TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas voters on Tuesday sent a resounding message about their desire to protect abortion rights, rejecting a ballot measure in a conservative state with deep ties to the anti-abortion movement that would have allowed the Republican-controlled Legislature to tighten restrictions or ban the procedure outright.

It was the first test of voter sentiment after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision</a>&nbsp;in June that overturned the constitutional right to abortion, providing an unexpected result with potential implications for the coming midterm elections.

While it was just one state, the heavy turnout for an August primary that typically favors Republicans was a major victory for abortion rights advocates and provided a dash of hope for Democrats nationwide grasping for a game-changer during an election year otherwise filled with dark omens for their prospects in November.

It also provided a warning to Republicans who had celebrated the Supreme Court ruling and were moving swiftly with abortion bans or near-bans in nearly half the states.

“Kansans bluntly rejected anti-abortion politicians’ attempts at creating a reproductive police state,” said Kimberly Inez McGuire, executive director of Unite for Reproductive &amp; Gender Equity. ”Today’s vote was a powerful rebuke and a promise of the mounting resistance.”

The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/hcr5003_00_0000.pdf">proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution</a>&nbsp;would have added language stating that it does not grant the right to abortion. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">2019 state Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;declared that access to abortion is a “fundamental” right under the state’s Bill of Rights, preventing a ban and potentially thwarting legislative efforts to enact new restrictions.

The referendum was closely watched as a barometer of liberal and moderate voters’ anger over the Supreme Court's ruling scrapping the nationwide right to abortion.

The measure’s failure also was significant because of Kansas' connections to anti-abortion activists. Anti-abortion “Summer of Mercy” protests in 1991 inspired abortion opponents to take over the Kansas Republican Party and make the Legislature more conservative. They were there because Dr. George Tiller's clinic was among the few in the U.S. known to do abortions late in pregnancy, and he was murdered in 2009 by an anti-abortion extremist.

Anti-abortion lawmakers wanted to have the vote coincide with the state's August primary, arguing they wanted make sure it got the focus, though others saw it as an obvious attempt to boost their chances of winning. Twice as many Republicans as Democrats have voted in the state's August primaries in the decade leading up to Tuesday's election.

The electorate in Tuesday’s vote wasn’t typical for a Kansas primary, particularly because tens of thousands of unaffiliated voters cast ballots.

Kansas Republican Party Chair Mike Kuckelman said opponents of the proposed amendment were effective in portraying it as a ban. But he predicted that Kansas will become a destination for abortion, and voters will not stand for that.

“This issue will come up again,” he said during an interview on KSNT-TV.

Kristy Winter, 52, a Kansas City-area teacher and unaffiliated voter, voted against the measure and brought her 16-year-old daughter with her to her polling place.

“I want her to have the same right to do what she feels is necessary, mostly in the case of rape or incest,” she said. “I want her to have the same rights my mother has had most of her life.”

Opponents of the measure predicted that the anti-abortion groups and lawmakers behind the measure would push quickly for an abortion ban if voters approved it. Before the vote, the measure’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-us-supreme-court-health-government-and-politics-ee885ee70503518fa02f982a7ffff464">supporters refused to say</a>&nbsp;whether they would pursue a ban as they appealed to voters who supported both some restrictions and some access to abortion.

Stephanie Kostreva, a 40-year-old school nurse from the Kansas City area and a Democrat, said she voted in favor of the measure because she is a Christian and believes life begins at conception.

“I’m not full scale that there should never be an abortion,” she said. “I know there are medical emergencies, and when the mother’s life is in danger there is no reason for two people to die.”

An anonymous group sent a misleading text Monday to Kansas voters telling them to “vote yes” to protect choice, but it was suspended late Monday from the Twilio messaging platform it was using, a spokesperson said. Twilio did not identify the sender.

The 2019 Kansas Supreme Court decision protecting abortion rights blocked a law that banned the most common second-trimester procedure, and another law imposing special health regulations on abortion providers also is on hold. Abortion opponents argued that all of the state’s existing restrictions were in danger, though some legal scholars found that argument dubious. Kansas doesn’t ban most abortions until the 22nd week of pregnancy.

The Kansas vote is the start of what could be a long-running series of legal battles playing out where lawmakers are more conservative on abortion than governors or state courts. Kentucky will vote in November on whether to add language similar to Kansas’ to its state constitution.

Meanwhile, Vermont will decide in November whether to add an abortion rights provision to its constitution. A similar question is likely headed to the November ballot in Michigan.

In Kansas, both sides together spent more than $14 million on their campaigns. Abortion providers and abortion rights groups were key donors to the “no” side, while Catholic dioceses heavily funded the “yes” campaign.

The state has had strong anti-abortion majorities in its Legislature for 30 years, but voters have regularly elected Democratic governors, including Laura Kelly in 2018. She opposed the proposed amendment, saying changing the state constitution would “throw the state back into the Dark Ages.”

State Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a Republican hoping to unseat Kelly, supported the proposed constitutional amendment. He told the Catholic television network EWTN before the election that “there’s still room for progress” in decreasing abortions, without spelling out what he would sign as governor.

Although abortion opponents pushed almost annually for new restrictions until the 2019 state Supreme Court ruling, they felt constrained by past court rulings and Democratic governors like Kelly.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659488715266.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas voters on Tuesday sent a resounding message about their desire to protect abortion rights, rejecting a ballot measure in a conservative state with deep ties to the anti-abortion movement that would have allowed the Republican-controlled Legislature to tighten restrictions or ban the procedure outright.It was the first test of voter sentiment after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision</a>&nbsp;in June that overturned the constitutional right to abortion, providing an unexpected result with potential implications for the coming midterm elections.While it was just one state, the heavy turnout for an August primary that typically favors Republicans was a major victory for abortion rights advocates and provided a dash of hope for Democrats nationwide grasping for a game-changer during an election year otherwise filled with dark omens for their prospects in November.It also provided a warning to Republicans who had celebrated the Supreme Court ruling and were moving swiftly with abortion bans or near-bans in nearly half the states.“Kansans bluntly rejected anti-abortion politicians’ attempts at creating a reproductive police state,” said Kimberly Inez McGuire, executive director of Unite for Reproductive &amp; Gender Equity. ”Today’s vote was a powerful rebuke and a promise of the mounting resistance.”The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/hcr5003_00_0000.pdf">proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution</a>&nbsp;would have added language stating that it does not grant the right to abortion. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">2019 state Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;declared that access to abortion is a “fundamental” right under the state’s Bill of Rights, preventing a ban and potentially thwarting legislative efforts to enact new restrictions.The referendum was closely watched as a barometer of liberal and moderate voters’ anger over the Supreme Court's ruling scrapping the nationwide right to abortion.The measure’s failure also was significant because of Kansas' connections to anti-abortion activists. Anti-abortion “Summer of Mercy” protests in 1991 inspired abortion opponents to take over the Kansas Republican Party and make the Legislature more conservative. They were there because Dr. George Tiller's clinic was among the few in the U.S. known to do abortions late in pregnancy, and he was murdered in 2009 by an anti-abortion extremist.Anti-abortion lawmakers wanted to have the vote coincide with the state's August primary, arguing they wanted make sure it got the focus, though others saw it as an obvious attempt to boost their chances of winning. Twice as many Republicans as Democrats have voted in the state's August primaries in the decade leading up to Tuesday's election.The electorate in Tuesday’s vote wasn’t typical for a Kansas primary, particularly because tens of thousands of unaffiliated voters cast ballots.Kansas Republican Party Chair Mike Kuckelman said opponents of the proposed amendment were effective in portraying it as a ban. But he predicted that Kansas will become a destination for abortion, and voters will not stand for that.“This issue will come up again,” he said during an interview on KSNT-TV.Kristy Winter, 52, a Kansas City-area teacher and unaffiliated voter, voted against the measure and brought her 16-year-old daughter with her to her polling place.“I want her to have the same right to do what she feels is necessary, mostly in the case of rape or incest,” she said. “I want her to have the same rights my mother has had most of her life.”Opponents of the measure predicted that the anti-abortion groups and lawmakers behind the measure would push quickly for an abortion ban if voters approved it. Before the vote, the measure’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-us-supreme-court-health-government-and-politics-ee885ee70503518fa02f982a7ffff464">supporters refused to say</a>&nbsp;whether they would pursue a ban as they appealed to voters who supported both some restrictions and some access to abortion.Stephanie Kostreva, a 40-year-old school nurse from the Kansas City area and a Democrat, said she voted in favor of the measure because she is a Christian and believes life begins at conception.“I’m not full scale that there should never be an abortion,” she said. “I know there are medical emergencies, and when the mother’s life is in danger there is no reason for two people to die.”An anonymous group sent a misleading text Monday to Kansas voters telling them to “vote yes” to protect choice, but it was suspended late Monday from the Twilio messaging platform it was using, a spokesperson said. Twilio did not identify the sender.The 2019 Kansas Supreme Court decision protecting abortion rights blocked a law that banned the most common second-trimester procedure, and another law imposing special health regulations on abortion providers also is on hold. Abortion opponents argued that all of the state’s existing restrictions were in danger, though some legal scholars found that argument dubious. Kansas doesn’t ban most abortions until the 22nd week of pregnancy.The Kansas vote is the start of what could be a long-running series of legal battles playing out where lawmakers are more conservative on abortion than governors or state courts. Kentucky will vote in November on whether to add language similar to Kansas’ to its state constitution.Meanwhile, Vermont will decide in November whether to add an abortion rights provision to its constitution. A similar question is likely headed to the November ballot in Michigan.In Kansas, both sides together spent more than $14 million on their campaigns. Abortion providers and abortion rights groups were key donors to the “no” side, while Catholic dioceses heavily funded the “yes” campaign.The state has had strong anti-abortion majorities in its Legislature for 30 years, but voters have regularly elected Democratic governors, including Laura Kelly in 2018. She opposed the proposed amendment, saying changing the state constitution would “throw the state back into the Dark Ages.”State Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a Republican hoping to unseat Kelly, supported the proposed constitutional amendment. He told the Catholic television network EWTN before the election that “there’s still room for progress” in decreasing abortions, without spelling out what he would sign as governor.Although abortion opponents pushed almost annually for new restrictions until the 2019 state Supreme Court ruling, they felt constrained by past court rulings and Democratic governors like Kelly.

Kansas voters resoundingly protect access to abortion

TOPEKA (AP) —The top state elections official in Kansas beat back a far-right challenger who promoted conspiracy theories in one of several primaries Tuesday featuring candidates for secretary of state who have expressed skepticism of elections or promoted lies about the 2020 presidential election.

Kansas had no significant problems with its 2020 elections and former President Donald Trump carried the state handily. Yet Secretary of State Scott Schwab found himself on sometimes tricky ground politically because many Republicans have embraced Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">baseless claims</a>&nbsp;that massive fraud cost him the race nationally.

Schwab has repeatedly vouched for the safety of Kansas elections and touted new GOP-pushed laws, including ones that restrict the delivery of ballots by third parties. He’s also said he can’t vouch for other states’ elections.

The message worked well for him in his primary against Mike Brown, a construction contractor and former county commissioner in the Kansas City area. Brown embraced election conspiracy theories and promised to rid the state of ballot drop boxes.

In November, Schwab will face Democrat Jenna Repass, who was unopposed in her party’s primary.

The Kansas race was one of three races for secretary of state Tuesday in which primary voters were deciding whether to elevate election skeptics. Arizona’s Republican primary features two candidates who repeat Trump’s false claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Voters in Washington state were choosing from a mix of Democrats, Republicans and unaffiliated candidates in that state’s top-two primary.

The GOP primary elections for secretary of state are the latest this year to feature candidates who doubt the security of their states’ elections despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/top-officials-elections-most-secure-66f9361084ccbc461e3bbf42861057a5">the lack of evidence of any problems</a>&nbsp;widespread enough to change the results. Republican voters elsewhere have split on sending those candidates to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">the November ballot</a>.

A secretary of state primary in Washington includes several Republican and unaffiliated candidates, including one who has made voter fraud claims without evidence. Washington state has a primary system in which the top two vote-getters make it to the general election regardless of party affiliation.

The Democratic candidates in all three states reject the premise of a stolen 2020 presidential election and warn that victories in November by any of those who promote conspiracies would endanger free and fair elections. In all three states, the secretary of state is the top election official.

In Arizona, a major battleground for president and the U.S. Senate, two of the four GOP candidates contend the election was stolen from Trump and plan to push major changes if they win the primary and the November general election.

They include state Rep. Mark Finchem, who attended Trump’s Jan. 6, 2021, rally that led to the attack on the U.S. Capitol. He tried this year to get the Republican-controlled Legislature to notify Congress that Arizona wanted to decertify&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">Democrat Joe Biden’s election win</a>.

The other Republican backing Trump’s claims also is a member of the Arizona House. Rep. Shawnna Bolick introduced a bill last year that would allow a simple majority of the Legislature to overturn presidential election results. Republicans control the Legislature in Arizona.

Two other Republican candidates are on Arizona’s ballot: state Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, who acknowledges Biden’s victory but has worked for a decade to tighten election laws, and businessman Beau Lane, who is backed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/doug-ducey">GOP Gov. Doug Ducey</a>.

Finchem is endorsed by Trump and said in a recent interview that worries about the effect of his potential victory on free and fair elections are unfounded. He said he will just enforce laws as written.

“I think it’s interesting that there are people, particularly Democrats out there, claiming, ’Oh, he’s going to ruin the system. He’s going to do this, he’s a threat to democracy,’” Finchem said. Still, he contends tens of thousands of fake ballots led to Biden’s win, a claim for which there is no credible evidence.

Two Democrats, House Minority Leader Reginald Bolding and former Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes, are seeking their party’s nomination.

Washington state’s top-two primary features the incumbent, Democratic Secretary of State Steve Hobbs. He was appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee last November and hopes to retain his seat for the remaining two years of former Republican Secretary of State Kim Wyman’s four-year term.

Hobbs faces several Republican and unaffiliated challengers, including Tamborine Borrelli, an “America First” candidate who was fined by the state Supreme Court earlier this summer for making meritless claims alleging widespread voter fraud.

Hobbs and Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson, who is running as a nonpartisan and said she is the most experienced in running elections, have raised the most money. Republicans in the race include former state Sen. Mark Miloscia and current Sen. Keith Wagoner.

Under Washington’s primary system, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election in November, regardless of party. Results will likely take days to tally because it’s an all-mail election.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586715324051.jpeg" alt=" Republican Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab. Credit Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Republican Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab. Credit Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA (AP) —The top state elections official in Kansas beat back a far-right challenger who promoted conspiracy theories in one of several primaries Tuesday featuring candidates for secretary of state who have expressed skepticism of elections or promoted lies about the 2020 presidential election.Kansas had no significant problems with its 2020 elections and former President Donald Trump carried the state handily. Yet Secretary of State Scott Schwab found himself on sometimes tricky ground politically because many Republicans have embraced Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">baseless claims</a>&nbsp;that massive fraud cost him the race nationally.Schwab has repeatedly vouched for the safety of Kansas elections and touted new GOP-pushed laws, including ones that restrict the delivery of ballots by third parties. He’s also said he can’t vouch for other states’ elections.The message worked well for him in his primary against Mike Brown, a construction contractor and former county commissioner in the Kansas City area. Brown embraced election conspiracy theories and promised to rid the state of ballot drop boxes.In November, Schwab will face Democrat Jenna Repass, who was unopposed in her party’s primary.The Kansas race was one of three races for secretary of state Tuesday in which primary voters were deciding whether to elevate election skeptics. Arizona’s Republican primary features two candidates who repeat Trump’s false claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Voters in Washington state were choosing from a mix of Democrats, Republicans and unaffiliated candidates in that state’s top-two primary.The GOP primary elections for secretary of state are the latest this year to feature candidates who doubt the security of their states’ elections despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/top-officials-elections-most-secure-66f9361084ccbc461e3bbf42861057a5">the lack of evidence of any problems</a>&nbsp;widespread enough to change the results. Republican voters elsewhere have split on sending those candidates to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">the November ballot</a>.A secretary of state primary in Washington includes several Republican and unaffiliated candidates, including one who has made voter fraud claims without evidence. Washington state has a primary system in which the top two vote-getters make it to the general election regardless of party affiliation.The Democratic candidates in all three states reject the premise of a stolen 2020 presidential election and warn that victories in November by any of those who promote conspiracies would endanger free and fair elections. In all three states, the secretary of state is the top election official.In Arizona, a major battleground for president and the U.S. Senate, two of the four GOP candidates contend the election was stolen from Trump and plan to push major changes if they win the primary and the November general election.They include state Rep. Mark Finchem, who attended Trump’s Jan. 6, 2021, rally that led to the attack on the U.S. Capitol. He tried this year to get the Republican-controlled Legislature to notify Congress that Arizona wanted to decertify&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">Democrat Joe Biden’s election win</a>.The other Republican backing Trump’s claims also is a member of the Arizona House. Rep. Shawnna Bolick introduced a bill last year that would allow a simple majority of the Legislature to overturn presidential election results. Republicans control the Legislature in Arizona.Two other Republican candidates are on Arizona’s ballot: state Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, who acknowledges Biden’s victory but has worked for a decade to tighten election laws, and businessman Beau Lane, who is backed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/doug-ducey">GOP Gov. Doug Ducey</a>.Finchem is endorsed by Trump and said in a recent interview that worries about the effect of his potential victory on free and fair elections are unfounded. He said he will just enforce laws as written.“I think it’s interesting that there are people, particularly Democrats out there, claiming, ’Oh, he’s going to ruin the system. He’s going to do this, he’s a threat to democracy,’” Finchem said. Still, he contends tens of thousands of fake ballots led to Biden’s win, a claim for which there is no credible evidence.Two Democrats, House Minority Leader Reginald Bolding and former Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes, are seeking their party’s nomination.Washington state’s top-two primary features the incumbent, Democratic Secretary of State Steve Hobbs. He was appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee last November and hopes to retain his seat for the remaining two years of former Republican Secretary of State Kim Wyman’s four-year term.Hobbs faces several Republican and unaffiliated challengers, including Tamborine Borrelli, an “America First” candidate who was fined by the state Supreme Court earlier this summer for making meritless claims alleging widespread voter fraud.Hobbs and Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson, who is running as a nonpartisan and said she is the most experienced in running elections, have raised the most money. Republicans in the race include former state Sen. Mark Miloscia and current Sen. Keith Wagoner.Under Washington’s primary system, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election in November, regardless of party. Results will likely take days to tally because it’s an all-mail election.

Kansas’ top election official defeats conspiracy promoter

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill enhancing health care and disability benefits for millions of veterans exposed to toxic burn pits won final approval in the Senate on Tuesday, ending a brief stalemate over the measure that had infuriated advocates and inspired some to camp outside the Capitol.

The Senate approved the bill by a vote of 86-11. It now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law. Biden described the legislation as the biggest expansion of benefits for service-connected health issues in 30 years and the largest single bill ever to address exposure to burn pits.

“I look forward to signing this bill, so that veterans and their families and caregivers impacted by toxic exposures finally get the benefits and comprehensive health care they earned and deserve," Biden said.

The Senate had overwhelming approved the legislation back in June, but a do-over was required to make a technical fix. That process derailed when Republicans made a late attempt to change another aspect of the bill last week and blocked it from advancing.

The abrupt delay outraged veterans groups and advocates, including comedian Jon Stewart. It also placed GOP senators in the uncomfortable position of delaying the top legislative priority of service organizations this session of Congress.

A group of veterans and their families have been camping out at the Capitol since that vote. They had endured thunderstorms and Washington's notorious summer humidity, but they were in the galleries as senators cast their votes.

“You can go home knowing the good and great thing you have done and accomplished for the United States of America," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told them.

The legislation expands access to health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs for millions who served near burn pits. It also directs the VA to presume that certain respiratory illnesses and cancers were related to burn pit exposure, allowing veterans to obtain disability payments to compensate for their injury without having to prove the illness was a result of their service.

Roughly 70% of disability claims related to burn pit exposure are denied by the VA due to lack of evidence, scientific data and information from the Defense Department.

The military used burn pits to dispose of such things as chemicals, cans, tires, plastics and medical and human waste.

Hundreds of thousands of Vietnam War era veterans and survivors also stand to benefit from the legislation. The bill adds hypertension, or high blood pressure, as a presumptive disease associated with Agent Orange exposure.

The Congressional Budget Office projected that about 600,000 of 1.6 million living Vietnam vets would be eligible for increased compensation, though only about half would have severe enough diagnoses to warrant more compensation.

Also, veterans who served in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Guam, American Samoa and Johnston Atoll will be presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange. That’s another 50,000 veterans and survivors of deceased veterans who would get compensation for illnesses presumed to have been caused by their exposure to the herbicide, the CBO projected.

The bill also authorizes 31 major medical VA health clinics and research facilities in 19 states.

The bill is projected to increase federal deficits by about $277 billion over 10 years.

The bill has been a years-long effort begun by veterans and their families who viewed the burn pits used in Iraq and Afghanistan as responsible for respiratory problems and other illnesses the veterans experienced after returning home. It was named after Sgt. First Class Heath Robinson from Ohio, who died in 2020 from cancer he attributed to prolonged exposure to burn pits. His widow, Danielle Robinson, was first lady Jill Biden's guest at the president's State of the Union address earlier this year.

Stewart, the former host of Comedy Central's “The Daily Show,” also brought increased exposure to the burn pit maladies veterans were facing. He also was in the gallery watching the vote Tuesday. He wept and held his head in his hand as the final vote began.

“I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a situation where people who have already given so much had to fight so hard to get so little," he said after the vote. “And I hope we learn a lesson.”

The House was the first to act on the burn pits legislation. An earlier version the House approved in March was expected to increase spending by more than $320 billion over 10 years, but senators trimmed some of the costs early on by phasing in certain benefit enhancements. They also added funds for staffing to help the VA keep up with the expected increase in demand for health care and an increase in disability claims.

Some GOP senators are still concerned that the bill will increase delays at the VA because of an increased demand for veterans seeking care or disability compensation.

“What we have learned is that the VA cannot deliver what is promised because it does not have the capacity to handle the increase,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.

Sens. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., led the effort to get the bill passed in the Senate. After passage, Tester told reporters he received a call from Biden, thanking him for “taking a big weight” off his shoulder.

For Biden, the issue is very personal. He has raised the prospect that burn pits in Iraq were responsible for the death of his son Beau.

“We don’t know for sure if a burn pit was the cause of his brain cancer, or the diseases of so many of our troops,” Biden said at his State of the Union speech. “But I’m committed to finding out everything we can.”

Moran said that when the bill failed to pass last week, he was disappointed but remembered the strength of the protesters who had sat outside in the scorching heat for days.

“Thanks to the United States Senate for demonstrating when there’s something good and a good cause, this place still works,” Moran said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill enhancing health care and disability benefits for millions of veterans exposed to toxic burn pits won final approval in the Senate on Tuesday, ending a brief stalemate over the measure that had infuriated advocates and inspired some to camp outside the Capitol.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Just spoke on the Senate floor urging my colleagues to support the PACT Act. There is always a cost to war &amp; that cost is never fully paid when that war ends. We are on the verge of honoring our commitment to America&#39;s veterans &amp; their families. It is time to pass the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PACTAct?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PACTAct</a>. <a href="https://t.co/Z38E4eoIJQ">pic.twitter.com/Z38E4eoIJQ</a>&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1554587233038000129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Senate approved the bill by a vote of 86-11. It now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law. Biden described the legislation as the biggest expansion of benefits for service-connected health issues in 30 years and the largest single bill ever to address exposure to burn pits.“I look forward to signing this bill, so that veterans and their families and caregivers impacted by toxic exposures finally get the benefits and comprehensive health care they earned and deserve," Biden said.The Senate had overwhelming approved the legislation back in June, but a do-over was required to make a technical fix. That process derailed when Republicans made a late attempt to change another aspect of the bill last week and blocked it from advancing.The abrupt delay outraged veterans groups and advocates, including comedian Jon Stewart. It also placed GOP senators in the uncomfortable position of delaying the top legislative priority of service organizations this session of Congress.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My statement on the passage of the PACT Act: <a href="https://t.co/ys761HZvKC">pic.twitter.com/ys761HZvKC</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1554610875264368641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A group of veterans and their families have been camping out at the Capitol since that vote. They had endured thunderstorms and Washington's notorious summer humidity, but they were in the galleries as senators cast their votes.“You can go home knowing the good and great thing you have done and accomplished for the United States of America," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told them.The legislation expands access to health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs for millions who served near burn pits. It also directs the VA to presume that certain respiratory illnesses and cancers were related to burn pit exposure, allowing veterans to obtain disability payments to compensate for their injury without having to prove the illness was a result of their service.Roughly 70% of disability claims related to burn pit exposure are denied by the VA due to lack of evidence, scientific data and information from the Defense Department.The military used burn pits to dispose of such things as chemicals, cans, tires, plastics and medical and human waste.Hundreds of thousands of Vietnam War era veterans and survivors also stand to benefit from the legislation. The bill adds hypertension, or high blood pressure, as a presumptive disease associated with Agent Orange exposure.The Congressional Budget Office projected that about 600,000 of 1.6 million living Vietnam vets would be eligible for increased compensation, though only about half would have severe enough diagnoses to warrant more compensation.Also, veterans who served in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Guam, American Samoa and Johnston Atoll will be presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange. That’s another 50,000 veterans and survivors of deceased veterans who would get compensation for illnesses presumed to have been caused by their exposure to the herbicide, the CBO projected.The bill also authorizes 31 major medical VA health clinics and research facilities in 19 states.The bill is projected to increase federal deficits by about $277 billion over 10 years.The bill has been a years-long effort begun by veterans and their families who viewed the burn pits used in Iraq and Afghanistan as responsible for respiratory problems and other illnesses the veterans experienced after returning home. It was named after Sgt. First Class Heath Robinson from Ohio, who died in 2020 from cancer he attributed to prolonged exposure to burn pits. His widow, Danielle Robinson, was first lady Jill Biden's guest at the president's State of the Union address earlier this year.Stewart, the former host of Comedy Central's “The Daily Show,” also brought increased exposure to the burn pit maladies veterans were facing. He also was in the gallery watching the vote Tuesday. He wept and held his head in his hand as the final vote began.“I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a situation where people who have already given so much had to fight so hard to get so little," he said after the vote. “And I hope we learn a lesson.”The House was the first to act on the burn pits legislation. An earlier version the House approved in March was expected to increase spending by more than $320 billion over 10 years, but senators trimmed some of the costs early on by phasing in certain benefit enhancements. They also added funds for staffing to help the VA keep up with the expected increase in demand for health care and an increase in disability claims.Some GOP senators are still concerned that the bill will increase delays at the VA because of an increased demand for veterans seeking care or disability compensation.“What we have learned is that the VA cannot deliver what is promised because it does not have the capacity to handle the increase,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.Sens. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., led the effort to get the bill passed in the Senate. After passage, Tester told reporters he received a call from Biden, thanking him for “taking a big weight” off his shoulder.For Biden, the issue is very personal. He has raised the prospect that burn pits in Iraq were responsible for the death of his son Beau.“We don’t know for sure if a burn pit was the cause of his brain cancer, or the diseases of so many of our troops,” Biden said at his State of the Union speech. “But I’m committed to finding out everything we can.”Moran said that when the bill failed to pass last week, he was disappointed but remembered the strength of the protesters who had sat outside in the scorching heat for days.“Thanks to the United States Senate for demonstrating when there’s something good and a good cause, this place still works,” Moran said.

🎥 Moran leads Senate to approves bill to aid vets exposed to toxic burn pits

RENO COUNTY — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says their investigation into the April 14 explosion and fire at the Haven Midstream gas facility near Haven is still open. No timeline was given as to when their investigation would conclude but did say that such investigations usually take as long as six months to complete.&nbsp;

The explosions and fire injured two people and forced the evacuation of the town of Haven overnight April 14th and 15.&nbsp;

Since the accident the IFO Group out of The Woodlands Texas has been on hand to assist Haven Midstream in helping with the recovery efforts. Neither Haven Midstream nor IFO have disclosed what the plans are for the future of the facility.

The cause of the fire was classified as&nbsp; undetermined by the State Fire Marshal's Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649962850269.jpeg" alt="-Explosion at the gas plant April 14, in Haven Kansas -Photo courtesy of Ana Woodburn" />
 <figcaption>-Explosion at the gas plant April 14, in Haven Kansas -Photo courtesy of Ana Woodburn</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says their investigation into the April 14 explosion and fire at the Haven Midstream gas facility near Haven is still open. No timeline was given as to when their investigation would conclude but did say that such investigations usually take as long as six months to complete.&nbsp;The explosions and fire injured two people and forced the evacuation of the town of Haven overnight April 14th and 15.&nbsp;Since the accident the IFO Group out of The Woodlands Texas has been on hand to assist Haven Midstream in helping with the recovery efforts. Neither Haven Midstream nor IFO have disclosed what the plans are for the future of the facility.The cause of the fire was classified as&nbsp; undetermined by the State Fire Marshal's Office.

Investigation continues into Reno County gas plant explosion

WASHINGTON (AP) — Derek Schmidt wins Republican nomination for governor in Kansas primary election on Tuesday night and will face incumbent Governor Laura Kelly in November.

Kelly easily won the Democratic nomination for governor in Kansas primary election with 95 percent of the vote over&nbsp;Richard S. Karnowski. 

Schmidt took approximately 80 percent of the vote over challenger&nbsp;Arlyn Briggs.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Derek Schmidt wins Republican nomination for governor in Kansas primary election on Tuesday night and will face incumbent Governor Laura Kelly in November.Kelly easily won the Democratic nomination for governor in Kansas primary election with 95 percent of the vote over&nbsp;Richard S. Karnowski. Schmidt took approximately 80 percent of the vote over challenger&nbsp;Arlyn Briggs.

Kelly, Schmidt easily win primary for Kansas governor

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mark Holland wins Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Kansas primary election. With 1045 precincts of 3949 reporting Holland had received 42 percent of the vote and had a large lead over five challengers. 

That was enough for the Associated Press to declare him the winner.&nbsp; He will face incumbent Senator Jerry Moran in the general election.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mark Holland wins Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Kansas primary election. With 1045 precincts of 3949 reporting Holland had received 42 percent of the vote and had a large lead over five challengers. That was enough for the Associated Press to declare him the winner.&nbsp; He will face incumbent Senator Jerry Moran in the general election.

Mark Holland wins Dem. nomination for U.S. Senate in Kansas 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jerry Moran wins Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Kansas primary election. With just 280 precincts of the 3994 reporting, Moran had received 80 percent of the vote over challenger Joan Farr. That was more than enough for the Associated Press to declare Moran the winner. He will face Mark Holland who won the Democrat nomination.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jerry Moran wins Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Kansas primary election. With just 280 precincts of the 3994 reporting, Moran had received 80 percent of the vote over challenger Joan Farr. That was more than enough for the Associated Press to declare Moran the winner. He will face Mark Holland who won the Democrat nomination.

Jerry Moran wins GOP nomination for U.S. Senate 

SHAWNEE COUNTY—A Kansas woman arrested on Monday in Allen County in connection with the July 25 murder of a man in Chanute was also wanted in connection with a violent armed robbery on July 16.&nbsp;

According to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, 41-year-old Nicole Pike is being held in the Neosho&nbsp; County jail on requested first-degree murder charges for the death of Blake Pearson. He was found with a gunshot wound in an alley in Chanute and later died.

Just after&nbsp;8p.m. July 16, sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the 11,000 block of SW 29th Street in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.&nbsp;&nbsp;A 27-year-old female victim was taken at gun point from Topeka to this location.

During this time, the victim was struck in the head with a firearm, threatened and stripped of her outer clothing. The victim’s black 2017 Chevrolet Malibu was stolen and she was left in the roadway. A citizen found her walking and called 911.

The victim received medical attention on scene by American Medical Response&nbsp;and was then transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to Christian.

Throughout the investigation, investigators identified Fox and 20-year-old Landon D. Pike of Topeka as suspects. Authorities continue to search for Pike.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659024081286.png" alt="Fox-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Fox-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—A Kansas woman arrested on Monday in Allen County in connection with the July 25 murder of a man in Chanute was also wanted in connection with a violent armed robbery on July 16.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659458428733.png" alt="Fox after her arrest in Allen County. She is being held in Neosho County on a&nbsp; requested murder charge." />
 <figcaption>Fox after her arrest in Allen County. She is being held in Neosho County on a&nbsp; requested murder charge.</figcaption>
 </figure>According to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, 41-year-old Nicole Pike is being held in the Neosho&nbsp; County jail on requested first-degree murder charges for the death of Blake Pearson. He was found with a gunshot wound in an alley in Chanute and later died.Just after&nbsp;8p.m. July 16, sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the 11,000 block of SW 29th Street in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.&nbsp;&nbsp;A 27-year-old female victim was taken at gun point from Topeka to this location.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659024111950.png" alt="Pike-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Pike-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>During this time, the victim was struck in the head with a firearm, threatened and stripped of her outer clothing. The victim’s black 2017 Chevrolet Malibu was stolen and she was left in the roadway. A citizen found her walking and called 911.The victim received medical attention on scene by American Medical Response&nbsp;and was then transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to Christian.Throughout the investigation, investigators identified Fox and 20-year-old Landon D. Pike of Topeka as suspects. Authorities continue to search for Pike.

Murder suspect was also wanted for violent Kansas armed robbery

JACKSON COUNTY, Kan.— Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects who were allegedly driving a stolen vehicle.

Just after 4a.m. July 30, Richardson County, Nebraska authorities alerted sheriff's deputies in Kansas of a stolen Ford Crown Victoria that had been taken from Dawson, Nebraska, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 The vehicle was believed to be headed south on U.S. Highway 75.  Jackson County Deputies located the vehicle heading southbound north of Holton.  Deputies and Holton Police conducted a traffic stop near Arizona and Banner Drive on the south side of Holton.

  A Jackson County Sheriff K-9 was used to bring the two occupants into custody. 

&nbsp;Dylan Ray Peters, 23,&nbsp; and&nbsp; Zachary Russell White, 21, both of Council Bluffs, Iowa are being held in the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of felony theft. Peters is also being held for possession of a controlled substance.  White also had an outstanding warrant from the Iowa Department of Corrections for Robbery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659299240149.png" alt="White-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>White-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY, Kan.— Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects who were allegedly driving a stolen vehicle.Just after 4a.m. July 30, Richardson County, Nebraska authorities alerted sheriff's deputies in Kansas of a stolen Ford Crown Victoria that had been taken from Dawson, Nebraska, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. The vehicle was believed to be headed south on U.S. Highway 75. Jackson County Deputies located the vehicle heading southbound north of Holton. Deputies and Holton Police conducted a traffic stop near Arizona and Banner Drive on the south side of Holton.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659299219634.png" alt="Peters-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Peters-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure> A Jackson County Sheriff K-9 was used to bring the two occupants into custody. &nbsp;Dylan Ray Peters, 23,&nbsp; and&nbsp; Zachary Russell White, 21, both of Council Bluffs, Iowa are being held in the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of felony theft. Peters is also being held for possession of a controlled substance. White also had an outstanding warrant from the Iowa Department of Corrections for Robbery.

Suspects captured after 2-state chase in reported stolen car

KHIMKI, Russia (AP) — American basketball star Brittney Griner was back in court on Tuesday for her trial for cannabis possession amid U.S. diplomatic efforts to secure her release.

During the hearing, prosecutors called a state narcotics expert who analyzed cannabis found in Griner's luggage. Her defense fielded a specialist who challenged the analysis, charging that it was flawed and didn't conform to official rules.

If convicted, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) star and two-time Olympic gold medalist could face 10 years in prison. As her trial has progressed, the Biden administration has faced growing public pressure to get her released.

In an extraordinary move, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week spoke to his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, urging him to accept a deal under which Griner and Paul Whelan, an American imprisoned in Russia on an espionage conviction, would go free.

The Lavrov-Blinken call marked the highest-level known contact between Washington and Moscow since Russia sent troops into Ukraine more than five months ago, the direct outreach at odds with U.S. efforts to isolate the Kremlin.

People familiar with the proposal say it envisions trading Griner and Whelan for the notorious arms trader Viktor Bout. It underlines the public pressure that the White House has faced to get Griner released.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Monday that Russia has made a “bad faith” response to the U.S. government’s offer, a counteroffer that American officials don’t regard as serious. She declined to elaborate.

Griner has acknowledged there were vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage when she was arrested at a Moscow airport in February. But she insisted that she had no criminal intent and that the canisters ended up in her luggage because she was packing hastily. Griner played for a Russian women’s basketball team in the WNBA off-season.

To bolster her case, her defense lawyers have presented testimony from doctors that she was prescribed cannabis as a treatment for pain. Medical marijuana treatment is not legal in Russia.

While judges have leeway to consider mitigating factors under Russian law, acquittals are rare and account for less than 1% of cases in Russian criminal prosecutions.

A conviction, however, could potentially pave the way for Griner's exchange as Russian officials said it could only happen after the judicial process is completed.

Tom Firestone, a Washington attorney who formerly served as legal adviser at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, said Griner could be handed a tough sentence as a way for Russians "to maximize their leverage in negotiations.” He told The Associated Press that Russia “may want to let this play out a little bit longer and try to extract more concessions.”

Russian officials have scoffed at U.S. statements about the case, saying they show a disrespect for Russian law. They remained poker-faced, urging Washington to discuss the issue through “quiet diplomacy without releases of speculative information.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646510097872.png" alt="Griner, 31, is one of the most recognizable players in women’s basketball, has won two Olympic gold medals with the U.S., a WNBA championship with the Phoenix Mercury and a national championship at Baylor. She is a seven-time All-Star and three-time Big 12 Player of the year at Baylor-photo courtesy Phoenix Mercury" />
 <figcaption>Griner, 31, is one of the most recognizable players in women’s basketball, has won two Olympic gold medals with the U.S., a WNBA championship with the Phoenix Mercury and a national championship at Baylor. She is a seven-time All-Star and three-time Big 12 Player of the year at Baylor-photo courtesy Phoenix Mercury</figcaption>
 </figure>KHIMKI, Russia (AP) — American basketball star Brittney Griner was back in court on Tuesday for her trial for cannabis possession amid U.S. diplomatic efforts to secure her release.During the hearing, prosecutors called a state narcotics expert who analyzed cannabis found in Griner's luggage. Her defense fielded a specialist who challenged the analysis, charging that it was flawed and didn't conform to official rules.If convicted, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) star and two-time Olympic gold medalist could face 10 years in prison. As her trial has progressed, the Biden administration has faced growing public pressure to get her released.In an extraordinary move, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week spoke to his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, urging him to accept a deal under which Griner and Paul Whelan, an American imprisoned in Russia on an espionage conviction, would go free.The Lavrov-Blinken call marked the highest-level known contact between Washington and Moscow since Russia sent troops into Ukraine more than five months ago, the direct outreach at odds with U.S. efforts to isolate the Kremlin.People familiar with the proposal say it envisions trading Griner and Whelan for the notorious arms trader Viktor Bout. It underlines the public pressure that the White House has faced to get Griner released.White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Monday that Russia has made a “bad faith” response to the U.S. government’s offer, a counteroffer that American officials don’t regard as serious. She declined to elaborate.Griner has acknowledged there were vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage when she was arrested at a Moscow airport in February. But she insisted that she had no criminal intent and that the canisters ended up in her luggage because she was packing hastily. Griner played for a Russian women’s basketball team in the WNBA off-season.To bolster her case, her defense lawyers have presented testimony from doctors that she was prescribed cannabis as a treatment for pain. Medical marijuana treatment is not legal in Russia.While judges have leeway to consider mitigating factors under Russian law, acquittals are rare and account for less than 1% of cases in Russian criminal prosecutions.A conviction, however, could potentially pave the way for Griner's exchange as Russian officials said it could only happen after the judicial process is completed.Tom Firestone, a Washington attorney who formerly served as legal adviser at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, said Griner could be handed a tough sentence as a way for Russians "to maximize their leverage in negotiations.” He told The Associated Press that Russia “may want to let this play out a little bit longer and try to extract more concessions.”Russian officials have scoffed at U.S. statements about the case, saying they show a disrespect for Russian law. They remained poker-faced, urging Washington to discuss the issue through “quiet diplomacy without releases of speculative information.”___

White House: Bad faith response to US prisoner swap offer

DICKINSON COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident during a&nbsp; law enforcement pursuit just before 10:30a.m. Tuesday in Dickinson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 BMW 645 Series driven by Joseph A. Hernandez, 35, Fort Collins, Colorado,&nbsp;&nbsp;was westbound on Interstate 70 actively fleeing and eluding law enforcement.

The car left the roadway and vaulted over Jeep Road. The car came to rest on the west side of Jeep Road just north of the Interstate.

EMS transported Hernandez and a passenger 34-year-old Maria G. Hernandez of Fort Collins to Salina Regional Medical Center. They were not wearing seat belts and the license plate was not displayed on the vehicle, according to the KHP.

DICKINSON COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident during a&nbsp; law enforcement pursuit just before 10:30a.m. Tuesday in Dickinson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 BMW 645 Series driven by Joseph A. Hernandez, 35, Fort Collins, Colorado,&nbsp;&nbsp;was westbound on Interstate 70 actively fleeing and eluding law enforcement.The car left the roadway and vaulted over Jeep Road. The car came to rest on the west side of Jeep Road just north of the Interstate.EMS transported Hernandez and a passenger 34-year-old Maria G. Hernandez of Fort Collins to Salina Regional Medical Center. They were not wearing seat belts and the license plate was not displayed on the vehicle, according to the KHP.

2 hospitalized after crash during I-70 police chase

By JOHN HANNA and HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH&nbsp;

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Immigration hardliner Kris Kobach is attempting a political comeback Tuesday in the Republican primary for Kansas attorney general, where he faces a former prosecutor and a state senator who, like Kobach, say they would prioritize fighting the federal government.

Kobach had a national profile for writing tough state and local immigration rules outside of Kansas even before he was elected secretary of state in 2010. But he lost his bid for governor of the conservative state in 2018 to Democrat Laura Kelly and lost the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in 2020 to Sen. Roger Marshall, raising questions about his viability in a statewide race.

In the primary, Kobach faces state Sen. Kellie Warren, a Kansas City-area attorney, and former federal prosecutor Tony Mattivi, of Topeka.

All three Republicans promised to file lawsuits to challenge policies from Democratic President Joe Biden's administration. Warren argued that she was more likely than Kobach to pick better targets and win the cases. Mattivi said he would challenge Biden administration policies as well, but he said the attorney general’s first priority is to keep Kansans safe physically and financially.

Kobach promoted election fraud as a big issue a decade before former President Donald Trump’s false claims that fraud cost him his bid for reelection in 2020. Kobach was the first prominent Kansas elected official to endorse Trump in 2016 and served as vice chairman of a Trump commission on election fraud. He is promising to pursue such cases if he’s elected attorney general.

Warren was visible in legislative efforts to put anti-abortion language into the state constitution, and to limit the power of state and local officials to close businesses and impose other restrictions during the pandemic.

Mattivi ran on his credentials as a prosecutor, having worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in Kansas for more than 20 years. He handled high-profile terrorism and national security cases and was coordinating work on such cases when he retired in November 2020.

The winner will face Democratic first-time candidate Chris Mann, an attorney, former police officer and former local prosecutor from northeastern Kansas in the Nov. 8 general election. Many Republicans anticipate a surge of conservative voters in November due to anger over inflation, gas prices and COVID-19 restrictions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658496723962.png" alt="State Sen. Kellie Warren, Kobach and&nbsp; Kansas City-area attorney, and former federal prosecutor Tony Mattivi, of Topeka during a June candidate debate image courtesy Kansas City PBS" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Kellie Warren, Kobach and&nbsp; Kansas City-area attorney, and former federal prosecutor Tony Mattivi, of Topeka during a June candidate debate image courtesy Kansas City PBS</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA and HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Immigration hardliner Kris Kobach is attempting a political comeback Tuesday in the Republican primary for Kansas attorney general, where he faces a former prosecutor and a state senator who, like Kobach, say they would prioritize fighting the federal government.Kobach had a national profile for writing tough state and local immigration rules outside of Kansas even before he was elected secretary of state in 2010. But he lost his bid for governor of the conservative state in 2018 to Democrat Laura Kelly and lost the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in 2020 to Sen. Roger Marshall, raising questions about his viability in a statewide race.In the primary, Kobach faces state Sen. Kellie Warren, a Kansas City-area attorney, and former federal prosecutor Tony Mattivi, of Topeka.All three Republicans promised to file lawsuits to challenge policies from Democratic President Joe Biden's administration. Warren argued that she was more likely than Kobach to pick better targets and win the cases. Mattivi said he would challenge Biden administration policies as well, but he said the attorney general’s first priority is to keep Kansans safe physically and financially.Kobach promoted election fraud as a big issue a decade before former President Donald Trump’s false claims that fraud cost him his bid for reelection in 2020. Kobach was the first prominent Kansas elected official to endorse Trump in 2016 and served as vice chairman of a Trump commission on election fraud. He is promising to pursue such cases if he’s elected attorney general.Warren was visible in legislative efforts to put anti-abortion language into the state constitution, and to limit the power of state and local officials to close businesses and impose other restrictions during the pandemic.Mattivi ran on his credentials as a prosecutor, having worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in Kansas for more than 20 years. He handled high-profile terrorism and national security cases and was coordinating work on such cases when he retired in November 2020.The winner will face Democratic first-time candidate Chris Mann, an attorney, former police officer and former local prosecutor from northeastern Kansas in the Nov. 8 general election. Many Republicans anticipate a surge of conservative voters in November due to anger over inflation, gas prices and COVID-19 restrictions.

Kobach looks for comeback in Kansas attorney general primary

WASHINGTON (AP) — Back on the White House balcony and in the Treaty Room as President Joe Biden&nbsp; contends with a “rebound” case of COVID-19. He tested positive again Tuesday, according to the White House.

Trapped in the White House for the second time in as many weeks, the president knows the drill this time: He’s got an office in the residence and his dog Commander to keep him company while he governs by Zoom and FaceTime.

Biden’s latest bout with COVID-19 came with a new wrinkle: how to announce a major counterterrorism operation in Afghanistan from isolation.

Biden, dressed in a dark suit and red tie, walked to a lectern that had been wheeled onto the balcony of the Blue Room on Monday evening and informed the American people of the killing of Ayman al-Zawahri, the top al-Qaida leader, in a U.S. strike in Afghanistan over the weekend.

The White House allowed just one print reporter to watch Biden deliver his speech, by looking through a window in the adjacent Red Room. A TV cameraman filmed the president and a still photographer took photos — a smaller footprint than the group of journalists that is usually at the president’s appearances.

Biden’s initial COVID-19 diagnosis left him with a lingering cough and runny nose, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. His rebound case — labeled such because he tested positive on Saturday just three days after being cleared from isolation with two negative tests last Tuesday and Wednesday — has left him antsy about returning to a normal schedule.

Biden’s rebound disrupted a trip home to Wilmington, Delaware, to reunite with first lady Jill Biden, who has been there since Biden’s initial diagnosis. A trip Tuesday to Michigan to promote a $280 billion high-tech manufacturing bill he intends to sign was also scuttled.

Instead, Biden is stuck in COVID-19 isolation through at least Thursday, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, and perhaps longer under the White House’s stricter protocols, which require a negative test to return to work.

“He’s someone who likes to be out there with the American people,” said Jean-Pierre on Monday. “He’s looking forward to being out there again.”

White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor said in a Tuesday letter that the president “continues to feel well, though experiencing a return of a loose cough."

Shortly after Saturday’s announcement that he was returning to isolation, the president tweeted a picture of himself masked, tieless and signing a declaration that added individual assistance for flood survivors in Kentucky.

He followed up by tweeting a 12-second video of himself on a White House balcony with Commander.

“I’m feeling fine, everything is good,” said Biden, a pair of aviator sunglasses in his hand. “But Commander and I got a little work to do.”

Minutes later, he called Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough on FaceTime as he visited with people camping outside the U.S. Capitol in a bid for health benefits for military veterans exposed to toxic substances from burn pits during their service.

Biden tweeted that he had planned to visit the group in person on&nbsp; before he tested positive again, but instead sent McDonough with a delivery of pizza. He invited the advocates to the White House once he’s cleared by his doctors to receive visitors.

“It doesn’t stop him from doing his job and doing the work of the American people,” Jean-Pierre said of the president’s rebound infection.

During his course of isolation, Biden told reporters that his canine companion served as his alarm clock while the first lady was away.

“Matter of fact, my dog had to wake me up this morning,” he said last Tuesday. “My wife’s not here. She usually takes him out in the morning while I’m upstairs working out. And so, I felt this nuzzle of my dog’s nose against my chest about five minutes to seven.”

Biden has been working from the ornate second-floor Treaty Room or stepping onto the adjacent Truman Balcony overlooking the South Grounds and the Washington Monument.

A limited number of essential staff are with him in the residence, including security and medical personnel and a small number of aides, who remain masked for their protection. Biden’s usual in-person meetings, including his daily national security briefing, have shifted to virtual formats.

Plans for enabling a president to work in isolation were first developed when then-President Donald Trump tested positive for COVID-19 in October 2020, which required him to be admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. As the highly infectious omicron variant spread and cases closed in around Biden, his administration refined plans for Biden to carry out his duties while isolating at the White House, according to two aides.

Biden, 79, was treated with the antiviral drug Paxlovid after he first tested positive on July 21. He tested negative for the virus&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659466803405.png" alt="President Biden on Tuesday afternoon virtually joined an event in Michigan to mark the signing of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Executive Directive to implement the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022." />
 <figcaption>President Biden on Tuesday afternoon virtually joined an event in Michigan to mark the signing of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Executive Directive to implement the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Back on the White House balcony and in the Treaty Room as President Joe Biden&nbsp; contends with a “rebound” case of COVID-19. He tested positive again Tuesday, according to the White House.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659457135275.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trapped in the White House for the second time in as many weeks, the president knows the drill this time: He’s got an office in the residence and his dog Commander to keep him company while he governs by Zoom and FaceTime.Biden’s latest bout with COVID-19 came with a new wrinkle: how to announce a major counterterrorism operation in Afghanistan from isolation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659451270280.png" alt="President Biden during Monday's night's statement on the killing of a top al-Quaida leader." />
 <figcaption>President Biden during Monday's night's statement on the killing of a top al-Quaida leader.</figcaption>
 </figure>Biden, dressed in a dark suit and red tie, walked to a lectern that had been wheeled onto the balcony of the Blue Room on Monday evening and informed the American people of the killing of Ayman al-Zawahri, the top al-Qaida leader, in a U.S. strike in Afghanistan over the weekend.The White House allowed just one print reporter to watch Biden deliver his speech, by looking through a window in the adjacent Red Room. A TV cameraman filmed the president and a still photographer took photos — a smaller footprint than the group of journalists that is usually at the president’s appearances.Biden’s initial COVID-19 diagnosis left him with a lingering cough and runny nose, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. His rebound case — labeled such because he tested positive on Saturday just three days after being cleared from isolation with two negative tests last Tuesday and Wednesday — has left him antsy about returning to a normal schedule.Biden’s rebound disrupted a trip home to Wilmington, Delaware, to reunite with first lady Jill Biden, who has been there since Biden’s initial diagnosis. A trip Tuesday to Michigan to promote a $280 billion high-tech manufacturing bill he intends to sign was also scuttled.Instead, Biden is stuck in COVID-19 isolation through at least Thursday, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, and perhaps longer under the White House’s stricter protocols, which require a negative test to return to work.“He’s someone who likes to be out there with the American people,” said Jean-Pierre on Monday. “He’s looking forward to being out there again.”White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor said in a Tuesday letter that the president “continues to feel well, though experiencing a return of a loose cough."Shortly after Saturday’s announcement that he was returning to isolation, the president tweeted a picture of himself masked, tieless and signing a declaration that added individual assistance for flood survivors in Kentucky.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659220548940.png" alt="During his course of isolation, Biden told reporters that his canine companion served as his alarm clock while the first lady was away-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>During his course of isolation, Biden told reporters that his canine companion served as his alarm clock while the first lady was away-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>He followed up by tweeting a 12-second video of himself on a White House balcony with Commander.“I’m feeling fine, everything is good,” said Biden, a pair of aviator sunglasses in his hand. “But Commander and I got a little work to do.”Minutes later, he called Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough on FaceTime as he visited with people camping outside the U.S. Capitol in a bid for health benefits for military veterans exposed to toxic substances from burn pits during their service.Biden tweeted that he had planned to visit the group in person on&nbsp; before he tested positive again, but instead sent McDonough with a delivery of pizza. He invited the advocates to the White House once he’s cleared by his doctors to receive visitors.“It doesn’t stop him from doing his job and doing the work of the American people,” Jean-Pierre said of the president’s rebound infection.During his course of isolation, Biden told reporters that his canine companion served as his alarm clock while the first lady was away.“Matter of fact, my dog had to wake me up this morning,” he said last Tuesday. “My wife’s not here. She usually takes him out in the morning while I’m upstairs working out. And so, I felt this nuzzle of my dog’s nose against my chest about five minutes to seven.”Biden has been working from the ornate second-floor Treaty Room or stepping onto the adjacent Truman Balcony overlooking the South Grounds and the Washington Monument.A limited number of essential staff are with him in the residence, including security and medical personnel and a small number of aides, who remain masked for their protection. Biden’s usual in-person meetings, including his daily national security briefing, have shifted to virtual formats.Plans for enabling a president to work in isolation were first developed when then-President Donald Trump tested positive for COVID-19 in October 2020, which required him to be admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. As the highly infectious omicron variant spread and cases closed in around Biden, his administration refined plans for Biden to carry out his duties while isolating at the White House, according to two aides.Biden, 79, was treated with the antiviral drug Paxlovid after he first tested positive on July 21. He tested negative for the virus&nbsp;

White House doctor: Biden still positive for COVID, cough returns

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday night despite threats from Beijing of serious consequences, becoming the highest-ranking American official to visit the self-ruled island claimed by China in 25 years.

Pelosi’s visit has triggered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-pelosi-taiwan-visit-explainer-fd940b681b9a4165d2ace569bbfe33fb">increased tension</a>&nbsp;between China and the United States. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, to be annexed by force if necessary, and views visits by foreign government officials as recognition of the island’s sovereignty.

China had warned of “resolute and strong measures” if Pelosi went ahead with the trip, but has given no details on what they might be. Speculation has centered on threatening military exercises and possible incursions by Chinese planes and ships into areas under Taiwanese control.

The Biden administration did not explicitly urge Pelosi to call off the visit, while seeking to assure Beijing it would not signal any change in U.S. policy on Taiwan.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Washington's betrayal “on the Taiwan issue is bankrupting its national credibility."

“Some American politicians are playing with fire on the issue of Taiwan," Wang said in a statement. “This will definitely not have a good outcome ... the exposure of America's bullying face again shows it as the world's biggest saboteur of peace."

The plane carrying Pelosi and her delegation left Malaysia earlier Tuesday after a brief stop that included a working lunch with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry had declined to comment on whether Pelosi would visit. The trip was not officially announced ahead of time.

Barricades were erected outside the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Taipei where Pelosi was expected to stay amid heightened security. Two buildings in the capital lit up LED displays with words of welcome, including the iconic Taipei 101 building, which said “Welcome to Taiwan, Speaker Pelosi.”

China, which regards Taiwan as a renegade province to be annexed by force if necessary, has repeatedly warned of retaliation for Pelosi's visit, saying its military will “never sit idly by.”

“The U.S. and Taiwan have colluded to make provocations first, and China has only been compelled to act out of self-defense,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters Tuesday in Beijing.

Hua said China has been in constant communication with the U.S. and made clear “how dangerous it would be if the visit actually happens.” Any countermeasures China take will be “justified and necessary" in the face of Washington's “unscrupulous behavior," she said.

Shortly before Pelosi was due to arrive, Chinese state media said Chinese Su-35 fighter jets were “crossing” the Taiwan Strait, the body of water that separates mainland China and Taiwan. It wasn’t immediately clear where they were headed or what they planned to do.

Unspecified hackers launched a cyberattack on the Taiwanese Presidential Office’s website, making it temporarily unavailable Tuesday evening. The Presidential Office said the website was restored shortly after the attack, which overwhelmed it with traffic.

“China thinks by launching a multi-domain pressure campaign against Taiwan, the people of Taiwan will be be intimidated. But they are wrong,” Wang Ting-yu, a legislator with the Democratic Progressive Party, said on Twitter in response to the attack.

China’s military threats have driven concerns of a new crisis in the 100-mile (140-kilometer) -wide Taiwan Strait that could roil global markets and supply chains.

The White House on Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-asia-beijing-malaysia-pacific-15f739b266c2c90ba41c5917f26eb980">decried Beijing's rhetoric</a>, saying the U.S. has no interest in deepening tensions with China and “will not take the bait or engage in saber rattling.”

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby underscored that the decision whether to visit Taiwan was ultimately Pelosi’s. He noted that members of Congress have routinely visited the island over the years.

Kirby said administration officials are concerned that Beijing could use the visit as an excuse to take provocative retaliatory steps, including military action such as firing missiles in the Taiwan Strait or around Taiwan, or flying sorties into the island’s airspace and carrying out large-scale naval exercises in the strait.

“Put simply, there is no reason for Beijing to turn a potential visit consistent with long-standing U.S. policy into some sort of crisis or use it as a pretext to increase aggressive military activity in or around the Taiwan Strait,” Kirby said.

U.S. officials have said the U.S. military would increase its movement of forces and assets in the Indo-Pacific region during Pelosi's visit. U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and its strike group were in the Philippine Sea on Monday, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

The Reagan, the cruiser USS Antietam and the destroyer USS Higgins left Singapore after a port visit and moved north to their homeport in Japan. The carrier has an array of aircraft, including F/A-18 fighter jets and helicopters, on board as well as sophisticated radar systems and other weapons.

Taiwan and China split in 1949 after the Communists won a civil war on the mainland. The U.S. maintains informal relations and defense ties with Taiwan even as it recognizes Beijing as the government of China.

Beijing sees official American contact with Taiwan as encouragement to make the island’s decades-old de facto independence permanent, a step U.S. leaders say they don’t support. Pelosi, head of one of three branches of the U.S. government, is the highest-ranking elected American official to visit Taiwan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-beijing-xi-jinping-hong-kong-2c2b95758dd6faa6eed87a7c5cf298d4">since then-Speaker Newt Gingrich in 1997</a>.

The flight tracking site Flightradar24 said Pelosi's aircraft, a U.S. Air Force Boeing C-40C, was the most tracked in the world on Tuesday evening with 300,000 viewers. The plane took a roundabout route, flying east over Indonesia rather than directly over the South China Sea.

Pelosi has used her position in the U.S. Congress as an emissary for the U.S. on the global stage.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-china-beijing-foreign-policy-nancy-pelosi-07eefea303f4da179554abcd3b2845af">She has long challenged China on human rights</a>, including in 2009 when she hand-delivered a letter to then-President Hu Jintao calling for the release of political prisoners. She had sought to visit Taiwan’s island democracy earlier this year before testing positive for COVID-19.

Pelosi&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-asia-beijing-malaysia-pacific-15f739b266c2c90ba41c5917f26eb980">kicked off her Asian tour in Singapore</a>&nbsp;on Monday as her possible visit to Taiwan sparked jitters in the region.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong “highlighted the importance of stable U.S.-China relations for regional peace and security” during talks with Pelosi, the city-state's Foreign Ministry said. This was echoed by Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi in Tokyo, who said stable ties between the two rival powers “are extremely important for the international community as well.”

The Philippines urged the U.S. and China to be “responsible actors" in the region. “It is important for the U.S. and China to ensure continuing communication to avoid any miscalculation and further escalation of tensions," said Foreign Affairs spokesperson Teresita Daza.

China has been steadily ratcheting up diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan. China cut off all contact with Taiwan’s government in 2016 after President Tsai Ing-wen refused to endorse its claim that the island and mainland together make up a single Chinese nation, with the Communist regime in Beijing being the sole legitimate government.

Pelosi is to travel to Japan and South Korea later this week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659452272663.png" alt="Pelosi arrives in Taiwan just before 11p.m. Tuesday&nbsp; -image courtesy <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TfdfBotGMA">Taipei TV YouTube</a>" />
 <figcaption>Pelosi arrives in Taiwan just before 11p.m. Tuesday&nbsp; -image courtesy <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TfdfBotGMA">Taipei TV YouTube</a></figcaption>
 </figure>TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday night despite threats from Beijing of serious consequences, becoming the highest-ranking American official to visit the self-ruled island claimed by China in 25 years.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3TfdfBotGMA" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Pelosi’s visit has triggered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-pelosi-taiwan-visit-explainer-fd940b681b9a4165d2ace569bbfe33fb">increased tension</a>&nbsp;between China and the United States. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, to be annexed by force if necessary, and views visits by foreign government officials as recognition of the island’s sovereignty.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our visit reiterates that America stands with Taiwan: a robust, vibrant democracy and our important partner in the Indo-Pacific. <a href="https://t.co/2sSRJXN6ST">pic.twitter.com/2sSRJXN6ST</a>&mdash; Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerPelosi/status/1554496902812602370?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>China had warned of “resolute and strong measures” if Pelosi went ahead with the trip, but has given no details on what they might be. Speculation has centered on threatening military exercises and possible incursions by Chinese planes and ships into areas under Taiwanese control.The Biden administration did not explicitly urge Pelosi to call off the visit, while seeking to assure Beijing it would not signal any change in U.S. policy on Taiwan.Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Washington's betrayal “on the Taiwan issue is bankrupting its national credibility."“Some American politicians are playing with fire on the issue of Taiwan," Wang said in a statement. “This will definitely not have a good outcome ... the exposure of America's bullying face again shows it as the world's biggest saboteur of peace."The plane carrying Pelosi and her delegation left Malaysia earlier Tuesday after a brief stop that included a working lunch with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry had declined to comment on whether Pelosi would visit. The trip was not officially announced ahead of time.Barricades were erected outside the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Taipei where Pelosi was expected to stay amid heightened security. Two buildings in the capital lit up LED displays with words of welcome, including the iconic Taipei 101 building, which said “Welcome to Taiwan, Speaker Pelosi.”China, which regards Taiwan as a renegade province to be annexed by force if necessary, has repeatedly warned of retaliation for Pelosi's visit, saying its military will “never sit idly by.”“The U.S. and Taiwan have colluded to make provocations first, and China has only been compelled to act out of self-defense,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters Tuesday in Beijing.Hua said China has been in constant communication with the U.S. and made clear “how dangerous it would be if the visit actually happens.” Any countermeasures China take will be “justified and necessary" in the face of Washington's “unscrupulous behavior," she said.Shortly before Pelosi was due to arrive, Chinese state media said Chinese Su-35 fighter jets were “crossing” the Taiwan Strait, the body of water that separates mainland China and Taiwan. It wasn’t immediately clear where they were headed or what they planned to do.Unspecified hackers launched a cyberattack on the Taiwanese Presidential Office’s website, making it temporarily unavailable Tuesday evening. The Presidential Office said the website was restored shortly after the attack, which overwhelmed it with traffic.“China thinks by launching a multi-domain pressure campaign against Taiwan, the people of Taiwan will be be intimidated. But they are wrong,” Wang Ting-yu, a legislator with the Democratic Progressive Party, said on Twitter in response to the attack.China’s military threats have driven concerns of a new crisis in the 100-mile (140-kilometer) -wide Taiwan Strait that could roil global markets and supply chains.The White House on Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-asia-beijing-malaysia-pacific-15f739b266c2c90ba41c5917f26eb980">decried Beijing's rhetoric</a>, saying the U.S. has no interest in deepening tensions with China and “will not take the bait or engage in saber rattling.”White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby underscored that the decision whether to visit Taiwan was ultimately Pelosi’s. He noted that members of Congress have routinely visited the island over the years.Kirby said administration officials are concerned that Beijing could use the visit as an excuse to take provocative retaliatory steps, including military action such as firing missiles in the Taiwan Strait or around Taiwan, or flying sorties into the island’s airspace and carrying out large-scale naval exercises in the strait.“Put simply, there is no reason for Beijing to turn a potential visit consistent with long-standing U.S. policy into some sort of crisis or use it as a pretext to increase aggressive military activity in or around the Taiwan Strait,” Kirby said.U.S. officials have said the U.S. military would increase its movement of forces and assets in the Indo-Pacific region during Pelosi's visit. U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and its strike group were in the Philippine Sea on Monday, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.The Reagan, the cruiser USS Antietam and the destroyer USS Higgins left Singapore after a port visit and moved north to their homeport in Japan. The carrier has an array of aircraft, including F/A-18 fighter jets and helicopters, on board as well as sophisticated radar systems and other weapons.Taiwan and China split in 1949 after the Communists won a civil war on the mainland. The U.S. maintains informal relations and defense ties with Taiwan even as it recognizes Beijing as the government of China.Beijing sees official American contact with Taiwan as encouragement to make the island’s decades-old de facto independence permanent, a step U.S. leaders say they don’t support. Pelosi, head of one of three branches of the U.S. government, is the highest-ranking elected American official to visit Taiwan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-beijing-xi-jinping-hong-kong-2c2b95758dd6faa6eed87a7c5cf298d4">since then-Speaker Newt Gingrich in 1997</a>.The flight tracking site Flightradar24 said Pelosi's aircraft, a U.S. Air Force Boeing C-40C, was the most tracked in the world on Tuesday evening with 300,000 viewers. The plane took a roundabout route, flying east over Indonesia rather than directly over the South China Sea.Pelosi has used her position in the U.S. Congress as an emissary for the U.S. on the global stage.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-china-beijing-foreign-policy-nancy-pelosi-07eefea303f4da179554abcd3b2845af">She has long challenged China on human rights</a>, including in 2009 when she hand-delivered a letter to then-President Hu Jintao calling for the release of political prisoners. She had sought to visit Taiwan’s island democracy earlier this year before testing positive for COVID-19.Pelosi&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-asia-beijing-malaysia-pacific-15f739b266c2c90ba41c5917f26eb980">kicked off her Asian tour in Singapore</a>&nbsp;on Monday as her possible visit to Taiwan sparked jitters in the region.Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong “highlighted the importance of stable U.S.-China relations for regional peace and security” during talks with Pelosi, the city-state's Foreign Ministry said. This was echoed by Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi in Tokyo, who said stable ties between the two rival powers “are extremely important for the international community as well.”The Philippines urged the U.S. and China to be “responsible actors" in the region. “It is important for the U.S. and China to ensure continuing communication to avoid any miscalculation and further escalation of tensions," said Foreign Affairs spokesperson Teresita Daza.China has been steadily ratcheting up diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan. China cut off all contact with Taiwan’s government in 2016 after President Tsai Ing-wen refused to endorse its claim that the island and mainland together make up a single Chinese nation, with the Communist regime in Beijing being the sole legitimate government.Pelosi is to travel to Japan and South Korea later this week.

🎥US House Speaker Pelosi arrives in Taiwan, defying China

NEOSHO COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities investigating the July 25 death of 34-year-old Blake Pearson in Chanute have made an arrest, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Just before 9p.m. Monday, authorities arrested&nbsp;&nbsp;Nicole Fox, 41, of Topeka, near Iowa Street and 2600 Road in Allen County, according to a media release from the KBI.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659458428733.png" alt="Fox-photo Neosho County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Fox-photo Neosho County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>NEOSHO COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities investigating the July 25 death of 34-year-old Blake Pearson in Chanute have made an arrest, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.Just before 9p.m. Monday, authorities arrested&nbsp;&nbsp;Nicole Fox, 41, of Topeka, near Iowa Street and 2600 Road in Allen County, according to a media release from the KBI. Fox was arrested on requested charges of first-degree murder.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658783444413.png" alt="-Pearson had bonded out of the Neosho County Jail July 19, according to online jail records. Photo from a February arrest in Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>-Pearson had bonded out of the Neosho County Jail July 19, according to online jail records. Photo from a February arrest in Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Fox was arrested without incident and was then booked into Neosho County Jail.Just before 12:30 a.m., July 25, a woman called 911 after hearing a gunshot. When officers responded to the area they found a man conducting CPR on a man who had been shot in an alley, east of 1706 S. Highland in Chanute.EMS took over life-saving measures. The victim was later identified as Pearson. EMS transported him to Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center, but he was pronounced deceased.Fox is also being held on additional charges from a separate, unrelated incident which occurred in Chanute, Kansas on July 6.The KBI with the assistance of the Chanute Police Department, the Neosho County Sheriff’s Office, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, the Neosho County Attorney’s Office, the Kansas Highway Patrol, and the US Marshals made Monday's arrest.The case will be prosecuted by the Neosho County Attorney.&nbsp;