WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;welcomed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-saudi-arabia-israel-abraham-accords-mbs-24efae2972c9c4a488fcda5ff8c5ad1f">Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman</a>&nbsp;to Washington on Tuesday as the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia makes his first White House visit since the 2018 killing of Washington Post journalist&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jamal-khashoggi">Jamal Khashoggi</a>&nbsp;by Saudi agents.

Trump warmly received Prince Mohammed when he arrived at the White House Tuesday morning for a pomp-filled arrival ceremony that included a military flyover and a thundering greeting from the U.S. Marine band.

The U.S.-Saudi relationship had been sent into a tailspin by the operation targeting Khashoggi, a fierce critic of the kingdom, that U.S. intelligence agencies later determined Prince Mohammed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-saudi-crown-prince-khashoggi-killing-26c37f6d603737de7509f5ee09ae7f9d">likely directed the agents</a>&nbsp;to carry out.

But seven years later, the dark clouds over the relationship have been cleared away. And Trump has tightened his embrace of the 40-year-old crown prince he views as an indispensable player in shaping the Middle East in the decades to come. Prince Mohammed, for his part, denies involvement in the killing of Khashoggi, a Saudi citizen and Virginia resident.

Khashoggi was an afterthought as the two leaders unveil billions of dollars in deals and huddle with aides to discuss the tricky path ahead in a volatile Middle East. They'll end their day with an evening White House soiree, organized by first lady Melania Trump, to honor the prince.

The president dismissed questions to the crown prince about the journalist's killing.

“Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen,” Trump said of the international incident.

Trump, during an Oval Office meeting with the prince by his side, commended the Saudi leader for strides made by the kingdom on human rights without providing any specific detail.

“I’m very proud of the job he’s done,” Trump said. “What’s he done is incredible in terms of human rights and everything else.”

The crown prince for his part announced Saudi Arabia was increasing its planned investments in the U.S. to $1 trillion, up from $600 billion that the Saudis said they planned to invest in the United States when Trump visited the kingdom in May.

Trump's family has a strong personal interest in the kingdom. In September, London real estate developer Dar Global announced that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-trump-organization-jeddah-dar-global-539989a563d8f7eb949be2e10ee18d0a">it plans to launch Trump Plaza</a>&nbsp;in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.

It's Dar Global's second collaboration with the Trump Organization, the collection of companies controlled by the U.S. president's children, in Saudi Arabia. Last year, the two companies announced the launch of Trump Tower Jeddah.

Trump pushed back on the notion Tuesday that there was a conflict of interest.

“I have nothing to do with the family business,” said Trump on Tuesday, adding that his family has relatively little interest in the kingdom.

Technically, it's not a state visit, because the crown prince is not the head of state. But Prince Mohammed has taken charge of the day-to-day governing for his father, King Salman, 89, who has endured health problems in recent years.

Most foreign leaders who come to meet with Trump are driven up to the doors of the West Wing, where the president often greets them. But Prince Mohammed, accompanied by the Saudi prime minister, was welcomed with a formal arrival ceremony on the South Lawn.

Trump then showed the prince the newly-installed Presidential Walk of Fame that features gold-framed images of past presidents along the West Wing colonnade and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-presidential-portraits-biden-autopen-white-house-e8624154e72631e723930ea549bb8910">a photo of an autopen signing the name of former President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;in place of the Democrat’s official portrait.

An Oval Office meeting and luncheon in the Cabinet Room will follow.

Trump will then see the crown prince off in the afternoon but he’s expected to return to the South Lawn, with the first lady, to welcome the crown prince when he returns for the evening East Room dinner.

Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese soccer great who is playing in the Saudi Pro League, is also expected to be at the White House on Tuesday during the crown prince's visit, according to a White House official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

In addition to White House pomp, the two nations are also planning an investment summit at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday that will include the heads of Salesforce, Qualcomm, Pfizer, the Cleveland Clinic, Chevron and Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s national oil and natural gas company, where even more deals with the Saudis could be announced.

Ahead of Prince Mohammed's arrival, Trump announced he has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-saudi-arabia-crown-prince-f35-77edbfa2f257805d43a501cd4808648a">agreed to sell the Saudis F-35 fighter jets</a>&nbsp;despite some concerns within the administration that the sale could lead to China gaining access to the U.S. technology behind the advanced weapon system.

Trump's announcement is also surprising because some in the Republican administration have been wary about upsetting Israel’s qualitative military edge over its neighbors, especially at a time when Trump is depending on Israeli support for the success of his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-israel-hamas-war-gaza-708a08671b8842d7a7a5e250ec51351c">Gaza peace plan</a>.

But the unexpected move comes at a moment when Trump is trying to nudge the Saudis toward normalizing relations with Israel.

The president in his first term had helped forge commercial and diplomatic ties between Israel and Bahrain, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates through an effort dubbed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bahrain-israel-united-arab-emirates-middle-east-elections-7544b322a254ebea1693e387d83d9d8b">Abraham Accords</a>.

Trump sees expansion of the accords as essential to his broader efforts to build stability in the Middle East after the two-year Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

And getting Saudi Arabia — the largest Arab economy and the birthplace of Islam — to sign on would spur a domino effect, he argues. The president in recent weeks has even predicted that once Saudi Arabia signs on to the accords, “everybody” in the Arab world “goes in.”

But the Saudis have maintained that a clear path toward Palestinian statehood must first be established before normalizing relations with Israel can be considered. The Israelis, meanwhile, remain steadfastly opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state.

The U.N. Security Council on Monday approved a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-israel-hamas-war-gaza-708a08671b8842d7a7a5e250ec51351c">U.S. plan for Gaza</a>&nbsp;that authorizes an international stabilization force to provide security in the devastated territory and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-ceasefire-un-trump-russia-e701750e61968110b873e90372b9f2e7">envisions a possible future path</a>&nbsp;to an independent Palestinian state.

The leaders certainly will have plenty to talk about including maintaining the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, mutual concerns about Iran’s malign behavior, and a brutal civil war in Sudan.

And the Saudis are looking to receive formal assurances from Trump defining the scope of U.S. military protection for the kingdom, even though anything not ratified by Congress can be undone by the next president.

Prince Mohammed, 40, who has stayed away from the West after the Khashoggi killing, is also looking to reestablish his position as a global player and a leader determined to diversify the Saudi economy away from oil by investing in sectors like mining, technology and tourism.

To that end, Saudi Arabia is expected to announce a multi-billion dollar investment in U.S. artificial intelligence infrastructure, and the two countries will lay out details about new cooperation in the civil nuclear energy sector, according to a senior Trump administration official who was not authorized to comment publicly ahead of the formal announcement.

A coalition of 11 human rights groups ahead of the crown prince’s visit called on the Trump administration to use its leverage to press Saudi authorities, who badly want to broaden its business and defense connections with the U.S., to make concrete commitments on human rights and press freedom during the visit.

The activists say Saudi authorities continue to harshly repress dissent, including by arresting human rights defenders, journalists, and political dissidents for criticism against the kingdom. Human rights organizations have also documented a surge in executions in Saudi Arabia that they connect to an effort to suppress internal dissent.

“Saudi Arabia’s crown prince is trying to rebrand himself as a global statesman, but the reality at home is mass repression, record numbers of executions, and zero tolerance for dissent," Sarah Yager, Washington director at the group Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. "U.S. officials should be pressing for change, not posing for photos.”

AP writers Josh Boak, Seung Min Kim, Michelle Price and Darlene Superville contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763483740130.png" alt="Image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;welcomed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-saudi-arabia-israel-abraham-accords-mbs-24efae2972c9c4a488fcda5ff8c5ad1f">Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman</a>&nbsp;to Washington on Tuesday as the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia makes his first White House visit since the 2018 killing of Washington Post journalist&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jamal-khashoggi">Jamal Khashoggi</a>&nbsp;by Saudi agents.Trump warmly received Prince Mohammed when he arrived at the White House Tuesday morning for a pomp-filled arrival ceremony that included a military flyover and a thundering greeting from the U.S. Marine band.The U.S.-Saudi relationship had been sent into a tailspin by the operation targeting Khashoggi, a fierce critic of the kingdom, that U.S. intelligence agencies later determined Prince Mohammed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-saudi-crown-prince-khashoggi-killing-26c37f6d603737de7509f5ee09ae7f9d">likely directed the agents</a>&nbsp;to carry out.But seven years later, the dark clouds over the relationship have been cleared away. And Trump has tightened his embrace of the 40-year-old crown prince he views as an indispensable player in shaping the Middle East in the decades to come. Prince Mohammed, for his part, denies involvement in the killing of Khashoggi, a Saudi citizen and Virginia resident.Khashoggi was an afterthought as the two leaders unveil billions of dollars in deals and huddle with aides to discuss the tricky path ahead in a volatile Middle East. They'll end their day with an evening White House soiree, organized by first lady Melania Trump, to honor the prince.The president dismissed questions to the crown prince about the journalist's killing.“Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen,” Trump said of the international incident.Trump, during an Oval Office meeting with the prince by his side, commended the Saudi leader for strides made by the kingdom on human rights without providing any specific detail.“I’m very proud of the job he’s done,” Trump said. “What’s he done is incredible in terms of human rights and everything else.”The crown prince for his part announced Saudi Arabia was increasing its planned investments in the U.S. to $1 trillion, up from $600 billion that the Saudis said they planned to invest in the United States when Trump visited the kingdom in May.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F2120188255181378%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Trump's family has a strong personal interest in the kingdom. In September, London real estate developer Dar Global announced that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-trump-organization-jeddah-dar-global-539989a563d8f7eb949be2e10ee18d0a">it plans to launch Trump Plaza</a>&nbsp;in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.It's Dar Global's second collaboration with the Trump Organization, the collection of companies controlled by the U.S. president's children, in Saudi Arabia. Last year, the two companies announced the launch of Trump Tower Jeddah.Trump pushed back on the notion Tuesday that there was a conflict of interest.“I have nothing to do with the family business,” said Trump on Tuesday, adding that his family has relatively little interest in the kingdom.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fposts%2Fpfbid04vPUmgRubgxStMjDuRJoQapW8mff6mEH2AZ2bb5nD375i1vGETN4sy8VkGK7m1TJl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="684" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div><h2>Rolling out the red carpet</h2>Technically, it's not a state visit, because the crown prince is not the head of state. But Prince Mohammed has taken charge of the day-to-day governing for his father, King Salman, 89, who has endured health problems in recent years.Most foreign leaders who come to meet with Trump are driven up to the doors of the West Wing, where the president often greets them. But Prince Mohammed, accompanied by the Saudi prime minister, was welcomed with a formal arrival ceremony on the South Lawn.Trump then showed the prince the newly-installed Presidential Walk of Fame that features gold-framed images of past presidents along the West Wing colonnade and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-presidential-portraits-biden-autopen-white-house-e8624154e72631e723930ea549bb8910">a photo of an autopen signing the name of former President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;in place of the Democrat’s official portrait.An Oval Office meeting and luncheon in the Cabinet Room will follow.Trump will then see the crown prince off in the afternoon but he’s expected to return to the South Lawn, with the first lady, to welcome the crown prince when he returns for the evening East Room dinner.Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese soccer great who is playing in the Saudi Pro League, is also expected to be at the White House on Tuesday during the crown prince's visit, according to a White House official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.In addition to White House pomp, the two nations are also planning an investment summit at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday that will include the heads of Salesforce, Qualcomm, Pfizer, the Cleveland Clinic, Chevron and Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s national oil and natural gas company, where even more deals with the Saudis could be announced.<h2>Fighter jets and business deals</h2>Ahead of Prince Mohammed's arrival, Trump announced he has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-saudi-arabia-crown-prince-f35-77edbfa2f257805d43a501cd4808648a">agreed to sell the Saudis F-35 fighter jets</a>&nbsp;despite some concerns within the administration that the sale could lead to China gaining access to the U.S. technology behind the advanced weapon system.Trump's announcement is also surprising because some in the Republican administration have been wary about upsetting Israel’s qualitative military edge over its neighbors, especially at a time when Trump is depending on Israeli support for the success of his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-israel-hamas-war-gaza-708a08671b8842d7a7a5e250ec51351c">Gaza peace plan</a>.But the unexpected move comes at a moment when Trump is trying to nudge the Saudis toward normalizing relations with Israel.The president in his first term had helped forge commercial and diplomatic ties between Israel and Bahrain, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates through an effort dubbed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bahrain-israel-united-arab-emirates-middle-east-elections-7544b322a254ebea1693e387d83d9d8b">Abraham Accords</a>.Trump sees expansion of the accords as essential to his broader efforts to build stability in the Middle East after the two-year Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.And getting Saudi Arabia — the largest Arab economy and the birthplace of Islam — to sign on would spur a domino effect, he argues. The president in recent weeks has even predicted that once Saudi Arabia signs on to the accords, “everybody” in the Arab world “goes in.”But the Saudis have maintained that a clear path toward Palestinian statehood must first be established before normalizing relations with Israel can be considered. The Israelis, meanwhile, remain steadfastly opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state.The U.N. Security Council on Monday approved a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-israel-hamas-war-gaza-708a08671b8842d7a7a5e250ec51351c">U.S. plan for Gaza</a>&nbsp;that authorizes an international stabilization force to provide security in the devastated territory and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-ceasefire-un-trump-russia-e701750e61968110b873e90372b9f2e7">envisions a possible future path</a>&nbsp;to an independent Palestinian state.<h2>Assurances on US military support</h2>The leaders certainly will have plenty to talk about including maintaining the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, mutual concerns about Iran’s malign behavior, and a brutal civil war in Sudan.And the Saudis are looking to receive formal assurances from Trump defining the scope of U.S. military protection for the kingdom, even though anything not ratified by Congress can be undone by the next president.Prince Mohammed, 40, who has stayed away from the West after the Khashoggi killing, is also looking to reestablish his position as a global player and a leader determined to diversify the Saudi economy away from oil by investing in sectors like mining, technology and tourism.To that end, Saudi Arabia is expected to announce a multi-billion dollar investment in U.S. artificial intelligence infrastructure, and the two countries will lay out details about new cooperation in the civil nuclear energy sector, according to a senior Trump administration official who was not authorized to comment publicly ahead of the formal announcement.A coalition of 11 human rights groups ahead of the crown prince’s visit called on the Trump administration to use its leverage to press Saudi authorities, who badly want to broaden its business and defense connections with the U.S., to make concrete commitments on human rights and press freedom during the visit.The activists say Saudi authorities continue to harshly repress dissent, including by arresting human rights defenders, journalists, and political dissidents for criticism against the kingdom. Human rights organizations have also documented a surge in executions in Saudi Arabia that they connect to an effort to suppress internal dissent.“Saudi Arabia’s crown prince is trying to rebrand himself as a global statesman, but the reality at home is mass repression, record numbers of executions, and zero tolerance for dissent," Sarah Yager, Washington director at the group Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. "U.S. officials should be pressing for change, not posing for photos.”___AP writers Josh Boak, Seung Min Kim, Michelle Price and Darlene Superville contributed to this report.

President Trump hosts Saudi Crown Prince for controversial visit

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen died in an accident Monday in Wichita.

Just after 4 p.m., police and other emergency crews responded to an injury crash in the area of 21st Street and Burns, according to a media release from Wichita Police. The investigation revealed that a single vehicle driven by Alejandro M. Tran, 19, Wichita, crossed multiple lanes of traffic toward the river, struck the tree line and flipped down into the river.

Wichita Fire Department personnel extricated Tran from the vehicle and transported&nbsp; him to a local hospital. He was later pronounced deceased.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763486546858.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen died in an accident Monday in Wichita.Just after 4 p.m., police and other emergency crews responded to an injury crash in the area of 21st Street and Burns, according to a media release from Wichita Police. The investigation revealed that a single vehicle driven by Alejandro M. Tran, 19, Wichita, crossed multiple lanes of traffic toward the river, struck the tree line and flipped down into the river.Wichita Fire Department personnel extricated Tran from the vehicle and transported&nbsp; him to a local hospital. He was later pronounced deceased.Police released no additional details.

Kansas teen dies after car crash into river

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

TOPEKA —The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is expected to cut $145 million from Kansas’ coffers beginning next year, state officials said.

That’s on top of an impending state budget hole that has shrunk since the Kansas Legislature passed its budget this spring, but still threatens to put the state in the red.

Budget analysts released Friday consensus revenue estimates, predicting state general fund revenues, which can be used to inform the budget-crafting process.

All told, the estimates included modest forecast changes in the economy and state revenues, said Shirley Morrow, director of the Kansas Legislative Research Department, at a press conference in the Statehouse in Topeka.

Revenue in fiscal year 2025, which ended in June, exceeded analysts’ estimates by $130 million, and revenue in the first four months of fiscal year 2026 has exceeded previous predictions by about $100 million, she said.

“The most noteworthy change is the full incorporation of the impacts of the federal tax legislation that was passed over the summer,” Morrow said.

However, she added, most of the legislation’s provisions were continuations of previous policies and will result in small changes to state receipts.

As the state incorporates federal tax law, Kansans will not automatically see deductions for tips and overtime, said Adam Proffitt, state budget director and secretary of the Kansas Department of Administration.

Of the roughly $145 million effect in fiscal year 2027, which begins in July, Proffitt listed the largest costs: $85 million for full expensing of certain business property, $32 million for full expensing of domestic research and development, $7 million for increased limitations on property depreciations and about $6.5 million for enhanced child care tax credits for individuals.

The state also has to account for its own tax changes, including cuts to corporate income taxes and property taxes as&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/27/kansas-legislature-passes-tax-relief-with-talk-of-broken-promises-and-out-of-control-spending/">a result of 2025 legislation</a>. One law eliminated the statewide levy of 1.5 mills for the state education building fund and the state institution building fund. The state now has to cover that missing property tax revenue.

Beyond 2027, the state’s ending balance is projected to tank.

The state ended fiscal year 2025 with $2.9 billion. By 2030, it will drop below $1.2 billion.

“The ending balance is going down because the receipts are below expenditures to the tune of $367 million in fiscal ‘27, $302 million in fiscal ‘28, so on and so forth,” said Proffitt.

Before the Legislature’s most recent budget, the numbers were closer to $700 million of overspending, he said. The decrease is largely because of a roughly $160 million drop in education costs, stemming from 10,000 fewer students in Kansas’ public school system than the previous headcount. Over five years, that drop means sizable savings, Proffitt said.

House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said in a news release that cutting waste, fraud and abuse from state spending will be a top priority in 2026, as affordability is top of mind. He vowed to manage tax dollars with discipline.

“When the state spends like a drunken sailor, rubber-stamping everything on the governor’s pricey big-government wish list, there’s no way to stay on a responsible fiscal path,” he said. “And in the end, Kansas taxpayers are the ones left holding the bill.”

The Legislature crafted the provisions of the most recent budget, declining to use Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s proposals as a starting point.

“To the extent anyone reads the speaker’s press releases, I doubt they believe he is focused on how to budget responsibly,” said Will Lawrence, the governor’s chief of staff.

In the upcoming election year, he said the Legislature should “resist their natural instinct to fund pet projects for their special interest friends.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763464861952.png" alt="Adam Proffitt, the Kansas state budget director, and Gov. Laura Kelly address a Salina audience at a town hall forum on the state government’s budget. Proffitt is challenging House Speaker Dan Hawkins’ statement that the budget approved by the 2025 Legislature spent $30 million less than was recommended by Kelly. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Adam Proffitt, the Kansas state budget director, and Gov. Laura Kelly address a Salina audience at a town hall forum on the state government’s budget. Proffitt is challenging House Speaker Dan Hawkins’ statement that the budget approved by the 2025 Legislature spent $30 million less than was recommended by Kelly. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA —The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is expected to cut $145 million from Kansas’ coffers beginning next year, state officials said.That’s on top of an impending state budget hole that has shrunk since the Kansas Legislature passed its budget this spring, but still threatens to put the state in the red.Budget analysts released Friday consensus revenue estimates, predicting state general fund revenues, which can be used to inform the budget-crafting process.All told, the estimates included modest forecast changes in the economy and state revenues, said Shirley Morrow, director of the Kansas Legislative Research Department, at a press conference in the Statehouse in Topeka.Revenue in fiscal year 2025, which ended in June, exceeded analysts’ estimates by $130 million, and revenue in the first four months of fiscal year 2026 has exceeded previous predictions by about $100 million, she said.“The most noteworthy change is the full incorporation of the impacts of the federal tax legislation that was passed over the summer,” Morrow said.However, she added, most of the legislation’s provisions were continuations of previous policies and will result in small changes to state receipts.As the state incorporates federal tax law, Kansans will not automatically see deductions for tips and overtime, said Adam Proffitt, state budget director and secretary of the Kansas Department of Administration.Of the roughly $145 million effect in fiscal year 2027, which begins in July, Proffitt listed the largest costs: $85 million for full expensing of certain business property, $32 million for full expensing of domestic research and development, $7 million for increased limitations on property depreciations and about $6.5 million for enhanced child care tax credits for individuals.The state also has to account for its own tax changes, including cuts to corporate income taxes and property taxes as&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/27/kansas-legislature-passes-tax-relief-with-talk-of-broken-promises-and-out-of-control-spending/">a result of 2025 legislation</a>. One law eliminated the statewide levy of 1.5 mills for the state education building fund and the state institution building fund. The state now has to cover that missing property tax revenue.Beyond 2027, the state’s ending balance is projected to tank.The state ended fiscal year 2025 with $2.9 billion. By 2030, it will drop below $1.2 billion.“The ending balance is going down because the receipts are below expenditures to the tune of $367 million in fiscal ‘27, $302 million in fiscal ‘28, so on and so forth,” said Proffitt.Before the Legislature’s most recent budget, the numbers were closer to $700 million of overspending, he said. The decrease is largely because of a roughly $160 million drop in education costs, stemming from 10,000 fewer students in Kansas’ public school system than the previous headcount. Over five years, that drop means sizable savings, Proffitt said.House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said in a news release that cutting waste, fraud and abuse from state spending will be a top priority in 2026, as affordability is top of mind. He vowed to manage tax dollars with discipline.“When the state spends like a drunken sailor, rubber-stamping everything on the governor’s pricey big-government wish list, there’s no way to stay on a responsible fiscal path,” he said. “And in the end, Kansas taxpayers are the ones left holding the bill.”The Legislature crafted the provisions of the most recent budget, declining to use Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s proposals as a starting point.“To the extent anyone reads the speaker’s press releases, I doubt they believe he is focused on how to budget responsibly,” said Will Lawrence, the governor’s chief of staff.In the upcoming election year, he said the Legislature should “resist their natural instinct to fund pet projects for their special interest friends.”

Kansas faces impending budget imbalance, effects of ‘big, beautiful’ legislation

A nine-way tie among write-in candidates for USD 309/ South Hutchinson and Nickerson Board Position 6 was broken Monday afternoon when the Reno County Board of Canvassers conducted a name drawing. 

Don Bogner drew the name of Diana Bruce, selecting her as the winner.

After the election was certified, it was discovered that Bruce does not live in the correct district and is therefore ineligible to serve.

The seat will officially become vacant in January. The USD 309 School Board will appoint someone to fill the position until the November 2027 election, when the remainder of the term will be on the ballot as an unexpired term.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763469853811.jpeg" alt="Reno County Commission Chairman Don Bogner reaches in for one of nine names to break the tie for USD 309 Board of Education Position 6 as Reno County Clerk Jenna Fager holds the hat. (Photo courtesy Reno County)" />
 <figcaption>Reno County Commission Chairman Don Bogner reaches in for one of nine names to break the tie for USD 309 Board of Education Position 6 as Reno County Clerk Jenna Fager holds the hat. (Photo courtesy Reno County)</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTYA nine-way tie among write-in candidates for USD 309/ South Hutchinson and Nickerson Board Position 6 was broken Monday afternoon when the Reno County Board of Canvassers conducted a name drawing. Don Bogner drew the name of Diana Bruce, selecting her as the winner.After the election was certified, it was discovered that Bruce does not live in the correct district and is therefore ineligible to serve.The seat will officially become vacant in January. The USD 309 School Board will appoint someone to fill the position until the November 2027 election, when the remainder of the term will be on the ballot as an unexpired term.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Election tiebreaker leaves Kan. school district with board vacancy

NEW YORK (AP) —A widely used Internet infrastructure company said that it has resolved an issue that led to outages impacting users of everything from ChatGPT and the online game, “League of Legends," to the New Jersey Transit system early Tuesday.

Around 10 a.m. ET, Cloudflare said it was “continuing to monitor for errors to ensure all services are back to normal.”

Others platforms that experienced outages Tuesday included the social media site X, Shopify, Dropbox, Coinbase, and the Moody's credit ratings service. Moody's website displayed an Error Code 500 and instructed individuals to visit Cloudflare's website for more information.

New Jersey Transit said parts of its digital services including njtransit.com, may be temporarily unavailable or slow to load.

Cloudflare, based in The San Francisco, provides internet infrastructure that protects websites from online threats and helps them run more smoothly.

Last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/microsoft-azure-downdetector-service-disruption-0deffbd09c09ca4640c2f5452a9e483e">Microsoft</a>&nbsp;had to deploy a fix to address an outage of their Azure cloud portal that left users unable to access Office 365, Minecraft and other services. The tech company wrote on its&nbsp;<a href="https://azure.status.microsoft/en-us/status">Azure status page</a>&nbsp;that a configuration change to its Azure infrastructure caused the outage.

And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amazon-east-internet-services-outage-654a12ac9aff0bf4b9dc0e22499d92d7">Amazon</a>&nbsp;experienced a massive outage of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-to-know-about-the-amazon-web-services-outage-0000019a02c5dea7a7ba2fcda5bc0000">cloud computing service</a>&nbsp;in October. The company resolved the issue, but the outage took down a broad range of online services, including social media, gaming, food delivery, streaming and financial platforms.

NEW YORK (AP) —Internet infrastructure provider Cloudflare says it is deploying a fix for an issue that caused global outages for ChatGPT, social media platform X, transit infrastructure and other prominent internet services.

Cloudflare said on its status page earlier Tuesday that it identified an issue that was impacting multiple customers. There were reports of widespread 500 errors as well as Cloudflare Dashboard and API failing.

In the process of remediating the issue, Cloudflare said it had to temporarily disable certain services for United Kingdom users.

“We have made changes that have allowed Cloudflare Access and WARP to recover. Error levels for Access and WARP users have returned to pre-incident rates. We have re-enabled WARP access in London,” the company wrote on its status page. “We are continuing to work toward restoring other services.”

Others that are experiencing issues include Shopify, Dropbox, Coinbase, online game League of Legends, Moody's and NJ Transit. Moody's website displayed an Error Code 500 and instructed individuals to visit Cloudflare's website for more information.

The San Francisco-based Cloudflare provides internet infrastructure that protects websites from online threats.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763470230468.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —A widely used Internet infrastructure company said that it has resolved an issue that led to outages impacting users of everything from ChatGPT and the online game, “League of Legends," to the New Jersey Transit system early Tuesday.Around 10 a.m. ET, Cloudflare said it was “continuing to monitor for errors to ensure all services are back to normal.”Others platforms that experienced outages Tuesday included the social media site X, Shopify, Dropbox, Coinbase, and the Moody's credit ratings service. Moody's website displayed an Error Code 500 and instructed individuals to visit Cloudflare's website for more information.New Jersey Transit said parts of its digital services including njtransit.com, may be temporarily unavailable or slow to load.Cloudflare, based in The San Francisco, provides internet infrastructure that protects websites from online threats and helps them run more smoothly.Last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/microsoft-azure-downdetector-service-disruption-0deffbd09c09ca4640c2f5452a9e483e">Microsoft</a>&nbsp;had to deploy a fix to address an outage of their Azure cloud portal that left users unable to access Office 365, Minecraft and other services. The tech company wrote on its&nbsp;<a href="https://azure.status.microsoft/en-us/status">Azure status page</a>&nbsp;that a configuration change to its Azure infrastructure caused the outage.And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amazon-east-internet-services-outage-654a12ac9aff0bf4b9dc0e22499d92d7">Amazon</a>&nbsp;experienced a massive outage of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-to-know-about-the-amazon-web-services-outage-0000019a02c5dea7a7ba2fcda5bc0000">cloud computing service</a>&nbsp;in October. The company resolved the issue, but the outage took down a broad range of online services, including social media, gaming, food delivery, streaming and financial platforms.--------------------NEW YORK (AP) —Internet infrastructure provider Cloudflare says it is deploying a fix for an issue that caused global outages for ChatGPT, social media platform X, transit infrastructure and other prominent internet services.Cloudflare said on its status page earlier Tuesday that it identified an issue that was impacting multiple customers. There were reports of widespread 500 errors as well as Cloudflare Dashboard and API failing.In the process of remediating the issue, Cloudflare said it had to temporarily disable certain services for United Kingdom users.“We have made changes that have allowed Cloudflare Access and WARP to recover. Error levels for Access and WARP users have returned to pre-incident rates. We have re-enabled WARP access in London,” the company wrote on its status page. “We are continuing to work toward restoring other services.”Others that are experiencing issues include Shopify, Dropbox, Coinbase, online game League of Legends, Moody's and NJ Transit. Moody's website displayed an Error Code 500 and instructed individuals to visit Cloudflare's website for more information.The San Francisco-based Cloudflare provides internet infrastructure that protects websites from online threats.Last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/microsoft-azure-downdetector-service-disruption-0deffbd09c09ca4640c2f5452a9e483e">Microsoft</a>&nbsp;had to deploy a fix to address an outage of their Azure cloud portal that left users unable to access Office 365, Minecraft and other services. The tech company wrote on its&nbsp;<a href="https://azure.status.microsoft/en-us/status">Azure status page</a>&nbsp;that a configuration change to its Azure infrastructure caused the outage.And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amazon-east-internet-services-outage-654a12ac9aff0bf4b9dc0e22499d92d7">Amazon</a>&nbsp;experienced a massive outage of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-to-know-about-the-amazon-web-services-outage-0000019a02c5dea7a7ba2fcda5bc0000">cloud computing service</a>&nbsp;in October. The company resolved the issue, but the outage took down a broad range of online services, including social media, gaming, food delivery, streaming and financial platforms.

This is why parts of the internet stopped working Tuesday

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating four suspects on multiple allegations after a wild police chase in Kansas City.

Just before 10:30p.m. Sunday, a Trooper with the Missouri State Highway Patrol initiated a traffic stop on a passenger car for speeding and a registration violation southbound on Interstate 35 jus south of Missouri 291 in Liberty, Missouri, according to a statement from the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop A. The Trooper advised the vehicle was not stopping and he was in a pursuit.

Moments later just south of Missouri Highway 152 and north Pleasant Valley Rod, the trooper advised a passenger was shooting at him from the suspect's vehicle.

The pursuit continued southbound on Interstate 35 to Northeast Chouteau Trafficway, where the suspect vehicle exited and traveled on multiple city streets and the onto southbound Interstate 29 and then south to Interstate 70 inJackson County.&nbsp;

At 10:41 as the suspect vehicle was eastbound on Interstate 70, the vehicle began to exit at 119th Street and a passenger continued to fire at the Trooper, striking his patrol car. The pursuit continued and othe shots were fired at. Kansas City, Missouri Police officers near 17th Street and Jackson Avenue.&nbsp;

The suspect vehicle came to a stop in the area of Cleveland Avenue and 41st Street in Kansas City. Four occupants ran from the vehicle. Officers took three into custody shortly after. At approximately 4a.m., officers found the fourth suspect hiding in a sewer drain.

No officers or civilians were injured during the chase or from the gunfire. Three of the suspects arrested are adults and one is a juvenile. Police released no additional details early Monday afternoon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763405786095.png" alt="Photo MSHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo MSHP</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating four suspects on multiple allegations after a wild police chase in Kansas City.Just before 10:30p.m. Sunday, a Trooper with the Missouri State Highway Patrol initiated a traffic stop on a passenger car for speeding and a registration violation southbound on Interstate 35 jus south of Missouri 291 in Liberty, Missouri, according to a statement from the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop A. The Trooper advised the vehicle was not stopping and he was in a pursuit.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763405762612.png" alt="Photo MSHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo MSHP</figcaption>
 </figure>Moments later just south of Missouri Highway 152 and north Pleasant Valley Rod, the trooper advised a passenger was shooting at him from the suspect's vehicle.The pursuit continued southbound on Interstate 35 to Northeast Chouteau Trafficway, where the suspect vehicle exited and traveled on multiple city streets and the onto southbound Interstate 29 and then south to Interstate 70 inJackson County.&nbsp;At 10:41 as the suspect vehicle was eastbound on Interstate 70, the vehicle began to exit at 119th Street and a passenger continued to fire at the Trooper, striking his patrol car. The pursuit continued and othe shots were fired at. Kansas City, Missouri Police officers near 17th Street and Jackson Avenue.&nbsp;The suspect vehicle came to a stop in the area of Cleveland Avenue and 41st Street in Kansas City. Four occupants ran from the vehicle. Officers took three into custody shortly after. At approximately 4a.m., officers found the fourth suspect hiding in a sewer drain.No officers or civilians were injured during the chase or from the gunfire. Three of the suspects arrested are adults and one is a juvenile. Police released no additional details early Monday afternoon.

Suspect fired shots at police during high-speed chase in Kansas    City

SHAWNEE COUNTY —A Kansas teen is under investigation in connection with a fatal hit-and-run crash.

Just before 6p.m. Saturday police&nbsp;responded to a hit-and-run injury accident call at the intersection of NW Topeka Boulevard and NW Paramore Streets in Topeka, according to Police LT. Ron Ekis. The accident involved a vehicle and pedestrian. 

The pedestrian was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and later died.

During investigation of this incident, police identified Sultan Y. Andemichael, 18, Topeka, as a suspect. Andemichael was located and transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. He is being held on requested charges of&nbsp; Involuntary manslaughter;&nbsp;Interference with LEO;  Conceal/alter/destroy evidence in felony case and Failure to stop accident resulting in death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763425624800.png" alt="Andemichael photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Andemichael photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —A Kansas teen is under investigation in connection with a fatal hit-and-run crash.Just before 6p.m. Saturday police&nbsp;responded to a hit-and-run injury accident call at the intersection of NW Topeka Boulevard and NW Paramore Streets in Topeka, according to Police LT. Ron Ekis. The accident involved a vehicle and pedestrian. The pedestrian was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and later died.During investigation of this incident, police identified Sultan Y. Andemichael, 18, Topeka, as a suspect. Andemichael was located and transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. He is being held on requested charges of&nbsp; Involuntary manslaughter;&nbsp;Interference with LEO; Conceal/alter/destroy evidence in felony case and Failure to stop accident resulting in death.

Kansas teen accused of destroying evidence in fatal hit-and-run

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The Trump administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-israel-hamas-war-gaza-708a08671b8842d7a7a5e250ec51351c">blueprint to secure and govern Gaza</a>&nbsp;won strong approval at the United Nations on Monday, a crucial step that provides international support for U.S. efforts to move the devastated territory toward peace following two years of war.

The U.S. resolution that passed the U.N. Security Council authorizes an international stabilization force to provide security in Gaza, approves a transitional authority to be overseen by President Donald Trump and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-ceasefire-un-trump-russia-e701750e61968110b873e90372b9f2e7">envisions a possible future path</a>&nbsp;to an independent Palestinian state.

“This will go down as one of the biggest approvals in the History of the United Nations, will lead to further Peace all over the World, and is a moment of true Historic proportion!” Trump posted on social media.

The vote endorses Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-plan-gaza-israel-hamas-war-d5bb4097af1d46ba16ab20914d265ff7">20-point ceasefire plan</a>&nbsp;and builds on the momentum of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-palestinians-hostages-investigation-11-17-2025-88673d6966d8ce25ad57b4f73a87b2cb">the fragile ceasefire</a>&nbsp;he helped broker with allies. It marks a key next step for American efforts to outline Gaza’s future after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the Israel-Hamas</a>&nbsp;war destroyed much of the territory and killed tens of thousands of people.

The proposal calls for a yet-to-be-established Board of Peace as a transitional authority that Trump would head. It also provides a wide mandate for the international stabilization force, including overseeing the borders, providing security and demilitarizing the territory. Authorization for the board and force expire at the end of 2027.

Arab and other Muslim countries that expressed interest in providing troops for an international force had signaled that U.N. authorization was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rubio-gaza-ceasefire-colombia-venezuela-82eb1929a74955f2c9be1339602176dd">essential for their participation</a>.

Russia, which had circulated a rival resolution, abstained along with China on the 13-0 vote after fears Moscow might use its veto in the Security Council.

However, Hamas opposed the resolution, saying in a statement that it does not meet the “Palestinian people’s political and humanitarian demands and rights.”

Stronger language on Palestinian state helps get the US plan over the finish line

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz said the resolution “represents another significant step towards a stable Gaza that will be able to prosper and an environment that will allow Israel to live in security.”

It came about following nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-ceasefire-stabilization-force-united-nations-f8a0088cae56fc79226f0352ebcbb065">two weeks of negotiations</a>, when Arab nations and the Palestinians pressed the United States to strengthen language about Palestinian self-determination.

But the proposal still gives no timeline or guarantee for an independent state, only saying it’s possible after advances in the reconstruction of Gaza and reforms of the Palestinian Authority, which now governs parts of the West Bank.

The U.S. revised the resolution to say that after those steps, “the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”

“The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous coexistence,” it adds.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes Palestinian statehood and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-war-west-bank-news-11-16-2025-197194a1016a848eeb30e8542b36072b">repeated that position Sunday</a>&nbsp;at a time when his hard-line governing partners have expressed concern about the resolution’s endorsement of a “pathway” to Palestinian independence.

Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told reporters before the vote that Israel was grateful to Trump “for leading peace to the Middle East.”

Algeria’s U.N. Ambassador Amar Bendjama, the Arab representative on the council, thanked Trump for his instrumental role in bringing about the ceasefire, but said “genuine peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved without justice, justice for the Palestinian people.”

A key to the resolution’s adoption was support from Arab and other Muslim nations that had been critical to the ceasefire and potentially could contribute to the international force. The U.S. mission to the United Nations distributed a joint statement Friday with Qatar, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan and Turkey calling for “swift adoption” of the U.S. proposal.

Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Moscow took note of that support but abstained because the resolution did not include a role for the Security Council or emphatically support Palestinian statehood.

The vote shores up hopes that Gaza’s fragile ceasefire will be maintained following a war set off by Hamas’ surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people. Israel’s offensive has killed over 69,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants but says the majority are women and children.

Trump said the members of the Board of Peace will be named in the coming weeks, along with "many more exciting announcements."

The U.S. resolution calls for the stabilization force to ensure “the process of demilitarizing the Gaza Strip” and “the permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups.”

A big question has been how to disarm Hamas, which said Monday that giving the force a role inside Gaza that includes disarmament “strips it of its neutrality, and turns it into a party to the conflict in favor of the occupation.”

The resolution authorizes the force “to use all necessary measures to carry out its mandate” in compliance with international law, which is U.N. language for the use of military force.

It says the stabilization troops will help secure border areas, along with a Palestinian police force that they have trained and vetted, and they will coordinate with other countries to secure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-10-19-2025-f3d95cf76018541ff824853d1bcd3356">the flow of humanitarian assistance</a>. It says the force should closely consult and cooperate with neighboring Egypt and Israel.

As the international force establishes control, the resolution says Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza “based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization.” These must be agreed to by the stabilization force, Israeli forces, the U.S. and the guarantors of the ceasefire, it says.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759172020282.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The Trump administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-israel-hamas-war-gaza-708a08671b8842d7a7a5e250ec51351c">blueprint to secure and govern Gaza</a>&nbsp;won strong approval at the United Nations on Monday, a crucial step that provides international support for U.S. efforts to move the devastated territory toward peace following two years of war.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Donald J. Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict: 1. Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors. 2. Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough. 3. If… <a href="https://t.co/veqhr9MW28">pic.twitter.com/veqhr9MW28</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1972726021196562494?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The U.S. resolution that passed the U.N. Security Council authorizes an international stabilization force to provide security in Gaza, approves a transitional authority to be overseen by President Donald Trump and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-ceasefire-un-trump-russia-e701750e61968110b873e90372b9f2e7">envisions a possible future path</a>&nbsp;to an independent Palestinian state.“This will go down as one of the biggest approvals in the History of the United Nations, will lead to further Peace all over the World, and is a moment of true Historic proportion!” Trump posted on social media.The vote endorses Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-plan-gaza-israel-hamas-war-d5bb4097af1d46ba16ab20914d265ff7">20-point ceasefire plan</a>&nbsp;and builds on the momentum of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-palestinians-hostages-investigation-11-17-2025-88673d6966d8ce25ad57b4f73a87b2cb">the fragile ceasefire</a>&nbsp;he helped broker with allies. It marks a key next step for American efforts to outline Gaza’s future after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the Israel-Hamas</a>&nbsp;war destroyed much of the territory and killed tens of thousands of people.The proposal calls for a yet-to-be-established Board of Peace as a transitional authority that Trump would head. It also provides a wide mandate for the international stabilization force, including overseeing the borders, providing security and demilitarizing the territory. Authorization for the board and force expire at the end of 2027.Arab and other Muslim countries that expressed interest in providing troops for an international force had signaled that U.N. authorization was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rubio-gaza-ceasefire-colombia-venezuela-82eb1929a74955f2c9be1339602176dd">essential for their participation</a>.Russia, which had circulated a rival resolution, abstained along with China on the 13-0 vote after fears Moscow might use its veto in the Security Council.However, Hamas opposed the resolution, saying in a statement that it does not meet the “Palestinian people’s political and humanitarian demands and rights.”<h2>Stronger language on Palestinian state helps get the US plan over the finish line</h2>U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz said the resolution “represents another significant step towards a stable Gaza that will be able to prosper and an environment that will allow Israel to live in security.”It came about following nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-ceasefire-stabilization-force-united-nations-f8a0088cae56fc79226f0352ebcbb065">two weeks of negotiations</a>, when Arab nations and the Palestinians pressed the United States to strengthen language about Palestinian self-determination.But the proposal still gives no timeline or guarantee for an independent state, only saying it’s possible after advances in the reconstruction of Gaza and reforms of the Palestinian Authority, which now governs parts of the West Bank.The U.S. revised the resolution to say that after those steps, “the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”“The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous coexistence,” it adds.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes Palestinian statehood and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-war-west-bank-news-11-16-2025-197194a1016a848eeb30e8542b36072b">repeated that position Sunday</a>&nbsp;at a time when his hard-line governing partners have expressed concern about the resolution’s endorsement of a “pathway” to Palestinian independence.Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told reporters before the vote that Israel was grateful to Trump “for leading peace to the Middle East.”Algeria’s U.N. Ambassador Amar Bendjama, the Arab representative on the council, thanked Trump for his instrumental role in bringing about the ceasefire, but said “genuine peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved without justice, justice for the Palestinian people.”A key to the resolution’s adoption was support from Arab and other Muslim nations that had been critical to the ceasefire and potentially could contribute to the international force. The U.S. mission to the United Nations distributed a joint statement Friday with Qatar, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan and Turkey calling for “swift adoption” of the U.S. proposal.Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Moscow took note of that support but abstained because the resolution did not include a role for the Security Council or emphatically support Palestinian statehood.The vote shores up hopes that Gaza’s fragile ceasefire will be maintained following a war set off by Hamas’ surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people. Israel’s offensive has killed over 69,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants but says the majority are women and children.<h2>What else the US proposal says</h2>Trump said the members of the Board of Peace will be named in the coming weeks, along with "many more exciting announcements."The U.S. resolution calls for the stabilization force to ensure “the process of demilitarizing the Gaza Strip” and “the permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups.”A big question has been how to disarm Hamas, which said Monday that giving the force a role inside Gaza that includes disarmament “strips it of its neutrality, and turns it into a party to the conflict in favor of the occupation.”The resolution authorizes the force “to use all necessary measures to carry out its mandate” in compliance with international law, which is U.N. language for the use of military force.It says the stabilization troops will help secure border areas, along with a Palestinian police force that they have trained and vetted, and they will coordinate with other countries to secure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-10-19-2025-f3d95cf76018541ff824853d1bcd3356">the flow of humanitarian assistance</a>. It says the force should closely consult and cooperate with neighboring Egypt and Israel.As the international force establishes control, the resolution says Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza “based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization.” These must be agreed to by the stabilization force, Israeli forces, the U.S. and the guarantors of the ceasefire, it says.

UN approves the Trump 20-point plan for the future of Gaza

OSAGE COUNTY —On Saturday morning, the Osage County Deputy Christian Moran, Corporal Clayton Hartpence, K9 Deputy James Cason, and Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Adam Ellis were injured by gunfire while responding to a call for service. 

&nbsp;All four officers were taken to the hospital for treatment.&nbsp; While each of these officers is receiving excellent care, they all have a long road ahead toward a full recovery, according to a Monday evening statement from the Osage County Sheriff.&nbsp; This is only the beginning of the healing process for them and their families.

The Osage County Sheriff's Office would like to express our sincere gratitude to the community for their overwhelming support of our officers. Many have inquired about how they can assist the officers and their families during their recovery. &nbsp;Monetary donations can be made out to the Osage County Sheriff Support Fund, and dropped off or mailed to:

817 Topeka Ave, Lyndon, KS 66451Gift cards, snacks, and other helpful items may also be mailed or delivered to:

131 W 14th&nbsp;St, Lyndon, KS 66451Additionally, the Kansas Highway Patrol has established a monetary fund for Trooper Ellis and his family. Donations can be made at the following link:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kstroopers.com/donate">www.kstroopers.com/donate</a>. Please select “Kansas Trooper’s Foundation” and write "Ellis" in the "other comments" box.We would also like to extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to all of the area agencies and the public for their overwhelming support. Thank you for standing with us during this challenging time. We are proud to serve the citizens of Osage County, and your generosity will continue to aid our injured officers, their families, and our office as a whole as we heal together.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763259271274.png" alt="Law enforcement on the scene of the deadly gun fight that injured three sheriff's deputies and a KHP Trooper- photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement on the scene of the deadly gun fight that injured three sheriff's deputies and a KHP Trooper- photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY —On Saturday morning, the Osage County Deputy Christian Moran, Corporal Clayton Hartpence, K9 Deputy James Cason, and Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Adam Ellis were injured by gunfire while responding to a call for service. &nbsp;All four officers were taken to the hospital for treatment.&nbsp; While each of these officers is receiving excellent care, they all have a long road ahead toward a full recovery, according to a Monday evening statement from the Osage County Sheriff.&nbsp; This is only the beginning of the healing process for them and their families.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763429453752.png" alt="Deputy Christian Moran, Corporal Clayton Hartpence, and K9 Deputy James Cason-Photos courtesy Osage&nbsp; County Sheriff's office" />
 <figcaption>Deputy Christian Moran, Corporal Clayton Hartpence, and K9 Deputy James Cason-Photos courtesy Osage&nbsp; County Sheriff's office</figcaption>
 </figure>The Osage County Sheriff's Office would like to express our sincere gratitude to the community for their overwhelming support of our officers. Many have inquired about how they can assist the officers and their families during their recovery. &nbsp;Monetary donations can be made out to the Osage County Sheriff Support Fund, and dropped off or mailed to:Lyndon State BankPO Box 518817 Topeka Ave, Lyndon, KS 66451Gift cards, snacks, and other helpful items may also be mailed or delivered to:Osage County Sheriff’s OfficePO Box 639131 W 14th&nbsp;St, Lyndon, KS 66451Additionally, the Kansas Highway Patrol has established a monetary fund for Trooper Ellis and his family. Donations can be made at the following link:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kstroopers.com/donate">www.kstroopers.com/donate</a>. Please select “Kansas Trooper’s Foundation” and write "Ellis" in the "other comments" box.We would also like to extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to all of the area agencies and the public for their overwhelming support. Thank you for standing with us during this challenging time. We are proud to serve the citizens of Osage County, and your generosity will continue to aid our injured officers, their families, and our office as a whole as we heal together.

Sheriff releases names of Kan. deputies, Trooper injured in gun fight

BUTLER COUNTY — Two children injured in an accident Sunday that killed their mother continue their recovery. They were listed in stable condition late Monday, according to Butler County Undersheriff Daimon Cundiff.

Just after 1a.m. on Monday, Butler County 911 received a report of a single vehicle, roll over crash close to the intersection of NW 30th and NW Tawakoni Road rural Benton, Kansas, according to Undersheriff Daimon Cundiff.

All occupants of the Chevrolet Impala were reported to have been ejected. The driver, 27-year-old Harley R. Wright of Wichita, was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported her two children, ages 5 and 6, to a Wichita area hospital for treatment of serious injuries.

Wright is reported to have left a family gathering around 7:30 pm to take the children to El Dorado but never arrived. Family members contacted the El Dorado police Department for a welfare check if they located her.&nbsp; Just after 1a.m. Monday, family members located the crash on NW 30th around NW Tawakoni Road. Wright and the children were located outside the vehicle, which appeared to have rolled several times.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation by the Butler County Sheriff’s Office with assistance of the Kansas Highway Patrol.

BUTLER COUNTY — Two children injured in an accident Sunday that killed their mother continue their recovery. They were listed in stable condition late Monday, according to Butler County Undersheriff Daimon Cundiff.Just after 1a.m. on Monday, Butler County 911 received a report of a single vehicle, roll over crash close to the intersection of NW 30th and NW Tawakoni Road rural Benton, Kansas, according to Undersheriff Daimon Cundiff.All occupants of the Chevrolet Impala were reported to have been ejected. The driver, 27-year-old Harley R. Wright of Wichita, was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported her two children, ages 5 and 6, to a Wichita area hospital for treatment of serious injuries.Wright is reported to have left a family gathering around 7:30 pm to take the children to El Dorado but never arrived. Family members contacted the El Dorado police Department for a welfare check if they located her.&nbsp; Just after 1a.m. Monday, family members located the crash on NW 30th around NW Tawakoni Road. Wright and the children were located outside the vehicle, which appeared to have rolled several times.The cause of the crash is still under investigation by the Butler County Sheriff’s Office with assistance of the Kansas Highway Patrol.

2 Kan. children injured in crash that killed their mother continue recovery

WICHITA, Kan. —&nbsp;The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a 72-year-old male inmate who was found unresponsive Sunday morning in the clinic unit of the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility.

Deputies found the inmate, identified from booking records as Neal Brady, shortly after 10 a.m. Detention staff and on-site medical personnel immediately began life-saving measures. Sedgwick County EMS and the Wichita Fire Department responded, and EMS transported Brady to a Wichita hospital. Doctors pronounced him dead shortly after 11 a.m.

Brady had a history of several chronic medical conditions, including a brain tumor and hypertension, among other ailments. On Nov. 8, he was taken to a local hospital for treatment of acute kidney failure. He remained hospitalized until his discharge on Nov. 11, when he was returned to the facility and admitted to the on-site medical observation unit under close clinical monitoring.

An autopsy will determine the cause of death.

The Sheriff’s Office notified the Kansas Bureau of Investigation per protocol, and detectives are conducting a full investigation. The inmate’s family has been notified. The sheriff's office did not release his identity at their request. He&nbsp;had been in custody since Nov. 6 on charges of criminal threat and domestic battery.

This is the sixth in-custody death at the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility in 2025, according to sheriff's department spokesman Branden Stitt.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763414241433.png" alt="Brady photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Brady photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. —&nbsp;The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a 72-year-old male inmate who was found unresponsive Sunday morning in the clinic unit of the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility.Deputies found the inmate, identified from booking records as Neal Brady, shortly after 10 a.m. Detention staff and on-site medical personnel immediately began life-saving measures. Sedgwick County EMS and the Wichita Fire Department responded, and EMS transported Brady to a Wichita hospital. Doctors pronounced him dead shortly after 11 a.m.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737476354827.jpeg" alt="Sedgwick-County-Jail&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Sedgwick-County-Jail&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Brady had a history of several chronic medical conditions, including a brain tumor and hypertension, among other ailments. On Nov. 8, he was taken to a local hospital for treatment of acute kidney failure. He remained hospitalized until his discharge on Nov. 11, when he was returned to the facility and admitted to the on-site medical observation unit under close clinical monitoring.An autopsy will determine the cause of death.The Sheriff’s Office notified the Kansas Bureau of Investigation per protocol, and detectives are conducting a full investigation. The inmate’s family has been notified. The sheriff's office did not release his identity at their request. He&nbsp;had been in custody since Nov. 6 on charges of criminal threat and domestic battery.This is the sixth in-custody death at the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility in 2025, according to sheriff's department spokesman Branden Stitt.

72-year-old inmate found unresponsive in clinic unit of Kan. jail

TOPEKA – Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach on Monday announced that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, in partnership with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained 10 illegal aliens with serious criminal histories during targeted enforcement operations conducted in October and November, according to a media release from the Attorney General's office.

The individuals were identified and taken into federal custody pursuant to the KBI’s authority under the 287(g) program, an agreement that allows designated KBI personnel to perform immigration enforcement under ICE supervision.&nbsp;

“Had my office not obtained 287(g) authority and investigated these cases, these dangerous illegal aliens would have continued to live in Kansas communities hiding in plain sight,” Kobach said.&nbsp;

The individuals detained are illegal aliens convicted of serious offenses, including:

They are citizens of Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba, Somalia, and Ethiopia.&nbsp;

“Each of these offenders had been tried and convicted of a sex offense, a drug offense, or a violent offense. Anyone without citizenship who commits serious crimes against Kansans should not be allowed to stay in our communities,” KBI Director Tony Mattivi said.

The detentions occurred between Oct. 24 and Nov. 14 with KBI agents working in Hutchinson, Newton, Garden City, and Dodge City.

KBI transferred the detainees to ICE custody where they face federal immigration proceedings, including removal from the United States.&nbsp;

The KBI entered a 287(g) agreement – which refers to Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act – with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in February. Under the terms of the agreement, a limited number of KBI agents received ICE training authorizing the agents to serve and execute warrants for some immigration violations and to issue immigration detainers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763421696187.png" alt="Photos KBI" />
 <figcaption>Photos KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach on Monday announced that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, in partnership with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained 10 illegal aliens with serious criminal histories during targeted enforcement operations conducted in October and November, according to a media release from the Attorney General's office.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKBIKansas%2Fvideos%2F1394147885562719%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The individuals were identified and taken into federal custody pursuant to the KBI’s authority under the 287(g) program, an agreement that allows designated KBI personnel to perform immigration enforcement under ICE supervision.&nbsp;“Had my office not obtained 287(g) authority and investigated these cases, these dangerous illegal aliens would have continued to live in Kansas communities hiding in plain sight,” Kobach said.&nbsp;The individuals detained are illegal aliens convicted of serious offenses, including:<ul>
 <li>Second-degree murder</li><li>Indecent liberties with a child (ages 14-16)</li><li>Annoying/molesting children under 18 (California Statute)</li><li>Aggravated battery</li><li>Distribution of narcotics (opiates, heroin, and other controlled substances)</li><li>Aggravated assault and criminal discharge of a firearm</li><li>Cultivation and distribution of controlled substances&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>They are citizens of Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba, Somalia, and Ethiopia.&nbsp;“Each of these offenders had been tried and convicted of a sex offense, a drug offense, or a violent offense. Anyone without citizenship who commits serious crimes against Kansans should not be allowed to stay in our communities,” KBI Director Tony Mattivi said.The detentions occurred between Oct. 24 and Nov. 14 with KBI agents working in Hutchinson, Newton, Garden City, and Dodge City.KBI agents detained:<ol>
 <li>Jose Luis Gomez Sr. (Mexico) – Distribution of opiates/narcotics</li><li>Alonzo Mendez (Mexico) – Indecent liberties with a child 14–16</li><li>Gilberto Taracena Monte (Guatemala) – Annoy/molest child under 18</li><li>Diego Nevarez (Mexico) – Distribution/possession with intent to distribute heroin (multiple cases)</li><li>Jose Rivera-Avila (Mexico) – Aggravated assault, criminal discharge of firearm</li><li>Bashir Omar (Somalia) – Second-degree intentional murder</li><li>Nigisti Geberemedehni Beyene (Ethiopia) – Aggravated battery</li><li>Yuliesky Hernandez-Padron (Cuba) – Aggravated robbery</li><li>Jose Eduardo Garcia-Peralta (Mexico) – Distribution of opiates/narcotics</li><li>Ramiro Erik Flores-Hernandez (Mexico) – Cultivation/distribution of controlled substances&nbsp;</li>
 </ol>KBI transferred the detainees to ICE custody where they face federal immigration proceedings, including removal from the United States.&nbsp;The KBI entered a 287(g) agreement – which refers to Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act – with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in February. Under the terms of the agreement, a limited number of KBI agents received ICE training authorizing the agents to serve and execute warrants for some immigration violations and to issue immigration detainers.

Attorney General: 10 dangerous illegal aliens captured in Kansas

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a weekend standoff.

Just before 4a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a domestic disturbance in the 500 block of SW Fillmore Street in Topeka, according to Topeka Police Lt. Ron Ekis.

The Topeka Police Department Response Team and Crisis Negotiators responded to the scene.&nbsp; The 1000 block of SW 5th Street along with the 500 block of SW Fillmore Street were blocked off for an extended period.

After a several hour stand-off, one person was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Law Enforcement Center for questioning.&nbsp;

As a result of the investigation, Tevin Roberts, 33, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp;Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Child Endangerment, Felony Interference and Domestic Battery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763391962443.png" alt="Roberts photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Roberts photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a weekend standoff.Just before 4a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a domestic disturbance in the 500 block of SW Fillmore Street in Topeka, according to Topeka Police Lt. Ron Ekis.The Topeka Police Department Response Team and Crisis Negotiators responded to the scene.&nbsp; The 1000 block of SW 5th Street along with the 500 block of SW Fillmore Street were blocked off for an extended period.After a several hour stand-off, one person was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Law Enforcement Center for questioning.&nbsp;As a result of the investigation, Tevin Roberts, 33, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp;Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Child Endangerment, Felony Interference and Domestic Battery.

Suspect jailed after standoff at Kansas home

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department engaged in a “disturbing pattern of profound investigative missteps” in the process of securing an indictment against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/james-comey">former FBI Director James Comey</a>, a federal judge ruled Monday in directing prosecutors to produce to defense lawyers all grand jury materials from the case.

<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.vaed.582136/gov.uscourts.vaed.582136.191.0_1.pdf">Click here to read the Judge's statement</a>

Those problems, wrote Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick, include “fundamental misstatements of the law” by a prosecutor to the grand jury that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-comey-charged-lying-congress-a2c72e1a5bb73d588f3af7fdb56caa82">indicted Comey in September</a>, the use of potentially privileged communications during the investigation and unexplained irregularities in the transcript of the grand jury proceedings.

“The Court recognizes that the relief sought by the defense is rarely granted,” Fitzpatrick wrote “However, the record points to a disturbing pattern of profound investigative missteps, missteps that led an FBI agent and a prosecutor to potentially undermine the integrity of the grand jury proceeding.”

<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.vaed.582136/gov.uscourts.vaed.582136.191.0_1.pdf">The 24-page opinion</a>&nbsp;is the most blistering assessment yet by a judge of the Justice Department's actions leading up to the Comey indictment. That case, along with a separate prosecution of New York Attorney General Letitia James, have stirred concerns that the Justice Department is being weaponized to pursue President Donald Trump's political opponents.

Both defendants have filed multiple motions to dismiss the cases against them before trial, arguing that the prosecutions are improperly vindictive and that the prosecutor who filed the charges, Lindsey Halligan, was illegally appointed.

Comey’s lawyers had sought the grand jury materials out of concerns that irregularities in the process may have tainted the case. The sole prosecutor who defense lawyers say presented the case to the grand jury was Halligan, a former White House aide with no prior prosecutorial experience who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/letitia-james-eastern-district-of-virginia-trump-8c84bd8603a4b932f9cb2e451ef057a3">appointed just days earlier</a>&nbsp;to the job of interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Fitzpatrick had earlier this month directed prosecutors to give the defense grand jury materials, but was then directed by the trial court to examine the matter further. In his order Monday, Fitzpatrick said that after reviewing the grand jury proceedings himself, he had come away deeply concerned about the integrity of the case.

“Here, the procedural and substantive irregularities that occurred before the grand jury, and the manner in which evidence presented to the grand jury was collected and used, may rise to the level of government misconduct resulting in prejudice to Mr. Comey,” Fitzpatrick said.

Halligan did not immediately return a message seeking comment and a spokesman for the office declined to comment.

Fitzpatrick listed among the irregularities two different comments that a prosecutor — presumably, Halligan — made to the grand jury that he said represented “fundamental misstatements of the law.” The actual statements are blacked out, but Fitzpatrick said the prosecutor seems to have ignored the fact that grand jurors cannot make a negative inference about a person who, like Comey, exercised a constitutional right to not testify.

The judge also raised concerns that the transcript of the grand jury proceedings was incomplete.

The two-count indictment charges Comey with lying to Congress in September 2020 when he suggested under questioning that he had not authorized FBI leaks of information to the news media. His lawyers say the question he was responding to was vague and confusing but that the answer he gave to the Senate Judiciary Committee was true.

The line of questioning from Sen. Ted Cruz appeared to focus on whether Comey had authorized his former deputy director, Andrew McCabe, to speak with the news media. But since the indictment, prosecutors have made clear that their indictment centers on allegations that Comey permitted a separate person, a close friend and Columbia University law professor, Dan Richman to serve as an anonymous source in interactions with reporters.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763410738545.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department engaged in a “disturbing pattern of profound investigative missteps” in the process of securing an indictment against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/james-comey">former FBI Director James Comey</a>, a federal judge ruled Monday in directing prosecutors to produce to defense lawyers all grand jury materials from the case.<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.vaed.582136/gov.uscourts.vaed.582136.191.0_1.pdf">Click here to read the Judge's statement</a>Those problems, wrote Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick, include “fundamental misstatements of the law” by a prosecutor to the grand jury that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-comey-charged-lying-congress-a2c72e1a5bb73d588f3af7fdb56caa82">indicted Comey in September</a>, the use of potentially privileged communications during the investigation and unexplained irregularities in the transcript of the grand jury proceedings.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758848907803.png" alt="Image from James Comey's response to the case on Instagram" />
 <figcaption>Image from James Comey's response to the case on Instagram</figcaption>
 </figure>“The Court recognizes that the relief sought by the defense is rarely granted,” Fitzpatrick wrote “However, the record points to a disturbing pattern of profound investigative missteps, missteps that led an FBI agent and a prosecutor to potentially undermine the integrity of the grand jury proceeding.”<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.vaed.582136/gov.uscourts.vaed.582136.191.0_1.pdf">The 24-page opinion</a>&nbsp;is the most blistering assessment yet by a judge of the Justice Department's actions leading up to the Comey indictment. That case, along with a separate prosecution of New York Attorney General Letitia James, have stirred concerns that the Justice Department is being weaponized to pursue President Donald Trump's political opponents.Both defendants have filed multiple motions to dismiss the cases against them before trial, arguing that the prosecutions are improperly vindictive and that the prosecutor who filed the charges, Lindsey Halligan, was illegally appointed.Comey’s lawyers had sought the grand jury materials out of concerns that irregularities in the process may have tainted the case. The sole prosecutor who defense lawyers say presented the case to the grand jury was Halligan, a former White House aide with no prior prosecutorial experience who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/letitia-james-eastern-district-of-virginia-trump-8c84bd8603a4b932f9cb2e451ef057a3">appointed just days earlier</a>&nbsp;to the job of interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.Fitzpatrick had earlier this month directed prosecutors to give the defense grand jury materials, but was then directed by the trial court to examine the matter further. In his order Monday, Fitzpatrick said that after reviewing the grand jury proceedings himself, he had come away deeply concerned about the integrity of the case.“Here, the procedural and substantive irregularities that occurred before the grand jury, and the manner in which evidence presented to the grand jury was collected and used, may rise to the level of government misconduct resulting in prejudice to Mr. Comey,” Fitzpatrick said.Halligan did not immediately return a message seeking comment and a spokesman for the office declined to comment.Fitzpatrick listed among the irregularities two different comments that a prosecutor — presumably, Halligan — made to the grand jury that he said represented “fundamental misstatements of the law.” The actual statements are blacked out, but Fitzpatrick said the prosecutor seems to have ignored the fact that grand jurors cannot make a negative inference about a person who, like Comey, exercised a constitutional right to not testify.The judge also raised concerns that the transcript of the grand jury proceedings was incomplete.The two-count indictment charges Comey with lying to Congress in September 2020 when he suggested under questioning that he had not authorized FBI leaks of information to the news media. His lawyers say the question he was responding to was vague and confusing but that the answer he gave to the Senate Judiciary Committee was true.The line of questioning from Sen. Ted Cruz appeared to focus on whether Comey had authorized his former deputy director, Andrew McCabe, to speak with the news media. But since the indictment, prosecutors have made clear that their indictment centers on allegations that Comey permitted a separate person, a close friend and Columbia University law professor, Dan Richman to serve as an anonymous source in interactions with reporters.

Read the opinion: Judge scolds DOJ for 'profound missteps' in Comey case

COWLEY COUNTY —One person died in an accident Sunday afternoon in Cowley County.

Just before 2:30p.m. Sunday, Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the area of U.S. 160 and 151st Road following a report of a reckless driver, according to Cowley County Sheriff Dave Faletti. The reporting party stated the vehicle was failing to maintain its lane and was last seen traveling northbound on 151st Road.

Deputies traveling southbound on 151st Road observed the vehicle travel off the roadway to the right and collide with the bridge railing in the 12000 block of 151st Road. The vehicle sustained severe damage and came to rest teetering over the edge of the bridge.

Deputies immediately requested EMS and additional emergency personnel. A passing semi-truck driver stopped to assist and used chains to secure the vehicle, applying pressure in an effort to prevent it from falling over the bridge.

Emergency crews worked to stabilize the vehicle and began rescue efforts. First responders worked to treat and extricate the driver, later identified as Kyson Paschal Scott, 38,&nbsp;Geuda Springs, Kansas,&nbsp; who was trapped while the vehicle remained suspended over the bridge.

Despite extensive life-saving efforts, Scott was pronounced deceased at the scene. The accident remains under investigation by the Cowley County Sheriff’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763377513230.png" alt="EagleMed 11 lands west of Burden to assist with the Sunday afternoon crash-Photo from Cowley County Fire Department video" />
 <figcaption>EagleMed 11 lands west of Burden to assist with the Sunday afternoon crash-Photo from Cowley County Fire Department video</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY —One person died in an accident Sunday afternoon in Cowley County.Just before 2:30p.m. Sunday, Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the area of U.S. 160 and 151st Road following a report of a reckless driver, according to Cowley County Sheriff Dave Faletti. The reporting party stated the vehicle was failing to maintain its lane and was last seen traveling northbound on 151st Road.Deputies traveling southbound on 151st Road observed the vehicle travel off the roadway to the right and collide with the bridge railing in the 12000 block of 151st Road. The vehicle sustained severe damage and came to rest teetering over the edge of the bridge.Deputies immediately requested EMS and additional emergency personnel. A passing semi-truck driver stopped to assist and used chains to secure the vehicle, applying pressure in an effort to prevent it from falling over the bridge.Emergency crews worked to stabilize the vehicle and began rescue efforts. First responders worked to treat and extricate the driver, later identified as Kyson Paschal Scott, 38,&nbsp;Geuda Springs, Kansas,&nbsp; who was trapped while the vehicle remained suspended over the bridge.Despite extensive life-saving efforts, Scott was pronounced deceased at the scene. The accident remains under investigation by the Cowley County Sheriff’s Office.

Kansas man dies after trapped in vehicle that struck bridge rail

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A toddler is recovering from a near drowning at a home in Wichita.

Just after 7p.m. Sunday, police and other first responders were dispatched to a drowning call at a residence in the 1400 block of S. Shiloh in Wichita, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.

Police&nbsp; located a 2-year-old boy recovering from a potential drowning in the bathtub. The child may have suffered a medical emergency while taking a bath and was resuscitated by family in the home.

The child was transported to an area hospital for medical treatment, and, at this time, he is expected to survive, according to Moses.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A toddler is recovering from a near drowning at a home in Wichita.Just after 7p.m. Sunday, police and other first responders were dispatched to a drowning call at a residence in the 1400 block of S. Shiloh in Wichita, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.Police&nbsp; located a 2-year-old boy recovering from a potential drowning in the bathtub. The child may have suffered a medical emergency while taking a bath and was resuscitated by family in the home.The child was transported to an area hospital for medical treatment, and, at this time, he is expected to survive, according to Moses.

Toddler hospitalized after near bathtub drowning at Kan. home

WASHINGTON (AP) The president’s voice was extremely hoarse on Monday, but he told reporters his health was fine and blamed his sore throat on having to yell at people over trade talks.

WASHINGTON (AP) The president’s voice was extremely hoarse on Monday, but he told reporters his health was fine and blamed his sore throat on having to yell at people over trade talks.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I was shouting at people because they were stupid about something having to do with trade and a country and I straightened it out — but I blew my stack at these people, they were so stupid.&quot; 🤣 <a href="https://t.co/GyVcwCq8Cj">https://t.co/GyVcwCq8Cj</a> <a href="https://t.co/DeXcS269zs">pic.twitter.com/DeXcS269zs</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1990515342209397051?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I was shouting at people because they were stupid about something having to do with trade in a country,” Trump said. “And I straightened it out, but I blew my stack at those people,” Trump said.The president declined to say which country he was yelling at, but he said a “country wanted to try and renegotiate the terms of their trade deal and I wasn’t happy about it.”Trump said of his health that he feels “great.”