WASHINGTON (AP) —For the first time, U.S. regulators on Wednesday approved the sale of chicken made from animal cells, allowing two California companies to offer “lab-grown” meat to the nation's restaurant tables and eventually, supermarket shelves.

The Agriculture Department gave the green light to Upside Foods and Good Meat, firms that had been racing to be the first in the U.S. to sell meat that doesn't come from slaughtered animals — what's now being referred to as “cell-cultivated" or “cultured” meat as it emerges from the laboratory and arrives on dinner plates.

The move launches a new era of meat production aimed at eliminating harm to animals and drastically reducing the environmental impacts of grazing, growing feed for animals and animal waste.

“Instead of all of that land and all of that water that's used to feed all of these animals that are slaughtered, we can do it in a different way," said Josh Tetrick, co-founder and chief executive of Eat Just, which operates Good Meat.

The companies received approvals for federal inspections required to sell meat and poultry in the U.S. The action came months after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration deemed that products from both companies are safe to eat. A manufacturing company called Joinn Biologics, which works with Good Meat, was also cleared to make the products.

Cultivated meat is grown in steel tanks, using cells that come from a living animal, a fertilized egg or a special bank of stored cells. In Upside's case, it comes out in large sheets that are then formed into shapes like chicken cutlets and sausages. Good Meat, which already sells cultivated meat in Singapore, the first country to allow it, turns masses of chicken cells into cutlets, nuggets, shredded meat and satays.

But don’t look for this novel meat in U.S. grocery stores anytime soon. Cultivated chicken is much more expensive than meat from whole, farmed birds and cannot yet be produced on the scale of traditional meat, said Ricardo San Martin, director of the Alt:Meat Lab at University of California Berkeley.

The companies plan to serve the new food first in exclusive restaurants: Upside has partnered with a San Francisco restaurant called Bar Crenn, while Good Meat dishes will be served at a Washington, D.C., restaurant run by chef and owner Jose Andrés.

Company officials are quick to note the products are meat, not substitutes like the Impossible Burger or offerings from Beyond Meat, which are made from plant proteins and other ingredients.

Globally, more than 150 companies are focusing on meat from cells, not only chicken but pork, lamb, fish and beef, which scientists say has the biggest impact on the environment.

Upside, based in Berkeley, operates a 70,000-square-foot building in nearby Emeryville. On a recent Tuesday, visitors entered a gleaming commercial kitchen where chef Jess Weaver was sauteeing a cultivated chicken filet in a white wine butter sauce with tomatoes, capers and green onions.

The finished chicken breast product was slightly paler than the grocery store version. Otherwise it looked, cooked, smelled and tasted like any other pan-fried poultry.

“The most common response we get is, ‘Oh, it tastes like chicken,’” said Amy Chen, Upside’s chief operating officer.

Good Meat, based in Alameda, operates a 100,000-square-foot plant, where chef Zach Tyndall dished up a smoked chicken salad on a sunny June afternoon. He followed it with a chicken “thigh” served on a bed of potato puree with a mushroom-vegetable demi-glace and tiny purple cauliflower florets. The Good Meat chicken product will come pre-cooked, requiring only heating to use in a range of dishes.

Chen acknowledged that many consumers are skeptical, even squeamish, about the thought of eating chicken grown from cells.

“We call it the ‘ick factor,’” she said.

The sentiment was echoed in a recent poll conducted by the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Half of U.S. adults said that they are unlikely to try meat grown using cells from animals. When asked to choose from a list of reasons for their reluctance, most who said they'd be unlikely to try it said “it just sounds weird.” About half said they don’t think it would be safe.

But once people understand how the meat is made, they’re more accepting, Chen said. And once they taste it, they're usually sold.

“It is the meat that you’ve always known and loved," she said.

Cultivated meat begins with cells. Upside experts take cells from live animals, choosing those most likely to taste good and to reproduce quickly and consistently, forming high-quality meat, Chen said. Good Meat products are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/166346/download">created from</a>&nbsp;a master cell bank formed from a commercially available chicken cell line.

Once the cell lines are selected, they’re combined with a broth-like mixture that includes the amino acids, fatty acids, sugars, salts, vitamins and other elements cells need to grow. Inside the tanks, called cultivators, the cells grow, proliferating quickly. At Upside, muscle and connective tissue cells grow together, forming large sheets. After about three weeks, the sheets of poultry cells are removed from the tanks and formed into cutlets, sausages or other foods. Good Meat cells grow into large masses, which are shaped into a range of meat products.

Both firms emphasized that initial production will be limited. The Emeryville facility can produce up to 50,000 pounds of cultivated meat products a year, though the goal is to expand to 400,000 pounds per year, Upside officials said. Good Meat officials wouldn't estimate a production goal.

By comparison, the U.S. produces about 50 billion pounds of chicken per year.

It could take a few years before consumers see the products in more restaurants and seven to 10 years before they hit the wider market, said Sebastian Bohn, who specializes in cell-based foods at CRB, a Missouri firm that designs and builds facilities for pharmaceutical, biotech and food companies.

Cost will be another sticking point. Neither Upside nor Good Meat officials would reveal the price of a single chicken cutlet, saying only that it’s been reduced by orders of magnitude since the firms began offering demonstrations. Eventually, the price is expected to mirror high-end organic chicken, which sells for up to $20 per pound.

San Martin said he’s concerned that cultivated meat may wind up being an alternative to traditional meat for rich people, but will do little for the environment if it remains a niche product.

“If some high-end or affluent people want to eat this instead of a chicken, it's good,” he said. "Will that mean you will feed chicken to poor people? I honestly don't see it."

Tetrick said he shares critics' concerns about the challenges of producing an affordable, novel meat product for the world. But he emphasized that traditional meat production is so damaging to the planet it requires an alternative — preferably one that doesn't require giving up meat all together.

“I miss meat," said Tetrick, who grew up in Alabama eating chicken wings and barbecue. “There should be a different way that people can enjoy chicken and beef and pork with their families."

WASHINGTON (AP) —For the first time, U.S. regulators on Wednesday approved the sale of chicken made from animal cells, allowing two California companies to offer “lab-grown” meat to the nation's restaurant tables and eventually, supermarket shelves.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fgoodmeat%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0114d5rGCnk48cEZR848wMs58K9WnD55tTqPXEmghghAiDg2eY758Jwfd7eHqJpidl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="732" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The Agriculture Department gave the green light to Upside Foods and Good Meat, firms that had been racing to be the first in the U.S. to sell meat that doesn't come from slaughtered animals — what's now being referred to as “cell-cultivated" or “cultured” meat as it emerges from the laboratory and arrives on dinner plates.The move launches a new era of meat production aimed at eliminating harm to animals and drastically reducing the environmental impacts of grazing, growing feed for animals and animal waste.“Instead of all of that land and all of that water that's used to feed all of these animals that are slaughtered, we can do it in a different way," said Josh Tetrick, co-founder and chief executive of Eat Just, which operates Good Meat.The companies received approvals for federal inspections required to sell meat and poultry in the U.S. The action came months after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration deemed that products from both companies are safe to eat. A manufacturing company called Joinn Biologics, which works with Good Meat, was also cleared to make the products.Cultivated meat is grown in steel tanks, using cells that come from a living animal, a fertilized egg or a special bank of stored cells. In Upside's case, it comes out in large sheets that are then formed into shapes like chicken cutlets and sausages. Good Meat, which already sells cultivated meat in Singapore, the first country to allow it, turns masses of chicken cells into cutlets, nuggets, shredded meat and satays.But don’t look for this novel meat in U.S. grocery stores anytime soon. Cultivated chicken is much more expensive than meat from whole, farmed birds and cannot yet be produced on the scale of traditional meat, said Ricardo San Martin, director of the Alt:Meat Lab at University of California Berkeley.The companies plan to serve the new food first in exclusive restaurants: Upside has partnered with a San Francisco restaurant called Bar Crenn, while Good Meat dishes will be served at a Washington, D.C., restaurant run by chef and owner Jose Andrés.Company officials are quick to note the products are meat, not substitutes like the Impossible Burger or offerings from Beyond Meat, which are made from plant proteins and other ingredients.Globally, more than 150 companies are focusing on meat from cells, not only chicken but pork, lamb, fish and beef, which scientists say has the biggest impact on the environment.Upside, based in Berkeley, operates a 70,000-square-foot building in nearby Emeryville. On a recent Tuesday, visitors entered a gleaming commercial kitchen where chef Jess Weaver was sauteeing a cultivated chicken filet in a white wine butter sauce with tomatoes, capers and green onions.The finished chicken breast product was slightly paler than the grocery store version. Otherwise it looked, cooked, smelled and tasted like any other pan-fried poultry.“The most common response we get is, ‘Oh, it tastes like chicken,’” said Amy Chen, Upside’s chief operating officer.Good Meat, based in Alameda, operates a 100,000-square-foot plant, where chef Zach Tyndall dished up a smoked chicken salad on a sunny June afternoon. He followed it with a chicken “thigh” served on a bed of potato puree with a mushroom-vegetable demi-glace and tiny purple cauliflower florets. The Good Meat chicken product will come pre-cooked, requiring only heating to use in a range of dishes.Chen acknowledged that many consumers are skeptical, even squeamish, about the thought of eating chicken grown from cells.“We call it the ‘ick factor,’” she said.The sentiment was echoed in a recent poll conducted by the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Half of U.S. adults said that they are unlikely to try meat grown using cells from animals. When asked to choose from a list of reasons for their reluctance, most who said they'd be unlikely to try it said “it just sounds weird.” About half said they don’t think it would be safe.But once people understand how the meat is made, they’re more accepting, Chen said. And once they taste it, they're usually sold.“It is the meat that you’ve always known and loved," she said.Cultivated meat begins with cells. Upside experts take cells from live animals, choosing those most likely to taste good and to reproduce quickly and consistently, forming high-quality meat, Chen said. Good Meat products are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/166346/download">created from</a>&nbsp;a master cell bank formed from a commercially available chicken cell line.Once the cell lines are selected, they’re combined with a broth-like mixture that includes the amino acids, fatty acids, sugars, salts, vitamins and other elements cells need to grow. Inside the tanks, called cultivators, the cells grow, proliferating quickly. At Upside, muscle and connective tissue cells grow together, forming large sheets. After about three weeks, the sheets of poultry cells are removed from the tanks and formed into cutlets, sausages or other foods. Good Meat cells grow into large masses, which are shaped into a range of meat products.Both firms emphasized that initial production will be limited. The Emeryville facility can produce up to 50,000 pounds of cultivated meat products a year, though the goal is to expand to 400,000 pounds per year, Upside officials said. Good Meat officials wouldn't estimate a production goal.By comparison, the U.S. produces about 50 billion pounds of chicken per year.It could take a few years before consumers see the products in more restaurants and seven to 10 years before they hit the wider market, said Sebastian Bohn, who specializes in cell-based foods at CRB, a Missouri firm that designs and builds facilities for pharmaceutical, biotech and food companies.Cost will be another sticking point. Neither Upside nor Good Meat officials would reveal the price of a single chicken cutlet, saying only that it’s been reduced by orders of magnitude since the firms began offering demonstrations. Eventually, the price is expected to mirror high-end organic chicken, which sells for up to $20 per pound.San Martin said he’s concerned that cultivated meat may wind up being an alternative to traditional meat for rich people, but will do little for the environment if it remains a niche product.“If some high-end or affluent people want to eat this instead of a chicken, it's good,” he said. "Will that mean you will feed chicken to poor people? I honestly don't see it."Tetrick said he shares critics' concerns about the challenges of producing an affordable, novel meat product for the world. But he emphasized that traditional meat production is so damaging to the planet it requires an alternative — preferably one that doesn't require giving up meat all together.“I miss meat," said Tetrick, who grew up in Alabama eating chicken wings and barbecue. “There should be a different way that people can enjoy chicken and beef and pork with their families."

U.S. approves the nation's first 'lab-grown' meat

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon said Tuesday that it overestimated the value of the weapons it has sent to Ukraine by $6.2 billion over the past two years — about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-costs-war-russia-weapons-884a9eefe32eee9ec611771cfe2a4642">double early estimates</a>&nbsp;— resulting in a surplus that will be used for future security packages.

Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said a detailed review of the accounting error found that the military services used replacement costs rather than the book value of equipment that was pulled from Pentagon stocks and sent to Ukraine. She said final calculations show there was an error of $3.6 billion in the current fiscal year and $2.6 billion in the 2022 fiscal year, which ended last Sept. 30.

As a result, the department now has additional money in its coffers to use to support Ukraine as it pursues its counteroffensive against Russia. And it come as the fiscal year is wrapping up and congressional funding was beginning to dwindle.

“It’s just going to go back into the pot of money that we have allocated” for the future Pentagon stock drawdowns," said Singh.

The revelation comes as Ukraine moves ahead with the early stages its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-nuclear-plant-reactor-dam-flooding-a961ad87eff34fa0bc7cfbb7223cb422">counteroffensive</a>, in an effort to dislodge the Kremlin’s forces from territory they’ve occupied since a full-scale invasion in February 2022. The counteroffensive has come up against heavily mined terrain and reinforced defensive fortifications, according to Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the commander in chief of Ukraine’s armed forces.

Russia, meanwhile, has been bombarding the Kyiv region with dozens of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-iran-military-cooperation-d982dd3faf78fbb17dfc8b9c1cb9dae7">Shahed exploding drones</a>, in an assault that has exposed gaps in the country’s air protection after almost 16 months of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war</a>. Officials said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-air-defenses-3f0a918c617534251e53da4a93121c42">Ukrainian air defenses</a>&nbsp;downed 32 of 35 drones that were launched by Russia early Tuesday.

The Pentagon has repeatedly used presidential drawdown authority to pull weapons, ammunition and other equipment off the shelves, so that it can get to Ukraine far more quickly than going through a purchase process.

Based on previous estimates announced June 13, the U.S. had committed more than $40 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded. Using the new calculation, the U.S. has actually provided less than $34 billion in aid.

Officials have not been able to give exact totals for the amount of money that remains for the drawdowns or for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which provides longer-term funding to purchase weapons, including some of the larger air defense systems.

The U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-us-republican-party-texas-michael-mccaul-114e61bdd752d387a3df813638dab68a">has approved four rounds of aid</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine in response to Russia’s invasion, totaling about $113 billion, with some of that money going toward replenishment of U.S. military equipment that was sent to the frontlines. Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-nancy-pelosi-ed54dbd327c4362ee052f851f497fcd4">approved the latest round of aid</a>&nbsp;in December, totaling roughly $45 billion for Ukraine and NATO allies. While the package was designed to last through the end of the fiscal year in September, much depends upon events on the ground, particularly as the new counteroffensive ramps up.

President Joe Biden and his senior national security leaders have repeatedly stated that the United States will help Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-zelenskyy-washington-4d5fc23be5518e689fbbcac334769d59">“as long as it takes”</a>&nbsp;to repel the Russian forces. Privately, administration officials have warned Ukrainian officials that there is a limit to the patience of a narrowly divided Congress — and American public — for the costs of a war with no clear end.

Members of Congress have repeatedly pressed Defense Department leaders on how closely the U.S. is tracking its aid to Ukraine to ensure that it is not subject to fraud or ending up in the wrong hands. The Pentagon has said it has a “robust program” to track the aid as it crosses the border into Ukraine and to keep tabs on it once it is there, depending on the sensitivity of each weapons system.

Singh said the accounting mistake won't affect the ongoing delivery of aid to Ukraine.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687304849422.png" alt="Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said a detailed review of the accounting error found that the military services used replacement costs rather than the book value of equipment-photo Defense Dept." />
 <figcaption>Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said a detailed review of the accounting error found that the military services used replacement costs rather than the book value of equipment-photo Defense Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon said Tuesday that it overestimated the value of the weapons it has sent to Ukraine by $6.2 billion over the past two years — about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-costs-war-russia-weapons-884a9eefe32eee9ec611771cfe2a4642">double early estimates</a>&nbsp;— resulting in a surplus that will be used for future security packages.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">LIVE: <a href="https://twitter.com/DepPentPressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DepPentPressSec</a> Sabrina Singh holds a news briefing at the Pentagon. <a href="https://t.co/0TLRhX6OQQ">https://t.co/0TLRhX6OQQ</a>&mdash; Department of Defense 🇺🇸 (@DeptofDefense) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofDefense/status/1671220904695562242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said a detailed review of the accounting error found that the military services used replacement costs rather than the book value of equipment that was pulled from Pentagon stocks and sent to Ukraine. She said final calculations show there was an error of $3.6 billion in the current fiscal year and $2.6 billion in the 2022 fiscal year, which ended last Sept. 30.As a result, the department now has additional money in its coffers to use to support Ukraine as it pursues its counteroffensive against Russia. And it come as the fiscal year is wrapping up and congressional funding was beginning to dwindle.“It’s just going to go back into the pot of money that we have allocated” for the future Pentagon stock drawdowns," said Singh.The revelation comes as Ukraine moves ahead with the early stages its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-nuclear-plant-reactor-dam-flooding-a961ad87eff34fa0bc7cfbb7223cb422">counteroffensive</a>, in an effort to dislodge the Kremlin’s forces from territory they’ve occupied since a full-scale invasion in February 2022. The counteroffensive has come up against heavily mined terrain and reinforced defensive fortifications, according to Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the commander in chief of Ukraine’s armed forces.Russia, meanwhile, has been bombarding the Kyiv region with dozens of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-iran-military-cooperation-d982dd3faf78fbb17dfc8b9c1cb9dae7">Shahed exploding drones</a>, in an assault that has exposed gaps in the country’s air protection after almost 16 months of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war</a>. Officials said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-air-defenses-3f0a918c617534251e53da4a93121c42">Ukrainian air defenses</a>&nbsp;downed 32 of 35 drones that were launched by Russia early Tuesday.The Pentagon has repeatedly used presidential drawdown authority to pull weapons, ammunition and other equipment off the shelves, so that it can get to Ukraine far more quickly than going through a purchase process.Based on previous estimates announced June 13, the U.S. had committed more than $40 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded. Using the new calculation, the U.S. has actually provided less than $34 billion in aid.Officials have not been able to give exact totals for the amount of money that remains for the drawdowns or for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which provides longer-term funding to purchase weapons, including some of the larger air defense systems.The U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-us-republican-party-texas-michael-mccaul-114e61bdd752d387a3df813638dab68a">has approved four rounds of aid</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine in response to Russia’s invasion, totaling about $113 billion, with some of that money going toward replenishment of U.S. military equipment that was sent to the frontlines. Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-nancy-pelosi-ed54dbd327c4362ee052f851f497fcd4">approved the latest round of aid</a>&nbsp;in December, totaling roughly $45 billion for Ukraine and NATO allies. While the package was designed to last through the end of the fiscal year in September, much depends upon events on the ground, particularly as the new counteroffensive ramps up.President Joe Biden and his senior national security leaders have repeatedly stated that the United States will help Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-zelenskyy-washington-4d5fc23be5518e689fbbcac334769d59">“as long as it takes”</a>&nbsp;to repel the Russian forces. Privately, administration officials have warned Ukrainian officials that there is a limit to the patience of a narrowly divided Congress — and American public — for the costs of a war with no clear end.Members of Congress have repeatedly pressed Defense Department leaders on how closely the U.S. is tracking its aid to Ukraine to ensure that it is not subject to fraud or ending up in the wrong hands. The Pentagon has said it has a “robust program” to track the aid as it crosses the border into Ukraine and to keep tabs on it once it is there, depending on the sensitivity of each weapons system.Singh said the accounting mistake won't affect the ongoing delivery of aid to Ukraine.

U.S. accounting error provides extra $6.2 billion for Ukraine military aid

PAWNEE COUNTY —A Kansas man is going back to prison after a court appearance on June 17.

According to Pawnee County District Attorney Doug McNett, 58-year-old Stacey Minor of Larned, was sentenced to 59 months in prison for convictions of a 3rd violation of the Offender Registration Act and Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; 

Miner has been registered as offender since July of 2010 for convictions that include distribution of heroin, distribution of opiates, conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance and possession of precursors with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, according to the Kansas Offender Registry.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686932363835.png" alt="Miner-photo KBI offender registry" />
 <figcaption>Miner-photo KBI offender registry</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY —A Kansas man is going back to prison after a court appearance on June 17.According to Pawnee County District Attorney Doug McNett, 58-year-old Stacey Minor of Larned, was sentenced to 59 months in prison for convictions of a 3rd violation of the Offender Registration Act and Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Miner has been registered as offender since July of 2010 for convictions that include distribution of heroin, distribution of opiates, conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance and possession of precursors with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, according to the Kansas Offender Registry.

Kan. registered offender convicted of new drug crimes

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas officials have agreed not to enforce a new restriction on medication abortions for at least five weeks before a state court judge decides whether to put it on hold until he decides&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-kansas-waiting-period-medication-reversal-1f0f5fad64b4180997d0f32a32d047dd">a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;challenging it and other existing rules.

Providers and their attorneys announced the agreement Tuesday. For now, providers won't have to tell patients that they can stop a medication abortion using a regimen that providers and major medical groups consider unproven and potentially dangerous. The new rule was set to take effect July 1.

The agreement, filed Friday in Johnson County District Court in the Kansas City area, does not prevent the state from enforcing other, existing restrictions the providers have challenged, including a requirement that patients wait 24 hours after seeing a doctor in person to terminate their pregnancies. District Judge K. Christopher Jayaram has set an Aug. 8 hearing to consider whether the newest restriction or others should be blocked while the lawsuit is pending.

The providers — a clinic in the Kansas City suburbs in Johnson County operated by Planned Parenthood Great Plains and another nearby clinic and its two doctors — hope to overturn all of the state's requirements for what providers must tell patients. The information must be given to patients 24 hours in advance of their abortions, in writing and in a specific size and kind of type.

The lawsuit alleges that Kansas has a “Biased Counseling Scheme” meant to discourage patients from having abortions and to stigmatize those who do. But, for providers, the urgent task was stopping the latest requirement before it took effect, said Alice Wang, an attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights.

“This buys the court and it buys us some more time to litigate that in full while the status quo remains in effect,” Wang said.

For more than a decade, abortion opponents have touted a medication “reversal” regimen developed by a veteran California doctor using the hormone progesterone, long given to prevent miscarriages.

The new Kansas law was set to take effect less than a year after a decisive August 2022 statewide vote&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">affirming abortion rights.</a>&nbsp;The Republican-controlled Legislature enacted it over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-medication-reversal-kansas-veto-55f16c0a47c2b023998cae68b5a5901b">Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's veto.</a>

Abortion opponents argue that the state's “Woman's Right to Know Act” requirements help patients make informed decisions and give them a source of information other than the clinics themselves. They argue that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-reversal-culture-war-kansas-b4f1ab2b807eaa36fe11756248cc08ea">the new medication “reversal” law</a>&nbsp;informs patients of an option if they're still unsure about ending their pregnancies even after taking the first dose of abortion medication.

“The new portions are only temporarily delayed during the first phase of litigation," Republican state Attorney General Kris Kobach said in a statement. "The parties have agreed that this is the most efficient way to proceed.”

The defendants in the lawsuit include Kobach; the Johnson County district attorney, and the district attorney in Sedgwick County, in the Wichita area, who could prosecute violations of the new law. Five of the state's six abortion clinics are in one of those two counties.

Also sued were the chairman and top staffer of the state's medical board, which can suspend or revoke doctors' licenses for breaking state law.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680967457500.png" alt="The lawsuit alleges that Kansas has a “Biased Counseling Scheme” meant to discourage patients from having abortions-photo AP" />
 <figcaption>The lawsuit alleges that Kansas has a “Biased Counseling Scheme” meant to discourage patients from having abortions-photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas officials have agreed not to enforce a new restriction on medication abortions for at least five weeks before a state court judge decides whether to put it on hold until he decides&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-kansas-waiting-period-medication-reversal-1f0f5fad64b4180997d0f32a32d047dd">a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;challenging it and other existing rules.Providers and their attorneys announced the agreement Tuesday. For now, providers won't have to tell patients that they can stop a medication abortion using a regimen that providers and major medical groups consider unproven and potentially dangerous. The new rule was set to take effect July 1.The agreement, filed Friday in Johnson County District Court in the Kansas City area, does not prevent the state from enforcing other, existing restrictions the providers have challenged, including a requirement that patients wait 24 hours after seeing a doctor in person to terminate their pregnancies. District Judge K. Christopher Jayaram has set an Aug. 8 hearing to consider whether the newest restriction or others should be blocked while the lawsuit is pending.The providers — a clinic in the Kansas City suburbs in Johnson County operated by Planned Parenthood Great Plains and another nearby clinic and its two doctors — hope to overturn all of the state's requirements for what providers must tell patients. The information must be given to patients 24 hours in advance of their abortions, in writing and in a specific size and kind of type.The lawsuit alleges that Kansas has a “Biased Counseling Scheme” meant to discourage patients from having abortions and to stigmatize those who do. But, for providers, the urgent task was stopping the latest requirement before it took effect, said Alice Wang, an attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights.“This buys the court and it buys us some more time to litigate that in full while the status quo remains in effect,” Wang said.For more than a decade, abortion opponents have touted a medication “reversal” regimen developed by a veteran California doctor using the hormone progesterone, long given to prevent miscarriages.The new Kansas law was set to take effect less than a year after a decisive August 2022 statewide vote&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">affirming abortion rights.</a>&nbsp;The Republican-controlled Legislature enacted it over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-medication-reversal-kansas-veto-55f16c0a47c2b023998cae68b5a5901b">Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's veto.</a>Abortion opponents argue that the state's “Woman's Right to Know Act” requirements help patients make informed decisions and give them a source of information other than the clinics themselves. They argue that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-reversal-culture-war-kansas-b4f1ab2b807eaa36fe11756248cc08ea">the new medication “reversal” law</a>&nbsp;informs patients of an option if they're still unsure about ending their pregnancies even after taking the first dose of abortion medication.“The new portions are only temporarily delayed during the first phase of litigation," Republican state Attorney General Kris Kobach said in a statement. "The parties have agreed that this is the most efficient way to proceed.”The defendants in the lawsuit include Kobach; the Johnson County district attorney, and the district attorney in Sedgwick County, in the Wichita area, who could prosecute violations of the new law. Five of the state's six abortion clinics are in one of those two counties.Also sued were the chairman and top staffer of the state's medical board, which can suspend or revoke doctors' licenses for breaking state law.___

Kan. won't enforce new law on medication abortions for at least 5 weeks

MIAMI COUNTY, Kansas —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting in Miami County.

Early Tuesday, emergency personnel were dispatched to a campground at the Hillsdale State Park near Paola for a report of a stabbing and a shooting, according to the Miami County Sheriff's office.

 One person suffered a fatal gunshot wound, and one person suffered a non-life-threatening stab wound. 

 One person was quickly taken into custody by Deputies, pending formal charges.  At no time during this investigation was there a threat to the public. The sheriff's department has released no additional details.

MIAMI COUNTY, Kansas —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting in Miami County.Early Tuesday, emergency personnel were dispatched to a campground at the Hillsdale State Park near Paola for a report of a stabbing and a shooting, according to the Miami County Sheriff's office. One person suffered a fatal gunshot wound, and one person suffered a non-life-threatening stab wound. One person was quickly taken into custody by Deputies, pending formal charges. At no time during this investigation was there a threat to the public. The sheriff's department has released no additional details.

Sheriff: 1 shot dead, 1 stabbed at Kan. state park campground

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating shooting in Topeka have a shooting in Topeka have a suspect in custody.

&nbsp;Kylin T. Goudeau, 21, Topeka, turned himself in Tuesday after police asked the public for help to locate him, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.

Just after 10 p.m. Sunday, police responded to the the 1300 Block. of SW Clay Street in Topeka in reference to the report of a disturbance with multiple gunshots heard in the area, according to Lt. Edward Stanley.

Upon officer’s arrival, one individual was located suffering from gunshot wounds. This individual was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Police wanted to question Goudeau about the incident incident. He is now being held in the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of criminal discharge of a firearm.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687290578177.png" alt="Goudeau-photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Goudeau-photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating shooting in Topeka have a shooting in Topeka have a suspect in custody.&nbsp;Kylin T. Goudeau, 21, Topeka, turned himself in Tuesday after police asked the public for help to locate him, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.Just after 10 p.m. Sunday, police responded to the the 1300 Block. of SW Clay Street in Topeka in reference to the report of a disturbance with multiple gunshots heard in the area, according to Lt. Edward Stanley.Upon officer’s arrival, one individual was located suffering from gunshot wounds. This individual was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.Police wanted to question Goudeau about the incident incident. He is now being held in the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of criminal discharge of a firearm.

Kan. man wanted in Father's Day shooting turns himself in

KANSAS CITY —Voters in Kansas City elected Quinton Lucas to serve a second term as mayor on Tuesday.

Lucas defeated Clay Chastain by over 60 points.&nbsp;Lucas represented Kansas City’s Third District At-Large on the City Council before he was elected mayor in 2019.

KANSAS CITY —Voters in Kansas City elected Quinton Lucas to serve a second term as mayor on Tuesday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Kansas City, let’s have another great four years! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThankYou?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThankYou</a> <a href="https://t.co/1gYtyPxP5l">pic.twitter.com/1gYtyPxP5l</a>&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1671358984765227010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Lucas defeated Clay Chastain by over 60 points.&nbsp;Lucas represented Kansas City’s Third District At-Large on the City Council before he was elected mayor in 2019.

Kansas City mayor elected to serve a second term

NASHVILLE –&nbsp;A Kansas man has been indicted for making online threats to commit acts of violence at an upcoming Nashville Pride event, according to a United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis&nbsp; for the Middle District of Tennessee.

An indictment unsealed Tuesday charges Joshua Hensley, aka Josh Echo, 25, of Hoisington, Kansas, with two counts of transmitting an interstate threat related to the upcoming Nashville Pride event, scheduled for June 24-25, 2023. &nbsp;

Hensley was arrested by FBI agents on Thursday at his home in Kansas and appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge.&nbsp; A detention hearing is scheduled for Friday in the District of Kansas.

According to the indictment, on April 26, 2023, Hensley posted comments to a Facebook post for Nashville Pride and threatened to “make shrapnel pressure cooker bombs for this event.”&nbsp; In another comment posted the same day, Hensley threatened to “commit a mass shooting.”

“We will not tolerate hate-based, threats of violence designed to intimidate Tennesseans,” said U.S. Attorney Leventis.&nbsp; “We will continue to work with our partners at the FBI to ensure that the civil rights of all persons are protected.”

If convicted, Hensley faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count.

This case is being investigated by the FBI.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687290813082.png" alt="Hensley is being held in Butler County, according to online jail records" />
 <figcaption>Hensley is being held in Butler County, according to online jail records</figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE –&nbsp;A Kansas man has been indicted for making online threats to commit acts of violence at an upcoming Nashville Pride event, according to a United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis&nbsp; for the Middle District of Tennessee.An indictment unsealed Tuesday charges Joshua Hensley, aka Josh Echo, 25, of Hoisington, Kansas, with two counts of transmitting an interstate threat related to the upcoming Nashville Pride event, scheduled for June 24-25, 2023. &nbsp;Hensley was arrested by FBI agents on Thursday at his home in Kansas and appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge.&nbsp; A detention hearing is scheduled for Friday in the District of Kansas.According to the indictment, on April 26, 2023, Hensley posted comments to a Facebook post for Nashville Pride and threatened to “make shrapnel pressure cooker bombs for this event.”&nbsp; In another comment posted the same day, Hensley threatened to “commit a mass shooting.”“We will not tolerate hate-based, threats of violence designed to intimidate Tennesseans,” said U.S. Attorney Leventis.&nbsp; “We will continue to work with our partners at the FBI to ensure that the civil rights of all persons are protected.”If convicted, Hensley faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count.This case is being investigated by the FBI.

Kan. man accused of making online threats toward Tennessee Pride event

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal crash have identified the victim as&nbsp;25-year-old Favela German of according to Officer Corey Carlisle.

Late on June 13, a&nbsp; Chevrolet Tahoe driven by German was southbound on Interstate 435 at a high rate of speed, according to KCPD.

The SUV traveled through the triangular plot of land located between the lanes of I-435 and the Bannister Road exit ramp, continued southbound behind the guardrail, through the grassy area, struck two highway signs, the Bannister Road bridge support and rolled.

EMS transported German and a passenger to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.&nbsp; The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal crash have identified the victim as&nbsp;25-year-old Favela German of according to Officer Corey Carlisle.Late on June 13, a&nbsp; Chevrolet Tahoe driven by German was southbound on Interstate 435 at a high rate of speed, according to KCPD.The SUV traveled through the triangular plot of land located between the lanes of I-435 and the Bannister Road exit ramp, continued southbound behind the guardrail, through the grassy area, struck two highway signs, the Bannister Road bridge support and rolled.EMS transported German and a passenger to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.&nbsp; The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Police ID man who died in KC-area SUV crash

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and have a suspect in custody.

Just after 1:30p.m. June 3, police&nbsp;responded to an armed robbery in the 1100 block of E 47th Street S in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

 Upon arrival, the victim, an employee of a local business reported that an unknown suspect came into the store, displayed a black semi-auto handgun, and demanded money from the register and two packs of cigarettes. 

The victim said that the suspect came and left in a white early 2000s model quad cab dully pickup.

With little information about the suspect, officers from the East Community Policing unit searched the surrounding area for evidence. The officers followed up on several leads and were able to identify the suspect’s vehicle. 

During the investigation, officers located the vehicle at a local business and arrested 34-year-old Michael Galloway without incident.&nbsp; He remains jailed <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=740554">on a requested charge</a> of aggravated robbery&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687194221729.png" alt="Galloway-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Galloway-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and have a suspect in custody.Just after 1:30p.m. June 3, police&nbsp;responded to an armed robbery in the 1100 block of E 47th Street S in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687194319014.png" alt="Galloway as seen on security cameras June 3-Wichita PD" />
 <figcaption>Galloway as seen on security cameras June 3-Wichita PD</figcaption>
 </figure> Upon arrival, the victim, an employee of a local business reported that an unknown suspect came into the store, displayed a black semi-auto handgun, and demanded money from the register and two packs of cigarettes. The victim said that the suspect came and left in a white early 2000s model quad cab dully pickup.With little information about the suspect, officers from the East Community Policing unit searched the surrounding area for evidence. The officers followed up on several leads and were able to identify the suspect’s vehicle. During the investigation, officers located the vehicle at a local business and arrested 34-year-old Michael Galloway without incident.&nbsp; He remains jailed <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=740554">on a requested charge</a> of aggravated robbery&nbsp;

Kan. armed robbery suspect demanded cash, cigarettes

TOPEKA – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) announced that the investigation into around 100 suspicious letters sent to legislators and public officials has now expanded beyond Kansas, so the FBI will now be the agency leading the investigation, according to a media release from the KBI.

The KBI will continue to work with all law enforcement partners to bring these incidents to appropriate resolution.

“Our focus remains on ensuring the safety of Kansans, and holding those responsible for these crimes accountable, said KBI Director Tony Mattivi. “The KBI is so appreciative of the incredible coordination and outstanding response by countless federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, as well as by fire departments, and hazmat teams to this unprecedented event.”

Since the first letters were handled and reported by officials, the KBI had over 60 special agents, forensic scientists and employees devoted to safely collecting or screening evidence, or managing and tracking response to the incidents. Additionally, 17 hazmat teams and 12 bomb squads responded across the state.

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), with assistance from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and other partners, updated findings on the white powder found in letters sent to Kansas legislators and public officials.

As of Sunday evening June 18, approximately 100 letters containing suspicious white powder have been received across the state of Kansas.

A small sample of the letters containing powder was sent to a laboratory that specializes in testing biological samples. Preliminary tests have returned from this lab indicating the substance is presumptively negative for common biological agents of concern. Further and more complete testing will be conducted on this sample, as well as on additional letters that have been collected, in an effort to determine the components of the substance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686969061366.jpeg" alt="photo -Courtesy Rep. Paul Waggoner" />
 <figcaption>photo -Courtesy Rep. Paul Waggoner</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) announced that the investigation into around 100 suspicious letters sent to legislators and public officials has now expanded beyond Kansas, so the FBI will now be the agency leading the investigation, according to a media release from the KBI.The KBI will continue to work with all law enforcement partners to bring these incidents to appropriate resolution.“Our focus remains on ensuring the safety of Kansans, and holding those responsible for these crimes accountable, said KBI Director Tony Mattivi. “The KBI is so appreciative of the incredible coordination and outstanding response by countless federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, as well as by fire departments, and hazmat teams to this unprecedented event.”Since the first letters were handled and reported by officials, the KBI had over 60 special agents, forensic scientists and employees devoted to safely collecting or screening evidence, or managing and tracking response to the incidents. Additionally, 17 hazmat teams and 12 bomb squads responded across the state.-----------TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), with assistance from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and other partners, updated findings on the white powder found in letters sent to Kansas legislators and public officials.As of Sunday evening June 18, approximately 100 letters containing suspicious white powder have been received across the state of Kansas.A small sample of the letters containing powder was sent to a laboratory that specializes in testing biological samples. Preliminary tests have returned from this lab indicating the substance is presumptively negative for common biological agents of concern. Further and more complete testing will be conducted on this sample, as well as on additional letters that have been collected, in an effort to determine the components of the substance.

KBI: Investigation of suspicious letters expands beyond Kansas

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting in Topeka have identified the victim as 30-year-old Anthony Marshall III of Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.

Just before 11:30p..m. Sunday police responded to 4100 Block of Southwest of Twilight in Topeka, according to Lt. Stanley.

First responders found Marshall III with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The shooting was one of several in Topeka over the holiday weekend.&nbsp;&nbsp;Just after 10p.m. Sunday police responded to report of a disturbance in the 3100 Block of SW Clay in Topeka, according to Stanley. First responders found a shooting victim who was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Just after 1:30.a.m. on Monday, police responded to the 1300 Block&nbsp; of Western Avenue in Topeka on reports of multiple gunshots in the area.

Officers found one person with a&nbsp;non-life-threatening gunshot wound, according to Stanley.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Police have released no additional details including information on a suspect in the homicide.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687170616581.png" alt="One died and two were wounded in Topeka over the weekend -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>One died and two were wounded in Topeka over the weekend -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting in Topeka have identified the victim as 30-year-old Anthony Marshall III of Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.Just before 11:30p..m. Sunday police responded to 4100 Block of Southwest of Twilight in Topeka, according to Lt. Stanley.First responders found Marshall III with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.The shooting was one of several in Topeka over the holiday weekend.&nbsp;&nbsp;Just after 10p.m. Sunday police responded to report of a disturbance in the 3100 Block of SW Clay in Topeka, according to Stanley. First responders found a shooting victim who was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.Just after 1:30.a.m. on Monday, police responded to the 1300 Block&nbsp; of Western Avenue in Topeka on reports of multiple gunshots in the area.Officers found one person with a&nbsp;non-life-threatening gunshot wound, according to Stanley.&nbsp;&nbsp;Police have released no additional details including information on a suspect in the homicide.

Police ID victim in Father's Day homicide in Kansas

By A.J Dome <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>

GARDEN CITY — It took six months for Mariah Magana and her team at Better Together GC to plan and host the first pride festival in Garden City.

Magana, co-founder of the civic engagement group, said she knew in October she wanted to do something, and “we needed to get a plan going.”

The plan materialized Saturday with the community’s inaugural GC Pride Fest. Hundreds of people came to Stevens Park in downtown Garden City for colorful vendors, splashes of rainbows, bubbles, face painting, live music and more. The event celebrating LGBTQ community and culture featured more than 45 vendors, organizations and food trucks.

Better Together GC formed last summer with the goal of introducing civic engagement opportunities to southwest Kansas youth. Isidro Marino, fellow co-founder of Better Together GC, said the group is composed mostly of college-age people.

“Advocacy and activism are something that really attracts us as young people,” Marino said. “We wanted to advocate for our community but also make an event that makes this a safe space and is also a welcoming community event for all.”

Marino, also a Garden City school board candidate, said he has noticed a shift toward LGBTQ acceptance among the largely conservative and religious populations in southwest Kansas, especially among Latino people. That shift is largely driven by events like Pride Fest and conversations among community members, he said.

“I think having people like me, myself, who is Mexican American, and others who identify as gay or bisexual or trans or lesbian … I think by hosting this event and having more community events where people can come out and enjoy each other and talk about issues is really is what’s shifting the culture and narrative of our community, and it’ll only happen as we continue having these events,” Marino said.

Marino and Magana said they didn’t hear or see any negative commentary, in person or on social media, regarding Pride Fest. However, an event last month not associated with Better Together GC, called Playchella, did receive backlash from local church officials for its schedule of events.

The owners of Hidden Trail Brewing in Garden City were set to host a second year of Playchella, an all-ages pride arts festival featuring puppet shows performed by Brett Crandall Studios as a fundraiser for the Wichita chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. The event was well advertised on social media and on flyers posted throughout the community. Cornerstone Church pastor Jason Swann told churchgoers in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/live/hq3tSFgls-E?feature=share">his sermon May 28</a>&nbsp;that learning about the puppet shows “put a fire underneath me.”

Some of the puppet shows performed by Crandall depict the Disciples of Jesus as queer. Swann said in his sermon that the patrons of Cornerstone, which he claimed was the largest church in a 180-mile radius, had a “spiritual seat of authority” over southwest Kansas, and that he was against the event. He told the crowd he pushed back because of the younger children the puppet shows target, even though the event was listed as being for all ages.

Swann said he used the hashtag “groomers” in online statements against the show. “Groomer” is a term applied to pedophiles who influence young children into sexual activities.

Swann said he never called anyone a pedophile, but he did reaffirm his decision to use the term “groomer.”

“They’re utilizing puppets to begin the conversation of, ‘Who are you going to have sex with later,’ ” Swann said in his sermon. “If that ain’t grooming, then I don’t know what grooming is, I guess.”

Swann said he and Cornerstone patrons would not “picket or yell; that’s what dumb people do.”

“We’re going to affect their bottom line,” Swann said, “and next year, if they keep this crud up, they won’t be here.”

In a Facebook post after the May 28 sermon, brewery co-owner Cody Cundiff wrote that he understood some people felt “hurt and attacked” by one of the themes covered in one of the puppet shows.

“I have taken what each of you have said to heart,” Cundiff wrote. “I’m sure we would all rather build a bridge than create a hard line of difference.”

As a compromise, Cundiff and Brett Crandall Studios removed one of the puppet shows that depicts David and Prince Jonathan in the David v. Goliath Bible story as queer. Hidden Trail Brewing bartender Ally Hamilton said the event was still well-attended.

“We really didn’t have any issues and had so much fun that day,” Hamilton said. “Just so much love, all in one place.”

Brett Crandall Studios performed its puppet shows at Pride Fest on Saturday, including the queer David and Prince Jonathan piece. About a dozen children laughed and commented along with Crandall’s enthusiastically performed one-man show.

Engaged couple Kaitlyn Hahn and Tucker Murray walked around Pride Fest holding a sign that read: “Everyone is Welcomed. Free Hugs and Kisses. Love is Not a Crime.” Hahn and Murray have been engaged since 2020.

“She thought I was weird at first,” Murray said.

“I did, I really did,” Hahn said. “But then I came to terms with my weirdness, and it just worked out perfect.”

Hahn and Murray both said it’s important to show compassion for marginalized populations in their community.

“It’s really important no matter where you are,” Hahn said. “Having a (Pride event) now, it just got me super excited. I just had to come out and show my support.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687280738989.png" alt="Actor Brett Crandall performs a part of his one-man puppet show at GC Pride Fest. In this particular puppet show, David and Prince Jonathan of the Bible’s David v. Goliath story are depicted as queer. (AJ Dome for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Actor Brett Crandall performs a part of his one-man puppet show at GC Pride Fest. In this particular puppet show, David and Prince Jonathan of the Bible’s David v. Goliath story are depicted as queer. (AJ Dome for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By A.J Dome <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a> GARDEN CITY — It took six months for Mariah Magana and her team at Better Together GC to plan and host the first pride festival in Garden City.Magana, co-founder of the civic engagement group, said she knew in October she wanted to do something, and “we needed to get a plan going.”The plan materialized Saturday with the community’s inaugural GC Pride Fest. Hundreds of people came to Stevens Park in downtown Garden City for colorful vendors, splashes of rainbows, bubbles, face painting, live music and more. The event celebrating LGBTQ community and culture featured more than 45 vendors, organizations and food trucks.Better Together GC formed last summer with the goal of introducing civic engagement opportunities to southwest Kansas youth. Isidro Marino, fellow co-founder of Better Together GC, said the group is composed mostly of college-age people.“Advocacy and activism are something that really attracts us as young people,” Marino said. “We wanted to advocate for our community but also make an event that makes this a safe space and is also a welcoming community event for all.”Marino, also a Garden City school board candidate, said he has noticed a shift toward LGBTQ acceptance among the largely conservative and religious populations in southwest Kansas, especially among Latino people. That shift is largely driven by events like Pride Fest and conversations among community members, he said.“I think having people like me, myself, who is Mexican American, and others who identify as gay or bisexual or trans or lesbian … I think by hosting this event and having more community events where people can come out and enjoy each other and talk about issues is really is what’s shifting the culture and narrative of our community, and it’ll only happen as we continue having these events,” Marino said.<h2>Puppet show backlash</h2>Marino and Magana said they didn’t hear or see any negative commentary, in person or on social media, regarding Pride Fest. However, an event last month not associated with Better Together GC, called Playchella, did receive backlash from local church officials for its schedule of events.The owners of Hidden Trail Brewing in Garden City were set to host a second year of Playchella, an all-ages pride arts festival featuring puppet shows performed by Brett Crandall Studios as a fundraiser for the Wichita chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. The event was well advertised on social media and on flyers posted throughout the community. Cornerstone Church pastor Jason Swann told churchgoers in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/live/hq3tSFgls-E?feature=share">his sermon May 28</a>&nbsp;that learning about the puppet shows “put a fire underneath me.”Some of the puppet shows performed by Crandall depict the Disciples of Jesus as queer. Swann said in his sermon that the patrons of Cornerstone, which he claimed was the largest church in a 180-mile radius, had a “spiritual seat of authority” over southwest Kansas, and that he was against the event. He told the crowd he pushed back because of the younger children the puppet shows target, even though the event was listed as being for all ages.Swann said he used the hashtag “groomers” in online statements against the show. “Groomer” is a term applied to pedophiles who influence young children into sexual activities.Swann said he never called anyone a pedophile, but he did reaffirm his decision to use the term “groomer.”“They’re utilizing puppets to begin the conversation of, ‘Who are you going to have sex with later,’ ” Swann said in his sermon. “If that ain’t grooming, then I don’t know what grooming is, I guess.”Swann said he and Cornerstone patrons would not “picket or yell; that’s what dumb people do.”“We’re going to affect their bottom line,” Swann said, “and next year, if they keep this crud up, they won’t be here.”In a Facebook post after the May 28 sermon, brewery co-owner Cody Cundiff wrote that he understood some people felt “hurt and attacked” by one of the themes covered in one of the puppet shows.“I have taken what each of you have said to heart,” Cundiff wrote. “I’m sure we would all rather build a bridge than create a hard line of difference.”As a compromise, Cundiff and Brett Crandall Studios removed one of the puppet shows that depicts David and Prince Jonathan in the David v. Goliath Bible story as queer. Hidden Trail Brewing bartender Ally Hamilton said the event was still well-attended.“We really didn’t have any issues and had so much fun that day,” Hamilton said. “Just so much love, all in one place.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687280664503.png" alt="Engaged couple Kaitlyn Hahn and Tucker Murray wanted to show their support for LGBTQ people. They carried this sign offering free affection. (AJ Dome for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Engaged couple Kaitlyn Hahn and Tucker Murray wanted to show their support for LGBTQ people. They carried this sign offering free affection. (AJ Dome for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Show of support</h2>Brett Crandall Studios performed its puppet shows at Pride Fest on Saturday, including the queer David and Prince Jonathan piece. About a dozen children laughed and commented along with Crandall’s enthusiastically performed one-man show.Engaged couple Kaitlyn Hahn and Tucker Murray walked around Pride Fest holding a sign that read: “Everyone is Welcomed. Free Hugs and Kisses. Love is Not a Crime.” Hahn and Murray have been engaged since 2020.“She thought I was weird at first,” Murray said.“I did, I really did,” Hahn said. “But then I came to terms with my weirdness, and it just worked out perfect.”Hahn and Murray both said it’s important to show compassion for marginalized populations in their community.“It’s really important no matter where you are,” Hahn said. “Having a (Pride event) now, it just got me super excited. I just had to come out and show my support.”

Pride event celebrated LGBTQ culture in southwest Kansas

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a woman for alleged theft.

Just before 8p.m. Sunday, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office had a report of an individual driving a beige Toyota allegedly opening mailboxes in southern Jackson County near Hoyt, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. 

A short time later, Sheriff's Deputies located a vehicle matching the description near 126th and Q. Road.

 Deputies determined the vehicle, a 2007 Toyota Corolla had been reported stolen out of Omaha, Nebraska. The driver was identified as 28-year-old Tehya Rose Wright, of Mason City, Iowa. 

 Wright was arrested by deputies and remains in the Jackson County Jail on requested theft charges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687225951388.png" alt="Wright-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Wright-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a woman for alleged theft.Just before 8p.m. Sunday, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office had a report of an individual driving a beige Toyota allegedly opening mailboxes in southern Jackson County near Hoyt, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. A short time later, Sheriff's Deputies located a vehicle matching the description near 126th and Q. Road. Deputies determined the vehicle, a 2007 Toyota Corolla had been reported stolen out of Omaha, Nebraska. The driver was identified as 28-year-old Tehya Rose Wright, of Mason City, Iowa. Wright was arrested by deputies and remains in the Jackson County Jail on requested theft charges.

Suspect in stolen car was opening mailboxes in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-hunter-biden">President Joe Biden’s son Hunter</a>&nbsp;has been charged with failing to pay federal income tax and illegally possessing a weapon and has reached an agreement with the Justice Department, according to&nbsp;a letter filed in U.S. District Court&nbsp;in Delaware.

As part of the agreement, made public Tuesday, Hunter Biden will plead guilty to misdemeanor tax offenses and is expected to reach an agreement with prosecutors on the felony charge of illegally possessing a firearm as a drug user. It is somewhat unusual to resolve a federal criminal case at the same time the charges are filed in court, though it is not totally unheard of.

The deal ends a long-running Justice Department investigation into Biden’s second son, who has acknowledged struggling with addiction following the 2015 death of his brother Beau Biden. It also averts a trial that would have generated days or weeks or distracting headlines for a White House that has strenuously sought to keep its distance from the Justice Department.

Christopher Clark, a lawyer for the younger Biden, said in a statement that it was his understanding that the five-year investigation had now been resolved.

“I know Hunter believes it is important to take responsibility for these mistakes he made during a period of turmoil and addiction in his life," Clark said. “He looks forward to continuing his recovery and moving forward.”

The news comes as congressional Republicans pursue their own investigations into nearly every facet of Hunter Biden’s business dealings, including examining foreign payments and other aspects of his finances. It also comes days after a 37-count indictment came down against former President Donald Trump for mishandling classified documents on his Florida estate, another case with even more dramatic political implications.

Joe Biden has also faced questions about his son’s business dealings and drug addiction.

The gun charge states that Hunter Biden possessed a handgun, a Colt Cobra 38 special, despite knowing he was a drug user for 11 days in October 2018. The count carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, but the Justice Department says Hunter Biden has reached a pretrial agreement on that charge. Full details were not immediately available.

The White House had no immediate comment on the case.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-hunter-biden">President Joe Biden’s son Hunter</a>&nbsp;has been charged with failing to pay federal income tax and illegally possessing a weapon and has reached an agreement with the Justice Department, according to&nbsp;a letter filed in U.S. District Court&nbsp;in Delaware.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687268829862.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>As part of the agreement, made public Tuesday, Hunter Biden will plead guilty to misdemeanor tax offenses and is expected to reach an agreement with prosecutors on the felony charge of illegally possessing a firearm as a drug user. It is somewhat unusual to resolve a federal criminal case at the same time the charges are filed in court, though it is not totally unheard of.The deal ends a long-running Justice Department investigation into Biden’s second son, who has acknowledged struggling with addiction following the 2015 death of his brother Beau Biden. It also averts a trial that would have generated days or weeks or distracting headlines for a White House that has strenuously sought to keep its distance from the Justice Department.Christopher Clark, a lawyer for the younger Biden, said in a statement that it was his understanding that the five-year investigation had now been resolved.“I know Hunter believes it is important to take responsibility for these mistakes he made during a period of turmoil and addiction in his life," Clark said. “He looks forward to continuing his recovery and moving forward.”The news comes as congressional Republicans pursue their own investigations into nearly every facet of Hunter Biden’s business dealings, including examining foreign payments and other aspects of his finances. It also comes days after a 37-count indictment came down against former President Donald Trump for mishandling classified documents on his Florida estate, another case with even more dramatic political implications.Joe Biden has also faced questions about his son’s business dealings and drug addiction.The gun charge states that Hunter Biden possessed a handgun, a Colt Cobra 38 special, despite knowing he was a drug user for 11 days in October 2018. The count carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, but the Justice Department says Hunter Biden has reached a pretrial agreement on that charge. Full details were not immediately available.The White House had no immediate comment on the case.

President Biden's son reaches plea deal on tax, gun charges

WASHINGTON— China’s main diplomat for the Western Hemisphere says U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to China “marks a new beginning” as their nations seek to repair damaged relations. 

Kansas Senator Roger Marshall criticized Blinken's visit. On social media, Marshall wrote, "&nbsp;Did we forget communist China had a spy balloon in our backyard just 4 months ago?"

"Sec. Blinken’s trip to China for the Big Guy to ‘ease tensions’ is an embarrassment. Since when did America go to her bullies to ask them to play nice?&nbsp; Peace through STRENGTH."

Blinken met Monday with Chinese President Xi Jinping and says they agreed to “stabilize” deteriorated ties. But Blinken left Beijing with his biggest ask rebuffed: Blinken says China is not ready to resume military-to-military contacts, something the U.S. considers crucial.

 Chinese diplomat Yang Tao blames the issue squarely on U.S. sanctions, which Blinken says revolve entirely around threats to American security. Yet Blinken and Xi pronounce themselves satisfied with progress made during two days of talks, without pointing to specific areas of agreement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687169037256.png" alt="U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Monday, June 19, 2023. (Leah Millis/Pool Photo via AP)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Monday, June 19, 2023. (Leah Millis/Pool Photo via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON— China’s main diplomat for the Western Hemisphere says U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to China “marks a new beginning” as their nations seek to repair damaged relations. Kansas Senator Roger Marshall criticized Blinken's visit. On social media, Marshall wrote, "&nbsp;Did we forget communist China had a spy balloon in our backyard just 4 months ago?""Sec. Blinken’s trip to China for the Big Guy to ‘ease tensions’ is an embarrassment. Since when did America go to her bullies to ask them to play nice?&nbsp; Peace through STRENGTH."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Had a candid, substantive, and constructive conversation with People’s Republic of China President Xi Jinping in Beijing today. We discussed a range of important issues, including the need to manage our relationship responsibly. <a href="https://t.co/Q8kuMm6kly">pic.twitter.com/Q8kuMm6kly</a>&mdash; Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken/status/1670802364075212801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Blinken met Monday with Chinese President Xi Jinping and says they agreed to “stabilize” deteriorated ties. But Blinken left Beijing with his biggest ask rebuffed: Blinken says China is not ready to resume military-to-military contacts, something the U.S. considers crucial. Chinese diplomat Yang Tao blames the issue squarely on U.S. sanctions, which Blinken says revolve entirely around threats to American security. Yet Blinken and Xi pronounce themselves satisfied with progress made during two days of talks, without pointing to specific areas of agreement.

Kan. U.S. Senator: Sec. of State trip to China an embarrassment

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Enforcement of a Kansas abortion law based in junk science has been indefinitely delayed, in what abortion providers call a temporary relief for a “dangerous and misleading” practice.

On Tuesday, Kansas abortion providers reached an agreement with Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach to not enforce a new law on “abortion reversal” until the resolution of their original motion for temporary injunction. A&nbsp;hearing is set for August.

Kobach said the temporary halt was the most effective way to proceed with the lawsuit.

“The portions of the act that existed prior to 2023 remain in full effect,” Kobach said. “The new portions are only temporarily delayed during the first phase of litigation. The parties have agreed that this is the most efficient way to proceed.”

The agreement comes after&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://reproductiverights.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/KS_WRTK-Act-Complaint.pdf">a June 6 lawsuit</a>&nbsp;combating the “abortion reversal” law, filed in the Johnson County District Court. Other restrictions challenged in the lawsuit include a 30-minute wait time between meeting with an abortion provider and receiving abortion care, and bureaucratic requirements on font size, typeface and color for abortion form-related communications. The plaintiffs, including Hodes and Nauser of the landmark 2019 abortion case and Comprehensive Health of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, asked the court to block&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2264/">the law</a>&nbsp;before it takes effect July 1.

“This development offers our providers temporary relief from a new law that would force them to lie to patients with dangerous and misleading information about ‘abortion pill reversal, ’ “said Emily Wales, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood Great Plains. “But the long-term work continues to ensure providers always have open and honest conversations with patients and that patients have the information to give accurate and informed consent.”&nbsp;

The law requires abortion providers statewide to tell patients the effects of mifepristone, the first of two pills used in medication abortion, is reversible.&nbsp;

Supporters of the “reversal” method point to a debunked study to claim pregnancy can be preserved if the pregnant person takes progesterone within a certain time frame after taking the first abortion pill. Other studies have shown the process has significant health risks, including hemorrhaging.&nbsp;The legislation passed in late April, following a Republican push to override Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto.&nbsp;

Danielle Underwood, spokeswoman for the anti-abortion organization Kansans for Life, said the organization supports Kobach’s efforts to litigate.

“We appreciate the Attorney General’s efforts to vigorously fight back against this unprecedented attack on a woman’s right to make an informed decision before undergoing an abortion,” Underwood said.

Under the law, physicians who refuse to talk to their patients about “abortion reversal” on more than one occasion could face up to a year of jail time.&nbsp;Health care facilities that prescribe or administer mifepristone would be fined $10,000 if they refuse to put up a mandatory notice.

Defendants in the case include Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, Johnson County District Attorney Stephen Howe, Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett, along with Susan Gile and Ronald Varner, officials from the Kansas Board of Healing Arts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687294518449.png" alt=" The "abortion reversal" law is one of several pieces of anti-abortion legislation passed by Kansas' GOP-dominated Legislature in recent months. (Margaret Mellott/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> The "abortion reversal" law is one of several pieces of anti-abortion legislation passed by Kansas' GOP-dominated Legislature in recent months. (Margaret Mellott/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Enforcement of a Kansas abortion law based in junk science has been indefinitely delayed, in what abortion providers call a temporary relief for a “dangerous and misleading” practice.On Tuesday, Kansas abortion providers reached an agreement with Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach to not enforce a new law on “abortion reversal” until the resolution of their original motion for temporary injunction. A&nbsp;hearing is set for August.Kobach said the temporary halt was the most effective way to proceed with the lawsuit.“The portions of the act that existed prior to 2023 remain in full effect,” Kobach said. “The new portions are only temporarily delayed during the first phase of litigation. The parties have agreed that this is the most efficient way to proceed.”The agreement comes after&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://reproductiverights.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/KS_WRTK-Act-Complaint.pdf">a June 6 lawsuit</a>&nbsp;combating the “abortion reversal” law, filed in the Johnson County District Court. Other restrictions challenged in the lawsuit include a 30-minute wait time between meeting with an abortion provider and receiving abortion care, and bureaucratic requirements on font size, typeface and color for abortion form-related communications. The plaintiffs, including Hodes and Nauser of the landmark 2019 abortion case and Comprehensive Health of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, asked the court to block&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2264/">the law</a>&nbsp;before it takes effect July 1.“This development offers our providers temporary relief from a new law that would force them to lie to patients with dangerous and misleading information about ‘abortion pill reversal, ’ “said Emily Wales, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood Great Plains. “But the long-term work continues to ensure providers always have open and honest conversations with patients and that patients have the information to give accurate and informed consent.”&nbsp;The law requires abortion providers statewide to tell patients the effects of mifepristone, the first of two pills used in medication abortion, is reversible.&nbsp;Supporters of the “reversal” method point to a debunked study to claim pregnancy can be preserved if the pregnant person takes progesterone within a certain time frame after taking the first abortion pill. Other studies have shown the process has significant health risks, including hemorrhaging.&nbsp;The legislation passed in late April, following a Republican push to override Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto.&nbsp;Danielle Underwood, spokeswoman for the anti-abortion organization Kansans for Life, said the organization supports Kobach’s efforts to litigate.“We appreciate the Attorney General’s efforts to vigorously fight back against this unprecedented attack on a woman’s right to make an informed decision before undergoing an abortion,” Underwood said.Under the law, physicians who refuse to talk to their patients about “abortion reversal” on more than one occasion could face up to a year of jail time.&nbsp;Health care facilities that prescribe or administer mifepristone would be fined $10,000 if they refuse to put up a mandatory notice.Defendants in the case include Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, Johnson County District Attorney Stephen Howe, Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett, along with Susan Gile and Ronald Varner, officials from the Kansas Board of Healing Arts.

Enforcement of Kan. 'abortion reversal’ law delayed after agreement with AG

BOSTON (AP) — In early June, sporadic but serious service disruptions plagued Microsoft's flagship office suite — including the Outlook email and OneDrive file-sharing apps — and cloud computing platform. A shadowy hacktivist group claimed responsibility, saying it flooded the sites with junk traffic in distributed denial-of-service attacks.

Initially reticent to name the cause, Microsoft has now disclosed that DDoS attacks by the murky upstart were indeed to blame.

But the software giant has offered few details — and did not immediately comment on how many customers were affected and whether the impact was global. A spokeswoman confirmed that the group that calls itself Anonymous Sudan was behind the attacks. It claimed responsibility on its Telegram social media channel at the time. Some&nbsp;<a href="https://www.trustwave.com/en-us/resources/blogs/spiderlabs-blog/anonymous-sudan-religious-hacktivists-or-russian-front-group/">security researchers</a>&nbsp;believe the group to be Russian.

Microsoft’s explanation in a&nbsp;<a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/blog/2023/06/microsoft-response-to-layer-7-distributed-denial-of-service-ddos-attacks/">blog post Friday evening</a>&nbsp;followed a request by The Associated Press two days earlier. Slim on details, the post said the attacks “temporarily impacted availability” of some services. It said the attackers were focused on “disruption and publicity” and likely used rented cloud infrastructure and virtual private networks to bombard Microsoft servers from so-called botnets of zombie computers around the globe.

Microsoft said there was no evidence any customer data was accessed or compromised.

While DDoS attacks are mainly a nuisance — making websites unreachable without penetrating them — security experts say they can disrupt the work of millions if they successfully interrupt the services of a software service giant like Microsoft on which so much global commerce depends.

It's not clear if that's what happened here.

“We really have no way to measure the impact if Microsoft doesn’t provide that info,” said Jake Williams, a prominent cybersecurity researcher and a former National Security Agency offensive hacker. Williams said he was not aware of Outlook previously being attacked at this scale.

“We know some resources were inaccessible for some, but not others. This often happens with DDoS of globally distributed systems,” Williams added. He said Microsoft's apparent unwillingness to provide an objective measure of customer impact “probably speaks to the magnitude.”

Microsoft dubbed the attackers Storm-1359, using a&nbsp;<a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/intelligence/microsoft-threat-actor-naming?view=o365-worldwide">designator it assigns to groups</a>&nbsp;whose affiliation it has not yet established. Cybersecurity sleuthing tends to take time — and even then can be a challenge if the adversary is skilled.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674062921987.jpeg" alt="Microsoft Visitor Center in Redmond, Wash. / AP Photo, Ted S. Warren" />
 <figcaption>Microsoft Visitor Center in Redmond, Wash. / AP Photo, Ted S. Warren</figcaption>
 </figure>BOSTON (AP) — In early June, sporadic but serious service disruptions plagued Microsoft's flagship office suite — including the Outlook email and OneDrive file-sharing apps — and cloud computing platform. A shadowy hacktivist group claimed responsibility, saying it flooded the sites with junk traffic in distributed denial-of-service attacks.Initially reticent to name the cause, Microsoft has now disclosed that DDoS attacks by the murky upstart were indeed to blame.But the software giant has offered few details — and did not immediately comment on how many customers were affected and whether the impact was global. A spokeswoman confirmed that the group that calls itself Anonymous Sudan was behind the attacks. It claimed responsibility on its Telegram social media channel at the time. Some&nbsp;<a href="https://www.trustwave.com/en-us/resources/blogs/spiderlabs-blog/anonymous-sudan-religious-hacktivists-or-russian-front-group/">security researchers</a>&nbsp;believe the group to be Russian.Microsoft’s explanation in a&nbsp;<a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/blog/2023/06/microsoft-response-to-layer-7-distributed-denial-of-service-ddos-attacks/">blog post Friday evening</a>&nbsp;followed a request by The Associated Press two days earlier. Slim on details, the post said the attacks “temporarily impacted availability” of some services. It said the attackers were focused on “disruption and publicity” and likely used rented cloud infrastructure and virtual private networks to bombard Microsoft servers from so-called botnets of zombie computers around the globe.Microsoft said there was no evidence any customer data was accessed or compromised.While DDoS attacks are mainly a nuisance — making websites unreachable without penetrating them — security experts say they can disrupt the work of millions if they successfully interrupt the services of a software service giant like Microsoft on which so much global commerce depends.It's not clear if that's what happened here.“We really have no way to measure the impact if Microsoft doesn’t provide that info,” said Jake Williams, a prominent cybersecurity researcher and a former National Security Agency offensive hacker. Williams said he was not aware of Outlook previously being attacked at this scale.“We know some resources were inaccessible for some, but not others. This often happens with DDoS of globally distributed systems,” Williams added. He said Microsoft's apparent unwillingness to provide an objective measure of customer impact “probably speaks to the magnitude.”Microsoft dubbed the attackers Storm-1359, using a&nbsp;<a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/intelligence/microsoft-threat-actor-naming?view=o365-worldwide">designator it assigns to groups</a>&nbsp;whose affiliation it has not yet established. Cybersecurity sleuthing tends to take time — and even then can be a challenge if the adversary is skilled.Pro-Russian hacking groups including Killnet — which the cybersecurity firm Mandiant says is Kremlin-affiliated — have been bombarding government and other websites of Ukraine's allies with DDoS attacks.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-atlanta-680cf93f7eb0300127448c35299ad66e">In October</a>, some U.S. airport sites were hit. Analyst Alexander Leslie of the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future said it's unlikely Anonymous Sudan is located as it claims in Sudan, an African country. The group works closely with Killnet and other pro-Kremlin groups to spread pro-Russian propaganda and disinformation, he said.Edward Amoroso, NYU professor and CEO of TAG Cyber, said the Microsoft incident highlights how DDoS attacks remain “a significant risk that we all just agree to avoid talking about. It’s not controversial to call this an unsolved problem.”He said Microsoft's difficulties fending of this particular attack suggest “a single point of failure.” The best defense against these attacks is to distribute a service massively, on a content distribution network for example.Indeed, the techniques the attackers used are not old, said U.K. security researcher Kevin Beaumont. “One dates back to&nbsp;<a>2009</a>,” he said.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/outlook-microsoft-outage-down-ee5430f6a4636b297c64f0c0b695cfc3">Serious impacts</a>&nbsp;from the Microsoft 365 office suite interruptions were reported on Monday June 5, peaking at 18,000 outage and problem reports on the tracker Downdetector shortly after 11 a.m. Eastern time.On Twitter that day,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MSFT365Status/status/1665744417783775232?s=20">Microsoft said</a>&nbsp;Outlook, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business were affected.Attacks continued through the week, with Microsoft confirming on June 9 that its Azure&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/azuresupport/status/1667206178210816002?s=46">cloud computing platform</a>&nbsp;had been affected.On June 8, the computer security news site BleepingComputer.com&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/BleepinComputer/status/1666873449908776961?s=20">reported</a>&nbsp;that cloud-based OneDrive file-hosting was down globally for a time.Microsoft said at the time that desktop OneDrive clients were not affected, BleepingComputer reported.