KANSAS CITY (AP) — It's been a big year for labor organizing in the U.S. And from auto production lines in Kansas City to Hollywood,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/strikes">all eyes are on strikes</a>&nbsp;taking the world of work by storm.

The boiling point we’re seeing today comes amid soaring costs of living and rising inequality, including growing pay gaps between workers and top executives. Now, thousands of workers who were asked to make sacrifices during the pandemic even as corporate profits soared are asking for better pay and protections — and walking off the job if progress isn't made in heated contract negotiations.

At least 453,000 workers have participated in 312 strikes in the U.S. this year, according to Johnnie Kallas, a Ph.D. candidate and the project director of Cornell University’s Labor Action Tracker. This year’s work stoppages have spread across multiple industries — including transportation, entertainment and hospitality.

Here's a rundown of some of the largest strikes taking place in the U.S. today.

75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers walk off the job

In the health care sector, a major strike kicked off this week — with some 75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kaiser-health-care-workers-strike-b8b40ce8c082c0b8c4f1c0fb7ec38741">walking off the job</a>&nbsp;Wednesday in multiple states. Strikers include licensed vocational nurses, home health aides and ultrasound sonographers, as well as technicians in the radiology, X-ray, surgical, pharmacy and emergency departments.

The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, which represents about 85,000 of the health system’s employees nationally, approved a strike for three days in California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington, and for one day in Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Back in August, unions representing Kaiser workers asked for a $25 hourly minimum wage, as well as increases of 7% each year in the first two years and 6.25% each year in the two years afterward. Union members say understaffing is boosting the hospital system’s profits but hurting patients, and executives have been bargaining in bad faith during negotiations.

Company executive Michelle Gaskill-Hames defended Kaiser — saying its practices, compensation and retention are better than its competitors. Kaiser has proposed minimum hourly wages of between $21 and $23 next year depending on the location.

Kaiser is one of the country’s larger insurers and health care system operators, serving nearly 13 million people. The Oakland, California-based nonprofit said its 39 hospitals, including emergency rooms, will remain open during the picketing, though appointments and non-urgent procedures could be delayed. Doctors are also not participating in the strike, and Kaiser said it was bringing in thousands of temporary workers.

UAW strike nears 3-week mark, with 25,000 on the picket lines

In an unprecedented labor campaign against three major car companies,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/autoworkers-detroit-general-motors-stellantis-ford-e2c78274333bea20856b90126a6b831c">some 25,000 auto workers</a>&nbsp;have joined picket lines in recent weeks

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-auto-workers">United Auto Workers</a>&nbsp;' targeted strikes against General Motors, Stellantis and Ford began at select factories after the union’s contract with the companies expired in mid-September — and have grown to a total of five vehicle assembly plants and 38 parts warehouses since.

UAW President Shawn Fain has announced strike expansions on each of the past two Fridays, citing a lack of what the union says is meaningful progress, but it's unclear how much that will continue as the strike nears its 3-week mark.

A person with direct knowledge of the talks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strike-negotiations-progress-gm-stellantis-ford-4dc51e9f463022bc3794e9615d8a705b">told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;Wednesday that progress was reported at all three companies, with some offers being exchanged. Another said there was more movement in talks with Jeep maker Stellantis and less at Ford and General Motors. Neither wanted to be identified because they aren’t authorized to speak publicly about the bargaining.

Fain will update members on the negotiations again Friday. The union is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-strike-ford-gm-stellantis-contract-offers-5dd4dee2056b7efe06d2a55433d8d13a">seeking</a>&nbsp;36% general wage increases over four years, as well as a 32-hour week with 40 hours of pay, the restoration of traditional defined-benefit pensions for new hires and a return of cost-of-living pay raises, among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-strike-ford-stellantis-general-motors-union-58cfc129b91b257b25c0a9254b2c44ec">other benefits</a>.

The companies, however, fear that raising their labor costs could make their vehicles more expensive than those manufactured by Tesla or foreign automakers with U.S. factories where workers are paid less. Tensions have also risen amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strike-auto-workers-ford-gm-stellantis-dce8eb39a1e36f2cc54a5c1e4210e1f3">layoffs</a>&nbsp;impacting thousands of workers, with the auto makers saying some factories are running short on parts because of the strike.

Striking Hollywood actors resume talks with studios

Hollywood was taken by storm this summer with a historic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hollywood-strikes/">dual strike</a>&nbsp;from the unions representing writers and actors — bringing much of production to a halt.

After five months on the picket lines, the writers strike was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-deal-hollywood-vote-actors-d3119d670a4fd3449773bf8f4026fb2b">declared over</a>&nbsp;after their union approved a contract agreement with studios last week. Meanwhile, actors are still on strike — but a shot at cutting their own deal is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-late-night-shows-return-negotiations-1ddcaa8c4684375f8e56d2cd2abd62ea">finally on the horizon</a>.

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-ends-actors-hollywood-28316c5104765576b7259b180e15c05b">began</a>&nbsp;negotiations Monday with the same group of major studios and streaming services, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, for the first time since they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-explained-2607dd29da6c16c0a406359a7e86d7fb">joined writers</a>&nbsp;on the picket lines on July 14. The two sides resumed talks Wednesday.

With similar sticking points to the writers, actors and their employers have been divided on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-explained-2607dd29da6c16c0a406359a7e86d7fb">issues of pay</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-hollywood-strikes-explained-writers-actors-e872bd63ab52c3ea9f7d6e825240a202">use of artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;and self-taped auditions. SAG-AFTRA leaders said they would look closely at the gains and compromises of the writers' deal, but emphasized that their demands would remain the same as they were when the strike began.

The two sides said in a joint statement that “several executives” from studios would be in on the talks, without providing names.

Southern California hotel workers' rolling strikes

Thousands of hotel workers in Southern California have staged&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-city-workers-strike-689eaa21d729694d8fa91080ddaa01df">staggered walkouts</a>&nbsp;over recent months. Union leaders are calling for better wages, improved health care, higher pension contributions, better safety protections and less strenuous workloads, among other benefits.

Members of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unitehere11.org/">Unite Here Local 11</a>&nbsp;overwhelmingly voted in favor of authorizing a strike back in June. After contracts expired at more than 60 hotels — including properties owned by major chains such as Marriott and Hilton — cooks, room attendants, dishwashers, servers, bellmen and front desk agents began picketing outside major hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-hotel-workers-strike-unite-here-0858937937766b75a1bfd10e9e41525f">at the start of July.</a>

During the staggered strikes, workers have also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-los-angeles-hotel-strike-ff26bbef8cbf37c82469a446ff29f919">called for solidarity</a>&nbsp;and a boycott of hotels in the Los Angeles area. According to United Here Local 11's website, the rolling walkouts surpassed the 100th strike mark last month.

While walkouts continue at dozens of hotels, two companies have made agreements with the union to date. On Friday, United Here Local 11 said that Biltmore Los Angeles had reached a tentative contract agreement — joining Westin Bonaventure Hotel &amp; Suites, which averted walkouts with a June deal promising higher pay and increased staffing levels.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695067603080.png" alt="Autoworkers on strike in Missouri photo UAW" />
 <figcaption>Autoworkers on strike in Missouri photo UAW</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — It's been a big year for labor organizing in the U.S. And from auto production lines in Kansas City to Hollywood,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/strikes">all eyes are on strikes</a>&nbsp;taking the world of work by storm.The boiling point we’re seeing today comes amid soaring costs of living and rising inequality, including growing pay gaps between workers and top executives. Now, thousands of workers who were asked to make sacrifices during the pandemic even as corporate profits soared are asking for better pay and protections — and walking off the job if progress isn't made in heated contract negotiations.At least 453,000 workers have participated in 312 strikes in the U.S. this year, according to Johnnie Kallas, a Ph.D. candidate and the project director of Cornell University’s Labor Action Tracker. This year’s work stoppages have spread across multiple industries — including transportation, entertainment and hospitality.Here's a rundown of some of the largest strikes taking place in the U.S. today.75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers walk off the jobIn the health care sector, a major strike kicked off this week — with some 75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kaiser-health-care-workers-strike-b8b40ce8c082c0b8c4f1c0fb7ec38741">walking off the job</a>&nbsp;Wednesday in multiple states. Strikers include licensed vocational nurses, home health aides and ultrasound sonographers, as well as technicians in the radiology, X-ray, surgical, pharmacy and emergency departments.The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, which represents about 85,000 of the health system’s employees nationally, approved a strike for three days in California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington, and for one day in Virginia and Washington, D.C.Back in August, unions representing Kaiser workers asked for a $25 hourly minimum wage, as well as increases of 7% each year in the first two years and 6.25% each year in the two years afterward. Union members say understaffing is boosting the hospital system’s profits but hurting patients, and executives have been bargaining in bad faith during negotiations.Company executive Michelle Gaskill-Hames defended Kaiser — saying its practices, compensation and retention are better than its competitors. Kaiser has proposed minimum hourly wages of between $21 and $23 next year depending on the location.Kaiser is one of the country’s larger insurers and health care system operators, serving nearly 13 million people. The Oakland, California-based nonprofit said its 39 hospitals, including emergency rooms, will remain open during the picketing, though appointments and non-urgent procedures could be delayed. Doctors are also not participating in the strike, and Kaiser said it was bringing in thousands of temporary workers.UAW strike nears 3-week mark, with 25,000 on the picket linesIn an unprecedented labor campaign against three major car companies,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/autoworkers-detroit-general-motors-stellantis-ford-e2c78274333bea20856b90126a6b831c">some 25,000 auto workers</a>&nbsp;have joined picket lines in recent weeksThe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-auto-workers">United Auto Workers</a>&nbsp;' targeted strikes against General Motors, Stellantis and Ford began at select factories after the union’s contract with the companies expired in mid-September — and have grown to a total of five vehicle assembly plants and 38 parts warehouses since.UAW President Shawn Fain has announced strike expansions on each of the past two Fridays, citing a lack of what the union says is meaningful progress, but it's unclear how much that will continue as the strike nears its 3-week mark.A person with direct knowledge of the talks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strike-negotiations-progress-gm-stellantis-ford-4dc51e9f463022bc3794e9615d8a705b">told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;Wednesday that progress was reported at all three companies, with some offers being exchanged. Another said there was more movement in talks with Jeep maker Stellantis and less at Ford and General Motors. Neither wanted to be identified because they aren’t authorized to speak publicly about the bargaining.Fain will update members on the negotiations again Friday. The union is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-strike-ford-gm-stellantis-contract-offers-5dd4dee2056b7efe06d2a55433d8d13a">seeking</a>&nbsp;36% general wage increases over four years, as well as a 32-hour week with 40 hours of pay, the restoration of traditional defined-benefit pensions for new hires and a return of cost-of-living pay raises, among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-strike-ford-stellantis-general-motors-union-58cfc129b91b257b25c0a9254b2c44ec">other benefits</a>.The companies, however, fear that raising their labor costs could make their vehicles more expensive than those manufactured by Tesla or foreign automakers with U.S. factories where workers are paid less. Tensions have also risen amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strike-auto-workers-ford-gm-stellantis-dce8eb39a1e36f2cc54a5c1e4210e1f3">layoffs</a>&nbsp;impacting thousands of workers, with the auto makers saying some factories are running short on parts because of the strike.Striking Hollywood actors resume talks with studiosHollywood was taken by storm this summer with a historic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hollywood-strikes/">dual strike</a>&nbsp;from the unions representing writers and actors — bringing much of production to a halt.After five months on the picket lines, the writers strike was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-deal-hollywood-vote-actors-d3119d670a4fd3449773bf8f4026fb2b">declared over</a>&nbsp;after their union approved a contract agreement with studios last week. Meanwhile, actors are still on strike — but a shot at cutting their own deal is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-late-night-shows-return-negotiations-1ddcaa8c4684375f8e56d2cd2abd62ea">finally on the horizon</a>.The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-ends-actors-hollywood-28316c5104765576b7259b180e15c05b">began</a>&nbsp;negotiations Monday with the same group of major studios and streaming services, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, for the first time since they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-explained-2607dd29da6c16c0a406359a7e86d7fb">joined writers</a>&nbsp;on the picket lines on July 14. The two sides resumed talks Wednesday.With similar sticking points to the writers, actors and their employers have been divided on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-explained-2607dd29da6c16c0a406359a7e86d7fb">issues of pay</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-hollywood-strikes-explained-writers-actors-e872bd63ab52c3ea9f7d6e825240a202">use of artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;and self-taped auditions. SAG-AFTRA leaders said they would look closely at the gains and compromises of the writers' deal, but emphasized that their demands would remain the same as they were when the strike began.The two sides said in a joint statement that “several executives” from studios would be in on the talks, without providing names.Southern California hotel workers' rolling strikesThousands of hotel workers in Southern California have staged&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-city-workers-strike-689eaa21d729694d8fa91080ddaa01df">staggered walkouts</a>&nbsp;over recent months. Union leaders are calling for better wages, improved health care, higher pension contributions, better safety protections and less strenuous workloads, among other benefits.Members of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unitehere11.org/">Unite Here Local 11</a>&nbsp;overwhelmingly voted in favor of authorizing a strike back in June. After contracts expired at more than 60 hotels — including properties owned by major chains such as Marriott and Hilton — cooks, room attendants, dishwashers, servers, bellmen and front desk agents began picketing outside major hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-hotel-workers-strike-unite-here-0858937937766b75a1bfd10e9e41525f">at the start of July.</a>During the staggered strikes, workers have also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-los-angeles-hotel-strike-ff26bbef8cbf37c82469a446ff29f919">called for solidarity</a>&nbsp;and a boycott of hotels in the Los Angeles area. According to United Here Local 11's website, the rolling walkouts surpassed the 100th strike mark last month.While walkouts continue at dozens of hotels, two companies have made agreements with the union to date. On Friday, United Here Local 11 said that Biltmore Los Angeles had reached a tentative contract agreement — joining Westin Bonaventure Hotel &amp; Suites, which averted walkouts with a June deal promising higher pay and increased staffing levels.

Thousands are on strike. A rundown of major US work stoppages

WASHINGTON (AP) — “THIS IS A TEST:" If you have a cell phone or are watching television Wednesday that message will flash across your screen as the federal government tests its emergency alert system used to tell people about emergencies.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/integrated-public-alert-warning-system">Integrated Public Alert and Warning System</a>&nbsp;sends out messages via the&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fema.gov%2Femergency-alert-system&amp;data=05%7C01%7CPMarcelo%40ap.org%7Ccef8e0e7fb174b82465408dbbacf9e85%7Ce442e1abfd6b4ba3abf3b020eb50df37%7C1%7C0%7C638309173128071582%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=aZXAjubdHzIm0ZbVuRKH0kEtRsXU2kwk8P92tEFOwyQ%3D&amp;reserved=0">Emergency Alert System</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/integrated-public-alert-warning-system/public/wireless-emergency-alerts">Wireless Emergency Alerts</a>.

The Emergency Alert System is a national public warning system that's designed to allow the president to speak to the American people within ten minutes during a national emergency via specific outlets such as radio and television. And Wireless Emergency Alerts are short messages — 360 characters or less — that go to mobile phones to alert their owner to important information.

While these types of alerts are frequently used in targeted areas to alert people in the area to thing like tornadoes, Wednesday's test is being done across the country.

The test is slated to start at 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time Wednesday. Wireless phone customers in the United States whose phones are on will get a message saying: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” The incoming message will also make a noise and the phone should vibrate.

Customers whose phones are set to the Spanish language will get the message in Spanish.

The test will be conducted over a 30-minute window started at 1:20 p.m. CDT although mobile phone owners would only get the message once. If their phones are turned off at 1:20 p.m. and then turned on in the next 30 minutes, they'll get the message when they turn their phones back on. If they turn their phones on after the 30 minutes have expired they will not get the message.

People watching broadcast or cable television or listening to the radio will hear and see a message lasting one minute that says: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 1:20 CDT to 1:50 hours CDT. This is only a test. No action is required by the public."

Federal law&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/1180">requires</a>&nbsp;the systems be tested at least once every three years. The last nationwide test was Aug. 11, 2021.

The test&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-fema-hydroxychloroquine-rand-paul-ukraine-cf1d1adb0f179593b64d92be0a5d5507">has spurred falsehoods on social media</a>&nbsp;that it's part of a plot to send a signal to cell phones nationwide in order to activate nanoparticles such as graphene oxide that have been introduced into people’s bodies. Experts and FEMA officials have dismissed those claims but some social media say they'll shut off their cellphones Wednesday.

All wireless phones should receive the message only once. The following can be expected from the nationwide WEA test:

WEA alerts are created and sent by authorized federal, state, local, tribal and territorial government agencies through IPAWS to participating wireless providers, which deliver the alerts to compatible handsets in geo-targeted areas. To help ensure that these alerts are accessible to the entire public, including people with disabilities, the alerts are accompanied by a unique tone and vibration.&nbsp;

Important information about the EAS test:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695205625537.png" alt="Photo FEMA" />
 <figcaption>Photo FEMA</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — “THIS IS A TEST:" If you have a cell phone or are watching television Wednesday that message will flash across your screen as the federal government tests its emergency alert system used to tell people about emergencies.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/integrated-public-alert-warning-system">Integrated Public Alert and Warning System</a>&nbsp;sends out messages via the&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fema.gov%2Femergency-alert-system&amp;data=05%7C01%7CPMarcelo%40ap.org%7Ccef8e0e7fb174b82465408dbbacf9e85%7Ce442e1abfd6b4ba3abf3b020eb50df37%7C1%7C0%7C638309173128071582%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=aZXAjubdHzIm0ZbVuRKH0kEtRsXU2kwk8P92tEFOwyQ%3D&amp;reserved=0">Emergency Alert System</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/integrated-public-alert-warning-system/public/wireless-emergency-alerts">Wireless Emergency Alerts</a>.The Emergency Alert System is a national public warning system that's designed to allow the president to speak to the American people within ten minutes during a national emergency via specific outlets such as radio and television. And Wireless Emergency Alerts are short messages — 360 characters or less — that go to mobile phones to alert their owner to important information.While these types of alerts are frequently used in targeted areas to alert people in the area to thing like tornadoes, Wednesday's test is being done across the country.The test is slated to start at 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time Wednesday. Wireless phone customers in the United States whose phones are on will get a message saying: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” The incoming message will also make a noise and the phone should vibrate.Customers whose phones are set to the Spanish language will get the message in Spanish.The test will be conducted over a 30-minute window started at 1:20 p.m. CDT although mobile phone owners would only get the message once. If their phones are turned off at 1:20 p.m. and then turned on in the next 30 minutes, they'll get the message when they turn their phones back on. If they turn their phones on after the 30 minutes have expired they will not get the message.People watching broadcast or cable television or listening to the radio will hear and see a message lasting one minute that says: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 1:20 CDT to 1:50 hours CDT. This is only a test. No action is required by the public."Federal law&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/1180">requires</a>&nbsp;the systems be tested at least once every three years. The last nationwide test was Aug. 11, 2021.The test&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-fema-hydroxychloroquine-rand-paul-ukraine-cf1d1adb0f179593b64d92be0a5d5507">has spurred falsehoods on social media</a>&nbsp;that it's part of a plot to send a signal to cell phones nationwide in order to activate nanoparticles such as graphene oxide that have been introduced into people’s bodies. Experts and FEMA officials have dismissed those claims but some social media say they'll shut off their cellphones Wednesday.All wireless phones should receive the message only once. The following can be expected from the nationwide WEA test:<ul>
 <li>Beginning at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET, cell towers will broadcast the test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, WEA-compatible wireless phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless provider participates in WEA, should be capable of receiving the test message.&nbsp;</li><li>For consumers, the message that appears on their phones will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”</li><li>Phones with the main menu set to Spanish will display: “ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Nacional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita acción.”</li>
 </ul>WEA alerts are created and sent by authorized federal, state, local, tribal and territorial government agencies through IPAWS to participating wireless providers, which deliver the alerts to compatible handsets in geo-targeted areas. To help ensure that these alerts are accessible to the entire public, including people with disabilities, the alerts are accompanied by a unique tone and vibration.&nbsp;Important information about the EAS test:<ul>
 <li>The EAS portion of the test is scheduled to last approximately one minute and will be conducted with the participation of radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers&nbsp;and wireline video providers.</li><li>The test message will be similar to the regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar. It will state: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.</li>
 </ul>

Nationwide emergency alert test today via mobile phones, radio

PHELPS COUNTY —Inmates Steven Timothy Scott and Jonathan Eugene Schmidt O'Dell both managed to escape from the jail in Phelps County, according to the FBI in Kansas City. Scott later turning himself to authorities. 

Law enforcement continue to search for33-year-old Schmidt O'Dell. He is described as a white male, 6-feet-1 inches tall and weighs approximately 200 pounds with brown hair, blue eyes and a full beard at the time of his booking. 

He may have shaved his beard to disguise his identity. He was last seen wearing a maroon-colored shirt with a Phelps County logo and brown slacks with a tan stripe.

Just after 11p.m. Friday the two inmates at the Phelps County Jail escaped by comprising the structural integrity of the cell and exiting the building. 

O'Dell is facing federal charges. According to a federal indictment O'Dell planned to travel to Texas to shoot at illegal immigrants who crossed into the U.S. from Mexico. The indictment also alleges he planned to murder officers and employees of U.S. Border Patrol who attempted to stop him.

As a reminder, anyone who aids a wanted fugitive could be subject to serious charges.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Jonathan O'Dell is asked to call 9-1-1 as soon as possible.  For non-emergency tips, please call our command post at (573) 426-3886.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696102076107.png" alt="What escaped Phelps County Jail inmate O'Dell looked like without his beard. Call 911 is you see him." />
 <figcaption>What escaped Phelps County Jail inmate O'Dell looked like without his beard. Call 911 is you see him.</figcaption>
 </figure>PHELPS COUNTY —Inmates Steven Timothy Scott and Jonathan Eugene Schmidt O'Dell both managed to escape from the jail in Phelps County, according to the FBI in Kansas City. Scott later turning himself to authorities. Law enforcement continue to search for33-year-old Schmidt O'Dell. He is described as a white male, 6-feet-1 inches tall and weighs approximately 200 pounds with brown hair, blue eyes and a full beard at the time of his booking. He may have shaved his beard to disguise his identity. He was last seen wearing a maroon-colored shirt with a Phelps County logo and brown slacks with a tan stripe.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696102787994.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 11p.m. Friday the two inmates at the Phelps County Jail escaped by comprising the structural integrity of the cell and exiting the building. O'Dell is facing federal charges. According to a federal indictment O'Dell planned to travel to Texas to shoot at illegal immigrants who crossed into the U.S. from Mexico. The indictment also alleges he planned to murder officers and employees of U.S. Border Patrol who attempted to stop him.As a reminder, anyone who aids a wanted fugitive could be subject to serious charges.Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Jonathan O'Dell is asked to call 9-1-1 as soon as possible. For non-emergency tips, please call our command post at (573) 426-3886.

FBI: Search continues for escapee from county jail in Missouri

NEW YORK (AP) — With gridlock persisting in Washington, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-biden-trump-mccarthy-f1b06964cf549b09977677e5f70bf9ff" target="_blank">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;is looking all but inevitable ahead of the Saturday night deadline.

While the Senate pushes forward with bipartisan approach aimed at keeping the government open, the Republican-controlled House has made little progress — most recently with Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-house-republicans-biden-4b6644959722dbbbed654768bd9fc653" target="_blank">last-ditch plan collapsing</a>&nbsp;Friday. If spending measures aren’t passed by Saturday night, millions of federal employees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-park-grand-canyon-shutdown-budget-congress-55c06261c51650e34f4591626bd9f236" target="_blank">will be furloughed</a>&nbsp;and many others will be forced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-gop-federal-workers-congress-government-5978a4c7411eba06261d16c3aff3dfc5" target="_blank">to work without pay</a>&nbsp;until the shutdown ends.

A handful of federal safety services that people rely on everyday are also in jeopardy. From dwindling funds for critical food assistance programs to potential delays in customer service for recipients of low-staffed Medicare and Social Security offices. The ripple effects would come down to how long the shutdown lasts and varying contingency plans in place at impacted agencies.

“Collectively, hundreds of millions of Americans, a majority of the population, are receiving some kind of benefits from the government,” said Forrest V. Morgeson III, an associate professor at Michigan State University’s Broad College of Business. He noted a shutdown would bring significant financial uncertainty and economic implications down the road.

Will SNAP be affected by a government shutdown? What about WIC?

A government shutdown could risk millions of low-income Americans’ access to food and nutrition assistance programs — with impacts depending on how long the shutdown lasts and program-by-program contingency funds.

Nearly 7 million women and children who rely on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) could be at risk of losing assistance almost immediately into a shutdown, according to the Biden Administration. That’s because the federal contingency fund supporting normal WIC operations will likely run out in a matter of days — pushing states to rely on their own money or carryover funds.

Impacted families are “going to be going to food pantries,” said Dr. Nancy Nielsen, senior associate dean for health policy at the University at Buffalo’s Jacobs School of Medicine &amp; Biomedical Sciences. “These are people who need the help. These are moms. These are infants. So this is a real problem.”

Families who receive benefits from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program" target="_blank">Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program</a>&nbsp;could also lose assistance if a shutdown drags out for a more significant period of time. According to the Agriculture Department, regardless of what happens in Washington this weekend, households will receive SNAP assistance as usual through October.

What about Head Start programs and free school lunch?

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/head-start-program" target="_blank">Head Start</a>&nbsp;programs serving more than 10,000 disadvantaged children&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/head-start-preschool-shutdown-budget-congress-199fcb7da90479e3f4dc3b17f6b07c43" target="_blank">would immediately lose federal funding</a>, although they might be able to stave off immediate closure if the shutdown doesn’t last long.

Those 10 programs, which are located in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts and South Carolina, serve just a fraction of the 820,000 children enrolled in the program at any given time.

Tommy Sheridan, the deputy director for the National Head Start Association, said the programs are in trouble because their grants start on Oct. 1. Programs with grants that don’t start on that date will continue getting money. But if the shutdown drags on, the number of affected programs will grow as more grants come up for renewal.

Beyond Head Start, concerns have also arisen around&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/free-school-meals-usda-lunch-1b5a3a5209ef76c6260e64bcb44650e8" target="_blank">free school meals</a>. But the Agriculture Department says it does not anticipate any immediate issues with federal child nutrition programs, including school meals because support for these programs is provided in part by a permanent and mandatory funding authority.

In the event of a government shutdown, state and federal operations for child nutrition are set to continue through October and potentially a few months beyond that, according to the department. But the department would not be able to support these programs for the full year without appropriations.

Will I continue to receive Social Security checks?

Regardless of what happens in Washington this weekend, Social Security and Supplemental Security Income recipients will continue to receive payments. But response times for people with issues could be delayed due to furloughs.

“If you have a question about Social Security, you may not be able to find anybody to answer your questions,” Nielsen said. “But the everyday transactions of sending checks out will still continue.”

According to a recent contingency plan from the Social Security Administration, the agency will cease non-critical actions and those “not directly related to the accurate and timely payment of benefits.” The issuance of new social security cards and replacements will continue.

Would a shutdown impact Medicare and other health services?

Medicare and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-eligibility-states-health-care-1cfb633c932c5e9e57567f1b138280a7" target="_blank">Medicaid</a>&nbsp;benefits will also continue — as both are mandatory programs funded separately from annual appropriations. That means that patients should still be able to see their doctors and have medical bills paid.

But, similar to Social Security, there could be delays and disruptions to customer service due to furloughs. According to contingency details published by the Health and Human Services Department last week, about half of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is set to be furloughed in the event of a lapse of appropriations.

Beyond Medicare and Medicaid, health care services for veterans are set to continue in the event of a shutdown. The majority of programs funded by the Indian Health Service would also remain in operation and IHS has received advanced appropriations for the 2024 fiscal year, per a recent contingency plan.

How could flights and other travel be impacted?

The nation’s air-travel system is expected to operate relatively normally during a shutdown. Air traffic controllers and TSA screeners are deemed essential workers — however, those people won’t be paid until the shutdown ends, and TSA lines could grow longer if enough screeners stay home.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Wednesday that air travel will remain safe in a shutdown, but that the training of new air traffic controllers will stop and 1,000 trainees will be furloughed.

Long before this week’s deadline, airlines were already been complaining that a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-congress-spending-summer-travel-8b9c7cb54933fe0e5c591dab27e20b2a" target="_blank">shortage</a>&nbsp;of air traffic controllers has been causing flight delays and cancellations. The Federal Aviation Administration said in August it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-limits-new-york-flights-6992dfe968891b414901f5bd2fef9de7" target="_blank">hired 1,500 new controllers</a>&nbsp;in the past year and asked Congress for money to hire another 1,800 in the new fiscal year.

The processing of passports and visas will continue in a shutdown “as the situation permits,” according to guidance that the State Department gave employees last week. The department said consulates in the U.S. and abroad will say open “as long as there are sufficient fees to support operations,” but passport work could stop if the building where the work is done gets shuttered.

The time it takes to get a passport or visa already is much longer than before the pandemic. Most Customs and Border Protection agents are also considered essential and would be expected to work at airports and border crossings.

If spending measures aren’t passed by Saturday’s deadline, the government shutdown would start the same day that student loans emerge from the pandemic pause after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-interest-repayment-payments-plans-1e35445c34a73f0b7b02c7296a84722a" target="_blank">beginning to accrue interest again</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 1.

But, shutdown or not, borrowers’ payments will still be due. For the most part, loan servicers will be able to continue to process payments regularly — but there could be delays for those who need to consult with or seek help from the Education Department due to the potential of agency furloughs.

Students applying for federal aid during a shutdown can expect similar delays because of this. Officials have pointed to potential disruptions to processing FAFSA applications, disbursing Pell Grants and pursuing public loan forgiveness, for example.

The United States Postal Service will not be affected by a government shutdown. The Postal Service doesn’t rely on taxpayer dollars because it generally gets its funding through the sales of products and services.

Associated Press writers David Koenig in Dallas and Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695951910798.png" alt="FILE - A sign reading "Because of the Federal Government SHUTDOWN All National Parks are Closed" is posted on a barricade in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Oct. 1, 2013. The federal government is heading toward a shutdown at month's end that will disrupt many services, squeeze workers and roil politics. It comes as Republicans in the House, fueled by hard-right demands for deep cuts, force a confrontation over federal spending. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - A sign reading "Because of the Federal Government SHUTDOWN All National Parks are Closed" is posted on a barricade in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Oct. 1, 2013. The federal government is heading toward a shutdown at month's end that will disrupt many services, squeeze workers and roil politics. It comes as Republicans in the House, fueled by hard-right demands for deep cuts, force a confrontation over federal spending. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — With gridlock persisting in Washington, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-biden-trump-mccarthy-f1b06964cf549b09977677e5f70bf9ff" target="_blank">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;is looking all but inevitable ahead of the Saturday night deadline.While the Senate pushes forward with bipartisan approach aimed at keeping the government open, the Republican-controlled House has made little progress — most recently with Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-house-republicans-biden-4b6644959722dbbbed654768bd9fc653" target="_blank">last-ditch plan collapsing</a>&nbsp;Friday. If spending measures aren’t passed by Saturday night, millions of federal employees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-park-grand-canyon-shutdown-budget-congress-55c06261c51650e34f4591626bd9f236" target="_blank">will be furloughed</a>&nbsp;and many others will be forced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-gop-federal-workers-congress-government-5978a4c7411eba06261d16c3aff3dfc5" target="_blank">to work without pay</a>&nbsp;until the shutdown ends.A handful of federal safety services that people rely on everyday are also in jeopardy. From dwindling funds for critical food assistance programs to potential delays in customer service for recipients of low-staffed Medicare and Social Security offices. The ripple effects would come down to how long the shutdown lasts and varying contingency plans in place at impacted agencies.“Collectively, hundreds of millions of Americans, a majority of the population, are receiving some kind of benefits from the government,” said Forrest V. Morgeson III, an associate professor at Michigan State University’s Broad College of Business. He noted a shutdown would bring significant financial uncertainty and economic implications down the road.<h2>Will SNAP be affected by a government shutdown? What about WIC?</h2>A government shutdown could risk millions of low-income Americans’ access to food and nutrition assistance programs — with impacts depending on how long the shutdown lasts and program-by-program contingency funds.Nearly 7 million women and children who rely on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) could be at risk of losing assistance almost immediately into a shutdown, according to the Biden Administration. That’s because the federal contingency fund supporting normal WIC operations will likely run out in a matter of days — pushing states to rely on their own money or carryover funds.Impacted families are “going to be going to food pantries,” said Dr. Nancy Nielsen, senior associate dean for health policy at the University at Buffalo’s Jacobs School of Medicine &amp; Biomedical Sciences. “These are people who need the help. These are moms. These are infants. So this is a real problem.”Families who receive benefits from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program" target="_blank">Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program</a>&nbsp;could also lose assistance if a shutdown drags out for a more significant period of time. According to the Agriculture Department, regardless of what happens in Washington this weekend, households will receive SNAP assistance as usual through October.<h2>What about Head Start programs and free school lunch?</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/hub/head-start-program" target="_blank">Head Start</a>&nbsp;programs serving more than 10,000 disadvantaged children&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/head-start-preschool-shutdown-budget-congress-199fcb7da90479e3f4dc3b17f6b07c43" target="_blank">would immediately lose federal funding</a>, although they might be able to stave off immediate closure if the shutdown doesn’t last long.Those 10 programs, which are located in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts and South Carolina, serve just a fraction of the 820,000 children enrolled in the program at any given time.Tommy Sheridan, the deputy director for the National Head Start Association, said the programs are in trouble because their grants start on Oct. 1. Programs with grants that don’t start on that date will continue getting money. But if the shutdown drags on, the number of affected programs will grow as more grants come up for renewal.Beyond Head Start, concerns have also arisen around&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/free-school-meals-usda-lunch-1b5a3a5209ef76c6260e64bcb44650e8" target="_blank">free school meals</a>. But the Agriculture Department says it does not anticipate any immediate issues with federal child nutrition programs, including school meals because support for these programs is provided in part by a permanent and mandatory funding authority.In the event of a government shutdown, state and federal operations for child nutrition are set to continue through October and potentially a few months beyond that, according to the department. But the department would not be able to support these programs for the full year without appropriations.<h2>Will I continue to receive Social Security checks?</h2>Regardless of what happens in Washington this weekend, Social Security and Supplemental Security Income recipients will continue to receive payments. But response times for people with issues could be delayed due to furloughs.“If you have a question about Social Security, you may not be able to find anybody to answer your questions,” Nielsen said. “But the everyday transactions of sending checks out will still continue.”According to a recent contingency plan from the Social Security Administration, the agency will cease non-critical actions and those “not directly related to the accurate and timely payment of benefits.” The issuance of new social security cards and replacements will continue.<h2>Would a shutdown impact Medicare and other health services?</h2>Medicare and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-eligibility-states-health-care-1cfb633c932c5e9e57567f1b138280a7" target="_blank">Medicaid</a>&nbsp;benefits will also continue — as both are mandatory programs funded separately from annual appropriations. That means that patients should still be able to see their doctors and have medical bills paid.But, similar to Social Security, there could be delays and disruptions to customer service due to furloughs. According to contingency details published by the Health and Human Services Department last week, about half of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is set to be furloughed in the event of a lapse of appropriations.Beyond Medicare and Medicaid, health care services for veterans are set to continue in the event of a shutdown. The majority of programs funded by the Indian Health Service would also remain in operation and IHS has received advanced appropriations for the 2024 fiscal year, per a recent contingency plan.<h2>How could flights and other travel be impacted?</h2>The nation’s air-travel system is expected to operate relatively normally during a shutdown. Air traffic controllers and TSA screeners are deemed essential workers — however, those people won’t be paid until the shutdown ends, and TSA lines could grow longer if enough screeners stay home.Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Wednesday that air travel will remain safe in a shutdown, but that the training of new air traffic controllers will stop and 1,000 trainees will be furloughed.Long before this week’s deadline, airlines were already been complaining that a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-congress-spending-summer-travel-8b9c7cb54933fe0e5c591dab27e20b2a" target="_blank">shortage</a>&nbsp;of air traffic controllers has been causing flight delays and cancellations. The Federal Aviation Administration said in August it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-limits-new-york-flights-6992dfe968891b414901f5bd2fef9de7" target="_blank">hired 1,500 new controllers</a>&nbsp;in the past year and asked Congress for money to hire another 1,800 in the new fiscal year.The processing of passports and visas will continue in a shutdown “as the situation permits,” according to guidance that the State Department gave employees last week. The department said consulates in the U.S. and abroad will say open “as long as there are sufficient fees to support operations,” but passport work could stop if the building where the work is done gets shuttered.The time it takes to get a passport or visa already is much longer than before the pandemic. Most Customs and Border Protection agents are also considered essential and would be expected to work at airports and border crossings.<h2>Could there be student loan disruptions?</h2>If spending measures aren’t passed by Saturday’s deadline, the government shutdown would start the same day that student loans emerge from the pandemic pause after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-interest-repayment-payments-plans-1e35445c34a73f0b7b02c7296a84722a" target="_blank">beginning to accrue interest again</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 1.But, shutdown or not, borrowers’ payments will still be due. For the most part, loan servicers will be able to continue to process payments regularly — but there could be delays for those who need to consult with or seek help from the Education Department due to the potential of agency furloughs.Students applying for federal aid during a shutdown can expect similar delays because of this. Officials have pointed to potential disruptions to processing FAFSA applications, disbursing Pell Grants and pursuing public loan forgiveness, for example.<h2>Would mail services slow down?</h2>The United States Postal Service will not be affected by a government shutdown. The Postal Service doesn’t rely on taxpayer dollars because it generally gets its funding through the sales of products and services.<h2>___</h2>Associated Press writers David Koenig in Dallas and Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City contributed to this report.

Government shutdown: SNAP, student loans and travel impacts, explained

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Oil prices have risen, meaning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gas-prices-rising-heat-wave-production-cuts-4cecfbe2ee68eccab7224f163fc676db">drivers are paying more for gasoline</a>&nbsp;and truckers and farmers more for diesel.

The increase also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-unemployment-federal-reserve-d4db7a2177f785c4ff1587cc6ef22b43">complicates the global fight against inflation</a>&nbsp;and feeds Russia's war chest. That poses problems for politicians as well as the people having to spend more to get to work, transport the world's goods or harvest fields.

Here are things to know about the recent increase — and where prices might be going:

Above all,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opec-oil-prices-saudi-arabia-russia-8d70999cb8258aebc3edbfdfcae278b7">Saudi Arabia's decision to cut back</a>&nbsp;how much oil it sends to global markets has pushed prices higher.

The world's second-largest oil supplier has slashed production by 1 million barrels a day since July and decided this month to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-oil-production-cut-opec-2d6f724e899f31e92d4bdf052921125c">extend the cut</a>&nbsp;through the end of the year.

Russia, Saudi Arabia's ally in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opec-oil-supply-gasoline-prices-saudi-russia-27e7b8785ff6fa3ca5df590d64cedb57">OPEC+ oil producers' coalition</a>, also extended its own cut of 300,000 barrels a month through 2023.

Simply, tighter supply means higher prices.

International benchmark Brent oil traded at just under $94 per barrel Monday, up from $90 before the extension on Sept. 5 and from $74 before the Saudi cut was first announced. U.S. oil traded at around $90.50, up from $68 before the Saudi cut.

Some analysts think oil could hit $100 a barrel based on robust demand and limited supply. But that's far from the only view.

Oil prices can be volatile, and while they might briefly top $100 in the coming months, they're unlikely to stay there, said Jorge Leon, senior vice president for oil markets at Rystad Energy. He foresees prices in the low $90s on average in the last three months of the year.

That's still high historically, he said, supported by “resilient”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/european-tourism-summer-travel-pandemic-recovery-ee4416b151618fce3bf6cb5e3ff24d99">demand for fuel to drive and fly</a>.

The Saudi cuts were a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-oil-production-cut-23c6b522ba9ba0e0a9e10211f991f714">unilateral move</a>&nbsp;outside the framework of the OPEC+ alliance, meaning the kingdom can make changes as needed to quickly respond to shifting market conditions.

Leon said the Saudis will review the cuts each month — and could add barrels back if prices spike to levels that could seriously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-inflation-federal-reserve-europe-china-climate-aec9e51d969ed56e2348a8c839e764e8">worsen inflation</a>&nbsp;in countries buying oil. Excessive price increases could mean central banks worldwide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/european-central-bank-interest-rates-inflation-recession-1b7ad9f3f6e9522de05d7b3c1f93e437">hike interest rates further</a>&nbsp;or keep them higher for longer.

“I don't think it will be clever for the Saudis to push that hard,” Leon said. “The last thing you want to do is fuel inflation again with much higher oil prices. That's going to kill economic growth, and lower growth is going to mean lower oil demand at the end of the day.”

A big question is demand for fuel, which is picking up along with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/summer-travel-inflation-airlines-hotels-b1ec8b577b6cae248923236b1c8c120c">rebounding travel</a>&nbsp;following the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic. A robust U.S. economy increases demand for oil — and the price — while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-reserve-banks-stimulus-c50a9f1640e6e311cc6d4ef82c5720b9">weak growth in China</a>&nbsp;and Europe has the opposite effect.

“We see the upside potential for the oil price as being virtually used up and if anything envisage setback potential in view of the weak economy,” said Thu Lan Nguyen, Commerzbank head of commodities research who foresees oil at $85 per barrel by year's end. “The oil price is only likely to climb more lastingly once the economic outlook begins to brighten, which should be the case next year.”

Another factor is financial speculation, and it appears investors are piling into the oil market with bets that prices will rise.

“Much of the price surge beyond $85 per barrel is due to a flood of speculative money, while fundamentally there is still plenty of oil in the world to meet demand for now,” said Gary Peach, oil markets analyst at Energy Intelligence.

Plus, more Iranian oil may come on the market as the U.S. “turns a blind eye” on enforcing sanctions to keep prices from rising further, Leon said. That could add 200,000 to 300,000 barrels a day.

Costlier oil feeds through to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-prices-inflation-fed-8418846309f9f92dea30c1ed1839b54a">higher prices for gasoline and diesel</a>, especially in the U.S., where roughly half the pump price reflects the cost of crude — the rest is marketing, taxes and other costs.

Crude is a smaller share of gasoline and diesel prices in Europe because fuel taxes are much higher there.

Average U.S. pump prices are still well below the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-are-gas-prices-rising-541819ca1aa4d3dc0a0206271f9f8589">record $5 per gallon</a>&nbsp;seen in summer 2022. But at $3.85 per gallon, they're still up 15 cents from a year ago. Oil costs are keeping gas prices high even as driving demand drops with the end of summer vacations and plentiful gasoline stocks, according to auto club AAA.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-diesel-fuel-embargo-explainer-28b9043593c7cb92e032aa451c837b39">Diesel prices have risen</a>&nbsp;as well, along with higher oil costs and refineries facing shortages of the specific kinds of crude best for making diesel. Refineries also are choosing to produce jet fuel instead, chasing profits as air travel rebounds. A gallon of diesel cost $4.58 last week, up from $4.34 a month ago.

That hurts farmers, who use a lot of diesel, and adds to the price of consumer goods transported by truck, which is pretty much everything.

Diesel supplies got even tighter Friday after Russia said it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-fuel-exports-halt-gasoline-diesel-9de83f7964a723c7b0e13cb9382be88c">halt the export of refined oil products</a>&nbsp;to hold down fuel prices at home.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-economy-ukraine-war-ac83e7a74d9e426cb18c5168c5929d38">Oil is Russia's main moneymaker</a>, so higher prices help the Kremlin pay for its invasion of Ukraine and weather sweeping Western sanctions aimed at crushing its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-economy-ukraine-war-putin-sanctions-0231252b7a145040530245b58590f7f0">wartime economy</a>.

The recent rise in oil prices, along with a cutback in the discount that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-moscow-europe-european-union-825506b6a349cce7e5971c0ac550aeaa">sanctions forced Russia to offer</a>&nbsp;Asian customers, means Moscow will earn “significantly more revenue from those exports,” said Benjamin Hilgenstock, senior economist at the Kyiv School of Economics.

The additional revenue could reach an estimated $17 billion this year and $33 billion next year, he said in an online talk hosted by the Brussels-based European Policy Center.

Russia has lost some $100 billion in oil revenue following a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-business-global-trade-economy-prices-f8a8aed1128b576e371c7896c770e516">European Union import ban</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-health-covid-prices-european-union-65de1c4934227208bfa68bb7d4c47716">$60-per-barrel price cap</a>&nbsp;imposed by the Group of Seven major economies, which bars Western insurers and shippers from handling oil priced above that level.

Russia, however, has increasingly found ways around the cap, including using a fleet of ghost tankers masking their ownership and origin of the crude they carry.

Any additional export earnings help&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-ruble-falling-ee777eeaf897d42befae052336fc35d5">support Russia's currency</a>&nbsp;and what it can import — including weapons components.

U.S. President Joe Biden has faced criticism from Republican lawmakers to encourage more oil drilling and scrap his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-electric-cars-uaw-strike-d73f259bf5e9242340e912ad1e9b4aa9">support for electric vehicles</a>.

But that criticism largely overlooks the rise in U.S. oil production over the past year. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that oil production averaged 12.8 million barrels a day in June, up 1 million barrels from 12 months ago, close to the levels achieved before the pandemic began in 2020.

Biden has said he considers oil production essential to keep the economy going as a bridge to a future with EVs and renewable energy.

Still, the White House views the oil market worldwide as being undersupplied, in line with recent OPEC data that indicates there will likely be a worldwide shortfall of 3 million barrels a day. The administration is also in touch with domestic and international producers on longtime supply needs, trying to ensure that the risk of higher oil prices does not disrupt economic growth.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615499123066.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Oil prices have risen, meaning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gas-prices-rising-heat-wave-production-cuts-4cecfbe2ee68eccab7224f163fc676db">drivers are paying more for gasoline</a>&nbsp;and truckers and farmers more for diesel.The increase also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-unemployment-federal-reserve-d4db7a2177f785c4ff1587cc6ef22b43">complicates the global fight against inflation</a>&nbsp;and feeds Russia's war chest. That poses problems for politicians as well as the people having to spend more to get to work, transport the world's goods or harvest fields.Here are things to know about the recent increase — and where prices might be going:WHY HAVE OIL PRICES RISEN?Above all,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opec-oil-prices-saudi-arabia-russia-8d70999cb8258aebc3edbfdfcae278b7">Saudi Arabia's decision to cut back</a>&nbsp;how much oil it sends to global markets has pushed prices higher.The world's second-largest oil supplier has slashed production by 1 million barrels a day since July and decided this month to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-oil-production-cut-opec-2d6f724e899f31e92d4bdf052921125c">extend the cut</a>&nbsp;through the end of the year.Russia, Saudi Arabia's ally in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opec-oil-supply-gasoline-prices-saudi-russia-27e7b8785ff6fa3ca5df590d64cedb57">OPEC+ oil producers' coalition</a>, also extended its own cut of 300,000 barrels a month through 2023.Simply, tighter supply means higher prices.International benchmark Brent oil traded at just under $94 per barrel Monday, up from $90 before the extension on Sept. 5 and from $74 before the Saudi cut was first announced. U.S. oil traded at around $90.50, up from $68 before the Saudi cut.HOW HIGH COULD OIL PRICES GO?Some analysts think oil could hit $100 a barrel based on robust demand and limited supply. But that's far from the only view.Oil prices can be volatile, and while they might briefly top $100 in the coming months, they're unlikely to stay there, said Jorge Leon, senior vice president for oil markets at Rystad Energy. He foresees prices in the low $90s on average in the last three months of the year.That's still high historically, he said, supported by “resilient”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/european-tourism-summer-travel-pandemic-recovery-ee4416b151618fce3bf6cb5e3ff24d99">demand for fuel to drive and fly</a>.The Saudi cuts were a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-oil-production-cut-23c6b522ba9ba0e0a9e10211f991f714">unilateral move</a>&nbsp;outside the framework of the OPEC+ alliance, meaning the kingdom can make changes as needed to quickly respond to shifting market conditions.Leon said the Saudis will review the cuts each month — and could add barrels back if prices spike to levels that could seriously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-inflation-federal-reserve-europe-china-climate-aec9e51d969ed56e2348a8c839e764e8">worsen inflation</a>&nbsp;in countries buying oil. Excessive price increases could mean central banks worldwide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/european-central-bank-interest-rates-inflation-recession-1b7ad9f3f6e9522de05d7b3c1f93e437">hike interest rates further</a>&nbsp;or keep them higher for longer.“I don't think it will be clever for the Saudis to push that hard,” Leon said. “The last thing you want to do is fuel inflation again with much higher oil prices. That's going to kill economic growth, and lower growth is going to mean lower oil demand at the end of the day.”WHAT OTHER FACTORS AFFECT PRICES?A big question is demand for fuel, which is picking up along with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/summer-travel-inflation-airlines-hotels-b1ec8b577b6cae248923236b1c8c120c">rebounding travel</a>&nbsp;following the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic. A robust U.S. economy increases demand for oil — and the price — while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-reserve-banks-stimulus-c50a9f1640e6e311cc6d4ef82c5720b9">weak growth in China</a>&nbsp;and Europe has the opposite effect.“We see the upside potential for the oil price as being virtually used up and if anything envisage setback potential in view of the weak economy,” said Thu Lan Nguyen, Commerzbank head of commodities research who foresees oil at $85 per barrel by year's end. “The oil price is only likely to climb more lastingly once the economic outlook begins to brighten, which should be the case next year.”Another factor is financial speculation, and it appears investors are piling into the oil market with bets that prices will rise.“Much of the price surge beyond $85 per barrel is due to a flood of speculative money, while fundamentally there is still plenty of oil in the world to meet demand for now,” said Gary Peach, oil markets analyst at Energy Intelligence.Plus, more Iranian oil may come on the market as the U.S. “turns a blind eye” on enforcing sanctions to keep prices from rising further, Leon said. That could add 200,000 to 300,000 barrels a day.WHAT'S THE IMPACT ON CONSUMERS?Costlier oil feeds through to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-prices-inflation-fed-8418846309f9f92dea30c1ed1839b54a">higher prices for gasoline and diesel</a>, especially in the U.S., where roughly half the pump price reflects the cost of crude — the rest is marketing, taxes and other costs.Crude is a smaller share of gasoline and diesel prices in Europe because fuel taxes are much higher there.Average U.S. pump prices are still well below the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-are-gas-prices-rising-541819ca1aa4d3dc0a0206271f9f8589">record $5 per gallon</a>&nbsp;seen in summer 2022. But at $3.85 per gallon, they're still up 15 cents from a year ago. Oil costs are keeping gas prices high even as driving demand drops with the end of summer vacations and plentiful gasoline stocks, according to auto club AAA.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-diesel-fuel-embargo-explainer-28b9043593c7cb92e032aa451c837b39">Diesel prices have risen</a>&nbsp;as well, along with higher oil costs and refineries facing shortages of the specific kinds of crude best for making diesel. Refineries also are choosing to produce jet fuel instead, chasing profits as air travel rebounds. A gallon of diesel cost $4.58 last week, up from $4.34 a month ago.That hurts farmers, who use a lot of diesel, and adds to the price of consumer goods transported by truck, which is pretty much everything.Diesel supplies got even tighter Friday after Russia said it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-fuel-exports-halt-gasoline-diesel-9de83f7964a723c7b0e13cb9382be88c">halt the export of refined oil products</a>&nbsp;to hold down fuel prices at home.HOW DO HIGHER OIL PRICES HELP RUSSIA?<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-economy-ukraine-war-ac83e7a74d9e426cb18c5168c5929d38">Oil is Russia's main moneymaker</a>, so higher prices help the Kremlin pay for its invasion of Ukraine and weather sweeping Western sanctions aimed at crushing its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-economy-ukraine-war-putin-sanctions-0231252b7a145040530245b58590f7f0">wartime economy</a>.The recent rise in oil prices, along with a cutback in the discount that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-moscow-europe-european-union-825506b6a349cce7e5971c0ac550aeaa">sanctions forced Russia to offer</a>&nbsp;Asian customers, means Moscow will earn “significantly more revenue from those exports,” said Benjamin Hilgenstock, senior economist at the Kyiv School of Economics.The additional revenue could reach an estimated $17 billion this year and $33 billion next year, he said in an online talk hosted by the Brussels-based European Policy Center.Russia has lost some $100 billion in oil revenue following a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-business-global-trade-economy-prices-f8a8aed1128b576e371c7896c770e516">European Union import ban</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-health-covid-prices-european-union-65de1c4934227208bfa68bb7d4c47716">$60-per-barrel price cap</a>&nbsp;imposed by the Group of Seven major economies, which bars Western insurers and shippers from handling oil priced above that level.Russia, however, has increasingly found ways around the cap, including using a fleet of ghost tankers masking their ownership and origin of the crude they carry.Any additional export earnings help&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-ruble-falling-ee777eeaf897d42befae052336fc35d5">support Russia's currency</a>&nbsp;and what it can import — including weapons components.WHAT ARE THE POLITICS?U.S. President Joe Biden has faced criticism from Republican lawmakers to encourage more oil drilling and scrap his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-electric-cars-uaw-strike-d73f259bf5e9242340e912ad1e9b4aa9">support for electric vehicles</a>.But that criticism largely overlooks the rise in U.S. oil production over the past year. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that oil production averaged 12.8 million barrels a day in June, up 1 million barrels from 12 months ago, close to the levels achieved before the pandemic began in 2020.Biden has said he considers oil production essential to keep the economy going as a bridge to a future with EVs and renewable energy.Still, the White House views the oil market worldwide as being undersupplied, in line with recent OPEC data that indicates there will likely be a worldwide shortfall of 3 million barrels a day. The administration is also in touch with domestic and international producers on longtime supply needs, trying to ensure that the risk of higher oil prices does not disrupt economic growth.

Oil prices are up, gas more expensive and it is helping Russia's war effort

By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON —&nbsp; Two years ago, Farzana Jamalzada and her husband made the difficult decision to separately flee Afghanistan, after U.S. troops withdrew from the country and the Taliban took over.

It took days for the couple to be reunited at an airport in Qatar, where Jamalzada would show people a picture of her husband on her phone, asking them if they had seen him.

Once reunited, they were settled into the U.S. through the Biden administration’s humanitarian parole program for Afghans that extended protections for two years, allowing them to work and live in the U.S. Because Jamalzada worked for the U.S. government in Afghanistan, she was able to apply for a Special Immigrant Visa, which is available to those who were translators, interpreters or professionals employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in Afghanistan or Iraq.

“It has been two years and every day we are in an uncertain situation,” she said in an interview with States Newsroom. “It is very frustrating.”

Legislation in Congress known as the Afghan Adjustment Act would allow Afghan refugees to apply for permanent legal residency after undergoing additional vetting, but it’s failed to advance. Without congressional action on a pathway to citizenship, most of the more than 76,000 Afghan refugees who came to the U.S. after the Taliban takeover are stuck in legal limbo.

The humanitarian program under which they arrived in the U.S., known as Operation Allies Welcome, does not provide a pathway to citizenship. But Afghans enrolled can apply for asylum, and those who qualify can apply for a Special Immigrant Visa. Claims for asylum and the Special Immigrant Visa have a major backlog.

“For most Afghans, they’re in this kind of limbo status and waiting to see,” said Julia Gelatt, the associate director of the Migration Policy Institute’s U.S. immigration policy program.

Jamalzada and her husband, now settled in New York City, have a hearing for their green cards scheduled for Sept. 12, but their work authorization expires at the end of August. The two-week gap means neither will be legally allowed to work in the U.S., risking termination from their jobs.

“You don’t have peace of mind,” she said. “Being away from your country, your family, you’re alone in a very strange world, and yet you don’t have that support,” she said, referring to permanent protections in the U.S.

Jamalzada, now 27, said she prays that either her and her husband’s work visas are&nbsp;reauthorized, or that Congress passes the Afghan Adjustment Act.

For 20 years, the U.S. government relied on Afghans to help the government and military<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cfr.org/timeline/us-war-afghanistan">&nbsp;following the 2001 invasion</a>. Afghans worked as interpreters and helped run aid programs, such as Jamalzada, who worked on women’s empowerment projects with the United States Agency for International Development and at the Afghan presidential palace.

“Keep your promise and support the people who stood on your side and helped you,” she said.

Operation Allies Welcome evacuated and paroled 76,200 Afghans from August 2021 to September 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wrapsnet.org/documents/FY%202023%20Reception%20&amp;%20Placement%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf">A majority settled in areas</a>&nbsp;with large military bases such as Texas, California, Maryland, Virginia, Washington and New York.

But two years after the fall of Kabul, only a fraction — fewer than 10%&nbsp; — in the humanitarian parole program have secured permanent protections, through either asylum or the Special Immigrant Visa, said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, the president of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Her organization has helped settle more than 14,000 Afghans in the U.S.

“One of the biggest issues, I think, that remains uncertain is whether they will be allowed to remain permanently, and that relates to the Afghan Adjustment Act,” she said.

While those who worked for the U.S. government can apply for the Special Immigrant Visa program, many Afghans had to flee the country without the proper documentation needed to show their employment history.

“Part of that was because if they had the documentation on them, and were caught by the Taliban, that could be a death sentence,” O’Mara Vignarajah said.

O’Mara Vignarajah added that other Afghans applied for refugee status in other countries through Operation Allies Welcome and are waiting to be resettled in the U.S.

“The grim reality is that they’re likely waiting for years,” she said.

Laila Ayub, an immigration attorney and co-director of Project Afghan Network for Advocacy and Resources, said many Afghans have had no choice but to try to find a way into the U.S., even while they are waiting for their parole to be accepted by Operation Allies Welcome.

“We increasingly have been assisting people who have made a very long and difficult journey to the Southern border,” she said.

U.S. border agents apprehended more than 2,100 Afghans last year.

The closest Congress came to providing a quick pathway to citizenship for Afghans was last year, through the Afghan Adjustment Act, when Democrats controlled the House and Senate. However, those efforts were blocked by Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, and the bipartisan proposal was not included in an omnibus spending bill.

Grassley objected to the security and vetting processes for those Afghans.

He, along with several Senate Republicans, now are backing another bill by GOP Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, known as the Ensuring American Security and Protecting Afghan Allies Act.

That&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/ensuring_american_security_and_protect_afghan_allies_act.pdf">bill</a>&nbsp;would apply to those Afghans who were evacuated and who are ineligible for an immigration status that leads to a green card for citizenship. Those evacuees would be eligible for a four-year conditional resident status, to allow for vetting, and, upon successful completion, would become green card holders.

“The Biden Administration’s disastrous departure from Afghanistan caused a chaotic migration from the region, and our government repeatedly failed to thoroughly evaluate evacuees arriving in the United States,” Grassley said in a statement. “This bill restores order to the system by ensuring Afghan evacuees are able to assimilate while preserving American security and better supporting those who provided direct support to the United States military.”

However, the bill would limit the president’s authority to establish humanitarian parole programs, which the Biden administration has used as part of its immigration policy. It’s designated parole programs for nationals of Ukraine, Nicaragua, Haiti, Cuba and Venezuela.

The Cotton bill “is definitely throwing a wrench” in gaining support for the Afghan Adjustment Act, said Jennie Murray, president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum.

“We have used (humanitarian parole) several times in U.S. history across party lines, different presidents have used it, and it’s an important tool that we have to be able to use at a moment like World War II or the Cuban missile crisis,” she said. “It’s something that presidents have to be able to use, and so we’re very worried about that competitive legislation.”

Murray helped out evacuation efforts for Afghans when she worked for Upwardly Global, where she worked to put tougher a workforce plan for those Afghans arriving in the U.S.

She said a potential last shot at getting permanent protections for Afghans is through the National Defense Authorization Act, an annual must-pass defense policy measure.

“They cannot go back to Afghanistan,” she said. “They cannot go back to the Taliban-led state because they partnered with us.”

The NDAA does not currently include any provisions for a pathway to citizenship for those Afghans, but Murray notes that the measure is still in conference between the House and the Senate.

When the House passed its version of the NDAA, a bipartisan group of lawmakers reintroduced the Afghan Adjustment Act in the Senate and in the House.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota sponsored the bill in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/2327?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22afghan+adjustment+act%22%5D%7D&amp;s=1&amp;r=2">Senate</a>&nbsp;and Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa sponsored the bill in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/4627?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22afghan+adjustment+act%22%5D%7D&amp;s=1&amp;r=1">House</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629986318422.png" alt="U.S. Air Force loadmasters and pilots assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron load passengers aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17&nbsp; Globemaster III in support of the Afghanistan evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport on Aug. 24, 2021, in Kabul, Afghanistan.-photo Dept. of Defense" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Air Force loadmasters and pilots assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron load passengers aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17&nbsp; Globemaster III in support of the Afghanistan evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport on Aug. 24, 2021, in Kabul, Afghanistan.-photo Dept. of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON —&nbsp; Two years ago, Farzana Jamalzada and her husband made the difficult decision to separately flee Afghanistan, after U.S. troops withdrew from the country and the Taliban took over.It took days for the couple to be reunited at an airport in Qatar, where Jamalzada would show people a picture of her husband on her phone, asking them if they had seen him.Once reunited, they were settled into the U.S. through the Biden administration’s humanitarian parole program for Afghans that extended protections for two years, allowing them to work and live in the U.S. Because Jamalzada worked for the U.S. government in Afghanistan, she was able to apply for a Special Immigrant Visa, which is available to those who were translators, interpreters or professionals employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in Afghanistan or Iraq.“It has been two years and every day we are in an uncertain situation,” she said in an interview with States Newsroom. “It is very frustrating.”Legislation in Congress known as the Afghan Adjustment Act would allow Afghan refugees to apply for permanent legal residency after undergoing additional vetting, but it’s failed to advance. Without congressional action on a pathway to citizenship, most of the more than 76,000 Afghan refugees who came to the U.S. after the Taliban takeover are stuck in legal limbo.The humanitarian program under which they arrived in the U.S., known as Operation Allies Welcome, does not provide a pathway to citizenship. But Afghans enrolled can apply for asylum, and those who qualify can apply for a Special Immigrant Visa. Claims for asylum and the Special Immigrant Visa have a major backlog.“For most Afghans, they’re in this kind of limbo status and waiting to see,” said Julia Gelatt, the associate director of the Migration Policy Institute’s U.S. immigration policy program.Jamalzada and her husband, now settled in New York City, have a hearing for their green cards scheduled for Sept. 12, but their work authorization expires at the end of August. The two-week gap means neither will be legally allowed to work in the U.S., risking termination from their jobs.“You don’t have peace of mind,” she said. “Being away from your country, your family, you’re alone in a very strange world, and yet you don’t have that support,” she said, referring to permanent protections in the U.S.Jamalzada, now 27, said she prays that either her and her husband’s work visas are&nbsp;reauthorized, or that Congress passes the Afghan Adjustment Act.For 20 years, the U.S. government relied on Afghans to help the government and military<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cfr.org/timeline/us-war-afghanistan">&nbsp;following the 2001 invasion</a>. Afghans worked as interpreters and helped run aid programs, such as Jamalzada, who worked on women’s empowerment projects with the United States Agency for International Development and at the Afghan presidential palace.“Keep your promise and support the people who stood on your side and helped you,” she said.<h2>Parole set to expire</h2>Operation Allies Welcome evacuated and paroled 76,200 Afghans from August 2021 to September 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wrapsnet.org/documents/FY%202023%20Reception%20&amp;%20Placement%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf">A majority settled in areas</a>&nbsp;with large military bases such as Texas, California, Maryland, Virginia, Washington and New York.But two years after the fall of Kabul, only a fraction — fewer than 10%&nbsp; — in the humanitarian parole program have secured permanent protections, through either asylum or the Special Immigrant Visa, said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, the president of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Her organization has helped settle more than 14,000 Afghans in the U.S.“One of the biggest issues, I think, that remains uncertain is whether they will be allowed to remain permanently, and that relates to the Afghan Adjustment Act,” she said.While those who worked for the U.S. government can apply for the Special Immigrant Visa program, many Afghans had to flee the country without the proper documentation needed to show their employment history.“Part of that was because if they had the documentation on them, and were caught by the Taliban, that could be a death sentence,” O’Mara Vignarajah said.O’Mara Vignarajah added that other Afghans applied for refugee status in other countries through Operation Allies Welcome and are waiting to be resettled in the U.S.“The grim reality is that they’re likely waiting for years,” she said.Laila Ayub, an immigration attorney and co-director of Project Afghan Network for Advocacy and Resources, said many Afghans have had no choice but to try to find a way into the U.S., even while they are waiting for their parole to be accepted by Operation Allies Welcome.“We increasingly have been assisting people who have made a very long and difficult journey to the Southern border,” she said.U.S. border agents apprehended more than 2,100 Afghans last year.<h2>Grassley blocks resettlement plan</h2>The closest Congress came to providing a quick pathway to citizenship for Afghans was last year, through the Afghan Adjustment Act, when Democrats controlled the House and Senate. However, those efforts were blocked by Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, and the bipartisan proposal was not included in an omnibus spending bill.Grassley objected to the security and vetting processes for those Afghans.He, along with several Senate Republicans, now are backing another bill by GOP Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, known as the Ensuring American Security and Protecting Afghan Allies Act.That&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/ensuring_american_security_and_protect_afghan_allies_act.pdf">bill</a>&nbsp;would apply to those Afghans who were evacuated and who are ineligible for an immigration status that leads to a green card for citizenship. Those evacuees would be eligible for a four-year conditional resident status, to allow for vetting, and, upon successful completion, would become green card holders.“The Biden Administration’s disastrous departure from Afghanistan caused a chaotic migration from the region, and our government repeatedly failed to thoroughly evaluate evacuees arriving in the United States,” Grassley said in a statement. “This bill restores order to the system by ensuring Afghan evacuees are able to assimilate while preserving American security and better supporting those who provided direct support to the United States military.”However, the bill would limit the president’s authority to establish humanitarian parole programs, which the Biden administration has used as part of its immigration policy. It’s designated parole programs for nationals of Ukraine, Nicaragua, Haiti, Cuba and Venezuela.The Cotton bill “is definitely throwing a wrench” in gaining support for the Afghan Adjustment Act, said Jennie Murray, president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum.“We have used (humanitarian parole) several times in U.S. history across party lines, different presidents have used it, and it’s an important tool that we have to be able to use at a moment like World War II or the Cuban missile crisis,” she said. “It’s something that presidents have to be able to use, and so we’re very worried about that competitive legislation.”Murray helped out evacuation efforts for Afghans when she worked for Upwardly Global, where she worked to put tougher a workforce plan for those Afghans arriving in the U.S.She said a potential last shot at getting permanent protections for Afghans is through the National Defense Authorization Act, an annual must-pass defense policy measure.“They cannot go back to Afghanistan,” she said. “They cannot go back to the Taliban-led state because they partnered with us.”The NDAA does not currently include any provisions for a pathway to citizenship for those Afghans, but Murray notes that the measure is still in conference between the House and the Senate.When the House passed its version of the NDAA, a bipartisan group of lawmakers reintroduced the Afghan Adjustment Act in the Senate and in the House.Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota sponsored the bill in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/2327?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22afghan+adjustment+act%22%5D%7D&amp;s=1&amp;r=2">Senate</a>&nbsp;and Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa sponsored the bill in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/4627?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22afghan+adjustment+act%22%5D%7D&amp;s=1&amp;r=1">House</a>.

Afghan refugees who aided the U.S. stuck in legal limbo, 2 years after Kabul’s fall

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A man who abducted a 6-year-old girl and beat her to death at an abandoned glass factory was scheduled to be executed Tuesday in Missouri, as his attorneys pressed claims that he is mentally incompetent.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-august-06f474f368dfd5ff5c4145164b222a3b">Johnny Johnson</a>, 45, was convicted in the July, 26, 2002, killing of Casey Williamson, whose disappearance set off a frantic search in her hometown of Valley Park, a small suburb of St. Louis.

Casey’s mother had been best friends in childhood with Johnson’s older sister and had even helped babysit him. After Johnson attended a barbecue the night before the killing, Casey's family let him sleep on a couch in the home where they also were sleeping.

In the morning, Johnson lured the girl to the abandoned factory, even carrying her on his shoulders on the walk to the dilapidated site. When he tried to sexually assault her, Casey screamed and tried to break free. According to court documents, he killed her with a brick and a large rock, then washed off in the nearby Meramec River. Johnson confessed that same day to the crimes, according to authorities.

After a search involving first responders and volunteers, Casey's body was found in a pit less than a mile from her home, buried beneath rocks and debris.

At Johnson's trial, defense lawyers presented testimony showing that their client — an ex-convict who had been released from a state psychiatric facility six months earlier — had stopped taking his schizophrenia medication and was acting strangely in the days before the slaying.

In recent appeals, Johnson's attorneys have said he has delusions about the devil using his death to bring about the end of the world. They also noted he had been placed on suicide watch in prison a couple years ago after claiming to be a vampire.

In June, the Missouri Supreme Court denied an appeal seeking to block the execution on arguments that Johnson’s schizophrenia prevented him from understanding the link between his crime and the punishment. The Missouri Attorney General’s Office successfully challenged the credibility of the psychiatric evaluation and said medical records indicate that Johnson is able to manage his mental illness through medication.

A three-judge federal appeals court panel last week temporary halted the planned execution, but the full 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated it. Johnson's attorneys then filed multiple appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court centered around his competency to be executed.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Monday denied a clemency request to reduce Johnson's sentence to life in prison.

“Johnny Johnson’s crime is one of the most horrific murders that has come across my desk," Parson, a former sheriff, said in a statement.

The clemency petition by Johnson's attorneys said Casey's father, Ernie Williamson, opposed the death penalty.

But Casey's great aunt, Della Steele, wrote an emotional plea to Parson urging him to proceed with the execution to “send the message that it is not okay to terrorize and murder a child.” Steele said in the message that the grief from Casey's death led to destructive effects among other family members.

“He did something horrible. He took a life away from a completely innocent child, and there have to be consequences for that,” Steele told The Associated Press.

Steele has led a variety of community efforts to honor Casey. Through years of fundraising, Casey’s family provided $500 scholarships or savings bonds to all 65 students of the senior class of Valley Park High School in 2014, the year Casey would have graduated.

The family also has organized community safety fairs in Casey’s memory, including a July 22 event that drew a couple hundred people. They gave away dozens of child identification kits along with safety tips involving fire, water and bicycles, among other items.

“A lot of kids from Casey’s class were there with their children. It was nice to see, but it definitely makes you think,” Steele said. “They’re pushing their strollers with their couple of kids and you think, `That’s where she should be.’”

The scheduled execution would be the 16th in the U.S. this year. In addition to three previous executions in Missouri, five have been conducted in Texas, four in Florida, two in Oklahoma and one in Alabama. There were 18 executions in six U.S. states last year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690408112630.png" alt="Johnson-photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Johnson-photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A man who abducted a 6-year-old girl and beat her to death at an abandoned glass factory was scheduled to be executed Tuesday in Missouri, as his attorneys pressed claims that he is mentally incompetent.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-august-06f474f368dfd5ff5c4145164b222a3b">Johnny Johnson</a>, 45, was convicted in the July, 26, 2002, killing of Casey Williamson, whose disappearance set off a frantic search in her hometown of Valley Park, a small suburb of St. Louis.Casey’s mother had been best friends in childhood with Johnson’s older sister and had even helped babysit him. After Johnson attended a barbecue the night before the killing, Casey's family let him sleep on a couch in the home where they also were sleeping.In the morning, Johnson lured the girl to the abandoned factory, even carrying her on his shoulders on the walk to the dilapidated site. When he tried to sexually assault her, Casey screamed and tried to break free. According to court documents, he killed her with a brick and a large rock, then washed off in the nearby Meramec River. Johnson confessed that same day to the crimes, according to authorities.After a search involving first responders and volunteers, Casey's body was found in a pit less than a mile from her home, buried beneath rocks and debris.At Johnson's trial, defense lawyers presented testimony showing that their client — an ex-convict who had been released from a state psychiatric facility six months earlier — had stopped taking his schizophrenia medication and was acting strangely in the days before the slaying.In recent appeals, Johnson's attorneys have said he has delusions about the devil using his death to bring about the end of the world. They also noted he had been placed on suicide watch in prison a couple years ago after claiming to be a vampire.In June, the Missouri Supreme Court denied an appeal seeking to block the execution on arguments that Johnson’s schizophrenia prevented him from understanding the link between his crime and the punishment. The Missouri Attorney General’s Office successfully challenged the credibility of the psychiatric evaluation and said medical records indicate that Johnson is able to manage his mental illness through medication.A three-judge federal appeals court panel last week temporary halted the planned execution, but the full 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated it. Johnson's attorneys then filed multiple appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court centered around his competency to be executed.Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Monday denied a clemency request to reduce Johnson's sentence to life in prison.“Johnny Johnson’s crime is one of the most horrific murders that has come across my desk," Parson, a former sheriff, said in a statement.The clemency petition by Johnson's attorneys said Casey's father, Ernie Williamson, opposed the death penalty.But Casey's great aunt, Della Steele, wrote an emotional plea to Parson urging him to proceed with the execution to “send the message that it is not okay to terrorize and murder a child.” Steele said in the message that the grief from Casey's death led to destructive effects among other family members.“He did something horrible. He took a life away from a completely innocent child, and there have to be consequences for that,” Steele told The Associated Press.Steele has led a variety of community efforts to honor Casey. Through years of fundraising, Casey’s family provided $500 scholarships or savings bonds to all 65 students of the senior class of Valley Park High School in 2014, the year Casey would have graduated.The family also has organized community safety fairs in Casey’s memory, including a July 22 event that drew a couple hundred people. They gave away dozens of child identification kits along with safety tips involving fire, water and bicycles, among other items.“A lot of kids from Casey’s class were there with their children. It was nice to see, but it definitely makes you think,” Steele said. “They’re pushing their strollers with their couple of kids and you think, `That’s where she should be.’”The scheduled execution would be the 16th in the U.S. this year. In addition to three previous executions in Missouri, five have been conducted in Texas, four in Florida, two in Oklahoma and one in Alabama. There were 18 executions in six U.S. states last year.___

Man facing Tues. execution for beating death of 6-year-old girl 

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

EMPORIA — Two lawsuits filed by a former Emporia State University professor against the university and two faculty members have resumed after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling set a new precedent for unlawful discrimination cases.

Dusti Howell, the former tenured professor, filed the civil lawsuits in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B8FEt_wXWchBUwY6BmsY_5YTIxOG6DvQ/view?usp=drive_link">2021</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B8FEt_wXWchBUwY6BmsY_5YTIxOG6DvQ/view?usp=sharing">2022</a>&nbsp;in Lyon County District Court against the university; Joan Brewer, former dean of the Teachers College; and Jim Persinger, chairman of the Psychology and IT Departments. Howell alleges Brewer and Persinger pushed him out of his position as a precursor to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/22/emporia-state-university-faculty-leaders-wait-for-answers-after-rapid-firing-of-tenured-professors/">firings</a>&nbsp;of 33 ESU faculty members last year.

Before his resignation in 2021, Howell worked in the IT department for nearly 24 years. He claims he never received backlash for the time he took off to observe both Christian and Jewish holidays until Brewer became dean of the Teachers College.

Howell’s case “seems to be emblematic of a larger sense that … if you’re a faculty member, you are a disposable commodity,” said&nbsp; Chapman Rackaway, a former professor at Flint Hills Technical College in Emporia and current professor and chairman in the Department of Political Science at Radford University. “And I think that’s very dangerous.”

Both Howell and Gerald Groff, the plaintiff in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/22-174_k536.pdf">Groff v. Dejoy</a>&nbsp;and a former U.S. Postal Service carrier in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, claimed their employers created a hostile work environment after repeated absences on what the plaintiffs considered to be holy days of worship.

Howell identifies as a Christian but observes most traditional Christian and Jewish holy days.

“Without Groff, (Howell’s) case could have become Groff,” Rackaway said. “… Howell would have probably taken it all the way to the Supreme Court, and then maybe they would have made the decision based on (Howell’s) case, rather than on Groff’s.”

The shift in unlawful discrimination cases after Groff v. Dejoy is a huge win for Howell, said Linus Baker, his attorney.

“I filed a motion to stay, anticipating the law was going to change, and it did,” Baker said. “It certainly helps Professor Howell. … The analysis certainly puts more on the employer to justify their own actions.”

Baker also represented Molly Ellis in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/18/kansas-judge-blocks-college-from-failing-nursing-student-who-refused-covid-19-vaccine/">Ellis v Flint Hills Technical College</a>, another unlawful discrimination case.

Before Groff was decided, the burden of proof in discrimination cases such as Howell’s rested on the employee. Now the responsibility lies with the university to prove it encountered “undue hardship,” or was faced with unreasonably burdensome challenges when accommodating his absences.

According to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1x3Xqvh7NdM4phZZApPvh2sIo4wG68V0X?lfhs=2">petition</a>, Brewer and Persinger imposed an unwritten regulation requiring Howell to request time off for religious events up to eight weeks in advance, despite ESU having no written policy regarding religious accommodations. Howell also alleged that students were encouraged by Brewer and Persinger to file complaints against him for his time off.

Howell said the last straw was his demotion to teaching undergraduate students.&nbsp;

“It was like telling your all-star shortstop, ‘You’re gonna play left handed this year,’ ” Howell said. “We had a really good program. … They were forcing me to bat left-handed and field left handed.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690676545676.png" alt="Dusti Howell, former Emporia State professor, explains the events leading up to his 2021 resignation and lawsuits against the university. (Screen capture by Katelynn Donnelly for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Dusti Howell, former Emporia State professor, explains the events leading up to his 2021 resignation and lawsuits against the university. (Screen capture by Katelynn Donnelly for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;KATELYNN DONNELLY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>EMPORIA — Two lawsuits filed by a former Emporia State University professor against the university and two faculty members have resumed after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling set a new precedent for unlawful discrimination cases.Dusti Howell, the former tenured professor, filed the civil lawsuits in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B8FEt_wXWchBUwY6BmsY_5YTIxOG6DvQ/view?usp=drive_link">2021</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B8FEt_wXWchBUwY6BmsY_5YTIxOG6DvQ/view?usp=sharing">2022</a>&nbsp;in Lyon County District Court against the university; Joan Brewer, former dean of the Teachers College; and Jim Persinger, chairman of the Psychology and IT Departments. Howell alleges Brewer and Persinger pushed him out of his position as a precursor to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/22/emporia-state-university-faculty-leaders-wait-for-answers-after-rapid-firing-of-tenured-professors/">firings</a>&nbsp;of 33 ESU faculty members last year.Before his resignation in 2021, Howell worked in the IT department for nearly 24 years. He claims he never received backlash for the time he took off to observe both Christian and Jewish holidays until Brewer became dean of the Teachers College.Howell’s case “seems to be emblematic of a larger sense that … if you’re a faculty member, you are a disposable commodity,” said&nbsp; Chapman Rackaway, a former professor at Flint Hills Technical College in Emporia and current professor and chairman in the Department of Political Science at Radford University. “And I think that’s very dangerous.”Both Howell and Gerald Groff, the plaintiff in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/22-174_k536.pdf">Groff v. Dejoy</a>&nbsp;and a former U.S. Postal Service carrier in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, claimed their employers created a hostile work environment after repeated absences on what the plaintiffs considered to be holy days of worship.Howell identifies as a Christian but observes most traditional Christian and Jewish holy days.“Without Groff, (Howell’s) case could have become Groff,” Rackaway said. “… Howell would have probably taken it all the way to the Supreme Court, and then maybe they would have made the decision based on (Howell’s) case, rather than on Groff’s.”The shift in unlawful discrimination cases after Groff v. Dejoy is a huge win for Howell, said Linus Baker, his attorney.“I filed a motion to stay, anticipating the law was going to change, and it did,” Baker said. “It certainly helps Professor Howell. … The analysis certainly puts more on the employer to justify their own actions.”Baker also represented Molly Ellis in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/18/kansas-judge-blocks-college-from-failing-nursing-student-who-refused-covid-19-vaccine/">Ellis v Flint Hills Technical College</a>, another unlawful discrimination case.Before Groff was decided, the burden of proof in discrimination cases such as Howell’s rested on the employee. Now the responsibility lies with the university to prove it encountered “undue hardship,” or was faced with unreasonably burdensome challenges when accommodating his absences.According to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1x3Xqvh7NdM4phZZApPvh2sIo4wG68V0X?lfhs=2">petition</a>, Brewer and Persinger imposed an unwritten regulation requiring Howell to request time off for religious events up to eight weeks in advance, despite ESU having no written policy regarding religious accommodations. Howell also alleged that students were encouraged by Brewer and Persinger to file complaints against him for his time off.Howell said the last straw was his demotion to teaching undergraduate students.&nbsp;“It was like telling your all-star shortstop, ‘You’re gonna play left handed this year,’ ” Howell said. “We had a really good program. … They were forcing me to bat left-handed and field left handed.”Brewer and Persinger, who are defended by assistant attorneys general Stanley Parker and Carrie Barney, deny all allegations.The university and Parker declined to comment.Judge James Fleetwood will oversee the case because all four judges of the Lyon County District Court recused themselves. Baker credits their recusal to an anonymous letter written to the judges. The letter, along with documents including student evaluations and discrimination complaints made by LGBTQ community members, are confidential under a protective order filed by the defense.Baker predicts a jury trial next year, but there is no set hearing date.

Misc