbsp;

First responders located the 15-year-old victim with a gunshot wound to his abdomen and the 14-year-old victim with a gunshot wound to his right upper leg. EMS transported both victims to a local hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Both victims underwent surgery and are in stable condition.

Detectives are still working to fully determine the circumstances leading up to the shooting and had not made an arrest, Rebolledo reported early Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702502344958.png" alt="Police at the scene of the investstigation-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the investstigation-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a shooting that seriously injured a 15-year-old and a 14-year-old from Wichita continue to search for a suspect.just before 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a shooting call at the intersection of 15th Street North and Poplar Avenue in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.&nbsp;First responders located the 15-year-old victim with a gunshot wound to his abdomen and the 14-year-old victim with a gunshot wound to his right upper leg. EMS transported both victims to a local hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Both victims underwent surgery and are in stable condition.Detectives are still working to fully determine the circumstances leading up to the shooting and had not made an arrest, Rebolledo reported early Friday.

Search continues for Kan. suspect who shot 14, 15-year-old

LOS ANGELES (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/matthew-perry-dead-drowning-friends-f2963e83691d2bd2a8626d85a69c73cb">Matthew Perry</a>&nbsp;died from the acute effects of the anesthetic ketamine, according to the results of an autopsy on the 54-year-old “Friends” actor released Friday.

The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner said in the autopsy report that Perry also drowned in “the heated end of his pool,” but that it was a secondary factor in his Oct. 28 death, deemed an accident.

The report says coronary artery disease and buprenorphine, which is used to treat opioid use disorder, also contributed.

Perry was declared dead after being found unresponsive at his home in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. Investigators performed the autopsy the following day.

The actor had taken drugs in the past but had been “reportedly clean for 19 months," according to the report. The coroner said he was reported to have been having ketamine infusion therapy to deal with depression and anxiety, and his last treatment was 1 1/2 weeks before his death.

Perry had played pickleball earlier in the day, the report says, and his assistant, who lives with him, found him face down in the pool after returning from errands.

The assistant told investigators Perry had not been sick, had not made any health complaints, and had not shown evidence of recent alcohol or drug use.

Perry was open about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/matthew-perry-foundation-death-addiction-aa74b3e424c652a4325166231057ecd4">discussing his struggles with addiction</a>&nbsp;dating back to his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/matthew-perry-china-friends-fandom-0876bc8bf20b613c336d8c684eb5524f">time on “Friends”</a>&nbsp;in the 1990s.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698541233773.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/matthew-perry-dead-drowning-friends-f2963e83691d2bd2a8626d85a69c73cb">Matthew Perry</a>&nbsp;died from the acute effects of the anesthetic ketamine, according to the results of an autopsy on the 54-year-old “Friends” actor released Friday.The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner said in the autopsy report that Perry also drowned in “the heated end of his pool,” but that it was a secondary factor in his Oct. 28 death, deemed an accident.The report says coronary artery disease and buprenorphine, which is used to treat opioid use disorder, also contributed.Perry was declared dead after being found unresponsive at his home in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. Investigators performed the autopsy the following day.The actor had taken drugs in the past but had been “reportedly clean for 19 months," according to the report. The coroner said he was reported to have been having ketamine infusion therapy to deal with depression and anxiety, and his last treatment was 1 1/2 weeks before his death.Perry had played pickleball earlier in the day, the report says, and his assistant, who lives with him, found him face down in the pool after returning from errands.The assistant told investigators Perry had not been sick, had not made any health complaints, and had not shown evidence of recent alcohol or drug use.Perry was open about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/matthew-perry-foundation-death-addiction-aa74b3e424c652a4325166231057ecd4">discussing his struggles with addiction</a>&nbsp;dating back to his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/matthew-perry-china-friends-fandom-0876bc8bf20b613c336d8c684eb5524f">time on “Friends”</a>&nbsp;in the 1990s.

Medical examiner reports cause of death for Matthew Perry

WASHINGTON (AP) — A jury awarded $148 million in damages on Friday to two former Georgia election workers who sued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giuliani-trump-election-indictments-georgia-eb2ff2ca7a94f9f80e95e897584c8e7d">Rudy Giuliani</a>, the former New York mayor, who was one referred to as 'America's Mayor,&nbsp;for defamation over lies he spread about them in 2020 that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rudy-giuliani-georgia-election-workers-defamation-trial-0151222465923e9dcad489adb7661f0a">upended their lives</a>&nbsp;with racist threats and harassment.

The damages verdict follows emotional testimony from Wandrea “Shaye” Moss and her mother, Ruby Freeman, who tearfully described becoming the target of a false conspiracy theory pushed by Giuliani and other Republicans as they tried to keep then-President Donald Trump in power after he lost the 2020 election.

Giuliani&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giuliani-georgia-election-workers-defamation-lawsuit-9b561a195fb74d991abc89d1b6587d66">had already been found liable</a>&nbsp;in the case and previously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giuliani-georgia-election-workers-lawsuit-false-statements-afc64a565ee778c6914a1a69dc756064">conceded in court documents</a>&nbsp;that he falsely accused the women of ballot fraud. Even so, the former New York City mayor continued to repeat his baseless allegations about the women in comments to reporters outside the Washington, D.C., courthouse this week.

Giuliani’s lawyer acknowledged that his client was wrong but insisted that Giuliani was not fully responsible for the vitriol the women faced. The defense sought to largely pin the blame on a right-wing website that published the surveillance video of the two women counting ballots.

The judgment adds to growing financial and legal peril for Giuliani, who was among the loudest proponents of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">Trump’s false claims</a>&nbsp;of election fraud that are now a key part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">criminal cases against the former president</a>.

Giuliani had already been showing signs of financial strain as he defends himself against costly lawsuits and investigations stemming from his representation of Trump. His lawyer suggested that the defamation case could financially ruin the former mayor, saying “it would be the end of Mr. Giuliani.”

And Giuliani is still facing his biggest test yet: fighting criminal charges in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-indictment-arraignment-trump-giuliani-c5abbd260f44947a1c01211136108bfe">the Georgia case</a>&nbsp;accusing Trump and 18 others of working to subvert the results of the 2020 election, won by Democrat Joe Biden, in that state. Giuliani has pleaded not guilty and characterized the case as politically motivated.

Jurors in the defamation case heard recordings of Giuliani falsely accusing the election workers of sneaking in ballots in suitcases, counting ballots multiple times and tampering with voting machines. Trump also repeated the conspiracy theories through his social media accounts. Lawyers for Moss and Freeman, who are Black, also played for jurors&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giuliani-georgia-election-workers-moss-freeman-defamation-19fbeae3f5231654b4625787a78419e0">audio recordings of the graphic and racist threats</a>&nbsp;the women received.

The women’s lawyers asked for at least $24 million for each woman in defamation damages alone. They also sought compensation for their emotional harm and punitive damages.

On the witness stand, Moss and Freeman described fearing for their lives as hateful messages poured in. Moss told jurors she tried to change her appearance, seldom leaves her home and suffers from panic attacks. Her mother described strangers banging on her door and recounted fleeing her home after people came with bullhorns and the FBI told her she wasn’t safe.

“It’s so scary, anytime I go somewhere, if I have to use my name,” Freeman said, gasping through her tears to get her words out. “I miss my old neighborhood because I was me, I could introduce myself. Now I don’t have a name, really.”

Defense attorney Joseph Sibley told jurors they should compensate the women for what they are owed, but he urged them to “remember this is a great man.”

An attorney for Moss and Freeman, in his closing argument, highlighted how Giuliani has not stopped repeating the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rudy-giuliani-georgia-election-workers-defamation-trial-0151222465923e9dcad489adb7661f0a">false conspiracy theory</a>&nbsp;asserting the workers interfered in the November 2020 presidential election. Attorney Michael Gottlieb played a video of Giuliani outside the courthouse on Monday, in which Giuliani falsely claimed the women were “engaged in changing votes.”

“Mr. Giuliani has shown over and over again he will not take our client’s names out of his mouth,” Gottlieb said. “Facts will not stop him. He says he isn’t sorry and he’s telegraphing he will do this again. Believe him.”

The judge overseeing the election workers’ lawsuit had already ordered Giuliani and his business entities to pay tens of thousands of dollars in attorneys’ fees. In holding Giuliani liable, the judge ruled that the former mayor gave “only lip service” to complying with his legal obligations while trying to portray himself as the victim in the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692827609455.png" alt="Giuliani photo Fulton County" />
 <figcaption>Giuliani photo Fulton County</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A jury awarded $148 million in damages on Friday to two former Georgia election workers who sued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giuliani-trump-election-indictments-georgia-eb2ff2ca7a94f9f80e95e897584c8e7d">Rudy Giuliani</a>, the former New York mayor, who was one referred to as 'America's Mayor,&nbsp;for defamation over lies he spread about them in 2020 that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rudy-giuliani-georgia-election-workers-defamation-trial-0151222465923e9dcad489adb7661f0a">upended their lives</a>&nbsp;with racist threats and harassment.The damages verdict follows emotional testimony from Wandrea “Shaye” Moss and her mother, Ruby Freeman, who tearfully described becoming the target of a false conspiracy theory pushed by Giuliani and other Republicans as they tried to keep then-President Donald Trump in power after he lost the 2020 election.Giuliani&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giuliani-georgia-election-workers-defamation-lawsuit-9b561a195fb74d991abc89d1b6587d66">had already been found liable</a>&nbsp;in the case and previously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giuliani-georgia-election-workers-lawsuit-false-statements-afc64a565ee778c6914a1a69dc756064">conceded in court documents</a>&nbsp;that he falsely accused the women of ballot fraud. Even so, the former New York City mayor continued to repeat his baseless allegations about the women in comments to reporters outside the Washington, D.C., courthouse this week.Giuliani’s lawyer acknowledged that his client was wrong but insisted that Giuliani was not fully responsible for the vitriol the women faced. The defense sought to largely pin the blame on a right-wing website that published the surveillance video of the two women counting ballots.The judgment adds to growing financial and legal peril for Giuliani, who was among the loudest proponents of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">Trump’s false claims</a>&nbsp;of election fraud that are now a key part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">criminal cases against the former president</a>.Giuliani had already been showing signs of financial strain as he defends himself against costly lawsuits and investigations stemming from his representation of Trump. His lawyer suggested that the defamation case could financially ruin the former mayor, saying “it would be the end of Mr. Giuliani.”And Giuliani is still facing his biggest test yet: fighting criminal charges in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-indictment-arraignment-trump-giuliani-c5abbd260f44947a1c01211136108bfe">the Georgia case</a>&nbsp;accusing Trump and 18 others of working to subvert the results of the 2020 election, won by Democrat Joe Biden, in that state. Giuliani has pleaded not guilty and characterized the case as politically motivated.Jurors in the defamation case heard recordings of Giuliani falsely accusing the election workers of sneaking in ballots in suitcases, counting ballots multiple times and tampering with voting machines. Trump also repeated the conspiracy theories through his social media accounts. Lawyers for Moss and Freeman, who are Black, also played for jurors&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giuliani-georgia-election-workers-moss-freeman-defamation-19fbeae3f5231654b4625787a78419e0">audio recordings of the graphic and racist threats</a>&nbsp;the women received.The women’s lawyers asked for at least $24 million for each woman in defamation damages alone. They also sought compensation for their emotional harm and punitive damages.On the witness stand, Moss and Freeman described fearing for their lives as hateful messages poured in. Moss told jurors she tried to change her appearance, seldom leaves her home and suffers from panic attacks. Her mother described strangers banging on her door and recounted fleeing her home after people came with bullhorns and the FBI told her she wasn’t safe.“It’s so scary, anytime I go somewhere, if I have to use my name,” Freeman said, gasping through her tears to get her words out. “I miss my old neighborhood because I was me, I could introduce myself. Now I don’t have a name, really.”Defense attorney Joseph Sibley told jurors they should compensate the women for what they are owed, but he urged them to “remember this is a great man.”An attorney for Moss and Freeman, in his closing argument, highlighted how Giuliani has not stopped repeating the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rudy-giuliani-georgia-election-workers-defamation-trial-0151222465923e9dcad489adb7661f0a">false conspiracy theory</a>&nbsp;asserting the workers interfered in the November 2020 presidential election. Attorney Michael Gottlieb played a video of Giuliani outside the courthouse on Monday, in which Giuliani falsely claimed the women were “engaged in changing votes.”“Mr. Giuliani has shown over and over again he will not take our client’s names out of his mouth,” Gottlieb said. “Facts will not stop him. He says he isn’t sorry and he’s telegraphing he will do this again. Believe him.”The judge overseeing the election workers’ lawsuit had already ordered Giuliani and his business entities to pay tens of thousands of dollars in attorneys’ fees. In holding Giuliani liable, the judge ruled that the former mayor gave “only lip service” to complying with his legal obligations while trying to portray himself as the victim in the case.___

'America's Mayor' ordered to pay $148M to election workers he defamed

By&nbsp;RACHEL MIPRO&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Attorney Kris Kobach has renewed a legal fight against the second-largest gas marketer in the U.S., alleging the company gouged Kansans on natural gas prices during an 2021 winter storm.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The new filing comes months after Kobach lost his first suit against the company on a technicality.&nbsp;

The lawsuit,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ag.ks.gov/docs/default-source/documents/fs-macquarie-cea-and-kfca-complaint.pdf">refiled Wednesday</a>&nbsp;in Kansas’ U.S. District Court, alleges Macquarie Energy cost Kansans $50 million in excessive charges by purchasing gas from Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline at inflated prices. Those charges were passed along to consumers when the Kansas Corporate Commission set out rate hikes for state energy companies to recoup expenditures.

“It’s disgraceful that Macquarie would manipulate prices at a time when Kansans were already hurting from the storm,” Kobach said in a statement. “We will do everything we can to recover what was taken from those Kansans.”

During the stretch of cold weather, temperatures were below freezing in several parts of the state for days, including in Kansas City, where temperatures stayed below 15 degrees for more than a week.&nbsp;

Natural gas prices were about $2.50 per unit in early February of 2021 and began climbing as the weather dropped, increasing to $329.6 per unit by the middle of the month, and staying at that level from Feb. 13-16. On Feb. 17, the price was about 200 times higher than normal, at $622.8 per unit.&nbsp;

“Macquarie entered into an economically irrational natural gas trade, purchasing natural gas for next-day delivery within Southern Star at the single highest price ever paid for Southern Star natural gas,” reads the suit. “No one has ever paid more.&nbsp; Indeed, no one has ever paid any fixed price for Southern Star gas even remotely close to what Macquarie agreed to pay.”

Former Kansas attorney general Derek Schmidt&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/ag-says-winter-natural-gas-price-spikes-appear-to-violate-kansas-law-seeks-help-for-investigation/">originally began looking into price gouging</a>&nbsp;in 2021, hiring the Florida-based law firm of Morgan &amp; Morgan for the case. Schmidt ran for governor rather than seeking re-election to his position in 2022, and Kobach took over the investigation after he was elected to the office.

Kobach lost his first federal lawsuit on the issue in October due to a technical mistake in the case filing made after he fired Morgan &amp; Morgan. Two attorneys from&nbsp;Nebraska-based law firm Hilgers Graben have joined AG staff attorneys for the refiling.&nbsp;

“Macquarie’s manipulative conduct and trading activity deprived Kansas residents of a lawfully operating natural gas market,” reads the suit.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Jim Zakoura, an energy attorney&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/07/kansas-energy-lawyer-presses-for-inquiry-of-potential-market-manipulation-in-2021-cold-snap/">currently involved</a>&nbsp;in two federal class action lawsuits against several energy companies involving these gas price hikes, said he approved of Kobach’s lawsuit.&nbsp;

“I highly commend the attorney general for the hard work to bring this matter to the federal court,” Zakoura said. “If proven, it puts to an end the position of the natural gas suppliers that the inordinate high price, even compared to the rest of the Midwest, was simply a matter of supply and demand.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702669606120.png" alt=" Natural gas prices spiked during a 2021 cold snap. Attorney General Kris Kobach is re-filing a lawsuit on the matter. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Natural gas prices spiked during a 2021 cold snap. Attorney General Kris Kobach is re-filing a lawsuit on the matter. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;RACHEL MIPRO&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas Attorney Kris Kobach has renewed a legal fight against the second-largest gas marketer in the U.S., alleging the company gouged Kansans on natural gas prices during an 2021 winter storm.&nbsp; &nbsp;The new filing comes months after Kobach lost his first suit against the company on a technicality.&nbsp;The lawsuit,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ag.ks.gov/docs/default-source/documents/fs-macquarie-cea-and-kfca-complaint.pdf">refiled Wednesday</a>&nbsp;in Kansas’ U.S. District Court, alleges Macquarie Energy cost Kansans $50 million in excessive charges by purchasing gas from Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline at inflated prices. Those charges were passed along to consumers when the Kansas Corporate Commission set out rate hikes for state energy companies to recoup expenditures.“It’s disgraceful that Macquarie would manipulate prices at a time when Kansans were already hurting from the storm,” Kobach said in a statement. “We will do everything we can to recover what was taken from those Kansans.”During the stretch of cold weather, temperatures were below freezing in several parts of the state for days, including in Kansas City, where temperatures stayed below 15 degrees for more than a week.&nbsp;Natural gas prices were about $2.50 per unit in early February of 2021 and began climbing as the weather dropped, increasing to $329.6 per unit by the middle of the month, and staying at that level from Feb. 13-16. On Feb. 17, the price was about 200 times higher than normal, at $622.8 per unit.&nbsp;“Macquarie entered into an economically irrational natural gas trade, purchasing natural gas for next-day delivery within Southern Star at the single highest price ever paid for Southern Star natural gas,” reads the suit. “No one has ever paid more.&nbsp; Indeed, no one has ever paid any fixed price for Southern Star gas even remotely close to what Macquarie agreed to pay.”Former Kansas attorney general Derek Schmidt&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/ag-says-winter-natural-gas-price-spikes-appear-to-violate-kansas-law-seeks-help-for-investigation/">originally began looking into price gouging</a>&nbsp;in 2021, hiring the Florida-based law firm of Morgan &amp; Morgan for the case. Schmidt ran for governor rather than seeking re-election to his position in 2022, and Kobach took over the investigation after he was elected to the office.Kobach lost his first federal lawsuit on the issue in October due to a technical mistake in the case filing made after he fired Morgan &amp; Morgan. Two attorneys from&nbsp;Nebraska-based law firm Hilgers Graben have joined AG staff attorneys for the refiling.&nbsp;“Macquarie’s manipulative conduct and trading activity deprived Kansas residents of a lawfully operating natural gas market,” reads the suit.&nbsp;&nbsp;Jim Zakoura, an energy attorney&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/07/kansas-energy-lawyer-presses-for-inquiry-of-potential-market-manipulation-in-2021-cold-snap/">currently involved</a>&nbsp;in two federal class action lawsuits against several energy companies involving these gas price hikes, said he approved of Kobach’s lawsuit.&nbsp;“I highly commend the attorney general for the hard work to bring this matter to the federal court,” Zakoura said. “If proven, it puts to an end the position of the natural gas suppliers that the inordinate high price, even compared to the rest of the Midwest, was simply a matter of supply and demand.”

Kan. AG re-files lawsuit over alleged 2021 natural gas price manipulation

JERUSALEM (AP)—The Israeli military on Friday mistakenly killed three Israeli hostages during its ground operation in the Gaza Strip, military officials said.

The army’s chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said Israeli troops found the hostages and erroneously identified them as a threat. He said it was not clear if they had escaped their captors or been abandoned.

The deaths occurred in the Gaza City area of Shijaiyah, where troops have engaged in fierce battles against Hamas militants in recent days. He said the army expressed “deep sorrow” and was investigating.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian president was set to meet Friday with U.S. officials to discuss postwar arrangements for Gaza that could include reactivating Palestinian security forces driven out by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-gaza-palestinian-authority-israel-war-ed7018dbaae09b81513daf3bda38109a">Hamas</a>&nbsp;in its 2007 takeover of the territory.

Any role for Palestinian security forces in Gaza is bound to elicit strong opposition from Israel, which seeks to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-overall-security-responsibility-gaza-b86055806b733f41b6d7b4e2f0974985">maintain an open-ended security presence</a>&nbsp;there. The Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank but is deeply unpopular with Palestinians.

While Israel has vowed to keep fighting until it wipes out Gaza's Hamas rulers, the international call for a cease-fire has grown in volume. Israel has drawn international outrage and rare&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-oct-7-44c4229d4c1270d9cfa484b664a22071">criticism from the U.S.</a>&nbsp;— its main ally — over the killing of civilians.

More than 18,700 Palestinians have been killed since Israel declared war on Hamas, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Gaza</a>, which does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Israel says 116 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive after Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">raided southern Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and taking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-b6ffc286ca7d4b48caaada43e9c6e411">about 240 hostages</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701204582165.png" alt="File photo Israeli soldiers look at photos of people killed and taken captive by Hamas militants during their violent rampage through the Nova music festival in southern Israel, which are displayed at the site of the event(AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)" />
 <figcaption>File photo Israeli soldiers look at photos of people killed and taken captive by Hamas militants during their violent rampage through the Nova music festival in southern Israel, which are displayed at the site of the event(AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP)—The Israeli military on Friday mistakenly killed three Israeli hostages during its ground operation in the Gaza Strip, military officials said.The army’s chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said Israeli troops found the hostages and erroneously identified them as a threat. He said it was not clear if they had escaped their captors or been abandoned.The deaths occurred in the Gaza City area of Shijaiyah, where troops have engaged in fierce battles against Hamas militants in recent days. He said the army expressed “deep sorrow” and was investigating.Meanwhile, the Palestinian president was set to meet Friday with U.S. officials to discuss postwar arrangements for Gaza that could include reactivating Palestinian security forces driven out by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-gaza-palestinian-authority-israel-war-ed7018dbaae09b81513daf3bda38109a">Hamas</a>&nbsp;in its 2007 takeover of the territory.Any role for Palestinian security forces in Gaza is bound to elicit strong opposition from Israel, which seeks to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-overall-security-responsibility-gaza-b86055806b733f41b6d7b4e2f0974985">maintain an open-ended security presence</a>&nbsp;there. The Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank but is deeply unpopular with Palestinians.While Israel has vowed to keep fighting until it wipes out Gaza's Hamas rulers, the international call for a cease-fire has grown in volume. Israel has drawn international outrage and rare&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-oct-7-44c4229d4c1270d9cfa484b664a22071">criticism from the U.S.</a>&nbsp;— its main ally — over the killing of civilians.More than 18,700 Palestinians have been killed since Israel declared war on Hamas, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Gaza</a>, which does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Israel says 116 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive after Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">raided southern Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and taking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-b6ffc286ca7d4b48caaada43e9c6e411">about 240 hostages</a>.----------

Israeli military: 3 hostages mistakenly killed in Gaza

KANSAS CITY —A federal grand jury in Kansas City returned separate indictments charging federal inmates with crimes.

James Thompson, 50, of U.S. Penitentiary Leavenworth, was indicted on one count of escape from custody for an alleged escape on November 9, 2023. Thompson was serving a prison sentence following a conviction in the U.S. Northern District of Georgia. He is still missing, according to the Bureau of Prisons.

In a separate case, Jeremiah L. Harris, 44, of U.S. Penitentiary Leavenworth, was indicted on one count of escape from custody for an alleged escape on June 23, 2023. Harris is serving a prison sentence following a conviction in the U.S. District Court of Western Missouri.

The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating the cases involving Thompson and Harris.

According to court documents, on April 19, 2023, Thaddeus D. Daniel, 45, allegedly attacked a corrections officer at U.S. Penitentiary Leavenworth where Daniel is an inmate. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.&nbsp;.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699585891299.png" alt="Thompson photo U.S. Bureau of Prisons" />
 <figcaption>Thompson photo U.S. Bureau of Prisons</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A federal grand jury in Kansas City returned separate indictments charging federal inmates with crimes.James Thompson, 50, of U.S. Penitentiary Leavenworth, was indicted on one count of escape from custody for an alleged escape on November 9, 2023. Thompson was serving a prison sentence following a conviction in the U.S. Northern District of Georgia. He is still missing, according to the Bureau of Prisons.In a separate case, Jeremiah L. Harris, 44, of U.S. Penitentiary Leavenworth, was indicted on one count of escape from custody for an alleged escape on June 23, 2023. Harris is serving a prison sentence following a conviction in the U.S. District Court of Western Missouri.The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating the cases involving Thompson and Harris.According to court documents, on April 19, 2023, Thaddeus D. Daniel, 45, allegedly attacked a corrections officer at U.S. Penitentiary Leavenworth where Daniel is an inmate. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.&nbsp;.

Federal inmate charged with alleged escape from custody in Kansas

WILSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 2:30a.m. Friday in Wilson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Mazda 3 driven by Andrew Daniel Brown, 18, Fredonia, was southbound on New Albany Road one half mile south of New Albany.

The driver failed to negotiate a curve. The car traveled off the road to the south, stuck the ditch, went airborne hitting a tree and rolled onto its top.

A passenger in the car identified as Jaryn Levi Yarnell, 19, Erie, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. 

EMS transported Brown and a second passenger David Joseph Powell, 18, Douglas, to Wesley Medical Center. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

WILSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 2:30a.m. Friday in Wilson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Mazda 3 driven by Andrew Daniel Brown, 18, Fredonia, was southbound on New Albany Road one half mile south of New Albany.The driver failed to negotiate a curve. The car traveled off the road to the south, stuck the ditch, went airborne hitting a tree and rolled onto its top.A passenger in the car identified as Jaryn Levi Yarnell, 19, Erie, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. EMS transported Brown and a second passenger David Joseph Powell, 18, Douglas, to Wesley Medical Center. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas teen dies, 2 others injured after violent rollover crash

ATCHISON — The Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum is in the final stretch of online voting as one of 16 new museums across the United States nominated for the “Best New Museum” by USA Today's Reader’s Choice Travel Awards for 2024, according to a media release from the museum.

<a href="https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/travel/best-new-museum-2024/amelia-earhart-hangar-museum-atchison-kansas/?fbclid=IwAR0QphtjAkRrQnuTxuG2LyY2t1eusqa7HtNd8IkSCTILLAHD1TbLz65OhYs">Click here to vote</a>

Voting continues for the public to vote online every day until 12 Noon ET on December 25. 

  “With thousands of Amelia Earhart fans and admirers casting their vote for us — every day —  until Christmas Day — we think the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum can soar to the top spot,” said Mindi Love Pendergraft, the museum’s executive director. 

  Celebrating Earhart’s aviation legacy in aviator’s Atchison, Kansas, hometown, the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum is the only museum in the Midwest among the 16 new museums nominated across United States. 

As of December 14, the Museum is ranking at #4 on USA Leaderboard for Best New Museum. Other nominated museums include The Punk Rock Museum in Los Vegas, NV; the Museum of Broadway in New York, NY; the Gettysburg Beyond Battle Museum in Gettsyburg, PA; the Buffalo AKG Art Museum in Buffalo, NY; and The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art &amp; Culture in Riverside, Calif. 

 “This special honor will not only shine a bright spotlight on our state-of-the-art museum in Amelia’s hometown, but also heighten the nation’s interest in exploring the many stellar museums and tourism attractions across Kansas and the Midwest,” added Love Pendergraft. 

 Named by Smithsonian Magazine as one of The Most Anticipated Museum Openings of 2023, the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum has been captivating visitors since its April grand opening with Earhart’s inspiring aviation legacy in the aviator’s Atchison, Kansas hometown. The Museum’s centerpiece, “Muriel,” is the world's last remaining Lockheed Electra 10-E. Named after Earhart's younger sister, "Muriel" is identical to the plane Earhart flew on her final flight around the world. The state-of-the-art museum blends highly&nbsp;&nbsp;interactive STEM and historical storytelling to take visitors through Earhart's life as a trailblazing aviator who defied the odds to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. 

 The winner will be announced on Friday, January 5 at noon ET. USA Today 10Best provides original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.  

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681315373041.jpeg" alt="photo Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum" />
 <figcaption>photo Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON — The Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum is in the final stretch of online voting as one of 16 new museums across the United States nominated for the “Best New Museum” by USA Today's Reader’s Choice Travel Awards for 2024, according to a media release from the museum.<a href="https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/travel/best-new-museum-2024/amelia-earhart-hangar-museum-atchison-kansas/?fbclid=IwAR0QphtjAkRrQnuTxuG2LyY2t1eusqa7HtNd8IkSCTILLAHD1TbLz65OhYs">Click here to vote</a>Voting continues for the public to vote online every day until 12 Noon ET on December 25. “With thousands of Amelia Earhart fans and admirers casting their vote for us — every day — until Christmas Day — we think the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum can soar to the top spot,” said Mindi Love Pendergraft, the museum’s executive director. Celebrating Earhart’s aviation legacy in aviator’s Atchison, Kansas, hometown, the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum is the only museum in the Midwest among the 16 new museums nominated across United States. As of December 14, the Museum is ranking at #4 on USA Leaderboard for Best New Museum. Other nominated museums include The Punk Rock Museum in Los Vegas, NV; the Museum of Broadway in New York, NY; the Gettysburg Beyond Battle Museum in Gettsyburg, PA; the Buffalo AKG Art Museum in Buffalo, NY; and The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art &amp; Culture in Riverside, Calif. “This special honor will not only shine a bright spotlight on our state-of-the-art museum in Amelia’s hometown, but also heighten the nation’s interest in exploring the many stellar museums and tourism attractions across Kansas and the Midwest,” added Love Pendergraft. Named by Smithsonian Magazine as one of The Most Anticipated Museum Openings of 2023, the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum has been captivating visitors since its April grand opening with Earhart’s inspiring aviation legacy in the aviator’s Atchison, Kansas hometown. The Museum’s centerpiece, “Muriel,” is the world's last remaining Lockheed Electra 10-E. Named after Earhart's younger sister, "Muriel" is identical to the plane Earhart flew on her final flight around the world. The state-of-the-art museum blends highly&nbsp;&nbsp;interactive STEM and historical storytelling to take visitors through Earhart's life as a trailblazing aviator who defied the odds to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. The winner will be announced on Friday, January 5 at noon ET. USA Today 10Best provides original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.

Vote: Kan. museum in running for top new museum in U.S.

PAWNEE COUNTY— A Kansas woman was sentenced Thursday for her role along with two other state employees, in the escape of sexual offender John Freeman Colt from the Sexual Predator Treatment Program at Larned State Hospital, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.

District Judge Bruce Gatterman sentenced&nbsp;Rachel Rena Perez, 52 of Larned,  to a reduced sentence of 16 months in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections with each count to run concurrently. The Court also ordered Perez to register as a Sex Offender for a period of 25 years upon her release from prison.

On August 17,&nbsp; Perez plead No Contest pursuant to a plea agreement to three felonies including Obstructing in the Apprehension or Prosecution of a Registered Sex Offender, Unlawful Sexual Relations with a patient while employed by KDADS, and Conspiracy to Escape from the Sexual Predator Treatment Program.

The charges stem from an ongoing investigation by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Department following the June 30, 2021, escape of John Freeman Colt from the Sexual Predator Treatment Program located on the campus of Larned State Hospital. Colt was captured in Wayne Country Utah on September 27, 2021. He was later ordered to serve a 21 month term with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

John Freemen Colt, 45, is now back in the custody of the Sexual Predator Treatment Program on the campus of Larned State Hospital. He is currently charged under Kansas Law with Aggravated Escape from Custody, a severity level 8 non-person felony, and Aggravated Violation of the Offender Registration Act, a Severity Level 3 person felony. A preliminary hearing is currently scheduled for December 20, 2023.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634076399777.png" alt="Perez-photo Pawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Perez-photo Pawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY— A Kansas woman was sentenced Thursday for her role along with two other state employees, in the escape of sexual offender John Freeman Colt from the Sexual Predator Treatment Program at Larned State Hospital, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.District Judge Bruce Gatterman sentenced&nbsp;Rachel Rena Perez, 52 of Larned, to a reduced sentence of 16 months in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections with each count to run concurrently. The Court also ordered Perez to register as a Sex Offender for a period of 25 years upon her release from prison.On August 17,&nbsp; Perez plead No Contest pursuant to a plea agreement to three felonies including Obstructing in the Apprehension or Prosecution of a Registered Sex Offender, Unlawful Sexual Relations with a patient while employed by KDADS, and Conspiracy to Escape from the Sexual Predator Treatment Program.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1625086515798.png" alt="Colt as seen on security cameras as he made his escape-photo Pawnee Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Colt as seen on security cameras as he made his escape-photo Pawnee Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>The charges stem from an ongoing investigation by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Department following the June 30, 2021, escape of John Freeman Colt from the Sexual Predator Treatment Program located on the campus of Larned State Hospital. Colt was captured in Wayne Country Utah on September 27, 2021. He was later ordered to serve a 21 month term with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.John Freemen Colt, 45, is now back in the custody of the Sexual Predator Treatment Program on the campus of Larned State Hospital. He is currently charged under Kansas Law with Aggravated Escape from Custody, a severity level 8 non-person felony, and Aggravated Violation of the Offender Registration Act, a Severity Level 3 person felony. A preliminary hearing is currently scheduled for December 20, 2023.

Kan. state hospital employee sentenced for sex offender's escape

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY —Authorities are investigating a deadly fire at a home in St. Marys.

On Thursday afternoon, crews responded to a fire at a home near the intersection of N 8th Street and Linn Street in the city of St. Marys, according to a statement from the city police and fire department.

Crews promptly contained and extinguished the fire. First responders discovered a single deceased occupant within the home. 

&nbsp;The cause of death and circumstances of the fire remains under investigation by the state Fire Marshal's office. Authorities released no additional details late Thursday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702644459951.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY —Authorities are investigating a deadly fire at a home in St. Marys.On Thursday afternoon, crews responded to a fire at a home near the intersection of N 8th Street and Linn Street in the city of St. Marys, according to a statement from the city police and fire department.Crews promptly contained and extinguished the fire. First responders discovered a single deceased occupant within the home. &nbsp;The cause of death and circumstances of the fire remains under investigation by the state Fire Marshal's office. Authorities released no additional details late Thursday.

Deadly fire at Kansas home under investigation

SEWARD COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities in southwest Kansas have notified the public of fentanyl located in the city of Liberal, according a a media release from the Liberal Police Department.

Law enforcement learned that fentanyl is being mixed with a multitude of other drugs including meth, cocaine, Xylazine and the manufacture of counterfeit prescription drugs that are packaged to look like the original drug.

On Dec. 11, police executed a search warrant in the 700 Block of East Spruce Street in Liberal as part of&nbsp; an ongoing death investigation. Officers located approximately 2 pounds of fentanyl, fentanyl test strips, ledgers, scales and baggies.&nbsp;

A lethal dose of fentanyl is considered to be 2 mg. Police seized an amount that had the potential to provide 500,000 fatal doses.

Anyone with information that could assist in the investigation should contact police.

SEWARD COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities in southwest Kansas have notified the public of fentanyl located in the city of Liberal, according a a media release from the Liberal Police Department.Law enforcement learned that fentanyl is being mixed with a multitude of other drugs including meth, cocaine, Xylazine and the manufacture of counterfeit prescription drugs that are packaged to look like the original drug.On Dec. 11, police executed a search warrant in the 700 Block of East Spruce Street in Liberal as part of&nbsp; an ongoing death investigation. Officers located approximately 2 pounds of fentanyl, fentanyl test strips, ledgers, scales and baggies.&nbsp;A lethal dose of fentanyl is considered to be 2 mg. Police seized an amount that had the potential to provide 500,000 fatal doses.Anyone with information that could assist in the investigation should contact police.

Police found 2 pounds of fentanyl in SW Kan. death investigation

TOPEKA —It's time to vote for your favorite license plate among five designs created by Mammoth Creative Co., a Kansas-based marketing firm, in partnership with Kansas Tourism for the next official State of Kansas standard issue license plate.

<a href="https://appengine.egov.com/apps/ks/plates">Click here to vote</a>&nbsp;on your choice of design.

Voting will end at 5 p.m. on Friday, December 15.

The proposed designs were chosen in part because they align with Kansas Tourism design standards, with law enforcement needs, and with the following guidelines, according to a media release from the governor's office.

Kansans can vote on their favorite design as many times as they’d like between 9 a.m. CT on Monday, December 11, 2023, and 5 p.m. CT on Friday, December 15, 2023.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702310334406.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —It's time to vote for your favorite license plate among five designs created by Mammoth Creative Co., a Kansas-based marketing firm, in partnership with Kansas Tourism for the next official State of Kansas standard issue license plate.<a href="https://appengine.egov.com/apps/ks/plates">Click here to vote</a>&nbsp;on your choice of design.Voting will end at 5 p.m. on Friday, December 15.The proposed designs were chosen in part because they align with Kansas Tourism design standards, with law enforcement needs, and with the following guidelines, according to a media release from the governor's office.<ul>
 <li>License plate numbers will be seven (7) digits.</li><li>Any phrase, motto, or slogan must be placed at the bottom of the license plate.</li><li>Any graphic must be placed on either side of the license plate number.</li><li>Graphics must not resemble letters, numbers, or special characters in a way that would interfere with the ability to read the license plate number.</li><li>Background design must not interfere with the ability to read the license plate number.</li><li>The license plate must have a light background behind the license plate number, and the license plate number must be black.</li>
 </ul>Kansans can vote on their favorite design as many times as they’d like between 9 a.m. CT on Monday, December 11, 2023, and 5 p.m. CT on Friday, December 15, 2023.

Final day to vote on new Kansas license plate design

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress was departing Washington on Thursday without a deal to pass wartime support for Ukraine, but Senate negotiators and President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a>&nbsp;administration were still racing to wrap up a border security compromise to unlock the stalemate before the end of the year.

The Senate planned to come back next week in hopes of passing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">$110 billion package of aid</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and other national security and finalizing a deal to place new restrictions on asylum claims at the U.S. border. But the House showed no sign of returning to push the legislation through the full Congress.

Lawmakers leaving the impasse unresolved through the holidays would mean the Biden administration would have to rely on a dwindling supply of funds for Ukraine. The wartime aid has so far been vital to Ukraine’s defending against Russia’s invasion, but an emboldened Russian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-russia-press-conference-moscow-ukraine-ef4e88fda50e6ad75b8a1979b95d9fcc">Vladimir Putin earlier Thursday</a>&nbsp;recommitted to his goals in the war.

Repelling Russia has been one of Biden’s chief foreign policy goals. But the Democratic president is facing stiff opposition from Republicans in Congress — both from populist conservatives who no longer want to fund the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">nearly two-year-old conflict</a>&nbsp;and GOP senators who have been traditional allies to Ukraine’s defense but insist that the U.S. also enact policies aimed at cutting the historic number of migrants who are arriving at the U.S. border with Mexico.

Top administration officials, including White House chief of staff Jeff Zients and Biden’s legislative affairs director Shuwanza Goff, met with Senate negotiators Thursday evening. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, rescheduled the Senate to return to Washington on Monday to give negotiators more time to reach the framework of a deal.

“We have to get this done,” Schumer said, adding that he would push for a Senate vote on the funding package next week even if an agreement is not in place.

In an earlier speech on the Senate floor, Schumer said that the deadlock in Congress has left “Putin mocking our resolve.” He cast the decisions facing lawmakers as a potential turning point of history: “There is too much on the line for Ukraine, for America, for Western democracy, to throw in the towel right now.”

But the House ended work and departed for the holidays, with Republican Speaker Mike Johnson showing no sign he will have members return until the second week of January.

In fact, Johnson’s office sent around a clip from a Zelenskyy interview suggesting aid could wait until the new year.

Senate Republicans also expressed doubt there was time left this year to both reach an agreement and work through writing the text of legislation, with Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio saying there would be a “revolt” by Republicans if they were forced into a quick vote.

A core group of Senate negotiators and Biden administration officials were expected to work through the weekend narrowing a list of priorities aimed at curtailing the number of migrants applying for asylum at the U.S. border.

“We are making progress, I feel more confident today than I did yesterday,” Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent who has often been central to Senate deal-making, told The Associated Press.

Faced with historic numbers of migrants at the U.S. border with Mexico, the White House has negotiated a change to the law that would allow Homeland Security officials to stop migrants from applying for asylum if the number of total crossings exceeded a certain capacity.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-israel-funding-us-mexico-border-e1da808689aeef52308d19010a5e3cfa">Negotiators have also considered several other policies</a>&nbsp;that resemble those pursued under former President Donald Trump’s administration, including detaining people who claim asylum at the border and granting nationwide authority to quickly remove migrants who have been in the U.S. for less than two years.

Sinema declined to discuss details of the talks but said her aim was to craft a package that has both the policy and funding to “create an orderly, safe, secure and humane process” for seeking asylum or immigrating for “other legal reasons.” She added that negotiators understand they will lose support from wings of both conservatives and progressives, but were aiming to pass the package in the Senate with majorities of both parties.

“There will probably be folks on the edges of the political spectrum who are not happy with a solution that secures our border, brings order and is humane,” Sinema said.

In one friction point in talks, the White House has resisted Republican demands to curtail&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-biden-haiti-cuba-nicaragua-venezuela-trial-982e96527e266b46dc95388f31a93824">a humanitarian parole program</a>&nbsp;that has allowed tens of thousands of migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to enter the U.S., often at ports of entry other than the border, according to several people familiar with the talks who discussed them only on the condition of anonymity.

Still, immigration advocates have been dismayed at the White House’s concessions in the talks.

Sen. Alex Padilla, the California Democrat who has spearheaded Senate resistance to the plans, said he has told Biden “to be careful because Republicans are hellbent on dragging us into harmful policy territory.”

Congress has struggled for decades to find any agreement on border and immigration policy, yet Republicans argue that the Biden administration opened the door for a policy negotiation both by including border-related funding in the national security package and openly calling for Congress to take up reforms.

But the complicated and contentious nature of the issue prompted many GOP senators to conclude that there would be no deal for Ukraine aid this year, even as they pledged to prove Putin wrong for doubting U.S. support for Ukraine.

“Sometimes democracies take a little more time, but the resolve is real,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D.

Some Democrats fretted that leaving the funding deadlock hanging for weeks could precipitate the deal’s collapse.

“Actions speak louder than words,” said Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702600274009.png" alt="Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says there will be a vote next week on the national security supplemental aid request for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, as well as border security.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says there will be a vote next week on the national security supplemental aid request for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, as well as border security.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress was departing Washington on Thursday without a deal to pass wartime support for Ukraine, but Senate negotiators and President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a>&nbsp;administration were still racing to wrap up a border security compromise to unlock the stalemate before the end of the year.The Senate planned to come back next week in hopes of passing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">$110 billion package of aid</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and other national security and finalizing a deal to place new restrictions on asylum claims at the U.S. border. But the House showed no sign of returning to push the legislation through the full Congress.Lawmakers leaving the impasse unresolved through the holidays would mean the Biden administration would have to rely on a dwindling supply of funds for Ukraine. The wartime aid has so far been vital to Ukraine’s defending against Russia’s invasion, but an emboldened Russian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-russia-press-conference-moscow-ukraine-ef4e88fda50e6ad75b8a1979b95d9fcc">Vladimir Putin earlier Thursday</a>&nbsp;recommitted to his goals in the war.Repelling Russia has been one of Biden’s chief foreign policy goals. But the Democratic president is facing stiff opposition from Republicans in Congress — both from populist conservatives who no longer want to fund the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">nearly two-year-old conflict</a>&nbsp;and GOP senators who have been traditional allies to Ukraine’s defense but insist that the U.S. also enact policies aimed at cutting the historic number of migrants who are arriving at the U.S. border with Mexico.Top administration officials, including White House chief of staff Jeff Zients and Biden’s legislative affairs director Shuwanza Goff, met with Senate negotiators Thursday evening. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, rescheduled the Senate to return to Washington on Monday to give negotiators more time to reach the framework of a deal.“We have to get this done,” Schumer said, adding that he would push for a Senate vote on the funding package next week even if an agreement is not in place.In an earlier speech on the Senate floor, Schumer said that the deadlock in Congress has left “Putin mocking our resolve.” He cast the decisions facing lawmakers as a potential turning point of history: “There is too much on the line for Ukraine, for America, for Western democracy, to throw in the towel right now.”But the House ended work and departed for the holidays, with Republican Speaker Mike Johnson showing no sign he will have members return until the second week of January.In fact, Johnson’s office sent around a clip from a Zelenskyy interview suggesting aid could wait until the new year.Senate Republicans also expressed doubt there was time left this year to both reach an agreement and work through writing the text of legislation, with Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio saying there would be a “revolt” by Republicans if they were forced into a quick vote.A core group of Senate negotiators and Biden administration officials were expected to work through the weekend narrowing a list of priorities aimed at curtailing the number of migrants applying for asylum at the U.S. border.“We are making progress, I feel more confident today than I did yesterday,” Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent who has often been central to Senate deal-making, told The Associated Press.Faced with historic numbers of migrants at the U.S. border with Mexico, the White House has negotiated a change to the law that would allow Homeland Security officials to stop migrants from applying for asylum if the number of total crossings exceeded a certain capacity.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-israel-funding-us-mexico-border-e1da808689aeef52308d19010a5e3cfa">Negotiators have also considered several other policies</a>&nbsp;that resemble those pursued under former President Donald Trump’s administration, including detaining people who claim asylum at the border and granting nationwide authority to quickly remove migrants who have been in the U.S. for less than two years.Sinema declined to discuss details of the talks but said her aim was to craft a package that has both the policy and funding to “create an orderly, safe, secure and humane process” for seeking asylum or immigrating for “other legal reasons.” She added that negotiators understand they will lose support from wings of both conservatives and progressives, but were aiming to pass the package in the Senate with majorities of both parties.“There will probably be folks on the edges of the political spectrum who are not happy with a solution that secures our border, brings order and is humane,” Sinema said.In one friction point in talks, the White House has resisted Republican demands to curtail&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-biden-haiti-cuba-nicaragua-venezuela-trial-982e96527e266b46dc95388f31a93824">a humanitarian parole program</a>&nbsp;that has allowed tens of thousands of migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to enter the U.S., often at ports of entry other than the border, according to several people familiar with the talks who discussed them only on the condition of anonymity.Still, immigration advocates have been dismayed at the White House’s concessions in the talks.Sen. Alex Padilla, the California Democrat who has spearheaded Senate resistance to the plans, said he has told Biden “to be careful because Republicans are hellbent on dragging us into harmful policy territory.”Congress has struggled for decades to find any agreement on border and immigration policy, yet Republicans argue that the Biden administration opened the door for a policy negotiation both by including border-related funding in the national security package and openly calling for Congress to take up reforms.But the complicated and contentious nature of the issue prompted many GOP senators to conclude that there would be no deal for Ukraine aid this year, even as they pledged to prove Putin wrong for doubting U.S. support for Ukraine.“Sometimes democracies take a little more time, but the resolve is real,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D.Some Democrats fretted that leaving the funding deadlock hanging for weeks could precipitate the deal’s collapse.“Actions speak louder than words,” said Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado.

Senators delay holiday to work on $110B funding for Ukraine, Israel

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating report of a stolen vehicle and asking the public for help to locate a suspect.

Just before 11a.m. Thursday, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the area of the 1600 block of NE 54th Street on the report of an unknown white female going door to door and acting suspiciously, according to Lt. Scott Wanamaker.&nbsp;

 While deputies were responding to the area, another homeowner whom lived in the area contacted the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center to report that he was following a vehicle that he believed was just stolen from his neighbor in the 1700 block of NE 54th Street. 

The caller eventually lost sight of the stolen vehicle due to the erratic driving of the suspect.

A short time later, members of the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Warrant’s Unit were attempting to serve a warrant in the 1100 block of SW Washburn Avenue. 

While approaching the residence on foot the deputies recognized the vehicle that had been reported to be stolen occupied by an unknown man. 

As the deputies were approaching the stolen vehicle the man fled the scene driving the vehicle towards the deputies on foot and striking the Fugitive Warrants Unit vehicle. 

A short time later the stolen vehicle was found nearby and abandoned. A search of the area was conducted by the Shawnee County Sheriff’s office and the Topeka Police Department, but the male suspect was not located.

Anyone with information or video of the subject(s) that were seen in the area of NE 54th street or the 1100 block SW Washburn Ave is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office as soon as possible at (785) 251-2200.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating report of a stolen vehicle and asking the public for help to locate a suspect.Just before 11a.m. Thursday, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the area of the 1600 block of NE 54th Street on the report of an unknown white female going door to door and acting suspiciously, according to Lt. Scott Wanamaker.&nbsp; While deputies were responding to the area, another homeowner whom lived in the area contacted the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center to report that he was following a vehicle that he believed was just stolen from his neighbor in the 1700 block of NE 54th Street. The caller eventually lost sight of the stolen vehicle due to the erratic driving of the suspect.A short time later, members of the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Warrant’s Unit were attempting to serve a warrant in the 1100 block of SW Washburn Avenue. While approaching the residence on foot the deputies recognized the vehicle that had been reported to be stolen occupied by an unknown man. As the deputies were approaching the stolen vehicle the man fled the scene driving the vehicle towards the deputies on foot and striking the Fugitive Warrants Unit vehicle. A short time later the stolen vehicle was found nearby and abandoned. A search of the area was conducted by the Shawnee County Sheriff’s office and the Topeka Police Department, but the male suspect was not located.Anyone with information or video of the subject(s) that were seen in the area of NE 54th street or the 1100 block SW Washburn Ave is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office as soon as possible at (785) 251-2200.

Suspect in stolen vehicle struck Kan. fugitive warrants unit vehicle

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man was sentenced for a violent armed robbery from an auto repair shop&nbsp; in 2020 that was working on his vehicle..

&nbsp;A Jackson County judge sentenced 44-year-old Tomorren Garrett to 10 years in state prison for convictions related to the robbery, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

In September 2023, jurors convicted Garrett of two counts of Robbery in the 1st Degree and two counts of Armed Criminal Action for a robbery at a Truman Road auto repair shop.&nbsp;

According to a probable cause statement, in April of 2020,&nbsp;Officers of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department were notified of an armed robbery that occurred at 1700 Truman Rd (Ebenezer Auto).

Upon officers arrival they contacted several employees who were victims of the incident.

The owner of the business stated&nbsp; Garrett brought them a vehicle to repair approximately two and a half weeks ago. Garrett brought them parts for the vehicle and they agreed on a labor price of $700.00. Garrett gave them a $350.00 deposit to complete the work. 

When Garrett came in the store to check the status of his vehicle he was talking with an employee of the business who told him his vehicle heads don't have compression. Garrett got upset, asked for his parts back, and left the business. Approximately 5 minutes later, Garrett came back armed with a handgun and put the gun in his right pant pocket. Garrett stated, “No you will listen, I'm going to kill you and I want my money”. An employee gave Garrett $110.00 but Garrett demanded that she gives him all the money that she had. Garrett then pushed another employee and told him to give more money. The employee&nbsp; gave Garrett $300.00. 

Garrett then produced a handgun and struck an employee in the face with the handgun. Another employee approached Garrett.&nbsp; When Garrett’s girlfriend warned Garrett that the employee was approaching him. Garrett hit the employee in the face with the handgun. Garrett then left the scene but came back a short time later and was yelling at the owner to come outside.

 Garrett remained on scene when the officers arrived and was arrested. He later&nbsp;admitted going to Ebenezer Auto and confronting employees about his vehicle.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702395793776.png" alt="Garrett-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Garrett-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man was sentenced for a violent armed robbery from an auto repair shop&nbsp; in 2020 that was working on his vehicle..&nbsp;A Jackson County judge sentenced 44-year-old Tomorren Garrett to 10 years in state prison for convictions related to the robbery, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.In September 2023, jurors convicted Garrett of two counts of Robbery in the 1st Degree and two counts of Armed Criminal Action for a robbery at a Truman Road auto repair shop.&nbsp;According to a probable cause statement, in April of 2020,&nbsp;Officers of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department were notified of an armed robbery that occurred at 1700 Truman Rd (Ebenezer Auto).Upon officers arrival they contacted several employees who were victims of the incident.The owner of the business stated&nbsp; Garrett brought them a vehicle to repair approximately two and a half weeks ago. Garrett brought them parts for the vehicle and they agreed on a labor price of $700.00. Garrett gave them a $350.00 deposit to complete the work. When Garrett came in the store to check the status of his vehicle he was talking with an employee of the business who told him his vehicle heads don't have compression. Garrett got upset, asked for his parts back, and left the business. Approximately 5 minutes later, Garrett came back armed with a handgun and put the gun in his right pant pocket. Garrett stated, “No you will listen, I'm going to kill you and I want my money”. An employee gave Garrett $110.00 but Garrett demanded that she gives him all the money that she had. Garrett then pushed another employee and told him to give more money. The employee&nbsp; gave Garrett $300.00. Garrett then produced a handgun and struck an employee in the face with the handgun. Another employee approached Garrett.&nbsp; When Garrett’s girlfriend warned Garrett that the employee was approaching him. Garrett hit the employee in the face with the handgun. Garrett then left the scene but came back a short time later and was yelling at the owner to come outside. Garrett remained on scene when the officers arrived and was arrested. He later&nbsp;admitted going to Ebenezer Auto and confronting employees about his vehicle.&nbsp;

Man robbed Kansas City repair shop working on his vehicle

SHAWNEE COUYNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a registered Kansas offender for new crimses after an arrest.

Just after 3a.m. Tuesday, police observed a suspicious person inside Tortilla Jacks, 1618 SW Washburn Avenue, in Topeka, according to&nbsp; police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.

Police contacted the owners and received permission to enter as no one was permitted to be there.

Officers found damage to the property and eventually located the individual, later identified as Jeffrey E. Peak, 37, of Topeka, as well as narcotics. As a result of the investigation, Peak was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Burglary; Dwelling to commit felony, theft, DV, or sexually motivated crime, Criminal Trespass; Unknown Circumstance, Aggravated criminal damage &gt;$5k; intent to steal scrap metal; infrastructure of building and Use/possess w/intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702395036710.png" alt="Peak-photo KBI offender registry" />
 <figcaption>Peak-photo KBI offender registry</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUYNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a registered Kansas offender for new crimses after an arrest.Just after 3a.m. Tuesday, police observed a suspicious person inside Tortilla Jacks, 1618 SW Washburn Avenue, in Topeka, according to&nbsp; police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.Police contacted the owners and received permission to enter as no one was permitted to be there.Officers found damage to the property and eventually located the individual, later identified as Jeffrey E. Peak, 37, of Topeka, as well as narcotics. As a result of the investigation, Peak was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Burglary; Dwelling to commit felony, theft, DV, or sexually motivated crime, Criminal Trespass; Unknown Circumstance, Aggravated criminal damage &gt;$5k; intent to steal scrap metal; infrastructure of building and Use/possess w/intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body.

Police catch registered offender in restaurant after hours

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A federal grand jury in Montana has indicted two men accused of killing about 3,600 birds, including bald eagles and golden eagles, and selling them on the black market.

The indictment returned in U.S. District Court last week charges Simon Paul and Travis John Branson with 13 counts of unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles and one count each of conspiracy and violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits trafficking of illegally taken wildlife.

“The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act was enacted in 1940 to protect the bald eagle, recognizing that the bald eagle is not merely a bird of biological interest, but this country’s national symbol which reflects America’s ideals of freedom,” the indictment states. The act was extended in 1962 to include golden eagles.

Branson, Paul and others hunted and killed thousands of birds, including eagles, on the Flathead Indian Reservation and elsewhere, then illegally sold them for significant sums of cash across the United States and elsewhere, the indictment states.

Investigators found messages from Branson and others describing the illegal taking of eagles, saying he was “committing felonies” and telling buyers he was “on a killing spree” to collect more eagle tail feathers for future sales, according to the indictment.

The indictment alleges that Paul and Branson conspired to kill and sell the eagles illegally near Ronan, Montana, from 2015 and 2021. From 2019 and 2021, Branson traveled from Washington state to the reservation to shoot the eagles, and Paul, who lived near the reservation, was a shooter and shipper for Branson.

“When Branson arrived on the Flathead Indian Reservation, Paul would meet and help kill, transport, and ship bald and golden eagles for future sales on the black market,” the indictment states.

Paul and Branson were issued summons to appear for arraignments on Jan. 8.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670010827440.jpeg" alt="photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A federal grand jury in Montana has indicted two men accused of killing about 3,600 birds, including bald eagles and golden eagles, and selling them on the black market.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702572574202.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The indictment returned in U.S. District Court last week charges Simon Paul and Travis John Branson with 13 counts of unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles and one count each of conspiracy and violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits trafficking of illegally taken wildlife.“The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act was enacted in 1940 to protect the bald eagle, recognizing that the bald eagle is not merely a bird of biological interest, but this country’s national symbol which reflects America’s ideals of freedom,” the indictment states. The act was extended in 1962 to include golden eagles.Branson, Paul and others hunted and killed thousands of birds, including eagles, on the Flathead Indian Reservation and elsewhere, then illegally sold them for significant sums of cash across the United States and elsewhere, the indictment states.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702572624186.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Investigators found messages from Branson and others describing the illegal taking of eagles, saying he was “committing felonies” and telling buyers he was “on a killing spree” to collect more eagle tail feathers for future sales, according to the indictment.The indictment alleges that Paul and Branson conspired to kill and sell the eagles illegally near Ronan, Montana, from 2015 and 2021. From 2019 and 2021, Branson traveled from Washington state to the reservation to shoot the eagles, and Paul, who lived near the reservation, was a shooter and shipper for Branson.“When Branson arrived on the Flathead Indian Reservation, Paul would meet and help kill, transport, and ship bald and golden eagles for future sales on the black market,” the indictment states.Paul and Branson were issued summons to appear for arraignments on Jan. 8.

Two charged with killing, selling bald and golden eagles

WASHINGTON — First lady Jill Biden shared a unique video on social media Wednesday featuring the Dorrance Dance talented tappers at the White House with "their playful interpretation of The Nutcracker Suite."

&nbsp;Viewers shared a variety of positive and negative reviews of the "bit of magic, wonder, and joy,”&nbsp; as described by the first lady.&nbsp; She hopes viewers enjoy it.

WASHINGTON — First lady Jill Biden shared a unique video on social media Wednesday featuring the Dorrance Dance talented tappers at the White House with "their playful interpretation of The Nutcracker Suite."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A bit of magic, wonder, and joy brought to you by the talented tappers of Dorrance Dance, performing their playful interpretation of The Nutcracker Suite. Enjoy! 💕 <a href="https://t.co/qXtCm4t37o">pic.twitter.com/qXtCm4t37o</a>&mdash; Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/1735074586721468855?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>&nbsp;Viewers shared a variety of positive and negative reviews of the "bit of magic, wonder, and joy,”&nbsp; as described by the first lady.&nbsp; She hopes viewers enjoy it.

🎥First lady shares unusual White House Christmas video

GRAY COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 8a.m. Thursday in Gray County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Kia Sportage driven by Angela C&nbsp;Rodriguez, 59, Dodge City, was westbound on U.S. 56 one half mile northeast of Copeland.

The driver lost control due to slush on the roadway. An eastbound 2015 Chevy Suburban driven by Margaretha Wiebe, 32, Sublette, struck the passenger side of Kia in the eastbound lane. After impact, the Kia came&nbsp;rest in the south ditch.&nbsp;

Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Wiebe to&nbsp;St. Catherine's in Dodge City. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702591141734.png" alt="Wet, slushy roads in western Kansas on Thursday-photo KanDrive" />
 <figcaption>Wet, slushy roads in western Kansas on Thursday-photo KanDrive</figcaption>
 </figure>GRAY COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 8a.m. Thursday in Gray County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Kia Sportage driven by Angela C&nbsp;Rodriguez, 59, Dodge City, was westbound on U.S. 56 one half mile northeast of Copeland.The driver lost control due to slush on the roadway. An eastbound 2015 Chevy Suburban driven by Margaretha Wiebe, 32, Sublette, struck the passenger side of Kia in the eastbound lane. After impact, the Kia came&nbsp;rest in the south ditch.&nbsp;Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Wiebe to&nbsp;St. Catherine's in Dodge City. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman dies after crash blamed for slush on the road

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed a defense policy bill Thursday that authorizes the biggest pay raise for troops in more than two decades, overcoming objections from some conservatives concerned the measure did not do enough to restrict the Pentagon's diversity initiatives, abortion travel policy and gender-affirming health care for transgender service members.

The $886 billion bill was approved by a vote of 310-118 and now goes to President Joe Biden after the Senate had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/defense-bill-pay-raise-abortion-transgender-21616bf1fd228c84d8d0046d25a19b01#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20The%20Senate,what%20is%20traditionally%20a%20strongly">overwhelmingly passed</a>&nbsp;it Wednesday. Kansas Representatives Ron Estes and Tracey Man voted against the bill. The rest of the Kansas delegation including Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted for the bill.

It is likely the last piece of major legislation Congress will consider before leaving for the holiday break, though negotiations continue on a bill to aid Ukraine and Israel and boost border security.

The spending called for represents about a 3% increase from the prior year. The bill serves as a blueprint for programs Congress will seek to fund through follow-up spending bills.

Lawmakers have been negotiating a final defense policy bill for months after each chamber passed strikingly different versions in July. Some of the priorities championed by social conservatives were a no-go for Democrats. Negotiators dropped them from the final version to get it over the finish line.

That did not go over well with some Republican lawmakers, though most did end up voting for a bill that traditionally has broad, bipartisan support. About twice as many Republicans voted for the bill as voted against it.

“You almost feel like a parent who's sent a child off to summer camp and they came back a monster,” Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., said in opposing the bill. “That's what we've done. This bill came back in far worse shape.”

As an example, Gaetz said the House bill eliminated the position of the chief diversity officer at the Defense Department, but the final measure did not include that provision.

Washington Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, chided the bill's critics for what he described as an unwillingness to compromise.

“Apparently, you don't like democracy because that's what democracy is. You compromise and you work with people and you do it all the time,” Smith said.

Most notably, the bill does not include language sought by House Republicans to restrict gender-affirming health care for transgender service members and it does not block the Pentagon’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-lloyd-austin-government-and-politics-dc6a0317775596ffc7945acc79b7559e">abortion travel</a>&nbsp;policy, which allows reimbursement for travel expenses when a service member has to go out of state for an abortion or other reproductive care.

Republicans did win some concessions on diversity and inclusion training in the military. For example, the bill freezes hiring for such training until a full accounting of the programming and costs is completed and reported to Congress.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702582014813.png" alt="Kansas congressman Jake LaTurner presided over the House Floor Thursday during the vote on the National Defense Authorization Act." />
 <figcaption>Kansas congressman Jake LaTurner presided over the House Floor Thursday during the vote on the National Defense Authorization Act.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed a defense policy bill Thursday that authorizes the biggest pay raise for troops in more than two decades, overcoming objections from some conservatives concerned the measure did not do enough to restrict the Pentagon's diversity initiatives, abortion travel policy and gender-affirming health care for transgender service members.The $886 billion bill was approved by a vote of 310-118 and now goes to President Joe Biden after the Senate had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/defense-bill-pay-raise-abortion-transgender-21616bf1fd228c84d8d0046d25a19b01#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20The%20Senate,what%20is%20traditionally%20a%20strongly">overwhelmingly passed</a>&nbsp;it Wednesday. Kansas Representatives Ron Estes and Tracey Man voted against the bill. The rest of the Kansas delegation including Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted for the bill.It is likely the last piece of major legislation Congress will consider before leaving for the holiday break, though negotiations continue on a bill to aid Ukraine and Israel and boost border security.The spending called for represents about a 3% increase from the prior year. The bill serves as a blueprint for programs Congress will seek to fund through follow-up spending bills.Lawmakers have been negotiating a final defense policy bill for months after each chamber passed strikingly different versions in July. Some of the priorities championed by social conservatives were a no-go for Democrats. Negotiators dropped them from the final version to get it over the finish line.That did not go over well with some Republican lawmakers, though most did end up voting for a bill that traditionally has broad, bipartisan support. About twice as many Republicans voted for the bill as voted against it.“You almost feel like a parent who's sent a child off to summer camp and they came back a monster,” Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., said in opposing the bill. “That's what we've done. This bill came back in far worse shape.”As an example, Gaetz said the House bill eliminated the position of the chief diversity officer at the Defense Department, but the final measure did not include that provision.Washington Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, chided the bill's critics for what he described as an unwillingness to compromise.“Apparently, you don't like democracy because that's what democracy is. You compromise and you work with people and you do it all the time,” Smith said.Most notably, the bill does not include language sought by House Republicans to restrict gender-affirming health care for transgender service members and it does not block the Pentagon’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-lloyd-austin-government-and-politics-dc6a0317775596ffc7945acc79b7559e">abortion travel</a>&nbsp;policy, which allows reimbursement for travel expenses when a service member has to go out of state for an abortion or other reproductive care.Republicans did win some concessions on diversity and inclusion training in the military. For example, the bill freezes hiring for such training until a full accounting of the programming and costs is completed and reported to Congress.One of the most divisive aspects of the bill was a short-term extension of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-surveillance-fisa-702-congress-reform-7dc1b506b58ce74de0d7983dfba98909">surveillance program</a>&nbsp;aimed at preventing terrorism and catching spies. The program has detractors on both sides of the political aisle who view it as a threat to the privacy of ordinary Americans.Some House Republicans were incensed that the extension was included in the defense policy bill and not voted upon separately through other legislation that included proposed changes to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA.The extension continues a tool that permits the U.S. government to collect without a warrant the communications of non-Americans located outside the country, in an effort to gather foreign intelligence.U.S. officials have said the tool, first authorized in 2008 and renewed several times since then, is crucial in disrupting terror attacks, cyber intrusions and other national security threats. It has produced vital intelligence that the U.S. has relied on for specific operations, such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-ayman-al-zawahri-qaida-biden-united-states-171556fce4719d012726fb979a14cc81">killing last year</a>&nbsp;of al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri.But the administration’s efforts to secure reauthorization of the program have encountered strong bipartisan pushback. Lawmakers are demanding better privacy protections for those Americans caught up in the monitoring. They wanted a separate vote on legislation making changes to the program.“The FBI under President Biden has been weaponized against the American people and major reform is needed,” said Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont. “FISA should not be combined with our national defense. And it is unacceptable that leadership is bypassing regular order to jam members by forcing them to vote on two unrelated bills with one vote.”Matthew G. Olsen, an assistant attorney general at the Justice Department, praised the passage of the extension.He said: “We cannot afford to be blinded to the many threats we face from foreign adversaries, including Iran and China, as well as terrorist organizations like Hamas and ISIS," or the Islamic State group.Enough opposition to the bill had developed within the GOP ranks that it forced House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to tee up the defense policy bill for a vote through a process generally reserved for noncontroversial legislation.Under that process, at least two-thirds of the House had to vote in favor of the legislation for it to pass, but going that route avoided the prospect of a small number of Republicans blocking it from the floor.Consideration of the bill comes at a dangerous time for the world, with wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and as China increasingly flexes its military might in the South China Sea.On Ukraine, the bill includes the creation of a special inspector general for Ukraine to address concerns about whether taxpayer dollars are being spent in Ukraine as intended. That’s on top of oversight work already being conducted by other agency watchdogs.“We will continue to stay on top of this, but I want to assure my colleagues that there has been no evidence of diversion of weapons provided to Ukraine or any other assistance,” GOP Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, told lawmakers this week in advocating for the bill.On China, the bill establishes a new training program with Taiwan, requires a plan to accelerate deliveries of Harpoon anti-ship missiles to Taiwan, and approves&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-united-states-nuclear-submarines-biden-aukus-64a1d6c416ad9206153ad601c177869b">an agreement</a>&nbsp;that enables Australia to access nuclear-powered submarines, which are stealthier and more capable than conventionally powered vessels.