By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Bison sculptures and cornhole games are on Thursday's agenda for the Hays City Commission.

The Ellis County members of the Heartland Community Foundation Youth Action Council are asking for permission to place up to 25 life-size fiberglass bison statues on public spaces in Hays.

The high school students have raised almost all the $125,000 needed for the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/07bdd861-fa34-4686-8c39-2587327f3009">public art project</a>, which will depict the history and heritage of Ellis County in Hays, Ellis and Victoria.&nbsp;

Also to be voted on is a request from Arc of Central Plains for permission to proceed with <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/07bdd861-fa34-4686-8c39-2587327f3009">Phase 3 of the ARC Park</a>, 3300 Hillcrest.&nbsp;

The improvements would include two new shelter houses, a second gazebo-type picnic pavilion and nearby flower garden, along with two permanent cornhole courts with 10 total lanes and shaded dugouts.

Arc of Central Plains has raised the money for Phase 3, estimated to cost less than $500,000.

The complete Sept. 25 agenda is available <a href="https://ks-hays.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09252025-1571">here</a>. The meeting starts at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584721067731.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostBison sculptures and cornhole games are on Thursday's agenda for the Hays City Commission.The Ellis County members of the Heartland Community Foundation Youth Action Council are asking for permission to place up to 25 life-size fiberglass bison statues on public spaces in Hays.The high school students have raised almost all the $125,000 needed for the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/07bdd861-fa34-4686-8c39-2587327f3009">public art project</a>, which will depict the history and heritage of Ellis County in Hays, Ellis and Victoria.&nbsp;Also to be voted on is a request from Arc of Central Plains for permission to proceed with <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/07bdd861-fa34-4686-8c39-2587327f3009">Phase 3 of the ARC Park</a>, 3300 Hillcrest.&nbsp;The improvements would include two new shelter houses, a second gazebo-type picnic pavilion and nearby flower garden, along with two permanent cornhole courts with 10 total lanes and shaded dugouts.Arc of Central Plains has raised the money for Phase 3, estimated to cost less than $500,000.The complete Sept. 25 agenda is available <a href="https://ks-hays.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09252025-1571">here</a>. The meeting starts at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.&nbsp;

Improvements to ARC Park, Hays public spaces on Hays City Commission agenda

Margaret Ada 'Meg' Zweifel, 88, of Great Bend, Kansas, and
formerly of Waldo, Kansas, passed away Sunday, September 21, 2025 at the
Brookdale Assisted Living Facility in Great Bend, Kansas. 

Meg was born October 21, 1936, to Reuben and Nellie (Roth)
Francis, in Lucas, Kansas. Meg was united in marriage to Wayne C. Zweifel at
her parents’ home in rural Lucas, Kansas, on February 6, 1955. This union was
blessed with five children: Steven Wayne, Sheila Jean, Sherry Kay, Shelly May
and Bradley Charles. 

Meg’s early years were spent on Rocktown Ranch farm, where
the Wilson Lake is now established. In 1955, she and her husband moved to a
farm in rural Waldo and built a new home there. She graduated from Lucas High
School in May of 1954 and then attended Northwest Kansas College at Hays,
Kansas. She belonged to the Paradise Dell FCE Club since 1960, the TOPS (Take
off pounds sensibly)# ks.874 and was a charter member and was a KOPS (Keep off
pounds sensibly) since 1998, where she held every officer position. She also
started the Russell Red Hot Hatters of Russell and the Lucas Post Rock Red Hat
Brats of the Red Hat Society. She so enjoyed Biking Across Kansas for 27 years,
which she loved very much and made some very dear friends. 

Meg devoted her life to being a loving wife, mother and
homemaker to her growing family while her children were growing up. After her
children were in school, Meg went to work at the Russell County Courthouse for
five years, then was office manager at DSNWK. She then worked for several years
as Secretary/Bookkeeper at Smoky Hills Public Television Station in Bunker
Hill, Kansas, and was also a Tour Guide for Cheyanne Travel Agency of Great
Bend. After she retired, she accepted a part time position as a Loan Officer at
Rapid Cash in Russell where she worked for over 12 years until she was 83 and
retired again because of the COVID Pandemic. 

Meg was a long time member of the Amherst Methodist Church
in rural Waldo and was baptized in 1997. Meg enjoyed music and loved to sing
Hymns. She also enjoyed making homemade candies for Christmas to give away and
adored attending her grandchildren’s sporting events and school programs. She
was always excited to see her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren
and so enjoyed the family get togethers, including the traditional cocoa and
biscuit breakfast and all the one-on-one trips with her grandchildren to their
Condo’s in Pagosa Springs, Colorado and the marvelous family vacations to
Hawaii, Pennsylvania, Silver Dollar City in Branson and Washington, D.C. plus
many other wonderful places. 

Meg helped her husband with farming and harvest by bringing
out sandwiches for the crew and her creative casseroles, occasionally driving a
truck when needed. She faced life, as well as her many health challenges, with
calm acceptance and desire to adjust to whatever new reality she faced – which
she did without complaining. 

Surviving family include: daughters, Sheila Hinman (Greg) of
Lewis, Kansas, Sherry Pruter (Dale) of Great Bend, Kansas, Shelly Post (Ron) of
Great Bend, Kansas; son, Bradley Zweifel (Beth) of Waldo, Kansas.
Grandchildren; Jeannie Grimme (Casey), Jeff Hinman (Maggie), Jessica Hinman
(Bryce Brown), Luke Pruter (Maggie), Audra Rostine (Eric), Holly Johnson
(Eric), Megan McGuire (Ross), Alisha Livingston (Mathew), Carol Joyce Ridgley
(C.J.) and Payton Zweifel; great grandchildren, Connor Grimme (Madison), Claire
Grimme, Kaiden, Kenzlie and Kooper Rostine, Sheridan and Clayton Johnson,
Hudson and Hazel Hinman, Amelia and Kaladin McGuire, Wesley, Lily and Eliza
Livingston; great-great granddaughter, Oakleigh Grimme and a great-great
grandson on the way; and a host of nieces, nephews and friends. 

Meg was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne, on April 2,
2021; son, Steven Wayne Zweifel on June 12, 1968, in a tractor accident; her
parents; sisters, Lillian Waugh and Janeice Hochman; and her
granddaughter-in-law, Abby Hinman. 

Celebration of Meg’s Life will be held at 10:30 A.M.,
Saturday, September 27, 2025 at the Luray Community Church in Luray, Kansas.
Burial will follow at the Amherst Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 9:00
AM to 8:00 PM, Friday, September 26, 2025, at Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in
Russell, with the family present to greet friends from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. A
Memorial has been established with the Amherst Church. Contributions and
condolences may be sent to Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary, who is in charge of
these arrangements.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758729010152.jpeg" alt="Margaret Ada 'Meg' Zweifel" />
 <figcaption>Margaret Ada 'Meg' Zweifel</figcaption>
 </figure>Margaret Ada 'Meg' Zweifel, 88, of Great Bend, Kansas, and
formerly of Waldo, Kansas, passed away Sunday, September 21, 2025 at the
Brookdale Assisted Living Facility in Great Bend, Kansas. Meg was born October 21, 1936, to Reuben and Nellie (Roth)
Francis, in Lucas, Kansas. Meg was united in marriage to Wayne C. Zweifel at
her parents’ home in rural Lucas, Kansas, on February 6, 1955. This union was
blessed with five children: Steven Wayne, Sheila Jean, Sherry Kay, Shelly May
and Bradley Charles. Meg’s early years were spent on Rocktown Ranch farm, where
the Wilson Lake is now established. In 1955, she and her husband moved to a
farm in rural Waldo and built a new home there. She graduated from Lucas High
School in May of 1954 and then attended Northwest Kansas College at Hays,
Kansas. She belonged to the Paradise Dell FCE Club since 1960, the TOPS (Take
off pounds sensibly)# ks.874 and was a charter member and was a KOPS (Keep off
pounds sensibly) since 1998, where she held every officer position. She also
started the Russell Red Hot Hatters of Russell and the Lucas Post Rock Red Hat
Brats of the Red Hat Society. She so enjoyed Biking Across Kansas for 27 years,
which she loved very much and made some very dear friends. Meg devoted her life to being a loving wife, mother and
homemaker to her growing family while her children were growing up. After her
children were in school, Meg went to work at the Russell County Courthouse for
five years, then was office manager at DSNWK. She then worked for several years
as Secretary/Bookkeeper at Smoky Hills Public Television Station in Bunker
Hill, Kansas, and was also a Tour Guide for Cheyanne Travel Agency of Great
Bend. After she retired, she accepted a part time position as a Loan Officer at
Rapid Cash in Russell where she worked for over 12 years until she was 83 and
retired again because of the COVID Pandemic. Meg was a long time member of the Amherst Methodist Church
in rural Waldo and was baptized in 1997. Meg enjoyed music and loved to sing
Hymns. She also enjoyed making homemade candies for Christmas to give away and
adored attending her grandchildren’s sporting events and school programs. She
was always excited to see her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren
and so enjoyed the family get togethers, including the traditional cocoa and
biscuit breakfast and all the one-on-one trips with her grandchildren to their
Condo’s in Pagosa Springs, Colorado and the marvelous family vacations to
Hawaii, Pennsylvania, Silver Dollar City in Branson and Washington, D.C. plus
many other wonderful places. Meg helped her husband with farming and harvest by bringing
out sandwiches for the crew and her creative casseroles, occasionally driving a
truck when needed. She faced life, as well as her many health challenges, with
calm acceptance and desire to adjust to whatever new reality she faced – which
she did without complaining. Surviving family include: daughters, Sheila Hinman (Greg) of
Lewis, Kansas, Sherry Pruter (Dale) of Great Bend, Kansas, Shelly Post (Ron) of
Great Bend, Kansas; son, Bradley Zweifel (Beth) of Waldo, Kansas.
Grandchildren; Jeannie Grimme (Casey), Jeff Hinman (Maggie), Jessica Hinman
(Bryce Brown), Luke Pruter (Maggie), Audra Rostine (Eric), Holly Johnson
(Eric), Megan McGuire (Ross), Alisha Livingston (Mathew), Carol Joyce Ridgley
(C.J.) and Payton Zweifel; great grandchildren, Connor Grimme (Madison), Claire
Grimme, Kaiden, Kenzlie and Kooper Rostine, Sheridan and Clayton Johnson,
Hudson and Hazel Hinman, Amelia and Kaladin McGuire, Wesley, Lily and Eliza
Livingston; great-great granddaughter, Oakleigh Grimme and a great-great
grandson on the way; and a host of nieces, nephews and friends. Meg was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne, on April 2,
2021; son, Steven Wayne Zweifel on June 12, 1968, in a tractor accident; her
parents; sisters, Lillian Waugh and Janeice Hochman; and her
granddaughter-in-law, Abby Hinman. Celebration of Meg’s Life will be held at 10:30 A.M.,
Saturday, September 27, 2025 at the Luray Community Church in Luray, Kansas.
Burial will follow at the Amherst Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 9:00
AM to 8:00 PM, Friday, September 26, 2025, at Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in
Russell, with the family present to greet friends from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. A
Memorial has been established with the Amherst Church. Contributions and
condolences may be sent to Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary, who is in charge of
these arrangements.

Margaret Ada 'Meg' Zweifel

Nearly two inches of rain fell in Hays overnight Tuesday. 

The official amount measured at the K-State Agricultural Research Center south of town was 1.90 inches.&nbsp;

The Eagle Media Center, 2300 Hall, received 1.43 inches, for a total of 3.10 inches of rain since Friday.

As of Wednesday morning at 9 a.m., 5.79 inches of rain has fallen, more than double the average of 2.24 inches by month's end.&nbsp;

The accumulative average of moisture for the year by the end of September is 19.84 inches. Hays has already reached 22.50 inches so far in 2025.&nbsp;

The rain is expected to end today with sunshine and warmer temperatures in the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/93ab47d5-5a48-4b5e-a583-60dae78d3545">three-day weather forecast</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653412777201.jpg" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostNearly two inches of rain fell in Hays overnight Tuesday. The official amount measured at the K-State Agricultural Research Center south of town was 1.90 inches.&nbsp;The Eagle Media Center, 2300 Hall, received 1.43 inches, for a total of 3.10 inches of rain since Friday.September has been a wet month in Hays. As of Wednesday morning at 9 a.m., 5.79 inches of rain has fallen, more than double the average of 2.24 inches by month's end.&nbsp;The accumulative average of moisture for the year by the end of September is 19.84 inches. Hays has already reached 22.50 inches so far in 2025.&nbsp;The rain is expected to end today with sunshine and warmer temperatures in the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/93ab47d5-5a48-4b5e-a583-60dae78d3545">three-day weather forecast</a>.

Rain keeps on coming to Hays

On this episode of the Hays Post Podcast, news reporter Becky Kiser talks with Dr. Jessica Phelan, asst. professor in the Fort Hays State University Department of Health and Human Performance about behavior changes to improve your health.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650389030295.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Making behavior changes to improve your health" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=42iv4-196bc8b-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Hays Post Podcast, news reporter Becky Kiser talks with Dr. Jessica Phelan, asst. professor in the Fort Hays State University Department of Health and Human Performance about behavior changes to improve your health.

🎙 Post Podcast: Making behavior changes to improve your health

UNITED NATIONS (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Tuesday that he believed Ukraine could win back all territory lost to Russia, a dramatic shift from the U.S. leader’s repeated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-putin-trump-summit-zelenskyy-a01a6dbae85b10cc710c48f1558c1401">calls for Kyiv to make concessions</a>&nbsp;to end the war.

Trump posted on social media soon after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-general-assembly-opens-fb91931e273432bc8725e9e9860f9844">United Nations General Assembly</a>&nbsp;gathering of world leaders.

“I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form,” Trump wrote. “With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option.”

The strengthened support from Trump, if it sticks, is a huge win for Zelenskyy, who has urged the American president to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-trump-putin-33015fe967ab7cd09fee165fed59953e">keep up the pressure</a>&nbsp;on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his war. It was a departure from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-land-swap-trump-summit-e8e869d5d5ec672fee3e86022b20d11a">Trump’s previous suggestions</a>&nbsp;that Ukraine would never be able to reclaim all the territory that Russia has occupied since seizing the Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

That had disheartened Zelenskyy, Europeans and Ukrainians and called into question the U.S. commitment to U.N. principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. But now, Trump’s view of the battlefield coincides more with Ukraine’s, Zelenskyy said.

“Trump is a game changer by himself,” Zelenskyy told reporters after their meeting.

Trump needles Russia about war in Ukraine

Trump, going back to his 2024 campaign,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-ukraine-war-633a216d0506c82353fc7745b69c0fe0">insisted he would quickly end the war</a>, but his peace efforts appear to have stalled following a diplomatic blitz last month, when he held a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-alaska-meeting-ukraine-war-942638dc7d3b7b8e61698f8574bdc890">summit with Putin</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-trump-zelensky-what-to-know-f70e7c231251f263a66772d954eefff5">White House meeting with Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;and European allies.

Trump has acknowledged, including in his U.N. speech to world leaders, that he thought a resolution to this conflict would be “the easiest” because he has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-relationship-over-years-d7a6c5400d9ec88127d16278be07a145">had a good relationship with Putin</a>. Trump said he is open to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/treasury-trump-putin-russia-sanctions-ukraine-7457f341013e2e552c7f5f76ac7fd962">imposing more sanctions on Russia</a>&nbsp;and urged Europe to join in.

“Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win,” Trump wrote on social media. “This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like ‘a paper tiger.’”

In his speech to the General Assembly, Trump said the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war in Ukraine</a>&nbsp;was making Russia “look bad” because it was “supposed to be a quick little skirmish.”

“It shows you what leadership is, what bad leadership can do to a country,” he said. “The only question now is how many lives will be needlessly lost on both sides.”

Before meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump said the “biggest progress” toward ending the conflict “is that the Russian economy is terrible right now.” Zelenskyy said he agreed with Trump’s call for European nations to further halt imports of Russian oil and natural gas.

“We have great respect for the fight that Ukraine is putting up,” Trump told Zelenskyy, who replied that he had “good news” from the battlefield.

How Trump’s stance has shifted on Ukraine

Before his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-summit-alaska-russia-ukraine-a7b167f17a3e06fbce2f583c93f8bae1">Alaska summit</a>&nbsp;with Putin last month, Trump repeated that any resolution to the war would require “some land swapping.”

In talks with Zelenskyy and Europeans just afterward, Trump said Putin reiterated that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-trump-putin-summit-ukraine-territory-ba56ddbd24d1b7e8e0aca7754d0f180a">he wants the Donetsk and Luhansk regions</a>&nbsp;that make up the Donbas, according to European officials. Days later,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-zelenskyy-russia-ukraine-war-d0ad768453210db23fe4b108f7b87135">Zelenskyy and prominent European leaders</a>&nbsp;came to the White House.

Following those meetings, Trump announced he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-zelenskyy-russia-ukraine-war-d0ad768453210db23fe4b108f7b87135">arranging for direct talks</a>&nbsp;between Putin and Zelenskyy. But Putin hasn’t shown any interest in meeting with Zelenskyy and Moscow has only intensified its bombardment of Ukraine.

European leaders as well as American lawmakers, including some Republican allies of Trump, have urged the president to dial up stronger sanctions on Russia.

“In the event that Russia is not ready to make a deal to end the war, then the United States is fully prepared to impose a very strong round of powerful tariffs, which would stop the bloodshed, I believe, very quickly,” Trump told the General Assembly.

However, he repeated his calls for Europe to “step it up” and stop buying Russian oil, the engine feeding Putin’s war machine.

Push for sanctions and cutting off Russian oil

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said before meeting with Trump that Europe would be imposing more sanctions and tariffs on Russia and that the bloc would be further reducing its imports of Russian energy.

Zelenskyy, speaking at a special U.N. Security Council session on Ukraine, also appealed for stronger U.S. pressure on Russia.

“Moscow fears America and always pays attention to it,” said Zelenskyy, who has had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-security-guarantees-trump-meeting-washington-eebdf97b663c2cdc9e51fa346b09591d">strained ties with Trump</a>&nbsp;in previous sitdowns and has previously faced White House accusations that he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-trump-war-zelenskyy-putin-7fe8c0c80b4e93e3bc079c621a44e8bb">partly to blame for Russia’s invasion</a>&nbsp;in 2022.

Russia denigrated the Security Council meeting as just the New York stop in the world tour of a “former actor,” a reference to Zelenskyy.

“There is no added value for the establishment of peace in Ukraine generated from today’s meeting,” said Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia’s deputy ambassador to the U.N. “This will merely become yet another shameful episode in the market of hypocrisy.”

European leaders have supported Zelenskyy’s diplomatic efforts, with some alarmed by the possibility that the war&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-nato-members-borders-airspace-violations-4a7d6c3eabf76c82ebaff434401b3331">could spread beyond Ukraine</a>&nbsp;as they are facing what they have called Russian provocations.

“I welcome the fact that the president of the United States believes in Ukraine’s ability not only to hold the course” but to prevail, French President Emmanuel Macron said.

NATO allies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-article-4-explainer-russia-poland-estonia-26415920dfb8458725bda517337adb12">will hold formal consultations</a>&nbsp;at Estonia’s request on Tuesday, after the Baltic country said three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-russia-drones-estonia-ed72156951e6ef62f802d9f1f786c8b5">Russian fighter jets entered its airspace</a>&nbsp;last week without authorization.

Trump said he would back NATO countries that choose to shoot down intruding Russian planes, but said direct U.S. involvement would depend on the circumstances.

New strikes in Ukraine as toll of war grows

The full-scale war, which began on Feb. 24, 2022, is taking a heavy toll on Ukrainian civilians. Russia said it shot down three dozen Ukrainian drones heading toward Moscow, while Ukraine said Russian missiles, drones and bombs killed at least two civilians.

The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights also said this month that Ukrainian civilian casualties increased by 40% in the first eight months of this year compared with 2024, as Russia escalated its long-range missile and localized drone strikes.

A U.N. Human Rights Office report released Tuesday described the dire situation of thousands of civilians detained by Russia in areas of Ukraine it has captured.

“Russian authorities have subjected Ukrainian civilian detainees in occupied territory to torture and ill-treatment, including sexual violence, in a widespread and systematic manner,” the report said.

Novikov reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. AP reporters Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Farnoush Amiri at the United Nations contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755286154581.png" alt="Russian President Putin and President Trump met in Alaska August 15. Image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>Russian President Putin and President Trump met in Alaska August 15. Image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>UNITED NATIONS (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Tuesday that he believed Ukraine could win back all territory lost to Russia, a dramatic shift from the U.S. leader’s repeated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-putin-trump-summit-zelenskyy-a01a6dbae85b10cc710c48f1558c1401">calls for Kyiv to make concessions</a>&nbsp;to end the war.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 &quot;...Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act. In any event, I wish both Countries well. We will continue to supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them. Good luck to all!&quot; - PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP <a href="https://t.co/YI0N4JF4ll">pic.twitter.com/YI0N4JF4ll</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1970564074850123952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;Do you think that NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter their airspace?&quot; President Trump: &quot;Yes, I do.&quot; When asked if he still trusts President Putin, Trump responds, &quot;I&#39;ll let you know in about a month.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/pptl8AWYtK">pic.twitter.com/pptl8AWYtK</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1970548801967423919?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump meets with Ukrainian President Zelensky. &quot;We have great respect for the fight that Ukraine is putting up. It&#39;s pretty amazing actually.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Th62pTYuck">pic.twitter.com/Th62pTYuck</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1970548405328818584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump posted on social media soon after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-general-assembly-opens-fb91931e273432bc8725e9e9860f9844">United Nations General Assembly</a>&nbsp;gathering of world leaders.“I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form,” Trump wrote. “With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option.”The strengthened support from Trump, if it sticks, is a huge win for Zelenskyy, who has urged the American president to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-trump-putin-33015fe967ab7cd09fee165fed59953e">keep up the pressure</a>&nbsp;on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his war. It was a departure from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-land-swap-trump-summit-e8e869d5d5ec672fee3e86022b20d11a">Trump’s previous suggestions</a>&nbsp;that Ukraine would never be able to reclaim all the territory that Russia has occupied since seizing the Crimean Peninsula in 2014.That had disheartened Zelenskyy, Europeans and Ukrainians and called into question the U.S. commitment to U.N. principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. But now, Trump’s view of the battlefield coincides more with Ukraine’s, Zelenskyy said.“Trump is a game changer by himself,” Zelenskyy told reporters after their meeting.<h2>Trump needles Russia about war in Ukraine</h2>Trump, going back to his 2024 campaign,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-ukraine-war-633a216d0506c82353fc7745b69c0fe0">insisted he would quickly end the war</a>, but his peace efforts appear to have stalled following a diplomatic blitz last month, when he held a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-alaska-meeting-ukraine-war-942638dc7d3b7b8e61698f8574bdc890">summit with Putin</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-trump-zelensky-what-to-know-f70e7c231251f263a66772d954eefff5">White House meeting with Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;and European allies.Trump has acknowledged, including in his U.N. speech to world leaders, that he thought a resolution to this conflict would be “the easiest” because he has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-relationship-over-years-d7a6c5400d9ec88127d16278be07a145">had a good relationship with Putin</a>. Trump said he is open to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/treasury-trump-putin-russia-sanctions-ukraine-7457f341013e2e552c7f5f76ac7fd962">imposing more sanctions on Russia</a>&nbsp;and urged Europe to join in.“Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win,” Trump wrote on social media. “This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like ‘a paper tiger.’”In his speech to the General Assembly, Trump said the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war in Ukraine</a>&nbsp;was making Russia “look bad” because it was “supposed to be a quick little skirmish.”“It shows you what leadership is, what bad leadership can do to a country,” he said. “The only question now is how many lives will be needlessly lost on both sides.”Before meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump said the “biggest progress” toward ending the conflict “is that the Russian economy is terrible right now.” Zelenskyy said he agreed with Trump’s call for European nations to further halt imports of Russian oil and natural gas.“We have great respect for the fight that Ukraine is putting up,” Trump told Zelenskyy, who replied that he had “good news” from the battlefield.<h2>How Trump’s stance has shifted on Ukraine</h2>Before his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-summit-alaska-russia-ukraine-a7b167f17a3e06fbce2f583c93f8bae1">Alaska summit</a>&nbsp;with Putin last month, Trump repeated that any resolution to the war would require “some land swapping.”In talks with Zelenskyy and Europeans just afterward, Trump said Putin reiterated that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-trump-putin-summit-ukraine-territory-ba56ddbd24d1b7e8e0aca7754d0f180a">he wants the Donetsk and Luhansk regions</a>&nbsp;that make up the Donbas, according to European officials. Days later,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-zelenskyy-russia-ukraine-war-d0ad768453210db23fe4b108f7b87135">Zelenskyy and prominent European leaders</a>&nbsp;came to the White House.Following those meetings, Trump announced he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-zelenskyy-russia-ukraine-war-d0ad768453210db23fe4b108f7b87135">arranging for direct talks</a>&nbsp;between Putin and Zelenskyy. But Putin hasn’t shown any interest in meeting with Zelenskyy and Moscow has only intensified its bombardment of Ukraine.European leaders as well as American lawmakers, including some Republican allies of Trump, have urged the president to dial up stronger sanctions on Russia.“In the event that Russia is not ready to make a deal to end the war, then the United States is fully prepared to impose a very strong round of powerful tariffs, which would stop the bloodshed, I believe, very quickly,” Trump told the General Assembly.However, he repeated his calls for Europe to “step it up” and stop buying Russian oil, the engine feeding Putin’s war machine.<h2>Push for sanctions and cutting off Russian oil</h2>European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said before meeting with Trump that Europe would be imposing more sanctions and tariffs on Russia and that the bloc would be further reducing its imports of Russian energy.Zelenskyy, speaking at a special U.N. Security Council session on Ukraine, also appealed for stronger U.S. pressure on Russia.“Moscow fears America and always pays attention to it,” said Zelenskyy, who has had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-security-guarantees-trump-meeting-washington-eebdf97b663c2cdc9e51fa346b09591d">strained ties with Trump</a>&nbsp;in previous sitdowns and has previously faced White House accusations that he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-trump-war-zelenskyy-putin-7fe8c0c80b4e93e3bc079c621a44e8bb">partly to blame for Russia’s invasion</a>&nbsp;in 2022.Russia denigrated the Security Council meeting as just the New York stop in the world tour of a “former actor,” a reference to Zelenskyy.“There is no added value for the establishment of peace in Ukraine generated from today’s meeting,” said Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia’s deputy ambassador to the U.N. “This will merely become yet another shameful episode in the market of hypocrisy.”European leaders have supported Zelenskyy’s diplomatic efforts, with some alarmed by the possibility that the war&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-nato-members-borders-airspace-violations-4a7d6c3eabf76c82ebaff434401b3331">could spread beyond Ukraine</a>&nbsp;as they are facing what they have called Russian provocations.“I welcome the fact that the president of the United States believes in Ukraine’s ability not only to hold the course” but to prevail, French President Emmanuel Macron said.NATO allies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-article-4-explainer-russia-poland-estonia-26415920dfb8458725bda517337adb12">will hold formal consultations</a>&nbsp;at Estonia’s request on Tuesday, after the Baltic country said three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-russia-drones-estonia-ed72156951e6ef62f802d9f1f786c8b5">Russian fighter jets entered its airspace</a>&nbsp;last week without authorization.Trump said he would back NATO countries that choose to shoot down intruding Russian planes, but said direct U.S. involvement would depend on the circumstances.<h2>New strikes in Ukraine as toll of war grows</h2>The full-scale war, which began on Feb. 24, 2022, is taking a heavy toll on Ukrainian civilians. Russia said it shot down three dozen Ukrainian drones heading toward Moscow, while Ukraine said Russian missiles, drones and bombs killed at least two civilians.The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights also said this month that Ukrainian civilian casualties increased by 40% in the first eight months of this year compared with 2024, as Russia escalated its long-range missile and localized drone strikes.A U.N. Human Rights Office report released Tuesday described the dire situation of thousands of civilians detained by Russia in areas of Ukraine it has captured.“Russian authorities have subjected Ukrainian civilian detainees in occupied territory to torture and ill-treatment, including sexual violence, in a widespread and systematic manner,” the report said.___Novikov reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. AP reporters Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Farnoush Amiri at the United Nations contributed to this report.

Presidential pivot: Trump now needles Russia on War in Ukraine

LOS ANGELES (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-returns-suspension-charlie-kirk-a29db3adb762b9b148d56ce88c24485c">Jimmy Kimmel made an emotional return</a>&nbsp;to his late-night show Tuesday night after a nearly weeklong suspension for remarks he made after conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s killing.

For 16 minutes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-show-suspended-charlie-kirk-ae43c600bd0f2a4c7d3c12077e91b211">Kimmel mixed humor, pointed messages and emotion</a>&nbsp;to talk about his suspension, the support he’s received and praised Kirk’s widow.

Here are seven key moments from his opening monologue, edited for clarity and brevity.

Kimmel talks about the support he’s received

“I’m not sure who had a weirder 48 hours. Me or the CEO of Tylenol. So it’s been overwhelming. I’ve heard from a lot of people over the last six days. I’ve heard from all the people in the world over the last six days, everyone I have ever met has reached out 10 or 11 times.

Weird characters from my past are emai— the guy who fired me from my first radio job in Seattle — where we are not airing tonight by the way — Sorry, Seattle. His name is Larry. In 1989, Larry tried to force me to do a bit called jokes for donuts, where people would call in with a joke and I would give them donuts. I refused to do it. And then I made a lot of fun of Larry for suggesting it. And eventually Larry fired me and I had to move back in with my parents. But even he wrote in to cheer me up. Thank you Larry, and I want to thank everyone who checked in on the show.

Some that I do especially want to mention are my fellow late night talk show hosts, my friend Stephen Colbert. He’s found himself in this predicament. My friends Jon Stewart, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver, Conan O’Brien, James Corden, Arsenio, Kathy, Wanda, Chelsea, even Jay (Leno) reached out. I heard from late-night hosts in other countries, from Ireland and from Germany. The guy in Germany offered me a job.

This country has become so authoritarian, the Germans are like, “Come here. Cut loose.” My boyhood idols, Howard Stern and David Letterman, were very considerate and kind and I feel honored to be part of a group of people that knows what goes into doing a show like this. And I also want to thank all of you — I do — who supported our show, cared enough to do something about it, to make your voices heard so that mine could be heard. I will never forget it.”

Kimmel: “And maybe, weirdly, maybe, most of all, I want to thank the people who don’t support my show and what I believe, but support my right to share those beliefs anyway. I never would have imagined if, like Ben Shapiro, Clay Travis, Candace Owens, Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, even my old pal Ted Cruz who believe it or not, said something very beautiful on my behalf.

Ted Cruz clip: “I hate what Jimmy Kimmel said. I am thrilled that he was fired.”

Kimmel: “Oh, wait, no, not that -- the other part.”

Ted Cruz clip: “But let me tell you, if the government gets in the business of saying (crosstalk) what you can and can’t say what you the media have said, we’re going to ban you from the airwaves if you don’t say what we like, that will end up bad for conservatives.”

Kimmel: “I don’t think I’ve ever said this before, but Ted Cruz is right. He’s absolutely right. This affects all of us, including him. I mean, think about it. If Ted Cruz can’t speak freely, then he can’t cast spells on the Smurfs.

Even though I don’t agree with many of those people on most subjects, some of the things they say even make me want to throw up. It takes courage for them to speak out against this administration. They did, and they deserve credit for it. And thank for telling your followers that our government cannot be allowed to control what we do and do not say on television, and that we have to stand up to it. “

“I posted a message on Instagram on the day he was killed, sending love to his family and asking for compassion. And I meant it. I still do. Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what, it was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make.

But I understand that to some that felt either ill-timed or unclear or maybe both. And for those who think I did, point a finger, I get why you’re upset. If the situation was reversed, there’s a good chance I’d have felt the same way.

I have many friends and family members on the other side who I love and remain close to, even though we don’t agree on politics at all. I don’t think the murderer who shot Charlie Kirk represents anyone. This was a sick person who believed violence was a solution. And it isn’t ever.

And also, selfishly, I am, I am a person who gets a lot of threats. I get many ugly and scary threats against my life, my wife, my kids, my coworkers because of what I choose to say. And I know those threats don’t come from the kind of people on the right who I know and love. So that’s what I wanted to say on that subject. “

Kimmel on the FCC and chairman Brendan Carr

“I want you to think about this: Should the government be allowed to regulate which podcasts the cell phone companies and Wi-Fi providers are allowed to let you download to make sure they serve the public interest? You think that sounds crazy, but 10 years ago, this sounded crazy, Brendan Carr, the chairman of the FCC, telling an American company, we can do this the easy way or the hard way, and that these companies can find ways to change, conduct and take action on Kimmel or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.

In addition to being a direct violation of the First Amendment, is not a particularly intelligent threat to make in public. Ted Cruz said he sounded like a mafioso. Although I don’t know, if you want to hear a mob boss make a threat like that, you have to hide a microphone in a deli and park outside in a van with a tape recorder all night long. This genius said it on a podcast.

“You almost have to feel sorry for him. He tried, did his best to cancel me. Instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show. That backfired bigly. He might have to release the Epstein files to distract us from this now. ”

ABC’s ‘condition’ for Kimmel returning and the host’s gratitude

“I know a lot of people have been asking me if there are conditions for my return to the air, and there is one. Disney has asked me to read the following statement, and, I have agreed to do it.

Here we go: To reactivate your Disney+ and Hulu account, open the Disney+ app on your smart TV or TV connected device. (laughter)

I’ve been, um, fortunate to work at a company that has allowed me to do the show the way we want to do it for almost 23 years. I’ve done almost 4,000 shows on ABC. And over that time, the people who run this network have allowed me to evolve and to stretch the boundaries of what was once traditional for a late night talk show, even when it made them uncomfortable, which I do a lot.

Every night, they’ve defended my right to poke fun at our leaders and to advocate for subjects that I think are important by allowing me to use their platform. And I am very grateful for that. With that said, I was not happy when they pulled me off the air on. I did not agree with that decision and I told them that and we had many conversations. I shared my point of view. They shared theirs. We talked it through and at the end, even though they didn’t have to, they really didn’t have to. This is a giant company. We have short attention spans, and I am a tiny part of the Disney Corporation. They welcomed me back on the air and I thank them for that. But unfortunately, and I think unjustly, this puts them at risk.”

Kimmel says to follow Erika Kirk’s example of forgiveness

“There was a moment over the weekend, a very beautiful moment. I don’t know if you saw this. On Sunday, Erika Kirk forgave the man who shot her husband. She forgave him. That is an example we should follow.

If you believe in the teachings of Jesus as I do, there it was. That’s, that’s it. A selfless act of grace, forgiveness from a grieving widow. It touched me deeply. And I hope it touches many. And if there’s anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758149830141.png" alt="Image courtesy ABC" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy ABC</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-returns-suspension-charlie-kirk-a29db3adb762b9b148d56ce88c24485c">Jimmy Kimmel made an emotional return</a>&nbsp;to his late-night show Tuesday night after a nearly weeklong suspension for remarks he made after conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s killing.For 16 minutes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-show-suspended-charlie-kirk-ae43c600bd0f2a4c7d3c12077e91b211">Kimmel mixed humor, pointed messages and emotion</a>&nbsp;to talk about his suspension, the support he’s received and praised Kirk’s widow.Here are seven key moments from his opening monologue, edited for clarity and brevity.<h2>Kimmel talks about the support he’s received</h2>“I’m not sure who had a weirder 48 hours. Me or the CEO of Tylenol. So it’s been overwhelming. I’ve heard from a lot of people over the last six days. I’ve heard from all the people in the world over the last six days, everyone I have ever met has reached out 10 or 11 times.Weird characters from my past are emai— the guy who fired me from my first radio job in Seattle — where we are not airing tonight by the way — Sorry, Seattle. His name is Larry. In 1989, Larry tried to force me to do a bit called jokes for donuts, where people would call in with a joke and I would give them donuts. I refused to do it. And then I made a lot of fun of Larry for suggesting it. And eventually Larry fired me and I had to move back in with my parents. But even he wrote in to cheer me up. Thank you Larry, and I want to thank everyone who checked in on the show.Some that I do especially want to mention are my fellow late night talk show hosts, my friend Stephen Colbert. He’s found himself in this predicament. My friends Jon Stewart, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver, Conan O’Brien, James Corden, Arsenio, Kathy, Wanda, Chelsea, even Jay (Leno) reached out. I heard from late-night hosts in other countries, from Ireland and from Germany. The guy in Germany offered me a job.Can you imagine?This country has become so authoritarian, the Germans are like, “Come here. Cut loose.” My boyhood idols, Howard Stern and David Letterman, were very considerate and kind and I feel honored to be part of a group of people that knows what goes into doing a show like this. And I also want to thank all of you — I do — who supported our show, cared enough to do something about it, to make your voices heard so that mine could be heard. I will never forget it.”<h2>Kimmel on support from surprising places</h2>Kimmel: “And maybe, weirdly, maybe, most of all, I want to thank the people who don’t support my show and what I believe, but support my right to share those beliefs anyway. I never would have imagined if, like Ben Shapiro, Clay Travis, Candace Owens, Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, even my old pal Ted Cruz who believe it or not, said something very beautiful on my behalf.Ted Cruz clip: “I hate what Jimmy Kimmel said. I am thrilled that he was fired.”Kimmel: “Oh, wait, no, not that -- the other part.”Ted Cruz clip: “But let me tell you, if the government gets in the business of saying (crosstalk) what you can and can’t say what you the media have said, we’re going to ban you from the airwaves if you don’t say what we like, that will end up bad for conservatives.”Kimmel: “I don’t think I’ve ever said this before, but Ted Cruz is right. He’s absolutely right. This affects all of us, including him. I mean, think about it. If Ted Cruz can’t speak freely, then he can’t cast spells on the Smurfs.Even though I don’t agree with many of those people on most subjects, some of the things they say even make me want to throw up. It takes courage for them to speak out against this administration. They did, and they deserve credit for it. And thank for telling your followers that our government cannot be allowed to control what we do and do not say on television, and that we have to stand up to it. “<h2>Kimmel talks about Charlie Kirk</h2>“I posted a message on Instagram on the day he was killed, sending love to his family and asking for compassion. And I meant it. I still do. Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what, it was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make.But I understand that to some that felt either ill-timed or unclear or maybe both. And for those who think I did, point a finger, I get why you’re upset. If the situation was reversed, there’s a good chance I’d have felt the same way.I have many friends and family members on the other side who I love and remain close to, even though we don’t agree on politics at all. I don’t think the murderer who shot Charlie Kirk represents anyone. This was a sick person who believed violence was a solution. And it isn’t ever.And also, selfishly, I am, I am a person who gets a lot of threats. I get many ugly and scary threats against my life, my wife, my kids, my coworkers because of what I choose to say. And I know those threats don’t come from the kind of people on the right who I know and love. So that’s what I wanted to say on that subject. “<h2>Kimmel on the FCC and chairman Brendan Carr</h2>“I want you to think about this: Should the government be allowed to regulate which podcasts the cell phone companies and Wi-Fi providers are allowed to let you download to make sure they serve the public interest? You think that sounds crazy, but 10 years ago, this sounded crazy, Brendan Carr, the chairman of the FCC, telling an American company, we can do this the easy way or the hard way, and that these companies can find ways to change, conduct and take action on Kimmel or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.In addition to being a direct violation of the First Amendment, is not a particularly intelligent threat to make in public. Ted Cruz said he sounded like a mafioso. Although I don’t know, if you want to hear a mob boss make a threat like that, you have to hide a microphone in a deli and park outside in a van with a tape recorder all night long. This genius said it on a podcast.<h2>Kimmel says Trump has boosted ratings</h2>“You almost have to feel sorry for him. He tried, did his best to cancel me. Instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show. That backfired bigly. He might have to release the Epstein files to distract us from this now. ”<h2>ABC’s ‘condition’ for Kimmel returning and the host’s gratitude</h2>“I know a lot of people have been asking me if there are conditions for my return to the air, and there is one. Disney has asked me to read the following statement, and, I have agreed to do it.Here we go: To reactivate your Disney+ and Hulu account, open the Disney+ app on your smart TV or TV connected device. (laughter)I’ve been, um, fortunate to work at a company that has allowed me to do the show the way we want to do it for almost 23 years. I’ve done almost 4,000 shows on ABC. And over that time, the people who run this network have allowed me to evolve and to stretch the boundaries of what was once traditional for a late night talk show, even when it made them uncomfortable, which I do a lot.Every night, they’ve defended my right to poke fun at our leaders and to advocate for subjects that I think are important by allowing me to use their platform. And I am very grateful for that. With that said, I was not happy when they pulled me off the air on. I did not agree with that decision and I told them that and we had many conversations. I shared my point of view. They shared theirs. We talked it through and at the end, even though they didn’t have to, they really didn’t have to. This is a giant company. We have short attention spans, and I am a tiny part of the Disney Corporation. They welcomed me back on the air and I thank them for that. But unfortunately, and I think unjustly, this puts them at risk.”<h2>Kimmel says to follow Erika Kirk’s example of forgiveness</h2>“There was a moment over the weekend, a very beautiful moment. I don’t know if you saw this. On Sunday, Erika Kirk forgave the man who shot her husband. She forgave him. That is an example we should follow.If you believe in the teachings of Jesus as I do, there it was. That’s, that’s it. A selfless act of grace, forgiveness from a grieving widow. It touched me deeply. And I hope it touches many. And if there’s anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that.”

In Jimmy Kimmel’s words: What the host said upon his return from suspension

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Some kids who have been riding the bus to the school will no longer be eligible when students move into the new Hays Middle School building on 13th Street.

The former high school building is being remodeled to house the middle school. Students and staff are set to move to the new location in January.

To be eligible for transportation, students must live at least 2.5 miles from their school. If students live closer, the school district can't receive state funding for those transportation costs.

Russ&nbsp;Henningsen, transportation director, said 23 students will no longer qualify for bus transportation when the school moves.

However, some students who did not qualify for transportation when the school was at 201 W. 29th will qualify for transportation when the school relocates to 13th Street.

Henningsen said about 300 middle school students will qualify to ride the bus when the school moves.

However, Henningsen said not all students who qualify ride the bus. He said about 200 students now qualify to ride the bus, but only about half of them take advantage of the service.

Henningsen was asked if the district had enough buses to accommodate that many students. He said the district does not have enough buses to add any routes at this time. The district also lacks sufficient bus drivers to add new routes.

He said the district adjusts routes every year.

Superintendent Ron Wilson said anyone interested in applying to be a bus driver can contact the district. Drivers must have a commercial driver's license and undergo additional safety training.

Henningsen said all middle school families have been notified of the transportation changes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750284265445.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Busing eligibility to change when Hays Middle School moves to 13th Street" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=szpfb-1972f2a-pb&square=1&share=1&d… loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostSome kids who have been riding the bus to the school will no longer be eligible when students move into the new Hays Middle School building on 13th Street.The former high school building is being remodeled to house the middle school. Students and staff are set to move to the new location in January.To be eligible for transportation, students must live at least 2.5 miles from their school. If students live closer, the school district can't receive state funding for those transportation costs.Russ&nbsp;Henningsen, transportation director, said 23 students will no longer qualify for bus transportation when the school moves.However, some students who did not qualify for transportation when the school was at 201 W. 29th will qualify for transportation when the school relocates to 13th Street.Henningsen said about 300 middle school students will qualify to ride the bus when the school moves.However, Henningsen said not all students who qualify ride the bus. He said about 200 students now qualify to ride the bus, but only about half of them take advantage of the service.Henningsen was asked if the district had enough buses to accommodate that many students. He said the district does not have enough buses to add any routes at this time. The district also lacks sufficient bus drivers to add new routes.He said the district adjusts routes every year.Superintendent Ron Wilson said anyone interested in applying to be a bus driver can contact the district. Drivers must have a commercial driver's license and undergo additional safety training.Henningsen said all middle school families have been notified of the transportation changes.

🎙 Busing eligibility to change when Hays Middle School moves to 13th Street

Fort Hays State Tiger football coach Chris Brown, guard Josh Shaw and linebacker Gavin Meyers spoke to the media Tuesday before the Tigers&nbsp; host Missouri Western State Saturday at Lewis Field in Hays.

Hays Posts SportsFort Hays State Tiger football coach Chris Brown, guard Josh Shaw and linebacker Gavin Meyers spoke to the media Tuesday before the Tigers&nbsp; host Missouri Western State Saturday at Lewis Field in Hays.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xX8z7-KdDbo?si=n4m1mTlohn1_udEa" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

🏈📹 Chris Brown: "I still think this is a playoff team" | Tiger Press Conference 9-23-25

OAKLEY - The TMP-Marian volleyball team split their two matches at Tuesday's Oakley triangular. The Monarchs in three sets to the host Plainsmen then swept Ellis.

TMP-Marian lost to Oakley: 27-25, 14-25, 25-27 TMP-Marian def. Ellis:&nbsp; 25-21, 25-20

The Monarchs are 10-10 on the season. They return home to face Larned Thursday.

Hays Post SportsOAKLEY - The TMP-Marian volleyball team split their two matches at Tuesday's Oakley triangular. The Monarchs in three sets to the host Plainsmen then swept Ellis.TMP-Marian lost to Oakley: 27-25, 14-25, 25-27 TMP-Marian def. Ellis:&nbsp; 25-21, 25-20The Monarchs are 10-10 on the season. They return home to face Larned Thursday.

🏐 Monarchs split at Oakley triangular

HARVEY COUNTY – On September 19, 2025, Trevon Cole, 20, of Salina,&nbsp; entered a guilty plea in Harvey County District Court to one count of Rape, according to the Harvey County District Attorney's office.

At the time of the offense, Cole was a student at Bethel College and the crime occurred in the dorms located on the Bethel College campus.

Sentencing is scheduled to take place before Chief Judge Marilyn Wilder on December 3, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Cole remains out of custody on bond pending sentencing. 

He faces a potential prison sentence of 147 to 653 months in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections, followed by lifetime post-release supervision. He will also be subject to lifetime registration as a sex offender.

The successful prosecution of this case was made possible with the dedicated assistance of the North Newton Police Department. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758646833807.png" alt="Cole photo KBI Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Cole photo KBI Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY – On September 19, 2025, Trevon Cole, 20, of Salina,&nbsp; entered a guilty plea in Harvey County District Court to one count of Rape, according to the Harvey County District Attorney's office.At the time of the offense, Cole was a student at Bethel College and the crime occurred in the dorms located on the Bethel College campus.Sentencing is scheduled to take place before Chief Judge Marilyn Wilder on December 3, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Cole remains out of custody on bond pending sentencing. He faces a potential prison sentence of 147 to 653 months in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections, followed by lifetime post-release supervision. He will also be subject to lifetime registration as a sex offender.The successful prosecution of this case was made possible with the dedicated assistance of the North Newton Police Department.

Former student admits to sex crime in Kan. college dorm

Coldwater school district mired in conflict amid suspension of superintendent

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Comanche County law enforcement officials Monday asked for the public’s help investigating an incident in which 10 bullets were fired into the unoccupied, parked vehicle of the local school board president.

President Kelly Herd, and other members of the school board in southwest Kansas, have been embroiled in controversy that led to the suspension of superintendent Ty Theurer pending an&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/02/a-kansas-student-reported-her-coach-for-harassment-and-touching-school-leaders-kept-it-quiet/">inquiry into allegations he sexually harassed and inappropriately touched a student</a>.

The student’s family filed a sexual harassment complaint and police report in the spring, but Herd worked for months to downplay substance of the allegations and to preserve Theurer’s administrative position.

The school board voted Sept. 3 to suspend Theurer with pay after&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/04/outraged-parents-demand-action-as-kansas-school-board-places-superintendent-on-administrative-leave/">more than 100 community members packed a school board meeting to demand disciplinary action</a>. Many in the audience loudly criticized the board’s handling of the students’ complaint. There was a law enforcement presence at that meeting, but outrage was confined to a series of outbursts by people in the crowd and by Herd.

At 8:30 p.m. Sunday night, the sheriff’s department said, a vehicle parked at a residence in the 500 block of East Cottonwood in Coldwater was struck by gunfire approximately 10 times. Herd has resided at a house in that block for decades.

Sheriff Jacob Bruckner confirmed the vehicle was owned by a USD 300 school board member. He said the Kansas Bureau of Investigation responded to help process the crime scene and assist with the investigation.

“The vehicle was unoccupied at the time and no injuries were reported,” Bruckner said. “The investigation is ongoing.”

In a social media post, the sheriff urged Coldwater residents to check home security systems for video of vehicles or people in the neighborhood around the time of the shooting.

Steve Prusa, a member of Comanche County’s school board, said he was notified of the incident at the board president’s home shortly after it occurred.

The reality of someone turning to firearms to make a point about leadership of a public school district was alarming, he said.

“It’s not just a vandalism,” Prusa said. “It’s definitely to a different level.”

He said members of the school board, who don’t receive a salary, had stepped forward to serve because they sought to be of benefit to the community and assume a role in the education of students. The Comanche County district enrolls about 300 students.

“I am devastated and heartbroken for our community. Violence cannot be an answer to anything,” Prusa said.

Comanche County school board member Dean Yoder said it was wrong to interject violence into debate about education.

“So glad her and her family are OK,” Yoder said. “There is never a need for violence. Ever.”

The Comanche County district serves a rural population that includes the communities of Protection, Wilmore, Buttermilk and Coldwater. The district’s South Center High School is located in Coldwater. The district’s middle school and elementary school are in Protection.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758650204627.png" alt="Comanche County law enforcement officials Monday confirmed the unoccupied vehicle of a local school board member in Coldwater was peppered with gunshots on Sunday evening. The vehicle owner is Comanche County school board president Kelly Herd, a member of the board since 2016. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Comanche County law enforcement officials Monday confirmed the unoccupied vehicle of a local school board member in Coldwater was peppered with gunshots on Sunday evening. The vehicle owner is Comanche County school board president Kelly Herd, a member of the board since 2016. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Coldwater school district mired in conflict amid suspension of superintendent</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Comanche County law enforcement officials Monday asked for the public’s help investigating an incident in which 10 bullets were fired into the unoccupied, parked vehicle of the local school board president.President Kelly Herd, and other members of the school board in southwest Kansas, have been embroiled in controversy that led to the suspension of superintendent Ty Theurer pending an&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/02/a-kansas-student-reported-her-coach-for-harassment-and-touching-school-leaders-kept-it-quiet/">inquiry into allegations he sexually harassed and inappropriately touched a student</a>.The student’s family filed a sexual harassment complaint and police report in the spring, but Herd worked for months to downplay substance of the allegations and to preserve Theurer’s administrative position.The school board voted Sept. 3 to suspend Theurer with pay after&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/04/outraged-parents-demand-action-as-kansas-school-board-places-superintendent-on-administrative-leave/">more than 100 community members packed a school board meeting to demand disciplinary action</a>. Many in the audience loudly criticized the board’s handling of the students’ complaint. There was a law enforcement presence at that meeting, but outrage was confined to a series of outbursts by people in the crowd and by Herd.At 8:30 p.m. Sunday night, the sheriff’s department said, a vehicle parked at a residence in the 500 block of East Cottonwood in Coldwater was struck by gunfire approximately 10 times. Herd has resided at a house in that block for decades.Sheriff Jacob Bruckner confirmed the vehicle was owned by a USD 300 school board member. He said the Kansas Bureau of Investigation responded to help process the crime scene and assist with the investigation.“The vehicle was unoccupied at the time and no injuries were reported,” Bruckner said. “The investigation is ongoing.”In a social media post, the sheriff urged Coldwater residents to check home security systems for video of vehicles or people in the neighborhood around the time of the shooting.Steve Prusa, a member of Comanche County’s school board, said he was notified of the incident at the board president’s home shortly after it occurred.The reality of someone turning to firearms to make a point about leadership of a public school district was alarming, he said.“It’s not just a vandalism,” Prusa said. “It’s definitely to a different level.”He said members of the school board, who don’t receive a salary, had stepped forward to serve because they sought to be of benefit to the community and assume a role in the education of students. The Comanche County district enrolls about 300 students.“I am devastated and heartbroken for our community. Violence cannot be an answer to anything,” Prusa said.Comanche County school board member Dean Yoder said it was wrong to interject violence into debate about education.“So glad her and her family are OK,” Yoder said. “There is never a need for violence. Ever.”Herd declined to comment.The Comanche County district serves a rural population that includes the communities of Protection, Wilmore, Buttermilk and Coldwater. The district’s South Center High School is located in Coldwater. The district’s middle school and elementary school are in Protection.

SW Kan. school board president’s unoccupied vehicle struck by 10 gunshots

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — The man who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump at a Florida golf course last year tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen shortly after being found guilty of all counts on Tuesday.

Officers quickly swarmed him and dragged him out of the courtroom.

The jury of five men and seven women found Ryan Routh guilty on all counts that he was facing after about two hours of deliberation.

The jurors were on their way out of the courtroom after the verdict was announced when Routh grabbed a pen off a desk and tried to stab himself in the neck.

As marshals were dragging him from the courtroom, Routh's daughter Sara Routh began screaming, “Dad I love you, don’t do anything. I’ll get you out. He didn’t hurt anybody.”

She continued screaming as her father was taken from the courtroom, saying the case against him was rigged. She went outside the courthouse, where she waited by a guard gate for her father to be driven away.

Back inside the courtroom, Routh was brought back before the judge. He was no longer wearing a jacket and tie, and was shackled. There were no signs of blood on his shirt. The judge announced Routh will be sentenced on Dec. 18 at 9:30 a.m. He faces life in prison.

The standby defense attorneys for Routh did not have a comment following the verdict.

Routh had been charged with attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, assaulting a federal officer, possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. He had pleaded not guilty to the charges and defended himself in court.

Prosecutors said Routh spent weeks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">plotting to kill Trump</a>&nbsp;before aiming a rifle through shrubbery as the Republican played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club.

Routh told jurors in his closing argument that he didn’t intend to kill anyone that day.

“It’s hard for me to believe that a crime occurred if the trigger was never pulled,” Routh said. He pointed out that he could see Trump as he was on the path toward the sixth-hole green at the golf course and noted that he also could have shot a Secret Service agent who confronted him if he had intended to harm anyone.

Routh, 59, exercised his constitutional right not to testify in his own defense. He rested his case Monday morning after questioning just three witnesses — a firearms expert and two characters witnesses — for a total of about three hours. In contrast, prosecutors spent seven days questioning 38 witnesses.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a post on X that the guilty verdict “illustrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to punishing those who engage in political violence.”

“This attempted assassination was not only an attack on our President, but an affront to our very nation,” Bondi said.

“This verdict sends a clear message. An attempt to assassinate a presidential candidate is an attack on our Republic and on the rights of every citizen,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. “The Department of Justice will relentlessly pursue those who try to silence political voices, and no enemy, foreign or domestic, will ever silence the will of the American people.”

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon signed off on Routh’s request to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-attempt-florida-644c71bc607e4ebad5115f2a490b314c">represent himself</a>&nbsp;following two hearings in July. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that criminal defendants have a right to represent themselves in court proceedings, as long as they can show a judge they are competent to waive their right to be defended by an attorney. Routh’s former defense attorneys have served as standby counsel since he took over his own defense and have been present during trial the past two weeks.

Recounting what happened at the golf course, a Secret Service agent testified earlier in the trial that he spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot, the agent said.

Law enforcement obtained help from a witness who testified that he saw a person fleeing the area after hearing gunshots. The witness was then flown in a police helicopter to a nearby interstate where Routh was arrested, and the witness said he confirmed it was the person he had seen.

Just nine weeks earlier, Trump had survived&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-butler-assassination-attempt-anniversary-crooks-d18804b0e1382003bbb91449638c721c">an attempt</a>&nbsp;on his life while campaigning in Butler, Pennsylvania. That gunman had fired eight shots, with one bullet grazing Trump’s ear. The gunman was then fatally shot by a Secret Service counter sniper.

Routh was a North Carolina construction worker who in recent years had moved to Hawaii. A self-styled mercenary leader, Routh spoke out to anyone who would listen about his dangerous and sometimes violent plans to insert himself into conflicts around the world, witnesses have told The Associated Press.

In the early days of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine">Russia's war in Ukraine</a>, Routh tried to recruit soldiers from Afghanistan, Moldova and Taiwan to fight the Russians. In his native Greensboro, North Carolina, he was arrested in 2002 for eluding a traffic stop and barricading himself from officers with a fully automatic machine gun and a “weapon of mass destruction,” which turned out to be an explosive with a 10-inch (25-centimeter) fuse, police said.

In 2010, police searched a warehouse Routh owned and found more than 100 stolen items, from power tools and building supplies to kayaks and spa tubs. In both felony cases, judges gave Routh either probation or a suspended sentence.

Besides the federal charges, Routh also has pleaded not guilty to state charges of terrorism and attempted murder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726536262473.png" alt="-Routh photo Palm Beach County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>-Routh photo Palm Beach County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — The man who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump at a Florida golf course last year tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen shortly after being found guilty of all counts on Tuesday.Officers quickly swarmed him and dragged him out of the courtroom.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741357051491.png" alt="-Routh photo Palm Beach County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>-Routh photo Palm Beach County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>The jury of five men and seven women found Ryan Routh guilty on all counts that he was facing after about two hours of deliberation.The jurors were on their way out of the courtroom after the verdict was announced when Routh grabbed a pen off a desk and tried to stab himself in the neck.As marshals were dragging him from the courtroom, Routh's daughter Sara Routh began screaming, “Dad I love you, don’t do anything. I’ll get you out. He didn’t hurt anybody.”She continued screaming as her father was taken from the courtroom, saying the case against him was rigged. She went outside the courthouse, where she waited by a guard gate for her father to be driven away.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/etEVWek7gr">pic.twitter.com/etEVWek7gr</a>&mdash; Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1970562014419317049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Back inside the courtroom, Routh was brought back before the judge. He was no longer wearing a jacket and tie, and was shackled. There were no signs of blood on his shirt. The judge announced Routh will be sentenced on Dec. 18 at 9:30 a.m. He faces life in prison.The standby defense attorneys for Routh did not have a comment following the verdict.Routh had been charged with attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, assaulting a federal officer, possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. He had pleaded not guilty to the charges and defended himself in court.Prosecutors said Routh spent weeks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">plotting to kill Trump</a>&nbsp;before aiming a rifle through shrubbery as the Republican played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club.Routh told jurors in his closing argument that he didn’t intend to kill anyone that day.“It’s hard for me to believe that a crime occurred if the trigger was never pulled,” Routh said. He pointed out that he could see Trump as he was on the path toward the sixth-hole green at the golf course and noted that he also could have shot a Secret Service agent who confronted him if he had intended to harm anyone.Routh, 59, exercised his constitutional right not to testify in his own defense. He rested his case Monday morning after questioning just three witnesses — a firearms expert and two characters witnesses — for a total of about three hours. In contrast, prosecutors spent seven days questioning 38 witnesses.Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a post on X that the guilty verdict “illustrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to punishing those who engage in political violence.”“This attempted assassination was not only an attack on our President, but an affront to our very nation,” Bondi said.“This verdict sends a clear message. An attempt to assassinate a presidential candidate is an attack on our Republic and on the rights of every citizen,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. “The Department of Justice will relentlessly pursue those who try to silence political voices, and no enemy, foreign or domestic, will ever silence the will of the American people.”U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon signed off on Routh’s request to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-attempt-florida-644c71bc607e4ebad5115f2a490b314c">represent himself</a>&nbsp;following two hearings in July. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that criminal defendants have a right to represent themselves in court proceedings, as long as they can show a judge they are competent to waive their right to be defended by an attorney. Routh’s former defense attorneys have served as standby counsel since he took over his own defense and have been present during trial the past two weeks.Recounting what happened at the golf course, a Secret Service agent testified earlier in the trial that he spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot, the agent said.Law enforcement obtained help from a witness who testified that he saw a person fleeing the area after hearing gunshots. The witness was then flown in a police helicopter to a nearby interstate where Routh was arrested, and the witness said he confirmed it was the person he had seen.Just nine weeks earlier, Trump had survived&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-butler-assassination-attempt-anniversary-crooks-d18804b0e1382003bbb91449638c721c">an attempt</a>&nbsp;on his life while campaigning in Butler, Pennsylvania. That gunman had fired eight shots, with one bullet grazing Trump’s ear. The gunman was then fatally shot by a Secret Service counter sniper.Routh was a North Carolina construction worker who in recent years had moved to Hawaii. A self-styled mercenary leader, Routh spoke out to anyone who would listen about his dangerous and sometimes violent plans to insert himself into conflicts around the world, witnesses have told The Associated Press.In the early days of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine">Russia's war in Ukraine</a>, Routh tried to recruit soldiers from Afghanistan, Moldova and Taiwan to fight the Russians. In his native Greensboro, North Carolina, he was arrested in 2002 for eluding a traffic stop and barricading himself from officers with a fully automatic machine gun and a “weapon of mass destruction,” which turned out to be an explosive with a 10-inch (25-centimeter) fuse, police said.In 2010, police searched a warehouse Routh owned and found more than 100 stolen items, from power tools and building supplies to kayaks and spa tubs. In both felony cases, judges gave Routh either probation or a suspended sentence.Besides the federal charges, Routh also has pleaded not guilty to state charges of terrorism and attempted murder.___

Trump would-be assassin tried to kill himself after guilty verdict 

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-9-23-2025">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has abruptly canceled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shutdown-congress-democrats-health-care-ce86b9021837ad2a6b32f7f484207714">this week's planned meeting</a>&nbsp;with congressional Democratic leaders, refusing to negotiate over their demands to shore up health care funds as part of a deal to prevent a potential looming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">federal government shutdown</a>.

In a lengthy Tuesday social media post, Trump rejected the sit-down the White House had agreed to the day before. It would have been the first time the Republican president met with the Democratic Party's leaders,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Sen. Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hakeem-jeffries">Rep. Hakeem Jeffries</a>, since his return to the White House.

“I have decided that no meeting with their Congressional Leaders could possibly be productive,” Trump wrote in the post.

The president complained the Democrats “are threatening to shut down the Government of the United States" unless the Republicans agree to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-government-shutdown-trump-schumer-health-care-55d72ec2cdfd6b0c9f6dcc61696dbbc6">more funding on health care</a>&nbsp;for various groups of people he has criticized. Trump did not close the door on a future sit-down with the Democratic leaders, but he warned of a “long and brutal slog” ahead unless Democrats dropped their demands to salvage health care funds.

Earlier Tuesday, Schumer and Jeffries had issued a joint statement saying that after “weeks of Republican stonewalling” the president had agreed to meet in the Oval Office. But after the Republican president canceled the meeting, the Democratic leaders accused him of throwing a tantrum and running away. Jeffries posted on X that “Trump Always Chickens Out.”

“Donald Trump just cancelled a high stakes meeting in the Oval Office with myself and Leader Schumer,” Jeffries wrote on X. “The extremists want to shut down the government because they are unwilling to address the Republican healthcare crisis that is devastating America.”

In a post on X directed at Trump, Schumer said Democrats will sit down and discuss health care “when you’re finished ranting.”

Schumer said Trump “is running away from the negotiating table before he even gets there” and would “rather throw a tantrum than do his job.”

With Congress at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-republicans-funding-schumer-congress-trump-0c1973b2d0aad76aa5a3ec3749965edd">a stalemate</a>, the government is headed toward a federal shutdown next week, Oct. 1, if the House and the Senate are unable to approve the legislation needed to fund offices and services into the new fiscal year. Lawmakers left town amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-trump-funding-bill-republicans-shutdown-1fea0f79c85ec69b91d9789fbda00834">the logjam</a>, and they are not due back until Sept. 29.

Trump has been unafraid of shutting down the government and, during his first term, was president over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/30769167ab7a4ef9adf880d020b775dd">the nation's longest federal closure</a>, during the 2018-19 holiday season, when he was pushing Congress to provide funds for his long-promised U.S.-Mexico border wall.

The president insisted over the weekend that essential services, including for veterans, would remain open.

Republicans, who have the majority in both the House and the Senate, have been trying to avoid a shutdown.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">House Speaker Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;led passage late last week of a temporary funding measure, which would have kept government offices running into November while talks get underway.

That's the typical way to buy time during funding fights, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-trump-funding-bill-republicans-shutdown-1fea0f79c85ec69b91d9789fbda00834">the measure failed</a>&nbsp;in the Senate. Democrats refused to support the stopgap bill because it did not include their priorities of health care funds. A Democratic proposal, with the health care money restored, was defeated by Senate Republicans.

Schumer and Jeffries have demanded a meeting with Trump to work out a compromise, but the Republican president has been reluctant to enter talks and instructed GOP leaders on Capitol Hill not to negotiate with the Democrats.

Thursday's scheduled meeting would have potentially set up a showdown at the White House, reminiscent of the 2018 funding fight when Trump led&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaIX_SI7sgw">an explosive public session</a>&nbsp;with Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi.

Democrats are working to protect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-republicans-funding-schumer-congress-trump-0c1973b2d0aad76aa5a3ec3749965edd">health care programs</a>. The Democratic proposal would extend enhanced health insurance subsidies set to expire at the end of the year, plus reverse Medicaid cuts that were included in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-republican-trump-tax-bill-f65be44e1050431a601320197322551b">Republicans’ big tax breaks and spending cuts bill</a>&nbsp;enacted earlier this year.

Republicans have said the Democrats’ demands to reverse the Medicaid changes are a nonstarter, but they have also said there is time to address the health insurance subsidy issue in the months ahead.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758638266766.png" alt="President Trump and the First Lady arrive at the UN on Tuesday-image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump and the First Lady arrive at the UN on Tuesday-image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-9-23-2025">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has abruptly canceled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shutdown-congress-democrats-health-care-ce86b9021837ad2a6b32f7f484207714">this week's planned meeting</a>&nbsp;with congressional Democratic leaders, refusing to negotiate over their demands to shore up health care funds as part of a deal to prevent a potential looming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">federal government shutdown</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Trump Always Chickens Out. Donald Trump just cancelled a high stakes meeting in the Oval Office with myself and Leader Schumer. The extremists want to shut down the government because they are unwilling to address the Republican healthcare crisis that is devastating America.&mdash; Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepJeffries/status/1970496724260028910?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/f7uLA1c7tC">pic.twitter.com/f7uLA1c7tC</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1970484487625547886?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a lengthy Tuesday social media post, Trump rejected the sit-down the White House had agreed to the day before. It would have been the first time the Republican president met with the Democratic Party's leaders,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Sen. Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hakeem-jeffries">Rep. Hakeem Jeffries</a>, since his return to the White House.“I have decided that no meeting with their Congressional Leaders could possibly be productive,” Trump wrote in the post.The president complained the Democrats “are threatening to shut down the Government of the United States" unless the Republicans agree to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-government-shutdown-trump-schumer-health-care-55d72ec2cdfd6b0c9f6dcc61696dbbc6">more funding on health care</a>&nbsp;for various groups of people he has criticized. Trump did not close the door on a future sit-down with the Democratic leaders, but he warned of a “long and brutal slog” ahead unless Democrats dropped their demands to salvage health care funds.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Donald Trump has never used my name during his presidency. Now he is afraid to meet to discuss the Republican healthcare crisis and pending government shutdown. Why is that? Sincerely, Hakeem Sekou Jeffries&mdash; Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepJeffries/status/1970521433794023490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Earlier Tuesday, Schumer and Jeffries had issued a joint statement saying that after “weeks of Republican stonewalling” the president had agreed to meet in the Oval Office. But after the Republican president canceled the meeting, the Democratic leaders accused him of throwing a tantrum and running away. Jeffries posted on X that “Trump Always Chickens Out.”“Donald Trump just cancelled a high stakes meeting in the Oval Office with myself and Leader Schumer,” Jeffries wrote on X. “The extremists want to shut down the government because they are unwilling to address the Republican healthcare crisis that is devastating America.”In a post on X directed at Trump, Schumer said Democrats will sit down and discuss health care “when you’re finished ranting.”Schumer said Trump “is running away from the negotiating table before he even gets there” and would “rather throw a tantrum than do his job.”With Congress at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-republicans-funding-schumer-congress-trump-0c1973b2d0aad76aa5a3ec3749965edd">a stalemate</a>, the government is headed toward a federal shutdown next week, Oct. 1, if the House and the Senate are unable to approve the legislation needed to fund offices and services into the new fiscal year. Lawmakers left town amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-trump-funding-bill-republicans-shutdown-1fea0f79c85ec69b91d9789fbda00834">the logjam</a>, and they are not due back until Sept. 29.Trump has been unafraid of shutting down the government and, during his first term, was president over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/30769167ab7a4ef9adf880d020b775dd">the nation's longest federal closure</a>, during the 2018-19 holiday season, when he was pushing Congress to provide funds for his long-promised U.S.-Mexico border wall.The president insisted over the weekend that essential services, including for veterans, would remain open.Republicans, who have the majority in both the House and the Senate, have been trying to avoid a shutdown.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">House Speaker Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;led passage late last week of a temporary funding measure, which would have kept government offices running into November while talks get underway.That's the typical way to buy time during funding fights, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-trump-funding-bill-republicans-shutdown-1fea0f79c85ec69b91d9789fbda00834">the measure failed</a>&nbsp;in the Senate. Democrats refused to support the stopgap bill because it did not include their priorities of health care funds. A Democratic proposal, with the health care money restored, was defeated by Senate Republicans.Schumer and Jeffries have demanded a meeting with Trump to work out a compromise, but the Republican president has been reluctant to enter talks and instructed GOP leaders on Capitol Hill not to negotiate with the Democrats.Thursday's scheduled meeting would have potentially set up a showdown at the White House, reminiscent of the 2018 funding fight when Trump led&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaIX_SI7sgw">an explosive public session</a>&nbsp;with Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi.Democrats are working to protect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-republicans-funding-schumer-congress-trump-0c1973b2d0aad76aa5a3ec3749965edd">health care programs</a>. The Democratic proposal would extend enhanced health insurance subsidies set to expire at the end of the year, plus reverse Medicaid cuts that were included in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-republican-trump-tax-bill-f65be44e1050431a601320197322551b">Republicans’ big tax breaks and spending cuts bill</a>&nbsp;enacted earlier this year.Republicans have said the Democrats’ demands to reverse the Medicaid changes are a nonstarter, but they have also said there is time to address the health insurance subsidy issue in the months ahead.

House Democrat leader: Trump always chickens out

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NEW YORK (AP) — Jimmy Kimmel is set to return to late-night television Tuesday after a nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-show-suspended-charlie-kirk-a2bfa904429c318fe52e7d3493c6883d">weeklong suspension</a>&nbsp;that triggered a national discussion about freedom of speech and President Donald Trump's ability to police the words of journalists, commentators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-free-speech-comedy-censorship-0a1525424a5cf66d7236a39b853c4680">and even comics</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758149830141.png" alt="Image courtesy ABC" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy ABC</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Jimmy Kimmel is set to return to late-night television Tuesday after a nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-show-suspended-charlie-kirk-a2bfa904429c318fe52e7d3493c6883d">weeklong suspension</a>&nbsp;that triggered a national discussion about freedom of speech and President Donald Trump's ability to police the words of journalists, commentators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-free-speech-comedy-censorship-0a1525424a5cf66d7236a39b853c4680">and even comics</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming. Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return. <a href="https://t.co/beGC6VID2x">pic.twitter.com/beGC6VID2x</a>&mdash; Sinclair, Inc. (@WeAreSinclair) <a href="https://twitter.com/WeAreSinclair/status/1970266039532306593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But two groups of ABC affiliates that denounced Kimmel last week said they would not carry his return. Nexstar Media Group said it would continue to preempt the show, “pending assurances that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve.” Sinclair Broadcast Group said it would also keep Kimmel off its stations. The two corporations collectively control about a quarter of ABC affiliates.ABC, which suspended Kimmel's show last Wednesday following criticism of his comments about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-conservative-activist-shot-546165a8151104e0938a5e085be1e8bd">assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk,</a>&nbsp;announced Monday that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” would return after the network had “thoughtful conversations” with the host.“Our long national late nightmare is over,” Stephen Colbert joked on his CBS show in response to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-suspension-supporters-94b79634a19b2c4ce70a2b4195ef1175">Kimmel's reinstatement</a>.ABC suspended&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-show-suspended-charlie-kirk-2c79d56fa53779014f2bb2ed9e47da1f"></a>Kimmel indefinitely after comments he made in a monologue last week. Kimmel suggested that many Trump supporters were trying to capitalize on Kirk’s death and were "desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.”Trump-appointed Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr last week said it appeared that Kimmel was trying to “directly mislead the American public” with his remarks about Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old Utah man charged with Kirk's killing, and his motives. Those&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-tyler-robinson-court-death-penalty-f541df08a936e06497ee2342296bc398">motives remain unclear</a>. Authorities say Robinson grew up in a conservative family, but his mother told investigators his son had turned left politically in the last year.“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr said before ABC announced the suspension. “These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”Those remarks set a backlash in motion, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-republicans-charlie-kirk-speech-kimmel-806cfa39cc19060541f3834a0597ff09">Republican Sen. Ted Cruz saying that Carr</a>&nbsp;acted like “a mafioso.” Hundreds of entertainment luminaries, including Tom Hanks, Barbra Streisand and Jennifer Aniston, signed a letter circulated by the American Civil Liberties Union that called ABC's move “a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation.”Some consumers punished&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-suspended-charlie-kirk-business-interests-fcc-f18546e00ba03980c03b4cda4c576aa8">ABC parent Disney</a>&nbsp;by canceling subscriptions to its streaming services.Trump had hailed Kimmel's suspension, even inaccurately saying the show had been canceled. Kimmel has been a relentless Trump critic in his comedy.Trump's administration has used threats, lawsuits and federal government pressure to try to exert more control over the media industry. Trump sued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abc-trump-lawsuit-defamation-stephanopoulos-04aea8663310af39ae2a85f4c1a56d68">ABC</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-media-harris-minutes-paramount-6415042fe910ae60b432dd8c73ef61b2">CBS</a>&nbsp;over news coverage, which the companies settled. Trump has also filed defamation lawsuits against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-wall-street-journal-b006f3ef25e6b4ab910cc3b41c865227">The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-lawsuit-new-york-times-b2a615192ebe2dcec859eb883368dfbb">The New York Times</a>, and successfully urged Congress to strip federal funding from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/npr-pbs-public-broadcasting-trump-cuts-73de8fadf32655aa74752690d22a3758">NPR and PBS</a>.How — or even whether — Kimmel would address the controversy on his first show back remained a mystery. Millions of people are likely to watch.Disney and ABC executives reportedly negotiated the return for several days before announcing the resolution. The ABC statement said the suspension happened because some of Kimmel's comments were “ill-timed and thus insensitive,” but it did not call them misleading.Andrew Kolvet, a spokesperson for Turning Point USA, the organization founded by Kirk and now headed by his widow, posted on X that “Disney and ABC caving and allowing Kimmel back on the air is not surprising, but it’s their mistake to make.”The suspension happened at a time when the late-night landscape is shifting. Shows are losing viewers, in part because many watch highlights the next day online. CBS announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stephen-colbert-late-show-cbs-end-8bad9f16f076df62c0ffc50e9c8adbab">the cancellation of Colbert’s show</a>&nbsp;over the summer. Kimmel's contract with ABC reportedly lasts through May.Colbert, in his opening monologue Monday, grabbed his recently won Emmy Award for outstanding talk series, saying, “Once more, I am the only martyr on late night!”___Associated Press writers Mark Kennedy and James Pollard in New York and Patrick Whittle in Portland, Maine, contributed to this report.---------------------------------NEW YORK (AP) — ABC will reinstate Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show in the wake of criticism over his comments about the assassination of conservative&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-utah-university-republicans-8357c3d102de09e3320fde761258131a">activist Charlie Kirk</a>, officials with the network said Monday."We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday,” ABC said a statement.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming. Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return. <a href="https://t.co/beGC6VID2x">pic.twitter.com/beGC6VID2x</a>&mdash; Sinclair, Inc. (@WeAreSinclair) <a href="https://twitter.com/WeAreSinclair/status/1970266039532306593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>ABC&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-show-suspended-charlie-kirk-2c79d56fa53779014f2bb2ed9e47da1f">suspended</a>&nbsp;Kimmel indefinitely on Wednesday after comments he made about Kirk, who was killed Sept. 10, in a monologue. Kimmel said “many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk” and that “the MAGA gang” was “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.”Kimmel has hosted “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on ABC since 2003 and has been a fixture in television and comedy for even longer. He is also well known as a presenter, having hosted the Academy Awards four times.Backlash to Kimmel’s comments was swift.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abc-kimmel-affiliate-charlie-kirk-8eb9dca5dff2c717fd00a7083982c5c4">Nexstar and Sinclair,</a>&nbsp;two of ABC’s largest affiliate owners, said they would be pulling “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from their stations. Others, including several fellow&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-suspended-reaction-03c1ae9d16a4a47481e855de1668def3">comedians</a>, came to his defense.Sinclair said Monday that it would not air Kimmel's show Tuesday and would broadcast news programming instead. “Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show's potential return,” the company said. There was no immediate comment from Nexstar on its plans for Kimmel's return.Andrew Kolvet, a spokesperson for Turning Point USA, the organization founded by Kirk and now headed by his widow, posted on X about Kimmel's reinstatement: “Disney and ABC caving and allowing Kimmel back on the air is not surprising, but it's their mistake to make. Nexstar and Sinclair do not have to make the same choice.”Stephen Colbert joyfully reacted to the news during the opening of his “Late Show,” telling his audience that “our long national, late nightmare is over.”Colbert, whose late show is being canceled by CBS after this season, said he was happy for his friend and the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” staff. Grabbing his recently-won Emmy Award for outstanding talk series, the comedian could hardly contain his glee. He added, “Once more, I am the only martyr on late night!”President Donald Trump, one of Kimmel’s frequent targets, posted on social media that Kimmel’s suspension was “great news for America.” He also called for other late night hosts to be fired. He has yet to comment on Kimmel's reinstatement.Kimmel’s suspension arrived in a time when Trump and his administration have pursued threats, lawsuits and federal government pressure to try to exert more control over the media industry. Trump has reached settlements with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abc-trump-lawsuit-defamation-stephanopoulos-04aea8663310af39ae2a85f4c1a56d68">ABC</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-media-harris-minutes-paramount-6415042fe910ae60b432dd8c73ef61b2">CBS</a>&nbsp;over their coverage.Trump has also filed defamation lawsuits against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-wall-street-journal-b006f3ef25e6b4ab910cc3b41c865227">The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-lawsuit-new-york-times-b2a615192ebe2dcec859eb883368dfbb">The New York Times</a>. Republicans in Congress stripped federal funding from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/npr-pbs-public-broadcasting-trump-cuts-73de8fadf32655aa74752690d22a3758">NPR and PBS</a>.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brendan-carr-fcc-chairman-jimmy-kimmel-f1c635a8b2184ccf50ed53d1c8d76518">Brendan Carr</a>, the head of the Federal Communications Commission, issued a warning prior to Kimmel’s suspension that criticized Kimmel’s remarks about the Kirk assassination.“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr said. “These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”Carr denied on Monday that he threatened to revoke ABC's local station licenses because of Kimmel's remarks.“Jimmy Kimmel is in the situation he’s in because of his ratings. Not because of anything that’s happened at the federal government level,” Carr said at the Concordia Annual Summit.Kimmel’s suspension has cast a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-suspended-charlie-kirk-business-interests-fcc-f18546e00ba03980c03b4cda4c576aa8">spotlight on the web of business interests</a>&nbsp;that require approval from the U.S. government. Disney, for instance, needs approval from the Trump administration for ESPN to complete its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-media-espn-a801cc6d355ddbcb98a8700125eed18b">acquisition of the NFL Network</a>, while Nexstar needs the administration’s approval to complete its $6.2 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nexstar-tegna-newsnation-cw-trump-c1743d55103a809ea31c5c7c7c4c0c87">purchase of broadcast rival Tegna</a>. Sinclair has petitioned the FCC to relax rules limiting broadcaster ownership of stations.The suspension also happened at a time when the late night landscape is shifting. CBS announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stephen-colbert-late-show-cbs-end-8bad9f16f076df62c0ffc50e9c8adbab">the cancellation of Colbert’s show</a>&nbsp;over the summer.Kimmel’s contract with The Walt Disney Co.-owned network had been set to expire in May 2026. His representative did not return a message seeking comment Monday.Word of the reinstatement came as hundreds of Hollywood and Broadway stars — including Robert De Niro, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Selena Gomez, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep — urged Americans “fight to defend and preserve our constitutionally protected rights” in the wake of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-suspended-charlie-kirk-business-interests-fcc-f18546e00ba03980c03b4cda4c576aa8">Jimmy Kimmel's suspension.</a>More than 430 movie, TV and stage stars as well as comedians, directors and writers added their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aclu.org/defend-free-speech-letter-kimmel">names to an open letter</a>&nbsp;Monday from the American Civil Liberties Union that argues it is “a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation.”Also Monday, ABC's “The View” weighed in on the controversy after not raising it for two episodes after Kimmel was suspended. Co-host Whoopi Goldberg opened the show saying: “No one silences us” and she and her fellow hosts condemned Disney's decision.New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani said Monday evening he’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zohran-mamdani-kimmel-nyc-mayor-bdb4033e7d60d6c81a80d16c8499bfed">willing to appear at a town hall</a>&nbsp;hosted by a local ABC station after earlier canceling his appearance due to Kimmel's suspension.___This story has been updated to correct that last name of Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet.