BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/collin-binkley">COLLIN BINKLEY</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — Teachers, social workers, nurses and other public workers would be cut off from a popular&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-public-service-trump-145f6a07a477e5c82f4374bc89e1eea7">student loan cancellation program</a>&nbsp;if the Trump administration finds their employer engaged in activities with a “substantial illegal purpose,” under a new federal proposal released on Friday.

The Education Department took aim at nonprofits or government bodies that work with immigrants and transgender youth, releasing plans to overhaul the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-cancellation-forgiveness-debt-774b0ee69f911f68f646a066031ee604">Public Service Loan Forgiveness program</a>. Opponents fear the new policy would turn the loan forgiveness benefit into a tool of political retribution.

The proposal would give the education secretary the final say in deciding whether a group or government entity should be excluded from the program, which was created by Congress in 2007 to encourage more college graduates to enter lower-paying public service fields. The proposal says illegal activity includes the trafficking or “chemical castration” of children, illegal immigration and supporting foreign terrorist organizations. “Chemical castration” is defined as using hormone therapy or drugs that delay puberty —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-gender-affirming-care-lawsuit-hospitals-dfc156f4bffcf4b6136658207488d17d">gender-affirming care</a>&nbsp;common for transgender children or teens.

President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-service-student-loan-forgiveness-trump-457a24f8dba3c52dfe58f1e72ba61fa4">ordered the changes</a>&nbsp;in March, saying the loan forgiveness program was steering taxpayer money to “activist organizations” that pose a threat to national security and do not serve the public.

The public will be given 30 days to weigh in on the proposal before it can be finalized. Any changes would take effect in July 2026.

Under current rules, government employees and many nonprofit workers can get their federal student loans canceled after they’ve made 10 years of payments. The program is open to government workers, including teachers, firefighters and employees of public hospitals, along with nonprofits that focus on certain areas.

The new proposal would exclude employees of any organization tied to an activity deemed illegal. The Education Department predicts that fewer than 10 organizations would be deemed ineligible per year. It doesn’t expect a “significant reduction” in the percentage of borrowers who would be granted forgiveness under the program, according to the proposal.

Yet the agency acknowledges that not all industries would be affected evenly. Schools, universities, health care providers, social workers and legal services organizations are among those most likely to have their eligibility jeopardized, the department wrote.&nbsp;

It did not give more specifics about what “illegal” actions those groups were taking that could bar them from the program. But the proposal suggests that performing gender-affirming care in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-care-minors-ban-supreme-court-tennessee-2222e833fdbb51d5afb93a09fd47fc43">27 states that outlaw it</a>&nbsp;would be enough.&nbsp;

If a state or federal court rules against an employer, that could lead to its expulsion from the program, or if the employer is involved in a legal settlement that includes an admission of wrongdoing.

Even without a legal finding, however, the education secretary could determine independently that an organization should be ejected.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/linda-mcmahon-trump-education-secretary-wwe-613016d0c164b89765af761404cbb123">The secretary</a>&nbsp;could judge whether an organization participated in illegal activity by using a legal standard known as the “preponderance of the evidence” — meaning it’s more likely than not that an accusation is true.

Once an organization is barred from the program, its workers’ future loan payments would no longer count toward cancellation. They would have to find work at another eligible employer to keep making progress toward forgiveness. A ban from the Education Department would last 10 years or until the employer completed a “corrective action plan” approved by the secretary.

Critics blasted the proposal as an illegal attempt to weaponize student loan cancellation. Kristin McGuire, CEO of the nonprofit Young Invincibles, which advocates for loan forgiveness, called it a political stunt designed to confuse borrowers.

“By using a distorted and overly broad definition of ‘illegal activities,’ the Trump administration is exploiting the student loan system to attack political opponents,” McGuire said in a statement.

The Education Department sketched out its plans for the overhaul during a federal rulemaking process that began in June. The agency gathered a panel of experts to help hash out the details — a process known as negotiated rulemaking. But the panel failed to reach a consensus, which freed the department to move forward with a proposal of its own design.

The proposal released on Friday included some changes meant to ease concerns raised by the expert panel. Some had worried the department would ban organizations merely for supporting transgender rights, even if they have no direct involvement in gender-affirming care. The new proposal clarifies that the secretary would not expel organizations for exercising their First Amendment rights.

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/" target="_blank">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/" target="_blank">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755204689376.png" alt="Education Secretary Linda McMahon" />
 <figcaption>Education Secretary Linda McMahon</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/collin-binkley">COLLIN BINKLEY</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — Teachers, social workers, nurses and other public workers would be cut off from a popular&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-public-service-trump-145f6a07a477e5c82f4374bc89e1eea7">student loan cancellation program</a>&nbsp;if the Trump administration finds their employer engaged in activities with a “substantial illegal purpose,” under a new federal proposal released on Friday.The Education Department took aim at nonprofits or government bodies that work with immigrants and transgender youth, releasing plans to overhaul the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-cancellation-forgiveness-debt-774b0ee69f911f68f646a066031ee604">Public Service Loan Forgiveness program</a>. Opponents fear the new policy would turn the loan forgiveness benefit into a tool of political retribution.The proposal would give the education secretary the final say in deciding whether a group or government entity should be excluded from the program, which was created by Congress in 2007 to encourage more college graduates to enter lower-paying public service fields. The proposal says illegal activity includes the trafficking or “chemical castration” of children, illegal immigration and supporting foreign terrorist organizations. “Chemical castration” is defined as using hormone therapy or drugs that delay puberty —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-gender-affirming-care-lawsuit-hospitals-dfc156f4bffcf4b6136658207488d17d">gender-affirming care</a>&nbsp;common for transgender children or teens.President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-service-student-loan-forgiveness-trump-457a24f8dba3c52dfe58f1e72ba61fa4">ordered the changes</a>&nbsp;in March, saying the loan forgiveness program was steering taxpayer money to “activist organizations” that pose a threat to national security and do not serve the public.The public will be given 30 days to weigh in on the proposal before it can be finalized. Any changes would take effect in July 2026.Under current rules, government employees and many nonprofit workers can get their federal student loans canceled after they’ve made 10 years of payments. The program is open to government workers, including teachers, firefighters and employees of public hospitals, along with nonprofits that focus on certain areas.The new proposal would exclude employees of any organization tied to an activity deemed illegal. The Education Department predicts that fewer than 10 organizations would be deemed ineligible per year. It doesn’t expect a “significant reduction” in the percentage of borrowers who would be granted forgiveness under the program, according to the proposal.Yet the agency acknowledges that not all industries would be affected evenly. Schools, universities, health care providers, social workers and legal services organizations are among those most likely to have their eligibility jeopardized, the department wrote.&nbsp;It did not give more specifics about what “illegal” actions those groups were taking that could bar them from the program. But the proposal suggests that performing gender-affirming care in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-care-minors-ban-supreme-court-tennessee-2222e833fdbb51d5afb93a09fd47fc43">27 states that outlaw it</a>&nbsp;would be enough.&nbsp;If a state or federal court rules against an employer, that could lead to its expulsion from the program, or if the employer is involved in a legal settlement that includes an admission of wrongdoing.Even without a legal finding, however, the education secretary could determine independently that an organization should be ejected.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/linda-mcmahon-trump-education-secretary-wwe-613016d0c164b89765af761404cbb123">The secretary</a>&nbsp;could judge whether an organization participated in illegal activity by using a legal standard known as the “preponderance of the evidence” — meaning it’s more likely than not that an accusation is true.Once an organization is barred from the program, its workers’ future loan payments would no longer count toward cancellation. They would have to find work at another eligible employer to keep making progress toward forgiveness. A ban from the Education Department would last 10 years or until the employer completed a “corrective action plan” approved by the secretary.Critics blasted the proposal as an illegal attempt to weaponize student loan cancellation. Kristin McGuire, CEO of the nonprofit Young Invincibles, which advocates for loan forgiveness, called it a political stunt designed to confuse borrowers.“By using a distorted and overly broad definition of ‘illegal activities,’ the Trump administration is exploiting the student loan system to attack political opponents,” McGuire said in a statement.The Education Department sketched out its plans for the overhaul during a federal rulemaking process that began in June. The agency gathered a panel of experts to help hash out the details — a process known as negotiated rulemaking. But the panel failed to reach a consensus, which freed the department to move forward with a proposal of its own design.The proposal released on Friday included some changes meant to ease concerns raised by the expert panel. Some had worried the department would ban organizations merely for supporting transgender rights, even if they have no direct involvement in gender-affirming care. The new proposal clarifies that the secretary would not expel organizations for exercising their First Amendment rights.___The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/" target="_blank">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/" target="_blank">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Some would be excluded from student loan forgiveness program for ‘illegal’ activity

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The lesser prairie chicken, a dancing grouse that has long teetered between threatened and endangered classifications, lost its federal protections in court in a victory for Great Plains petroleum and cattle industries.

In a Tuesday decision from a Texas federal court, the lesser prairie chicken was stripped of any endangered or threatened species protections, which were established through a Biden-era ruling.

The Trump administration challenged that ruling, arguing it contained mistakes, and the lesser prairie chicken would be adequately protected without endangered or threatened classifications.

U.S. District Judge David Counts, a Trump appointee, agreed, denying a slate of motions in a 15-page omnibus order that reversed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/17/federal-wildlife-officials-list-lesser-prairie-chicken-as-threatened-in-kansas/">2022</a>&nbsp;classifications.

The lesser prairie chicken forages on what’s widely considered to be prime ranching and drilling land in the grasslands and brush of southwestern Kansas, southeastern Colorado, eastern New Mexico, western Oklahoma and the panhandle and south plains of Texas. The bird was first protected in 2014, a decision that was overturned a year later.&nbsp;

In the 2022 classifications, the bird’s populations were divided into a southern range in New Mexico and the southwest Texas Panhandle, where it was listed as endangered, and a northern range in Kansas, Oklahoma and the northeast Texas Panhandle, where it was listed as threatened.

More than 70% of the estimated lesser prairie chicken population resides in Kansas.

Fish and Wildlife Service admitted in the case that it erred in creating two distinct populations of lesser prairie chickens, and it failed to justify the classification of the two distinct population segments — northern and southern, Counts said.

He added that “the later endangered and threatened findings have no leg to stand on.”

“Fish and Wildlife is unable to correct this square one error without engaging in an entirely new analysis,” he said.

Counts reasoned that any “disruptive consequences” of removing protections “are short-lived and minimized by the sixteen existing voluntary conservation programs and efforts in place across the range of the lesser prairie-chicken.”

Many of those programs, which are administered by federal, state and private groups, existed before the 2022 listing decision and were designed to mitigate threats to the lesser prairie chicken and its habitat, Counts said.

“These efforts are not thought to be inadequate over the short term,” he said. “Rather, even the current listing decision couched their inadequacies in the long term — a span of 25 years.”

The decision is a win for Kansas agricultural and energy producers, said U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, who has publicly opposed listing the lesser prairie chicken since 2021. He added it is “a huge loss for radical climate activists and bureaucrats who have abused the Endangered Species Act for over a decade to hurt American agriculture and energy production.”

“Kansas farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers have always been and always will be the original conservationists of the land,” he said.

Mann was behind a bill this year that delisted the lesser prairie chicken and prevented any future efforts to relist it. However, the legislation did not progress.

Matt Teagarden, CEO of the Kansas Livestock Association, said in an emailed statement that the 2022 ruling contained “significant flaws” that “disproportionately affected livestock operations.” He said the association, which was part of the lawsuit, is pleased the Trump administration is reexamining the listing.

“Over the coming months,” he said, “we hope the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will take into account the voluntary conservation efforts already taking place, most of which are being done by ranchers.”

Texas agencies initially sued the Fish and Wildlife Service in March 2023. Among them was the state’s railroad commission, which regulates oil and natural gas production in the state. Attorneys general in&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/12/kobach-adds-kansas-to-lawsuit-against-biden-administration-on-lesser-prairie-chicken/">Kansas</a>&nbsp;and Oklahoma and the petroleum and cattle industries later joined the suit.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond celebrated the decision.

“The listing of the species as threatened or endangered would have crippled oil and wind energy production and would have limited where and when Kansas ranchers could graze cattle on their own property,” Kobach said in a Friday news release.

Drummond said in a Wednesday news release that he had called the Biden administration’s ruling “outrageous and illegal federal overreach.”

“This court decision affirms we were right,” Drummond said. “Oklahoma’s cattle grazing, energy production and rural economy are no longer under siege by this unlawful regulation.”

In Kobach’s initial argument in federal court, he worried Kansas would lose revenues from cattle ranching, farming, oil and gas production, wind energy production and tourism if the lesser prairie chicken’s threatened status stood. He worried the status would lead to job losses in the state, which would “further adversely impact state tax revenues, in addition to causing social instability among Kansans who lose their jobs.”

Under the Endangered Species Act, the habitat and species protections that accompany a threatened or endangered status determination curtail certain land uses such as cattle ranching, oil drilling and energy production in protected habitats.

Jason Rylander, legal director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute, which was an intervenor in the case, said the Trump administration’s rationale for removing the lesser prairie chicken’s protections was in bad faith.

“This ruling has nothing to do with science or the law and everything to do with kowtowing to the oil and gas industry,” he said. “We won’t be silent witnesses while the Trump administration and fossil fuel companies try to carve up what’s left of these dancing birds’ habitat and doom them to extinction.”

But the fight for the lesser prairie chicken is not over, Rylander said.

The institute is considering its legal options, including a possible appeal of Counts’ decision and a new petition with the USFWS to relist the lesser prairie chicken.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681936745789.jpeg" alt="Prairie Chicken stomp -Photo by Cristina Janney" />
 <figcaption>Prairie Chicken stomp -Photo by Cristina Janney</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The lesser prairie chicken, a dancing grouse that has long teetered between threatened and endangered classifications, lost its federal protections in court in a victory for Great Plains petroleum and cattle industries.In a Tuesday decision from a Texas federal court, the lesser prairie chicken was stripped of any endangered or threatened species protections, which were established through a Biden-era ruling.The Trump administration challenged that ruling, arguing it contained mistakes, and the lesser prairie chicken would be adequately protected without endangered or threatened classifications.U.S. District Judge David Counts, a Trump appointee, agreed, denying a slate of motions in a 15-page omnibus order that reversed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/17/federal-wildlife-officials-list-lesser-prairie-chicken-as-threatened-in-kansas/">2022</a>&nbsp;classifications.The lesser prairie chicken forages on what’s widely considered to be prime ranching and drilling land in the grasslands and brush of southwestern Kansas, southeastern Colorado, eastern New Mexico, western Oklahoma and the panhandle and south plains of Texas. The bird was first protected in 2014, a decision that was overturned a year later.&nbsp;In the 2022 classifications, the bird’s populations were divided into a southern range in New Mexico and the southwest Texas Panhandle, where it was listed as endangered, and a northern range in Kansas, Oklahoma and the northeast Texas Panhandle, where it was listed as threatened.More than 70% of the estimated lesser prairie chicken population resides in Kansas.Fish and Wildlife Service admitted in the case that it erred in creating two distinct populations of lesser prairie chickens, and it failed to justify the classification of the two distinct population segments — northern and southern, Counts said.He added that “the later endangered and threatened findings have no leg to stand on.”“Fish and Wildlife is unable to correct this square one error without engaging in an entirely new analysis,” he said.Counts reasoned that any “disruptive consequences” of removing protections “are short-lived and minimized by the sixteen existing voluntary conservation programs and efforts in place across the range of the lesser prairie-chicken.”Many of those programs, which are administered by federal, state and private groups, existed before the 2022 listing decision and were designed to mitigate threats to the lesser prairie chicken and its habitat, Counts said.“These efforts are not thought to be inadequate over the short term,” he said. “Rather, even the current listing decision couched their inadequacies in the long term — a span of 25 years.”The decision is a win for Kansas agricultural and energy producers, said U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, who has publicly opposed listing the lesser prairie chicken since 2021. He added it is “a huge loss for radical climate activists and bureaucrats who have abused the Endangered Species Act for over a decade to hurt American agriculture and energy production.”“Kansas farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers have always been and always will be the original conservationists of the land,” he said.Mann was behind a bill this year that delisted the lesser prairie chicken and prevented any future efforts to relist it. However, the legislation did not progress.Matt Teagarden, CEO of the Kansas Livestock Association, said in an emailed statement that the 2022 ruling contained “significant flaws” that “disproportionately affected livestock operations.” He said the association, which was part of the lawsuit, is pleased the Trump administration is reexamining the listing.“Over the coming months,” he said, “we hope the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will take into account the voluntary conservation efforts already taking place, most of which are being done by ranchers.”Texas agencies initially sued the Fish and Wildlife Service in March 2023. Among them was the state’s railroad commission, which regulates oil and natural gas production in the state. Attorneys general in&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/12/kobach-adds-kansas-to-lawsuit-against-biden-administration-on-lesser-prairie-chicken/">Kansas</a>&nbsp;and Oklahoma and the petroleum and cattle industries later joined the suit.Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond celebrated the decision.“The listing of the species as threatened or endangered would have crippled oil and wind energy production and would have limited where and when Kansas ranchers could graze cattle on their own property,” Kobach said in a Friday news release.Drummond said in a Wednesday news release that he had called the Biden administration’s ruling “outrageous and illegal federal overreach.”“This court decision affirms we were right,” Drummond said. “Oklahoma’s cattle grazing, energy production and rural economy are no longer under siege by this unlawful regulation.”In Kobach’s initial argument in federal court, he worried Kansas would lose revenues from cattle ranching, farming, oil and gas production, wind energy production and tourism if the lesser prairie chicken’s threatened status stood. He worried the status would lead to job losses in the state, which would “further adversely impact state tax revenues, in addition to causing social instability among Kansans who lose their jobs.”Under the Endangered Species Act, the habitat and species protections that accompany a threatened or endangered status determination curtail certain land uses such as cattle ranching, oil drilling and energy production in protected habitats.Jason Rylander, legal director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute, which was an intervenor in the case, said the Trump administration’s rationale for removing the lesser prairie chicken’s protections was in bad faith.“This ruling has nothing to do with science or the law and everything to do with kowtowing to the oil and gas industry,” he said. “We won’t be silent witnesses while the Trump administration and fossil fuel companies try to carve up what’s left of these dancing birds’ habitat and doom them to extinction.”But the fight for the lesser prairie chicken is not over, Rylander said.The institute is considering its legal options, including a possible appeal of Counts’ decision and a new petition with the USFWS to relist the lesser prairie chicken.

Kansas lesser prairie chicken loses endangered species act protections after court order 

KANSAS CITY —Police are investigating a fatal hit-and-run incident &nbsp;that occurred just after 10p.m. Saturday in Kansas City.

According to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez, a silver Toyota Camry was &nbsp;westbound on Independence Avenue at a high rate of speed. A pedestrian was crossing Independence Avenue at Monroe from south to north in a marked crosswalk with a red traffic control signal. 

The Toyota driver failed to stop for the red traffic control signal and struck the pedestrian.

The Toyota then ran over the pedestrian and fled the scene without stopping. EMS transported the pedestrian to local hospital with life-threatening injuries and they were later &nbsp;pronounced deceased by hospital staff. 

This is Fatality #47 compared to #59 at this time last year, according to Gonzalez. Police did not release the name of the victim.

KANSAS CITY —Police are investigating a fatal hit-and-run incident &nbsp;that occurred just after 10p.m. Saturday in Kansas City.According to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez, a silver Toyota Camry was &nbsp;westbound on Independence Avenue at a high rate of speed. A pedestrian was crossing Independence Avenue at Monroe from south to north in a marked crosswalk with a red traffic control signal. The Toyota driver failed to stop for the red traffic control signal and struck the pedestrian.The Toyota then ran over the pedestrian and fled the scene without stopping. EMS transported the pedestrian to local hospital with life-threatening injuries and they were later &nbsp;pronounced deceased by hospital staff. This is Fatality #47 compared to #59 at this time last year, according to Gonzalez. Police did not release the name of the victim.

Hit-and-run: Pedestrian killed walking in marked KC crosswalk 

NEW YORK (AP) — Target and Ulta Beauty are parting ways, ending a partnership launched in 2021 that created in-store shops filled with beauty products at hundreds of the discounter's stores.

According to a joint release issued Thursday, &nbsp;the companies said they have “mutually agreed" not to renew their pact, which concludes in August 2026. Until then, the Ulta Beauty experience at Target will continue in Target stores and on Target.com, the release said.

Ulta is currently in 600 of Target's roughly 1,980 stores, according to a Target spokesperson.

“For 35 years, Ulta Beauty has revolutionized how people experience beauty — bringing together an unmatched assortment from mass to luxury — and our partnership with Target was one of many unique ways we have brought the power of beauty to guests nationwide,” said Amiee Bayer-Thomas, chief retail officer of Ulta Beauty, in a statement.

Rick Gomez, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Target, said in a statement he was committed to "offering the beauty experience consumers have come to expect from Target.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/ulta-to-open-beauty-shops-at-100-target-stores-in-2021-716c3c9d37e90778909b668ea49eeb49">The partnership was announced in 2020</a>&nbsp;and came as the coronavirus pandemic upended shopping habits and more people tried to minimize potential exposure to the virus through one-stop shopping. COVID had dampened sales of lipstick as people wore masks, but the skincare business enjoyed stronger sales.

The shops are about 1,000 square feet and carry makeup, skincare, and fragrance and operated beside existing beauty sections in Target stores. The deal was a way for both Target and Ulta to increase their customer base.

“It’s a combination of two winning retailers that have great momentum in the market that can redefine the category,” Target CEO Brian Cornell told The Associated Press back in 2020.

The announcement comes as Target is struggling to regain its footing with its shoppers who are pulling back on discretionary items and are shopping at other rivals that they believe to be lower price or offer better merchandise.

Target is slated to report its fiscal second-quarter results on Wednesday.

Target is also expected to announce a succession plan for a new CEO to replace president and CEO Brian Cornell, who took the helm in 2014.

NEW YORK (AP) — Target and Ulta Beauty are parting ways, ending a partnership launched in 2021 that created in-store shops filled with beauty products at hundreds of the discounter's stores.According to a joint release issued Thursday, &nbsp;the companies said they have “mutually agreed" not to renew their pact, which concludes in August 2026. Until then, the Ulta Beauty experience at Target will continue in Target stores and on Target.com, the release said.Ulta is currently in 600 of Target's roughly 1,980 stores, according to a Target spokesperson.“For 35 years, Ulta Beauty has revolutionized how people experience beauty — bringing together an unmatched assortment from mass to luxury — and our partnership with Target was one of many unique ways we have brought the power of beauty to guests nationwide,” said Amiee Bayer-Thomas, chief retail officer of Ulta Beauty, in a statement.Rick Gomez, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Target, said in a statement he was committed to "offering the beauty experience consumers have come to expect from Target.”<a href="https://apnews.com/ulta-to-open-beauty-shops-at-100-target-stores-in-2021-716c3c9d37e90778909b668ea49eeb49">The partnership was announced in 2020</a>&nbsp;and came as the coronavirus pandemic upended shopping habits and more people tried to minimize potential exposure to the virus through one-stop shopping. COVID had dampened sales of lipstick as people wore masks, but the skincare business enjoyed stronger sales.The shops are about 1,000 square feet and carry makeup, skincare, and fragrance and operated beside existing beauty sections in Target stores. The deal was a way for both Target and Ulta to increase their customer base.“It’s a combination of two winning retailers that have great momentum in the market that can redefine the category,” Target CEO Brian Cornell told The Associated Press back in 2020.The announcement comes as Target is struggling to regain its footing with its shoppers who are pulling back on discretionary items and are shopping at other rivals that they believe to be lower price or offer better merchandise.Target is slated to report its fiscal second-quarter results on Wednesday.Target is also expected to announce a succession plan for a new CEO to replace president and CEO Brian Cornell, who took the helm in 2014.

Target and Ulta announce end of partnership launched in 2021

VATICAN CITY (AP) — When Pope Leo XIV&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-digital-influencer-leo-7be275fe3bdee00075d650f7a2448726">surprised tens of thousands</a>&nbsp;of young people at a recent Holy Year celebration with an impromptu popemobile romp around St. Peter’s Square, it almost seemed as if some of the informal spontaneity that characterized Pope Francis’ 12-year papacy had returned to the Vatican.

But the message Leo delivered that night was all his own: In seamless English, Spanish and Italian, Leo told the young people that they were the “salt of the Earth, the light of the world.” He urged them to spread their hope, faith in Christ and their cries of peace wherever they go.

As Robert Prevost marks his 100th day as Pope Leo this weekend, the contours of his pontificate have begun to come into relief, primarily where he shows continuity with Francis and where he signals change. Perhaps the biggest takeaway is that after 12 sometimes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asia-pope-francis-vatican-catholic-9e873fd69bf46a25f16a431a0fca6dcd">turbulent years</a>&nbsp;under Francis, a certain calm and reserve have returned to the papacy.

Leo seems eager above all to avoid polemics or making the papacy about himself, and wants instead to focus on Christ and peace.

That seems exactly what many Catholic faithful want, and may respond to what today's church needs.

“He’s been very direct and forthright … but he’s not doing spontaneous press hits,” said Kevin Hughes, chair of theology and religious studies at Leo’s alma mater, Villanova University. Leo has a different style than Francis, and that has brought relief to many, Hughes said in a telephone interview.

“Even those who really loved Pope Francis always kind of held their breath a little bit: You didn’t know what was going to come out next or what he was going to do,” Hughes said.

Leo has certainly gone out of his way in his first 100 days to try to heal divisions that deepened during Francis’ pontificate, offering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-leo-xiv-installation-mass-b210865c4f0ed422ae74702c6eea1a93">messages of unity</a>&nbsp;and avoiding controversy at almost every turn. Even his signature issue — confronting the promise and peril posed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-vision-papacy-artificial-intelligence-36d29e37a11620b594b9b7c0574cc358">artificial intelligence</a>— is something that conservatives and progressives alike agree is important. Francis' emphasis on caring for the environment and migrants often alienated conservatives.

Closer to home, Leo offered the Holy See bureaucracy a reassuring, conciliatory message after Francis’ occasionally authoritarian style rubbed some in the Vatican the wrong way.

“Popes come and go, but the Curia remains,” Leo told Vatican officials soon after his May 8 election.

Continuity with Francis is still undeniable

Leo, though, has cemented Francis’ environmental legacy by celebrating the first-ever&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-green-mass-climate-justice-4a65f5d0897016d654589439032433b3">ecologically inspired Mass.</a>&nbsp;He has furthered that legacy by giving the go-ahead for the Vatican to turn a 430-hectare (1,000-acre) field north of Rome into a vast solar farm that should generate enough electricity to meet Vatican City’s needs and turn it into the world’s first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-green-mass-climate-justice-4a65f5d0897016d654589439032433b3">carbon-neutral state.</a>

He has fine-tuned financial transparency regulations that Francis initiated, tweaked some other decrees to give them consistency and logic, and confirmed Francis in deciding to declare one of the 19th century’s most influential saints,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-honor-doctor-john-henry-newman-vatican-457b952840a1f979db3c6980ecf0e79e">John Henry Newman</a>, a “doctor” of the church.

But he hasn’t granted any sit-down, tell-all interviews or made headline-grabbing, off-the-cuff comments like his predecessor did. He hasn’t made any major appointments, including to fill his old job, or taken any big trips.

In marking the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki last week, he had a chance to match Francis’ novel declaration that the mere possession of nuclear weapons was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bc54b85007614cd283b3eb23f32ab6a0">“immoral.”</a>&nbsp;But he didn’t.

Compared to President Donald Trump, the other American world leader who took office in 2025 with a flurry of Sharpie-penned executive decrees, Leo has eased into his new job slowly, deliberately and quietly, almost trying not to draw attention to himself.

At 69, he seems to know that he has time on his side, and that after Francis’ revolutionary papacy, the church might need a bit of a breather. One Vatican official who knows Leo said he expects his papacy will have the effect of a “calming rain” on the church.

Maria Isabel Ibarcena Cuarite, a Peruvian member of a Catholic charismatic group, said it was precisely Leo’s quiet emphasis on church traditions, its sacraments and love of Christ, that drew her and upward of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-youth-leo-pope-pilgrims-jubilee-a988921aab57f3cfc05d5213d58b358c">1 million young people</a>&nbsp;to Rome for a special Jubilee week this month.

Ibarcena said Francis had confused young people like herself with his outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics and approval of blessings for same-sex couples. Such gestures went beyond what a pope was supposed to do and what the church taught, she thought.

Leo, she said, has emphasized that marriage is a sacrament between men and woman. “Francis was ambiguous, but he is firm,” she said.

From his very first appearance on the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, Leo has insisted he is first and foremost a “son of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-new-pope-leo-xiv-robert-prevost-order-st-augustine-d803636fad69fe4d4c919181fc5ad5c1">St. Augustine.</a>&nbsp;” It was a reference to the fifth century theological and devotional giant of early Christianity, St. Augustine of Hippo, who inspired the 13th century religious Augustinian order as a community of “mendicant” friars.

Like the other big mendicant orders of the early church — the Franciscans, Dominicans and Carmelites — the Augustinians spread across Christian Europe over the centuries. Today, Augustinian spirituality is rooted in a deep interior life of prayer, living in community, and journeying together in search of truth in God.

In nearly every speech or homily since his May 8 election, Leo has cited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-xiv-vatican-augustine-34a27b6bea9e3d48010acb2fbdad6046">Augustine</a>&nbsp;in one way or another.

“I see a kind of Augustinian flavor in the way that he’s presenting all these things,” said Hughes, the theology professor who is an Augustine scholar.

Leo joined the Augustinians after graduating from Augustinian-run Villanova, outside Philadelphia, and was twice elected its prior general. He has visited the Augustinian headquarters outside St. Peter's a few times since his election, and some wonder if he will invite some brothers to live with him in the Apostolic Palace to recreate the spirit of Augustinian community life there.

A missionary pope in the image of Francis

Leo is also very much a product of the Francis papacy. Francis named Prevost bishop of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/peru-pope-leo-chiclayo-vatican-prevost-0f99859e5749decadade2d24ba7811dd">Chiclayo, Peru,</a>&nbsp;in 2014 and then moved him to head one of the most important Vatican jobs in 2023 — vetting bishop nominations. In retrospect, it seems Francis had his eye on Prevost as a possible successor.

Given&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0d2ce8c37582475bb5065b16caca6c3b">Francis’ stump speech</a>&nbsp;before the 2013 conclave that elected him pope, the then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio essentially described Prevost in identifying the church's mission today: He said the church was "called to go outside of itself and go to the peripheries, not just geographic but also the existential peripheries.”

Prevost, who hails from Chicago, spent his adult life as a missionary in Peru, eventually becoming bishop of Chiclayo.

“He is the incarnation of the ‘unity of difference,’ because he comes from the center, but he lives in the peripheries,” said Emilce Cuda, secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

Cuda said during a recent conference hosted by Georgetown University that Leo encapsulated in “word and gesture” the type of missionary church Francis promoted.

That said, for all Leo owes to Bergoglio, the two didn’t necessarily get along.

Prevost has recounted that at one point when he was the Augustinian superior, the then-archbishop of Buenos Aires expressed interest in assigning an Augustinian priest to a specific job in his archdiocese.

“And I, as prior general, said ‘I understand, Your Eminence, but he’s got to do something else’ and so I transferred him somewhere else,” Prevost told parishioners in his home state of Illinois in 2024.

Prevost said he “naively” thought the Francis wouldn’t remember him after his 2013 election, and that regardless “he’ll never appoint me bishop” due to the disagreement.

Bergoglio not only made him bishop, he laid the groundwork for Prevost to succeed him as pope, the first North American pope following the first South American.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746737123268.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By NICOLE WINFIELD&nbsp;Associated PressVATICAN CITY (AP) — When Pope Leo XIV&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-digital-influencer-leo-7be275fe3bdee00075d650f7a2448726">surprised tens of thousands</a>&nbsp;of young people at a recent Holy Year celebration with an impromptu popemobile romp around St. Peter’s Square, it almost seemed as if some of the informal spontaneity that characterized Pope Francis’ 12-year papacy had returned to the Vatican.But the message Leo delivered that night was all his own: In seamless English, Spanish and Italian, Leo told the young people that they were the “salt of the Earth, the light of the world.” He urged them to spread their hope, faith in Christ and their cries of peace wherever they go.As Robert Prevost marks his 100th day as Pope Leo this weekend, the contours of his pontificate have begun to come into relief, primarily where he shows continuity with Francis and where he signals change. Perhaps the biggest takeaway is that after 12 sometimes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asia-pope-francis-vatican-catholic-9e873fd69bf46a25f16a431a0fca6dcd">turbulent years</a>&nbsp;under Francis, a certain calm and reserve have returned to the papacy.Leo seems eager above all to avoid polemics or making the papacy about himself, and wants instead to focus on Christ and peace.That seems exactly what many Catholic faithful want, and may respond to what today's church needs.“He’s been very direct and forthright … but he’s not doing spontaneous press hits,” said Kevin Hughes, chair of theology and religious studies at Leo’s alma mater, Villanova University. Leo has a different style than Francis, and that has brought relief to many, Hughes said in a telephone interview.“Even those who really loved Pope Francis always kind of held their breath a little bit: You didn’t know what was going to come out next or what he was going to do,” Hughes said.<h2>An effort to avoid polemics</h2>Leo has certainly gone out of his way in his first 100 days to try to heal divisions that deepened during Francis’ pontificate, offering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-leo-xiv-installation-mass-b210865c4f0ed422ae74702c6eea1a93">messages of unity</a>&nbsp;and avoiding controversy at almost every turn. Even his signature issue — confronting the promise and peril posed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-vision-papacy-artificial-intelligence-36d29e37a11620b594b9b7c0574cc358">artificial intelligence</a>— is something that conservatives and progressives alike agree is important. Francis' emphasis on caring for the environment and migrants often alienated conservatives.Closer to home, Leo offered the Holy See bureaucracy a reassuring, conciliatory message after Francis’ occasionally authoritarian style rubbed some in the Vatican the wrong way.“Popes come and go, but the Curia remains,” Leo told Vatican officials soon after his May 8 election.<h2>Continuity with Francis is still undeniable</h2>Leo, though, has cemented Francis’ environmental legacy by celebrating the first-ever&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-green-mass-climate-justice-4a65f5d0897016d654589439032433b3">ecologically inspired Mass.</a>&nbsp;He has furthered that legacy by giving the go-ahead for the Vatican to turn a 430-hectare (1,000-acre) field north of Rome into a vast solar farm that should generate enough electricity to meet Vatican City’s needs and turn it into the world’s first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-green-mass-climate-justice-4a65f5d0897016d654589439032433b3">carbon-neutral state.</a>He has fine-tuned financial transparency regulations that Francis initiated, tweaked some other decrees to give them consistency and logic, and confirmed Francis in deciding to declare one of the 19th century’s most influential saints,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-honor-doctor-john-henry-newman-vatican-457b952840a1f979db3c6980ecf0e79e">John Henry Newman</a>, a “doctor” of the church.But he hasn’t granted any sit-down, tell-all interviews or made headline-grabbing, off-the-cuff comments like his predecessor did. He hasn’t made any major appointments, including to fill his old job, or taken any big trips.In marking the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki last week, he had a chance to match Francis’ novel declaration that the mere possession of nuclear weapons was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bc54b85007614cd283b3eb23f32ab6a0">“immoral.”</a>&nbsp;But he didn’t.Compared to President Donald Trump, the other American world leader who took office in 2025 with a flurry of Sharpie-penned executive decrees, Leo has eased into his new job slowly, deliberately and quietly, almost trying not to draw attention to himself.At 69, he seems to know that he has time on his side, and that after Francis’ revolutionary papacy, the church might need a bit of a breather. One Vatican official who knows Leo said he expects his papacy will have the effect of a “calming rain” on the church.Maria Isabel Ibarcena Cuarite, a Peruvian member of a Catholic charismatic group, said it was precisely Leo’s quiet emphasis on church traditions, its sacraments and love of Christ, that drew her and upward of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-youth-leo-pope-pilgrims-jubilee-a988921aab57f3cfc05d5213d58b358c">1 million young people</a>&nbsp;to Rome for a special Jubilee week this month.Ibarcena said Francis had confused young people like herself with his outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics and approval of blessings for same-sex couples. Such gestures went beyond what a pope was supposed to do and what the church taught, she thought.Leo, she said, has emphasized that marriage is a sacrament between men and woman. “Francis was ambiguous, but he is firm,” she said.<h2>An Augustinian pope</h2>From his very first appearance on the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, Leo has insisted he is first and foremost a “son of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-new-pope-leo-xiv-robert-prevost-order-st-augustine-d803636fad69fe4d4c919181fc5ad5c1">St. Augustine.</a>&nbsp;” It was a reference to the fifth century theological and devotional giant of early Christianity, St. Augustine of Hippo, who inspired the 13th century religious Augustinian order as a community of “mendicant” friars.Like the other big mendicant orders of the early church — the Franciscans, Dominicans and Carmelites — the Augustinians spread across Christian Europe over the centuries. Today, Augustinian spirituality is rooted in a deep interior life of prayer, living in community, and journeying together in search of truth in God.In nearly every speech or homily since his May 8 election, Leo has cited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-xiv-vatican-augustine-34a27b6bea9e3d48010acb2fbdad6046">Augustine</a>&nbsp;in one way or another.“I see a kind of Augustinian flavor in the way that he’s presenting all these things,” said Hughes, the theology professor who is an Augustine scholar.Leo joined the Augustinians after graduating from Augustinian-run Villanova, outside Philadelphia, and was twice elected its prior general. He has visited the Augustinian headquarters outside St. Peter's a few times since his election, and some wonder if he will invite some brothers to live with him in the Apostolic Palace to recreate the spirit of Augustinian community life there.<h2>A missionary pope in the image of Francis</h2>Leo is also very much a product of the Francis papacy. Francis named Prevost bishop of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/peru-pope-leo-chiclayo-vatican-prevost-0f99859e5749decadade2d24ba7811dd">Chiclayo, Peru,</a>&nbsp;in 2014 and then moved him to head one of the most important Vatican jobs in 2023 — vetting bishop nominations. In retrospect, it seems Francis had his eye on Prevost as a possible successor.Given&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0d2ce8c37582475bb5065b16caca6c3b">Francis’ stump speech</a>&nbsp;before the 2013 conclave that elected him pope, the then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio essentially described Prevost in identifying the church's mission today: He said the church was "called to go outside of itself and go to the peripheries, not just geographic but also the existential peripheries.”Prevost, who hails from Chicago, spent his adult life as a missionary in Peru, eventually becoming bishop of Chiclayo.“He is the incarnation of the ‘unity of difference,’ because he comes from the center, but he lives in the peripheries,” said Emilce Cuda, secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.Cuda said during a recent conference hosted by Georgetown University that Leo encapsulated in “word and gesture” the type of missionary church Francis promoted.That said, for all Leo owes to Bergoglio, the two didn’t necessarily get along.Prevost has recounted that at one point when he was the Augustinian superior, the then-archbishop of Buenos Aires expressed interest in assigning an Augustinian priest to a specific job in his archdiocese.“And I, as prior general, said ‘I understand, Your Eminence, but he’s got to do something else’ and so I transferred him somewhere else,” Prevost told parishioners in his home state of Illinois in 2024.Prevost said he “naively” thought the Francis wouldn’t remember him after his 2013 election, and that regardless “he’ll never appoint me bishop” due to the disagreement.Bergoglio not only made him bishop, he laid the groundwork for Prevost to succeed him as pope, the first North American pope following the first South American.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

100 days of Pope Leo XIV: A calm papacy that avoids polemics is coming into focus

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a double homicide in Kansas City, Kansas.

Just after 7p.m. Saturday, officers were dispatched to a shooting in the&nbsp; 1600 block of Washington Boulevard in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.

First responders located two men and one woman with gunshot wounds. One man was pronounced dead on at the scene and the other two victims were transported to a local hospital where the second man was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; The woman sustained non-life threatening injuries. 

The suspect fled prior to officers' arrival. Police have not released names of the victims.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a double homicide in Kansas City, Kansas.Just after 7p.m. Saturday, officers were dispatched to a shooting in the&nbsp; 1600 block of Washington Boulevard in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.First responders located two men and one woman with gunshot wounds. One man was pronounced dead on at the scene and the other two victims were transported to a local hospital where the second man was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; The woman sustained non-life threatening injuries. The suspect fled prior to officers' arrival. Police have not released names of the victims.

Police: 2 men dead, woman wounded in Kansas shooting

A partisan move by Texas to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-election-2026-texas-redistricting-136cfeddc717f9fc69337bd3d39b1819">redraw its congressional maps</a>&nbsp;in an unusually timed effort to secure five more GOP seats in the U.S. House before the 2026 elections has set off a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-redistricting-gerrymandering-texas-democrats-cc0ae7f8e41528fd25a3cb11d86008f2">clamor to replicate</a>&nbsp;the effort in statehouses controlled by both parties.

So far, only California has taken steps toward redistricting.

Changing congressional maps in a bid to ensure one party’s victory over another — called gerrymandering — has typically been done more furtively. But President Donald Trump's call for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-redistricting-congress-california-27ec262acd96e2ec60636c47db1a0b0e">Texas to redraw the maps</a>&nbsp;to better ensure that Republicans retain control of the House has blown the lid off the practice. Trump is trying to avoid losing control of Congress and, with it, prospects for his policy goals in the latter part of his term.

Here is a rundown of what states are doing.

Kansas Republicans haven’t ruled out redistricting

Republican state Senate President Ty Masterson didn’t rule out trying to redraw the state’s four congressional districts, one of which is held by the state's sole Democrat House representative.

The Legislature's GOP-supermajority could do so early next year, which would put the new lines in place before the June 1 candidate filing deadline.

Texas kicked it off, then Democrats left the state

Democratic lawmakers who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-legislature-quorum-break-redistricting-trump-743e616c14903deb7f264b2734422a09">left Texas</a>&nbsp;have scuttled a special session on redistricting but appear set to end their standoff after nearly two weeks.

The Republican majority adjourned their special session Friday morning in Austin. Gov. Greg Abbott quickly called another, though there still were not enough Democrats present. The minority caucus members have said they would return to Texas provided California Democrats move forward with their own new maps.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-legislature-quorum-break-redistricting-trump-743e616c14903deb7f264b2734422a09">Past efforts</a>&nbsp;by Democrats to abscond and deny Republicans a quorum similarly only delayed the passage of bills, but didn’t quash them. Abbott has said he will keep calling new special sessions, if necessary.

State Rep. Jon Rosenthal, a Democrat from Houston, told The Associated Press this week that their protest was about raising awareness.

“They may still pass these maps, but we’re going to do everything we can to awaken America,” he said.

In response to Texas, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that the state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-newsom-redistricting-texas-trump-5ccb3de37f6d3ec803ac24ad363018fa">will move forward</a>&nbsp;with redrawing congressional maps meant to put five more Democrats into the U.S. House.

A proposal released Friday by the campaign arm of House Democrats — the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee — calls for the reshaping of House district lines to strengthen the Democratic advantage in an attempt to counterbalance Texas’ and Trump’s plan to add five Republican seats.

Newsom has been outspoken about retaliating if Texas’s redistricting takes effect, telling Trump this week in a letter that the president was “playing with fire.”

Unlike Texas, however, California has an independent commission that handles redistricting after the census each decade, which is typically when districts are reshaped to account for population shifts. Any changes would first need the approval of state lawmakers and voters.

State lawmakers plan to officially declare a special election next week.

Missouri Republicans take steps toward redistricting

At Trump's urging and partly in response to California's threats, Missouri's Republican majority is preparing for a special session on congressional redistricting

A document obtained by The Associated Press shows the state Senate has received a $46,000 invoice for software licenses and staff training for redistricting.

While Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe hasn't officially announced a special session, Republican House Majority Leader Alex Riley told the AP it is “pretty likely” to happen. Riley added that he has had discussions with White House staff about it.

Republicans hold six of Missouri’s eight congressional seats. The party could target a Democratic-held district in Kansas City to pick up another seat.

In justifying the redistricting, Missouri Republicans accused neighboring Illinois of rigging its maps and pointed to a draft proposal circulating in California.

New York Democrats try to change state law

New York, similar to California, has an independent commission that changes the political maps only after every census. But state Democrats introduced legislation to allow mid-decade redistricting.

Democratic Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-election-2026-texas-redistricting-136cfeddc717f9fc69337bd3d39b1819">Kathy Hochul said</a>&nbsp;that if Texas proceeds, “we must do the same.”

But the soonest new maps could be in place would be for the 2028 elections. That is because the proposal would require an amendment to the state constitution, a change that would have to pass the Legislature twice and be approved by voters.

Wisconsin Democrats take a different tack

While Republicans control the Legislature, Democrats turned to the courts to try to force a redrawing of congressional district boundary lines before the 2026 midterms.

Two lawsuits were filed in July after the liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court — without explanation — previously declined to hear challenges directly.

Maryland Democrats promise a response to Texas

Maryland House Majority Leader David Moon, a Democrat, says he will sponsor legislation to trigger redistricting if Texas or any other state holds redistricting ahead of the census.

Florida's governor hints at support for redistricting

Republican state House Speaker Daniel Perez said his chamber&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-indiana-redistricting-donald-trump-fafc5bd34f741b3886913e792ab33048">will take up redistricting</a>&nbsp;this year through a special committee. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has told the public to “stay tuned” and has reiterated his support for the state joining the redistricting fray.

Ohio must redraw its maps before the 2026 midterms

A law in Republican-led Ohio&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-ohio-state-government-01117758be7ece7ce12ebc04baa0ce05">requires new political maps before the 2026</a>&nbsp;midterm elections. The GOP holds 10 of its 15 House seats already and could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-trump-redistricting-census-california-republicans-constitutional-1c6287fc23214548be734bbbf7056117">try to expand that edge.</a>

Indiana's governor spoke with the vice president

Vice President JD Vance said he spoke with Republican Gov. Mike Braun last week, as the redistricting melee intensified, but both politicians remained mum about the discussions.

Braun, who would have to call a special session to draw new maps, has said he expects a “broad conversation” with legislative leaders on the move’s constitutionality and said no commitments have been made.

Republicans face more limited possibilities of squeezing out another GOP seat in Indiana. Republican U.S. representatives outnumber Democrats 7-2 in the state already.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755376975176.png" alt="Image Kansas Secretary of State" />
 <figcaption>Image Kansas Secretary of State</figcaption>
 </figure>By JESSE BEDAYN&nbsp;Associated PressA partisan move by Texas to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-election-2026-texas-redistricting-136cfeddc717f9fc69337bd3d39b1819">redraw its congressional maps</a>&nbsp;in an unusually timed effort to secure five more GOP seats in the U.S. House before the 2026 elections has set off a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-redistricting-gerrymandering-texas-democrats-cc0ae7f8e41528fd25a3cb11d86008f2">clamor to replicate</a>&nbsp;the effort in statehouses controlled by both parties.So far, only California has taken steps toward redistricting.Changing congressional maps in a bid to ensure one party’s victory over another — called gerrymandering — has typically been done more furtively. But President Donald Trump's call for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-redistricting-congress-california-27ec262acd96e2ec60636c47db1a0b0e">Texas to redraw the maps</a>&nbsp;to better ensure that Republicans retain control of the House has blown the lid off the practice. Trump is trying to avoid losing control of Congress and, with it, prospects for his policy goals in the latter part of his term.Here is a rundown of what states are doing.<h2>Kansas Republicans haven’t ruled out redistricting</h2>Republican state Senate President Ty Masterson didn’t rule out trying to redraw the state’s four congressional districts, one of which is held by the state's sole Democrat House representative.The Legislature's GOP-supermajority could do so early next year, which would put the new lines in place before the June 1 candidate filing deadline.<h2>Texas kicked it off, then Democrats left the state</h2>Democratic lawmakers who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-legislature-quorum-break-redistricting-trump-743e616c14903deb7f264b2734422a09">left Texas</a>&nbsp;have scuttled a special session on redistricting but appear set to end their standoff after nearly two weeks.The Republican majority adjourned their special session Friday morning in Austin. Gov. Greg Abbott quickly called another, though there still were not enough Democrats present. The minority caucus members have said they would return to Texas provided California Democrats move forward with their own new maps.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-legislature-quorum-break-redistricting-trump-743e616c14903deb7f264b2734422a09">Past efforts</a>&nbsp;by Democrats to abscond and deny Republicans a quorum similarly only delayed the passage of bills, but didn’t quash them. Abbott has said he will keep calling new special sessions, if necessary.State Rep. Jon Rosenthal, a Democrat from Houston, told The Associated Press this week that their protest was about raising awareness.“They may still pass these maps, but we’re going to do everything we can to awaken America,” he said.<h2>California Democrats propose retaliation</h2>In response to Texas, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that the state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-newsom-redistricting-texas-trump-5ccb3de37f6d3ec803ac24ad363018fa">will move forward</a>&nbsp;with redrawing congressional maps meant to put five more Democrats into the U.S. House.A proposal released Friday by the campaign arm of House Democrats — the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee — calls for the reshaping of House district lines to strengthen the Democratic advantage in an attempt to counterbalance Texas’ and Trump’s plan to add five Republican seats.Newsom has been outspoken about retaliating if Texas’s redistricting takes effect, telling Trump this week in a letter that the president was “playing with fire.”Unlike Texas, however, California has an independent commission that handles redistricting after the census each decade, which is typically when districts are reshaped to account for population shifts. Any changes would first need the approval of state lawmakers and voters.State lawmakers plan to officially declare a special election next week.<h2>Missouri Republicans take steps toward redistricting</h2>At Trump's urging and partly in response to California's threats, Missouri's Republican majority is preparing for a special session on congressional redistrictingA document obtained by The Associated Press shows the state Senate has received a $46,000 invoice for software licenses and staff training for redistricting.While Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe hasn't officially announced a special session, Republican House Majority Leader Alex Riley told the AP it is “pretty likely” to happen. Riley added that he has had discussions with White House staff about it.Republicans hold six of Missouri’s eight congressional seats. The party could target a Democratic-held district in Kansas City to pick up another seat.In justifying the redistricting, Missouri Republicans accused neighboring Illinois of rigging its maps and pointed to a draft proposal circulating in California.<h2>New York Democrats try to change state law</h2>New York, similar to California, has an independent commission that changes the political maps only after every census. But state Democrats introduced legislation to allow mid-decade redistricting.Democratic Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-election-2026-texas-redistricting-136cfeddc717f9fc69337bd3d39b1819">Kathy Hochul said</a>&nbsp;that if Texas proceeds, “we must do the same.”But the soonest new maps could be in place would be for the 2028 elections. That is because the proposal would require an amendment to the state constitution, a change that would have to pass the Legislature twice and be approved by voters.<h2>Wisconsin Democrats take a different tack</h2>While Republicans control the Legislature, Democrats turned to the courts to try to force a redrawing of congressional district boundary lines before the 2026 midterms.Two lawsuits were filed in July after the liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court — without explanation — previously declined to hear challenges directly.<h2>Maryland Democrats promise a response to Texas</h2>Maryland House Majority Leader David Moon, a Democrat, says he will sponsor legislation to trigger redistricting if Texas or any other state holds redistricting ahead of the census.<h2>Florida's governor hints at support for redistricting</h2>Republican state House Speaker Daniel Perez said his chamber&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-indiana-redistricting-donald-trump-fafc5bd34f741b3886913e792ab33048">will take up redistricting</a>&nbsp;this year through a special committee. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has told the public to “stay tuned” and has reiterated his support for the state joining the redistricting fray.<h2>Ohio must redraw its maps before the 2026 midterms</h2>A law in Republican-led Ohio&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-ohio-state-government-01117758be7ece7ce12ebc04baa0ce05">requires new political maps before the 2026</a>&nbsp;midterm elections. The GOP holds 10 of its 15 House seats already and could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-trump-redistricting-census-california-republicans-constitutional-1c6287fc23214548be734bbbf7056117">try to expand that edge.</a><h2>Indiana's governor spoke with the vice president</h2>Vice President JD Vance said he spoke with Republican Gov. Mike Braun last week, as the redistricting melee intensified, but both politicians remained mum about the discussions.Braun, who would have to call a special session to draw new maps, has said he expects a “broad conversation” with legislative leaders on the move’s constitutionality and said no commitments have been made.Republicans face more limited possibilities of squeezing out another GOP seat in Indiana. Republican U.S. representatives outnumber Democrats 7-2 in the state already.____

What Kan. and other states are doing in the battle over congressional maps 

KANSAS CITY—Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Kansas City.

Just after 7p.m. Saturday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported&nbsp;house&nbsp;fire in the 1100 block of West 76th&nbsp;Street in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.

&nbsp;The first company on scene reported heavy fire from a 2-story&nbsp;home&nbsp;and initiated an offensive fire attack. Crews advanced 2 hose lines to extinguish the flames, and searches throughout the structure came back "all clear". 

The fire was reported under control at 7:28 p.m. Companies continued with overhaul operations to expose and extinguish hot spots prior to returning to service. &nbsp;Dangerous buildings was ordered and the Red Cross was ordered for 2 adults. There were no injuries &nbsp;reported, according to Nolan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755395379957.png" alt="Photos Kansas City Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photos Kansas City Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Kansas City.Just after 7p.m. Saturday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported&nbsp;house&nbsp;fire in the 1100 block of West 76th&nbsp;Street in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755395360525.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;The first company on scene reported heavy fire from a 2-story&nbsp;home&nbsp;and initiated an offensive fire attack. Crews advanced 2 hose lines to extinguish the flames, and searches throughout the structure came back "all clear". The fire was reported under control at 7:28 p.m. Companies continued with overhaul operations to expose and extinguish hot spots prior to returning to service. &nbsp;Dangerous buildings was ordered and the Red Cross was ordered for 2 adults. There were no injuries &nbsp;reported, according to Nolan.

Cause of Kansas City house fire under investigation 

JOHNSON COUNTY — A suspect admitted his role in a deadly shooting that occurred in Kansas earlier this year.

On Monday, 25, year-old &nbsp;Armando Javier Guerrero, pleased guilty to voluntary manslaughter in connection with the death of 21-year-old Landen Roggenkamp, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

On March 25, &nbsp;police responded to a shooting in the 1400 block of East Mart-Way Circle in Olathe and found Roggenkamp with multiple wounds, according to a statement from police. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was was pronounced deceased.

The Olathe Police Department took Guerrero into custody, and officers said they believed he and Roggenkamp knew each other.&nbsp;

Guerrero is scheduled for sentencing on September 25.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743418050944.png" alt="Guerrero -photo Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>Guerrero -photo Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY — A suspect admitted his role in a deadly shooting that occurred in Kansas earlier this year.On Monday, 25, year-old &nbsp;Armando Javier Guerrero, pleased guilty to voluntary manslaughter in connection with the death of 21-year-old Landen Roggenkamp, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.On March 25, &nbsp;police responded to a shooting in the 1400 block of East Mart-Way Circle in Olathe and found Roggenkamp with multiple wounds, according to a statement from police. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was was pronounced deceased.The Olathe Police Department took Guerrero into custody, and officers said they believed he and Roggenkamp knew each other.&nbsp;Guerrero is scheduled for sentencing on September 25.

Suspect admits killing 21-year-old Kansas man

DICKINSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.

On August 14, deputies with the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office arrested Ryan Matthew Roth, 38, of Enterprise, Kansas on a warrant for aggravated internet trading in child pornography and sexual exploitation of a child.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

In April, the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office began the investigation after receiving tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.&nbsp; During the investigation, a search warrant was executed at a residence in the 500 Block of Court Street, Enterprise, Kansas. &nbsp;Additional search warrants were executed and the warrant was then issued for the arrest of Roth.&nbsp; Roth is being held on a $250,000 bond in the Dickinson County Detention Facility, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755281097517.png" alt="Roth photo Dickinson County" />
 <figcaption>Roth photo Dickinson County</figcaption>
 </figure>DICKINSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.On August 14, deputies with the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office arrested Ryan Matthew Roth, 38, of Enterprise, Kansas on a warrant for aggravated internet trading in child pornography and sexual exploitation of a child.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In April, the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office began the investigation after receiving tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.&nbsp; During the investigation, a search warrant was executed at a residence in the 500 Block of Court Street, Enterprise, Kansas. &nbsp;Additional search warrants were executed and the warrant was then issued for the arrest of Roth.&nbsp; Roth is being held on a $250,000 bond in the Dickinson County Detention Facility, according to online jail records.

Kansas man accused of trading child porn online

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/melania-trump">Melania Trump</a>&nbsp;took the unique step of crafting a letter that calls for peace in Ukraine, having her husband President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;hand-deliver it to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their Friday meeting in Alaska.

The letter did not specifically name Ukraine, which Putin’s forces invaded in 2022, but beseeched him to think of children and “an innocence which stands above geography, government, and ideology.” Nor did the American first lady discuss the fighting other than to say to Putin that he could “singlehandedly restore” the “melodic laughter” of children who have been caught in the conflict.

“In protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone — you serve humanity itself,” she wrote on White House stationery.

A copy of the letter was first obtained by Fox News Digital and later posted on social media by supporters of the U.S. president, including Attorney General Pam Bondi.

The first lady said that Putin could help these children with the stroke of a pen.

Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has resulted in Russia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukrainian-children-russia-7493cb22c9086c6293c1ac7986d85ef6">taking Ukrainian children</a>&nbsp;out of their country so that they can be raised as Russian. The Associated Press documented the grabbing of Ukrainian children in 2022, after which the International Criminal Court said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/icc-putin-war-crimes-ukraine-9857eb68d827340394960eccf0589253">had issued an arrest warrant</a>&nbsp;for Putin for war crimes, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741143400386.png" alt="First Lady Melania Trump-image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>First Lady Melania Trump-image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/melania-trump">Melania Trump</a>&nbsp;took the unique step of crafting a letter that calls for peace in Ukraine, having her husband President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;hand-deliver it to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their Friday meeting in Alaska.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755386458134.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The letter did not specifically name Ukraine, which Putin’s forces invaded in 2022, but beseeched him to think of children and “an innocence which stands above geography, government, and ideology.” Nor did the American first lady discuss the fighting other than to say to Putin that he could “singlehandedly restore” the “melodic laughter” of children who have been caught in the conflict.“In protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone — you serve humanity itself,” she wrote on White House stationery.A copy of the letter was first obtained by Fox News Digital and later posted on social media by supporters of the U.S. president, including Attorney General Pam Bondi.The first lady said that Putin could help these children with the stroke of a pen.Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has resulted in Russia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukrainian-children-russia-7493cb22c9086c6293c1ac7986d85ef6">taking Ukrainian children</a>&nbsp;out of their country so that they can be raised as Russian. The Associated Press documented the grabbing of Ukrainian children in 2022, after which the International Criminal Court said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/icc-putin-war-crimes-ukraine-9857eb68d827340394960eccf0589253">had issued an arrest warrant</a>&nbsp;for Putin for war crimes, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine.

Read the letter the First Lady had the President deliver to Putin

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem used social media on Thursday to congratulate the men and women of the South Dakota Highway Patrol.

Troopers in South Dakota this week made &nbsp;the largest meth bust in state history — 207 pounds worth $12 Million. &nbsp;

Noem, who served as South Dakota governor from 2019-2025 wrote, "This criminal, an illegal alien from Mexico, is now in immigration proceedings. Justice will be served."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755117198647.png" alt="Photo Homeland Security Secretary&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo Homeland Security Secretary&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem used social media on Thursday to congratulate the men and women of the South Dakota Highway Patrol.Troopers in South Dakota this week made &nbsp;the largest meth bust in state history — 207 pounds worth $12 Million. &nbsp;Noem, who served as South Dakota governor from 2019-2025 wrote, "This criminal, an illegal alien from Mexico, is now in immigration proceedings. Justice will be served."

Patrol seized 207 pounds of meth worth $12 million

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday refused for now to block enforcement of a Mississippi law aimed at regulating the use of social media by children, an issue of growing national concern.

The justices rejected an emergency appeal from a tech industry group representing major platforms like Facebook, X and YouTube.

NetChoice is challenging laws passed in Mississippi and other states that require social media users to verify their ages, and asked the court to keep the measure on hold while a lawsuit plays out.

There were no noted dissents from the brief, unsigned order. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that there's a good chance NetChoice will eventually succeed in showing that the law is unconstitutional, but hadn't shown it must be blocked while the lawsuit unfolds.

NetChoice argues that the Mississippi law threatens privacy rights and unconstitutionally restricts the free expression of users of all ages.

A federal judge agreed and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mississippi-social-media-lawsuit-age-verification-6332003bf2431bb848166ba2b9b290cd">prevented the 2024 law</a>&nbsp;from taking effect. But a three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in July that the law could be enforced while the lawsuit proceeds.

It’s the latest legal development as court challenges play out against similar laws in states across the country.

Parents and even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-teens-mental-health-5d6bcdccd154acd631ab09023e81b369">some teenagers</a>&nbsp;are growing increasingly concerned about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chatbot-ai-lawsuit-suicide-teen-artificial-intelligence-9d48adc572100822fdbc3c90d1456bd0">the effects of social media use</a>&nbsp;on young people. Supporters of the new laws have said they are needed to help curb the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teenagers-social-media-internet-pew-survey-02defc5b53dc4216da1efa63c82a30af">explosive use of social media</a>&nbsp;among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-mental-health-advice-620e277528728498c1202690d0512f85">young people</a>, and what researchers say is an associated increase in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-teens-mental-health-e32f82d46ea74b807c9099d61aec25d5">depression and anxiety</a>.

Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch told the justices that age verification could help protect young people from “sexual abuse, trafficking, physical violence, sextortion and more,” activities that Fitch noted are not protected by the First Amendment.

NetChoice represents some of the country’s most high-profile technology companies, including Google, which owns YouTube; Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat; and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. NetChoice has filed similar lawsuits in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-social-media-parents-consent-kids-64db48ec94517911a4d2498f60841500">Arkansas</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-social-media-ban-minors-lawsuit-678e71c6c6183b87435b7f51feb71fbe">Florida</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-social-media-age-verification-law-lawsuit-51b4ce108f0d22adadc50d50e0392dd4">Georgia</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-kids-ohio-netchoice-lawsuit-513f74ba71efb7b38dada637b0f53e6f">Ohio</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-tiktok-social-media-youth-b678ed7c9bcc1ea0b72f8b320b5f26fa">Utah</a>.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday refused for now to block enforcement of a Mississippi law aimed at regulating the use of social media by children, an issue of growing national concern.The justices rejected an emergency appeal from a tech industry group representing major platforms like Facebook, X and YouTube.NetChoice is challenging laws passed in Mississippi and other states that require social media users to verify their ages, and asked the court to keep the measure on hold while a lawsuit plays out.There were no noted dissents from the brief, unsigned order. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that there's a good chance NetChoice will eventually succeed in showing that the law is unconstitutional, but hadn't shown it must be blocked while the lawsuit unfolds.NetChoice argues that the Mississippi law threatens privacy rights and unconstitutionally restricts the free expression of users of all ages.A federal judge agreed and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mississippi-social-media-lawsuit-age-verification-6332003bf2431bb848166ba2b9b290cd">prevented the 2024 law</a>&nbsp;from taking effect. But a three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in July that the law could be enforced while the lawsuit proceeds.It’s the latest legal development as court challenges play out against similar laws in states across the country.Parents and even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-teens-mental-health-5d6bcdccd154acd631ab09023e81b369">some teenagers</a>&nbsp;are growing increasingly concerned about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chatbot-ai-lawsuit-suicide-teen-artificial-intelligence-9d48adc572100822fdbc3c90d1456bd0">the effects of social media use</a>&nbsp;on young people. Supporters of the new laws have said they are needed to help curb the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teenagers-social-media-internet-pew-survey-02defc5b53dc4216da1efa63c82a30af">explosive use of social media</a>&nbsp;among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-mental-health-advice-620e277528728498c1202690d0512f85">young people</a>, and what researchers say is an associated increase in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-teens-mental-health-e32f82d46ea74b807c9099d61aec25d5">depression and anxiety</a>.Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch told the justices that age verification could help protect young people from “sexual abuse, trafficking, physical violence, sextortion and more,” activities that Fitch noted are not protected by the First Amendment.NetChoice represents some of the country’s most high-profile technology companies, including Google, which owns YouTube; Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat; and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. NetChoice has filed similar lawsuits in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-social-media-parents-consent-kids-64db48ec94517911a4d2498f60841500">Arkansas</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-social-media-ban-minors-lawsuit-678e71c6c6183b87435b7f51feb71fbe">Florida</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-social-media-age-verification-law-lawsuit-51b4ce108f0d22adadc50d50e0392dd4">Georgia</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-kids-ohio-netchoice-lawsuit-513f74ba71efb7b38dada637b0f53e6f">Ohio</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-tiktok-social-media-youth-b678ed7c9bcc1ea0b72f8b320b5f26fa">Utah</a>.Paul Taske, co-director of the NetChoice Litigation Center, called the decision "an unfortunate procedural delay.”“Although we’re disappointed with the Court’s decision, Justice Kavanaugh’s concurrence makes clear that NetChoice will ultimately succeed in defending the First Amendment — not just in this case but across all NetChoice’s ID-for-Speech lawsuits," he said.