WASHINGTON (AP) — The House swiftly approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-israel-gaza-aid-speaker-johnson-9097da3511a7cd9b0e9a7b9ce52141b3">$95 billion in foreign aid</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies in a rare Saturday session as Democrats and Republicans banded together after months of hard-right resistance over renewed American support for repelling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s invasion.</a>

With an overwhelming vote 311-112, the $61 billion in aid for Ukraine passed in a matter of minutes, a strong showing as American lawmakers race to deliver a fresh round of U.S. support to the war-torn ally. Missouri Congressmen Mark Alford, Eric Burlison and Jason Smith&nbsp;voted against that portion of the aid package. Missouri congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer did not vote.

After the vote count many Democrats cheered on the House floor and waved blue-and-yellow flags of Ukraine.&nbsp;

Aid to Israel and the other allies also won approval by healthy margins, as did a measure to clamp down on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-us-ban-sale-china-congress-de12b4d22aa8095e62cb0982a6e62235">the popular platform TikTok</a>, with unique coalitions forming to push the separate bills forward. The whole package will go to the Senate, which could pass it as soon as Tuesday. President Joe Biden has promised to sign it immediately.

“We did our work here, and I think history will judge it well,” said a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-ukraine-aid-speaker-ouster-c525efc953d532242d6d441c55724992">weary Speaker Mike Johnson</a>, R-La., who risked his own job to marshal the package to passage.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Biden, in a statement, thanked Johnson, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and the bipartisan coalition of lawmakers “who voted to put our national security first.”

“I urge the Senate to quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs,” the president said.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said he was “grateful” to both parties in the House and “personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track,” he said on X, formerly Twitter.

The scene in Congress was a striking display of action after months of dysfunction and stalemate fueled by Republicans, who hold the majority but are deeply split over foreign aid, particularly for Ukraine.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-ukraine-aid-speaker-ouster-c525efc953d532242d6d441c55724992">Johnson</a>&nbsp;relied on Democrats to ensure the military and humanitarian funding — the first major package for Ukraine since December 2022 — won approval.

The morning opened with a somber and serious debate and an unusual sense of purpose as Republican and Democratic leaders united to urge quick approval, saying that would ensure the United States supported its allies and remained a leader on the world stage. The House’s visitor galleries were crowded with onlookers.

“The eyes of the world are upon us, and history will judge what we do here and now,” said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee

Passage through the House cleared away the biggest hurdle to Biden’s funding request, first made in October as Ukraine’s military supplies began to run low.

The GOP-controlled House struggled for months over what to do, first demanding that any assistance for Ukraine be tied to policy changes at the U.S.-Mexico border, only to immediately reject a bipartisan Senate offer along those very lines.

Reaching an endgame has been an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-israel-taiwan-congress-aid-house-speaker-21cc09d310a33d1d8ca88eadea896a36">excruciating lift for Johnson</a>&nbsp;that has tested both his resolve and his support among Republicans, with a small but growing number now openly urging his removal from the speaker’s office. Yet congressional leaders cast the votes as a turning point in history — an urgent sacrifice as U.S. allies are beleaguered by wars and threats from continental Europe to the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific.

“Sometimes when you are living history, as we are today, you don’t understand the significance of the actions of the votes that we make on this House floor, of the effect that it will have down the road,” said New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “This is a historic moment.”

Opponents, particularly the hard-right Republicans from Johnson’s majority, argued that the U.S. should focus on the home front, addressing domestic border security and the nation’s rising debt load, and they warned against spending more money, which largely flows to American defense manufacturers, to produce weaponry used overseas.

Still, Congress has seen a stream of world leaders visit in recent months, from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;to Japanese Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/fumio-kishida">Fumio Kishida</a>, all but pleading with lawmakers to approve the aid. Globally, the delay left many questioning America’s commitment to its allies.

At stake has been one of Biden’s top foreign policy priorities — halting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s advance in Europe. After engaging in quiet talks with Johnson, the president quickly endorsed Johnson’s plan, paving the way for Democrats to give their rare support to clear the procedural hurdles needed for a final vote.

“We have a responsibility, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans to defend democracy wherever it is at risk,” Jeffries said during the debate.

While aid for Ukraine failed to win a majority of Republicans, several dozen progressive Democrats voted against the bill aiding Israel as they demanded an end to the bombardment of Gaza that has killed thousands of civilians. A group of roughly 20 hard-right Republicans voted against every portion of the aid package, including for allies like Israel and Taiwan that have traditionally enjoyed support from the GOP.

At the same time, Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has loomed large over the fight, weighing in from afar via social media statements and direct phone calls with lawmakers as he tilts the GOP to a more isolationist stance with his “America First” brand of politics.

Ukraine’s defense once enjoyed robust, bipartisan support in Congress, but as the war enters its third year, a majority of Republicans opposed further aid. Trump ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., offered an amendment to zero out the money, but it was rejected.

The ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus has derided the legislation as the “America Last” foreign wars package and urged lawmakers to defy Republican leadership and oppose it because the bills did not include border security measures.

Johnson’s hold on the speaker’s gavel has also grown more tenuous in recent days as three Republicans, led by Greene, supported a “motion to vacate” that can lead to a vote on removing the speaker. Egged on by far-right personalities, she is also being joined by a growing number of lawmakers including Reps. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who is urging Johnson to voluntarily step aside.

The package included several Republican priorities that Democrats endorsed, or at least are willing to accept. Those include proposals that allow the U.S. to seize frozen Russian central bank assets to rebuild Ukraine; impose sanctions on Iran, Russia, China and criminal organizations that traffic fentanyl; and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-house-vote-china-national-security-8fa7258fae1a4902d344c9d978d58a37">legislation</a>&nbsp;to require the China-based owner of the popular video app TikTok to sell its stake within a year or face a ban in the United States.

Still, the all-out push to get the bills through Congress is a reflection not only of politics, but realities on the ground in Ukraine. Top lawmakers on national security committees, who are privy to classified briefings, have grown gravely concerned about the tide of the war as Russia pummels Ukrainian forces beset by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-parliament-recruit-army-russia-war-5b7d9f58bb398b4ad1296311b8130b92">shortage of troops</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/italy-g7-ukraine-russia-israel-gaza-iran-73d2a4a62a0bbd5f6d60fb1b4338d207">ammunition</a>.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced the Senate would begin procedural votes on the package Tuesday, saying, “Our allies across the world have been waiting for this moment.”

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, as he prepared to overcome objections from his right flank next week, said, “The task before us is urgent. It is once again the Senate’s turn to make history.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713638370235.png" alt="“We did our work here, and I think history will judge it well,” said a weary Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who risked his own job to marshal the package to passage.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>“We did our work here, and I think history will judge it well,” said a weary Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who risked his own job to marshal the package to passage.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House swiftly approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-israel-gaza-aid-speaker-johnson-9097da3511a7cd9b0e9a7b9ce52141b3">$95 billion in foreign aid</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies in a rare Saturday session as Democrats and Republicans banded together after months of hard-right resistance over renewed American support for repelling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s invasion.</a><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a> (R-LA): &quot;I don’t walk around this building being worried about a motion to vacate. I have to do my job. We did. I&#39;ve done here what I believe to be the right thing and that is to allow the House to work its will.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Bmordvy1Zj">pic.twitter.com/Bmordvy1Zj</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1781757010230345924?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>With an overwhelming vote 311-112, the $61 billion in aid for Ukraine passed in a matter of minutes, a strong showing as American lawmakers race to deliver a fresh round of U.S. support to the war-torn ally. Missouri Congressmen Mark Alford, Eric Burlison and Jason Smith&nbsp;voted against that portion of the aid package. Missouri congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer did not vote.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Concerning today’s votes, I could not in good faith support more aid for Ukraine, and to secure their border while ours is left wide open. For months, we have asked for strategic clarity on the conflict in Eastern Europe, and I have received zero answers. While Ukraine needs to… <a href="https://t.co/Yn6BvrJV2H">pic.twitter.com/Yn6BvrJV2H</a>&mdash; Rep. Mark Alford (@RepMarkAlford) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMarkAlford/status/1781745969597386890?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>After the vote count many Democrats cheered on the House floor and waved blue-and-yellow flags of Ukraine.&nbsp;Aid to Israel and the other allies also won approval by healthy margins, as did a measure to clamp down on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-us-ban-sale-china-congress-de12b4d22aa8095e62cb0982a6e62235">the popular platform TikTok</a>, with unique coalitions forming to push the separate bills forward. The whole package will go to the Senate, which could pass it as soon as Tuesday. President Joe Biden has promised to sign it immediately.“We did our work here, and I think history will judge it well,” said a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-ukraine-aid-speaker-ouster-c525efc953d532242d6d441c55724992">weary Speaker Mike Johnson</a>, R-La., who risked his own job to marshal the package to passage.&nbsp;&nbsp;Biden, in a statement, thanked Johnson, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and the bipartisan coalition of lawmakers “who voted to put our national security first.”“I urge the Senate to quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs,” the president said.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said he was “grateful” to both parties in the House and “personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track,” he said on X, formerly Twitter.“Thank you, America!” he said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Я вдячний Палаті представників Конгресу США, обом партіям і особисто спікеру Майку Джонсону за рішення, яке зберігає правильний хід історії. Демократія та свобода завжди матимуть значення у світі й ніколи не зазнають поразки, доки Америка допомагатиме їх захищати. Життєво…&mdash; Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1781743035287531558?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The scene in Congress was a striking display of action after months of dysfunction and stalemate fueled by Republicans, who hold the majority but are deeply split over foreign aid, particularly for Ukraine.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-ukraine-aid-speaker-ouster-c525efc953d532242d6d441c55724992">Johnson</a>&nbsp;relied on Democrats to ensure the military and humanitarian funding — the first major package for Ukraine since December 2022 — won approval.The morning opened with a somber and serious debate and an unusual sense of purpose as Republican and Democratic leaders united to urge quick approval, saying that would ensure the United States supported its allies and remained a leader on the world stage. The House’s visitor galleries were crowded with onlookers.“The eyes of the world are upon us, and history will judge what we do here and now,” said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs CommitteePassage through the House cleared away the biggest hurdle to Biden’s funding request, first made in October as Ukraine’s military supplies began to run low.The GOP-controlled House struggled for months over what to do, first demanding that any assistance for Ukraine be tied to policy changes at the U.S.-Mexico border, only to immediately reject a bipartisan Senate offer along those very lines.Reaching an endgame has been an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-israel-taiwan-congress-aid-house-speaker-21cc09d310a33d1d8ca88eadea896a36">excruciating lift for Johnson</a>&nbsp;that has tested both his resolve and his support among Republicans, with a small but growing number now openly urging his removal from the speaker’s office. Yet congressional leaders cast the votes as a turning point in history — an urgent sacrifice as U.S. allies are beleaguered by wars and threats from continental Europe to the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific.“Sometimes when you are living history, as we are today, you don’t understand the significance of the actions of the votes that we make on this House floor, of the effect that it will have down the road,” said New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “This is a historic moment.”Opponents, particularly the hard-right Republicans from Johnson’s majority, argued that the U.S. should focus on the home front, addressing domestic border security and the nation’s rising debt load, and they warned against spending more money, which largely flows to American defense manufacturers, to produce weaponry used overseas.Still, Congress has seen a stream of world leaders visit in recent months, from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;to Japanese Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/fumio-kishida">Fumio Kishida</a>, all but pleading with lawmakers to approve the aid. Globally, the delay left many questioning America’s commitment to its allies.At stake has been one of Biden’s top foreign policy priorities — halting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s advance in Europe. After engaging in quiet talks with Johnson, the president quickly endorsed Johnson’s plan, paving the way for Democrats to give their rare support to clear the procedural hurdles needed for a final vote.“We have a responsibility, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans to defend democracy wherever it is at risk,” Jeffries said during the debate.While aid for Ukraine failed to win a majority of Republicans, several dozen progressive Democrats voted against the bill aiding Israel as they demanded an end to the bombardment of Gaza that has killed thousands of civilians. A group of roughly 20 hard-right Republicans voted against every portion of the aid package, including for allies like Israel and Taiwan that have traditionally enjoyed support from the GOP.At the same time, Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has loomed large over the fight, weighing in from afar via social media statements and direct phone calls with lawmakers as he tilts the GOP to a more isolationist stance with his “America First” brand of politics.Ukraine’s defense once enjoyed robust, bipartisan support in Congress, but as the war enters its third year, a majority of Republicans opposed further aid. Trump ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., offered an amendment to zero out the money, but it was rejected.The ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus has derided the legislation as the “America Last” foreign wars package and urged lawmakers to defy Republican leadership and oppose it because the bills did not include border security measures.Johnson’s hold on the speaker’s gavel has also grown more tenuous in recent days as three Republicans, led by Greene, supported a “motion to vacate” that can lead to a vote on removing the speaker. Egged on by far-right personalities, she is also being joined by a growing number of lawmakers including Reps. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who is urging Johnson to voluntarily step aside.The package included several Republican priorities that Democrats endorsed, or at least are willing to accept. Those include proposals that allow the U.S. to seize frozen Russian central bank assets to rebuild Ukraine; impose sanctions on Iran, Russia, China and criminal organizations that traffic fentanyl; and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-house-vote-china-national-security-8fa7258fae1a4902d344c9d978d58a37">legislation</a>&nbsp;to require the China-based owner of the popular video app TikTok to sell its stake within a year or face a ban in the United States.Still, the all-out push to get the bills through Congress is a reflection not only of politics, but realities on the ground in Ukraine. Top lawmakers on national security committees, who are privy to classified briefings, have grown gravely concerned about the tide of the war as Russia pummels Ukrainian forces beset by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-parliament-recruit-army-russia-war-5b7d9f58bb398b4ad1296311b8130b92">shortage of troops</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/italy-g7-ukraine-russia-israel-gaza-iran-73d2a4a62a0bbd5f6d60fb1b4338d207">ammunition</a>.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced the Senate would begin procedural votes on the package Tuesday, saying, “Our allies across the world have been waiting for this moment.”Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, as he prepared to overcome objections from his right flank next week, said, “The task before us is urgent. It is once again the Senate’s turn to make history.”

🎥3 Mo.  lawmakers vote no on Ukraine funding as House OKs $95 Billion aid bill

CRAWFORD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 9p.m. Saturday in Crawford County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Saturn Vue driven by Ann Marie&nbsp;Edgett, 53, Pittsburg, Kansas, was northbound on Kansas Highway 3 at 630th Avenue.

The SUV veered off the roadway to the right. The driver overcorrected and the vehicle crossed the center line continued across the southbound lane and into the south ditch where it rolled onto the roof.

Edgett was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

CRAWFORD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 9p.m. Saturday in Crawford County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Saturn Vue driven by Ann Marie&nbsp;Edgett, 53, Pittsburg, Kansas, was northbound on Kansas Highway 3 at 630th Avenue.The SUV veered off the roadway to the right. The driver overcorrected and the vehicle crossed the center line continued across the southbound lane and into the south ditch where it rolled onto the roof.Edgett was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman dies after SUV rollover crash

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects in connection with a fight at work with hammer.

Just after 8 a.m. Wednesday, a witness reported two men fighting with hammers in the parking lott at the Dollar General, 840 East Crawford Street, in Salina, according to Salina Police Capt. James Feldman.

During&nbsp;the course of&nbsp;investigation police had contact with 36-year-old Christian Dionicio-Reyes and 46-year-old Cristobal Lopez-Ramirez both of Salina.&nbsp; Police determined&nbsp;that the two had been at a worksite in the 2600 block of East Crawford where the altercation started.

Feldman said after the altercation became heated, Dionicio-Reyes allegedly swung a hammer at Lopez-Ramirez, causing&nbsp; management to send them away from the workplace.

The two followed each other to the nearby Dollar General parking lot to continue their fight.

According to Feldman, Dionicio-Reyes was first to enter the parking lot. He got out of his car as Lopez-Ramirez arrived at the parking lot. 

Dionicio-Reyes went to the trunk of his vehicle, retrieved a hammer, and and walked toward Cristobal, who was seated in his vehicle," Feldman said. 

"Dionicio-Reyes&nbsp;then started hitting at&nbsp; Lopez-Ramirez as the victim exited his vehicle. Lopez-Ramirez then retrieved a hammer from the back of his car."

Feldman said Dionicio-Reyes dropped his cell phone on the ground, which Lopez-Ramirez then smashed with his hammer.

Once the two had enough swinging hammers at each other, they attempted to leave the parking lot as police arrived.&nbsp;

Lopez-Ramirez told officers that Dionicio-Reyes struck him in the arm several times.&nbsp; He initially refused treatment but was taken to Salina Regional Health Center for light medical attention, according to Feldman.

Police arrested both men. Dionicio-Reyes was jailed on requested charges of aggravated battery and requested charges against Lopez-Ramirez were for aggravated assault and felony damage to property.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713443780695.png" alt="Lopez-Ramirez photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Lopez-Ramirez photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects in connection with a fight at work with hammer.Just after 8 a.m. Wednesday, a witness reported two men fighting with hammers in the parking lott at the Dollar General, 840 East Crawford Street, in Salina, according to Salina Police Capt. James Feldman.During&nbsp;the course of&nbsp;investigation police had contact with 36-year-old Christian Dionicio-Reyes and 46-year-old Cristobal Lopez-Ramirez both of Salina.&nbsp; Police determined&nbsp;that the two had been at a worksite in the 2600 block of East Crawford where the altercation started.Feldman said after the altercation became heated, Dionicio-Reyes allegedly swung a hammer at Lopez-Ramirez, causing&nbsp; management to send them away from the workplace.The two followed each other to the nearby Dollar General parking lot to continue their fight.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713443604080.png" alt="Dionicio-Reyes photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Dionicio-Reyes photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>According to Feldman, Dionicio-Reyes was first to enter the parking lot. He got out of his car as Lopez-Ramirez arrived at the parking lot. Dionicio-Reyes went to the trunk of his vehicle, retrieved a hammer, and and walked toward Cristobal, who was seated in his vehicle," Feldman said. "Dionicio-Reyes&nbsp;then started hitting at&nbsp; Lopez-Ramirez as the victim exited his vehicle. Lopez-Ramirez then retrieved a hammer from the back of his car."Feldman said Dionicio-Reyes dropped his cell phone on the ground, which Lopez-Ramirez then smashed with his hammer.Once the two had enough swinging hammers at each other, they attempted to leave the parking lot as police arrived.&nbsp;Lopez-Ramirez told officers that Dionicio-Reyes struck him in the arm several times.&nbsp; He initially refused treatment but was taken to Salina Regional Health Center for light medical attention, according to Feldman.Police arrested both men. Dionicio-Reyes was jailed on requested charges of aggravated battery and requested charges against Lopez-Ramirez were for aggravated assault and felony damage to property.

Two Kansas men jailed after violent hammer fight

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged theft.

Just before 11p.m.April 18, a a sheriff's deputy located a 2011 Harley Davidson Motorcycle near the intersection of US 160 highway and County Road 4410, east of Independence, Kansas, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.

During routine procedures, it was discovered that the motorcycle was reported stolen from Osage County, Oklahoma. The Deputy placed the driver, identified as 37-year-old Eugene Laurens of Independence, under arrest for possession of stolen property. 

Laurens was transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections. He is no longer in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713177647563.png" alt="Laurens photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Laurens photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged theft.Just before 11p.m.April 18, a a sheriff's deputy located a 2011 Harley Davidson Motorcycle near the intersection of US 160 highway and County Road 4410, east of Independence, Kansas, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.During routine procedures, it was discovered that the motorcycle was reported stolen from Osage County, Oklahoma. The Deputy placed the driver, identified as 37-year-old Eugene Laurens of Independence, under arrest for possession of stolen property. Laurens was transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections. He is no longer in custody.

Sheriff: Kan. man was driving motorcycle stolen in Oklahoma

Legislation seeks pledge to abandon diversity, equity and inclusion programs

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Rep. Kirk Haskins denounced conservative political attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion programs on college campuses in Kansas, but despaired at willingness of House and Senate colleagues to leverage a $36 million appropriation to state universities in an attempt to coerce the governor into signing an anti-DEI bill.

Haskins, a Topeka Democrat and a professor at Baker University in Baldwin City, said he was offended a majority in the Kansas Legislature was so threatened by campus diversity initiatives that they voted to approve budget provisions slashing university funding unless Gov. Laura Kelly signed House Bill 2105 banning DEI in Kansas public higher education. The bill would authorize Attorney General Kris Kobach to file lawsuits for adherence to DEI and seek $10,000 fines for every instance diversity, equity and inclusion programs were linked to faculty hiring or student enrollment.

House and Senate budget negotiators agreed to anchor the $36 million to a requirement university administrators stand before the State Finance Council, a committee of top legislative leaders and the governor, to affirm they had abandoned DEI.

“How do we even tolerate the extortion of funds from our post-secondary institutions?” said Haskins, who argued proponents were intent on undermining decades of work to create college and university safe havens for minority students and faculty and to open campuses to diverse perspectives. “If you continue to restrict higher education, you will see one ideology, one race back into schools.”

The stakes were high if Kelly were to veto the anti-DEI bill or university chief executives balked at personally certifying the demise of DEI. The University of Kansas would lose $8.35 million and the KU Medical Center would forego $5.8 million in the fiscal year starting July 1.

Kansas State University would surrender $6.4 million, while Wichita State University would have to do without $4.9 million. The budget hit for the three other state universities: Fort Hays State, $3.5 million; Emporia State, $1.9 million; and Pittsburg State, $1.8 million.

Rep. Bob Lewis, a Garden City Republican and an attorney, said DEI programs on college campuses should be viewed as vehicles for advancing liberal ideologies of “division, exclusion and intimidation” rather than promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion. Conservative legislators in Kansas and more than a dozen states have argued DEI should be rooted out because it discriminated against certain students and employees.

Lewis compared establishment of university DEI programs to pressure campaigns in the 1950s that compelled Americans to sign anti-communist loyalty oaths.

“That was offensive and found to be unconstitutional,” Lewis said. “Decades later … we have institutions requiring people to essentially swear to a political ideology before they can be hired.”

The governor has a Friday deadline for deciding what to do with HB 2105 requiring termination of DEI programs at state universities and public community colleges and technical colleges. In 2023, Kelly line-item vetoed DEI provisions inserted into the state budget bill.

She must decide by April 25 what to do with pieces of the new state budget associated with the $36 million appropriation to universities. That date would coincide with return of the Legislature to Topeka for what could be the final days of the 2024 session.

On Wednesday, the Kansas Board of Regents approved a change to the higher education system’s diversity and multiculturalism policy to forbid the six universities from compelling anyone seeking to enroll or to be hired to make a statement pledging allegiance to diversity, equity or inclusion.

While declaring responsibility for the educational experience, including multicultural programs, resided with each university, the Board of Regents adopted policy saying “no state university shall on its applications for admission or hiring, reappointing or promoting a faculty member require statements pledging allegiance to, support for or opposition to diversity, equity or inclusion.”

The new policy wouldn’t inhibit the ability of a university to comply with federal or state laws, regulations or grant requirements. The revision adopted by the Board of Regents didn’t include an internal enforcement mechanism.

Board of Regents chairman Jon Rolph said board members took part in conversations with legislators opposed to DEI. He said the state universities had taken steps during the past year to alter DEI initiatives that inspired criticism from lawmakers.

“This is, again, our good-faith effort in trying to listen to the Legislature,” Rolph said of movement against formal DEI policy. “It’s not something central to our practice of wanting student success and trying to fulfill our promises to people when we invite them onto our campuses.”

Other than brief remarks by Rolph, no other member of the Board of Regents and no campus administrator addressed implications of the policy change during the board’s meeting at Fort Hays State University.

An audit performed for the Republican-controlled Legislature determined the state universities in Kansas devoted approximately $45 million annually to DEI. Auditors struggled to compile information for the report because each campus relied on a different definition of DEI.

“I find it strange we’re using a term and we haven’t even identified what that term means,” said Rep. Ford Carr, D-Wichita. “That part, to me, is just almost inexcusable.”

Under HB 2105, public higher education institutions in Kansas must post to a public website all training materials used for students and faculty on issues of nondiscrimination, DEI, race, ethnicity, sex and bias. The posts would include university or college policies guiding campus communities on those topics.

Rep. Steven Howe, a Salina Republican who chaired a House committee that took the lead on DEI legislation, said the objective was to free the hiring and enrollment processes in Kansas higher education from requirements that people had to make statements of support or opposition to any political ideology or movement, including DEI.

He said the reform shouldn’t be construed as a campaign to restrict academic freedom in teaching, research or in writing for academic publications.

“Our position was much more lenient in the sense that it was very narrow, very balanced and protected academic freedom and freedom of speech on campus,” Howe said.

Howe said enrollment among Black and Native American students in the Kansas Board of Regents’ system declined more than 20% during the past five years despite DEI programs aimed at attracting a more diverse student body.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713547278962.png" alt=" Rep. Kirk Haskins, D-Topeka, said it was wrong for the Legislature to link a $36 million appropriation to the state’s public universities to a requirement Gov. Laura Kelly sign a bill implementing a ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs at Kansas public universities, community colleges and technical colleges. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Rep. Kirk Haskins, D-Topeka, said it was wrong for the Legislature to link a $36 million appropriation to the state’s public universities to a requirement Gov. Laura Kelly sign a bill implementing a ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs at Kansas public universities, community colleges and technical colleges. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Legislation seeks pledge to abandon diversity, equity and inclusion programs</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Rep. Kirk Haskins denounced conservative political attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion programs on college campuses in Kansas, but despaired at willingness of House and Senate colleagues to leverage a $36 million appropriation to state universities in an attempt to coerce the governor into signing an anti-DEI bill.Haskins, a Topeka Democrat and a professor at Baker University in Baldwin City, said he was offended a majority in the Kansas Legislature was so threatened by campus diversity initiatives that they voted to approve budget provisions slashing university funding unless Gov. Laura Kelly signed House Bill 2105 banning DEI in Kansas public higher education. The bill would authorize Attorney General Kris Kobach to file lawsuits for adherence to DEI and seek $10,000 fines for every instance diversity, equity and inclusion programs were linked to faculty hiring or student enrollment.House and Senate budget negotiators agreed to anchor the $36 million to a requirement university administrators stand before the State Finance Council, a committee of top legislative leaders and the governor, to affirm they had abandoned DEI.“How do we even tolerate the extortion of funds from our post-secondary institutions?” said Haskins, who argued proponents were intent on undermining decades of work to create college and university safe havens for minority students and faculty and to open campuses to diverse perspectives. “If you continue to restrict higher education, you will see one ideology, one race back into schools.”The stakes were high if Kelly were to veto the anti-DEI bill or university chief executives balked at personally certifying the demise of DEI. The University of Kansas would lose $8.35 million and the KU Medical Center would forego $5.8 million in the fiscal year starting July 1.Kansas State University would surrender $6.4 million, while Wichita State University would have to do without $4.9 million. The budget hit for the three other state universities: Fort Hays State, $3.5 million; Emporia State, $1.9 million; and Pittsburg State, $1.8 million.Rep. Bob Lewis, a Garden City Republican and an attorney, said DEI programs on college campuses should be viewed as vehicles for advancing liberal ideologies of “division, exclusion and intimidation” rather than promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion. Conservative legislators in Kansas and more than a dozen states have argued DEI should be rooted out because it discriminated against certain students and employees.Lewis compared establishment of university DEI programs to pressure campaigns in the 1950s that compelled Americans to sign anti-communist loyalty oaths.“That was offensive and found to be unconstitutional,” Lewis said. “Decades later … we have institutions requiring people to essentially swear to a political ideology before they can be hired.”The governor has a Friday deadline for deciding what to do with HB 2105 requiring termination of DEI programs at state universities and public community colleges and technical colleges. In 2023, Kelly line-item vetoed DEI provisions inserted into the state budget bill.She must decide by April 25 what to do with pieces of the new state budget associated with the $36 million appropriation to universities. That date would coincide with return of the Legislature to Topeka for what could be the final days of the 2024 session.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713547316710.png" alt=" Rep. Bob Lewis, a Garden City Republican, lauded approval by the Legislature of a bill designed to forbid diversity, equity and inclusion programs in Kansas public higher education. He said DEI programs should be defined as vehicles of “division, exclusion and intimidation” on campuses. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Rep. Bob Lewis, a Garden City Republican, lauded approval by the Legislature of a bill designed to forbid diversity, equity and inclusion programs in Kansas public higher education. He said DEI programs should be defined as vehicles of “division, exclusion and intimidation” on campuses. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Board of Regents policy change</h2>On Wednesday, the Kansas Board of Regents approved a change to the higher education system’s diversity and multiculturalism policy to forbid the six universities from compelling anyone seeking to enroll or to be hired to make a statement pledging allegiance to diversity, equity or inclusion.While declaring responsibility for the educational experience, including multicultural programs, resided with each university, the Board of Regents adopted policy saying “no state university shall on its applications for admission or hiring, reappointing or promoting a faculty member require statements pledging allegiance to, support for or opposition to diversity, equity or inclusion.”The new policy wouldn’t inhibit the ability of a university to comply with federal or state laws, regulations or grant requirements. The revision adopted by the Board of Regents didn’t include an internal enforcement mechanism.Board of Regents chairman Jon Rolph said board members took part in conversations with legislators opposed to DEI. He said the state universities had taken steps during the past year to alter DEI initiatives that inspired criticism from lawmakers.“This is, again, our good-faith effort in trying to listen to the Legislature,” Rolph said of movement against formal DEI policy. “It’s not something central to our practice of wanting student success and trying to fulfill our promises to people when we invite them onto our campuses.”Other than brief remarks by Rolph, no other member of the Board of Regents and no campus administrator addressed implications of the policy change during the board’s meeting at Fort Hays State University.<h2>Defining terms</h2>An audit performed for the Republican-controlled Legislature determined the state universities in Kansas devoted approximately $45 million annually to DEI. Auditors struggled to compile information for the report because each campus relied on a different definition of DEI.“I find it strange we’re using a term and we haven’t even identified what that term means,” said Rep. Ford Carr, D-Wichita. “That part, to me, is just almost inexcusable.”Under HB 2105, public higher education institutions in Kansas must post to a public website all training materials used for students and faculty on issues of nondiscrimination, DEI, race, ethnicity, sex and bias. The posts would include university or college policies guiding campus communities on those topics.Rep. Steven Howe, a Salina Republican who chaired a House committee that took the lead on DEI legislation, said the objective was to free the hiring and enrollment processes in Kansas higher education from requirements that people had to make statements of support or opposition to any political ideology or movement, including DEI.He said the reform shouldn’t be construed as a campaign to restrict academic freedom in teaching, research or in writing for academic publications.“Our position was much more lenient in the sense that it was very narrow, very balanced and protected academic freedom and freedom of speech on campus,” Howe said.Howe said enrollment among Black and Native American students in the Kansas Board of Regents’ system declined more than 20% during the past five years despite DEI programs aimed at attracting a more diverse student body.

Kansas lawmakers dangle $36 million for public universities to secure anti-DEI commitments

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/"></a>WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education on Friday announced a final rule that will update Title IX regulations governing how schools respond to sexual misconduct, undoing changes made under the Trump administration and former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

“For more than 50 years, Title IX has promised an equal opportunity to learn and thrive in our nation’s schools free from sex discrimination,” Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said on a call with reporters on Thursday night. “These final regulations build on the legacy of Title IX by clarifying that all our nation’s students can access schools that are safe, welcoming, and respect their rights.”

This new rule will roll back Title IX changes overseen by DeVos. Those regulations narrowly defined sexual harassment, and directed schools to conduct live hearings to allow those who were accused of sexual harassment or assault to cross-examine their accusers.

Many advocates&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nwlc.org/press-release/nwlc-responds-to-the-department-of-educations-attempt-to-weaken-protections-against-sexual-assault/">argued</a>&nbsp;that practice would discourage victims of sexual misconduct from coming forward. President Joe Biden during his campaign in 2020 promised to nix the Trump administration’s Title IX regulations.

The final rule will protect students and employees from sex-based discrimination, such as sexual violence and other forms of sex-based harassment. It would also require schools to have in place measures to offer support to those who make complaints.

The rule also sets guidelines for schools, such as treating all forms of sexual discrimination complaints equitably and promptly.

The new rule codifies protections for transgender students from sex discrimination. It prohibits discrimination against LGBTQ students and employees based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics.

“The final regulations clarify that a school must not separate or treat people differently based on sex in a manner that subjects them to more than de minimis harm, except in limited circumstances permitted by Title IX,” according to a fact sheet.

“The final regulations further recognize that preventing someone from participating in school (including in sex-separate activities) consistent with their gender identity causes that person more than de minimis harm.”

The rule does not establish new criteria for transgender athletes, which is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2023/04/06/biden-rule-on-transgender-athletes-would-set-conditions-on-school-sports-bans/">a separate rule</a>&nbsp;the Department of Education is still finalizing, a senior administration official said. That rule would prevent blanket bans on transgender athletes competing in sports that align with their gender identity. So far,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/youth/sports_participation_bans">&nbsp;24 states have passed laws</a>&nbsp;that ban transgender athletes from competing in sports that align with their gender identity.

The new rule also protects students, employees and applicants from discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, recovery from pregnancy and other reproductive care.

It requires schools to “provide reasonable modifications for students based on pregnancy or related conditions, allow for reasonable break time for lactation for employees, and access to a clean, private lactation space for students and employees,” according to a fact sheet.

Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the Department of Education Catherine Lhamon said on a call with reporters that the final regulations clarify the requirements that schools should follow to address all forms of sex discrimination.

“We look forward to working with schools, students, and families to prevent and eliminate sex discrimination,” Lhamon said.

Cardona said that the new rule will go into effect Aug. 1.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585353417200.png" alt="File photo White House -Trump administration&nbsp; Education Secretary Betsy DeVoss" />
 <figcaption>File photo White House -Trump administration&nbsp; Education Secretary Betsy DeVoss</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/"></a>WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education on Friday announced a final rule that will update Title IX regulations governing how schools respond to sexual misconduct, undoing changes made under the Trump administration and former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.“For more than 50 years, Title IX has promised an equal opportunity to learn and thrive in our nation’s schools free from sex discrimination,” Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said on a call with reporters on Thursday night. “These final regulations build on the legacy of Title IX by clarifying that all our nation’s students can access schools that are safe, welcoming, and respect their rights.”This new rule will roll back Title IX changes overseen by DeVos. Those regulations narrowly defined sexual harassment, and directed schools to conduct live hearings to allow those who were accused of sexual harassment or assault to cross-examine their accusers.Many advocates&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nwlc.org/press-release/nwlc-responds-to-the-department-of-educations-attempt-to-weaken-protections-against-sexual-assault/">argued</a>&nbsp;that practice would discourage victims of sexual misconduct from coming forward. President Joe Biden during his campaign in 2020 promised to nix the Trump administration’s Title IX regulations.The final rule will protect students and employees from sex-based discrimination, such as sexual violence and other forms of sex-based harassment. It would also require schools to have in place measures to offer support to those who make complaints.The rule also sets guidelines for schools, such as treating all forms of sexual discrimination complaints equitably and promptly.The new rule codifies protections for transgender students from sex discrimination. It prohibits discrimination against LGBTQ students and employees based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics.“The final regulations clarify that a school must not separate or treat people differently based on sex in a manner that subjects them to more than de minimis harm, except in limited circumstances permitted by Title IX,” according to a fact sheet.“The final regulations further recognize that preventing someone from participating in school (including in sex-separate activities) consistent with their gender identity causes that person more than de minimis harm.”The rule does not establish new criteria for transgender athletes, which is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2023/04/06/biden-rule-on-transgender-athletes-would-set-conditions-on-school-sports-bans/">a separate rule</a>&nbsp;the Department of Education is still finalizing, a senior administration official said. That rule would prevent blanket bans on transgender athletes competing in sports that align with their gender identity. So far,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/youth/sports_participation_bans">&nbsp;24 states have passed laws</a>&nbsp;that ban transgender athletes from competing in sports that align with their gender identity.The new rule also protects students, employees and applicants from discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, recovery from pregnancy and other reproductive care.It requires schools to “provide reasonable modifications for students based on pregnancy or related conditions, allow for reasonable break time for lactation for employees, and access to a clean, private lactation space for students and employees,” according to a fact sheet.Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the Department of Education Catherine Lhamon said on a call with reporters that the final regulations clarify the requirements that schools should follow to address all forms of sex discrimination.“We look forward to working with schools, students, and families to prevent and eliminate sex discrimination,” Lhamon said.Cardona said that the new rule will go into effect Aug. 1.

Biden administration to roll back the Betsy DeVos Title IX rules

KANSAS CITY—One person died in an accident just before 8a.m. Friday in Kansas City.

A Jaguar S-type was northbound on Holmes at 133rd where it traveled around the lowered train warning arms, ignoring the warning lights and audible signals, according to KCPD&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

The Jaguar then attempted to cross a second train crossing. The front engine of the approaching train struck the car. 

The unrestrained driver and sole occupant of the Jaguar was pronounced deceased at the scene. The train crew, engineer and conductor, were not injured in the collision.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the driver who died.

This is fatality #35 compared to #22 at this time last year, according to Gonzalez.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713619602997.png" alt="Photo courtesy KMBC TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KMBC TV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—One person died in an accident just before 8a.m. Friday in Kansas City.A Jaguar S-type was northbound on Holmes at 133rd where it traveled around the lowered train warning arms, ignoring the warning lights and audible signals, according to KCPD&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.The Jaguar then attempted to cross a second train crossing. The front engine of the approaching train struck the car. The unrestrained driver and sole occupant of the Jaguar was pronounced deceased at the scene. The train crew, engineer and conductor, were not injured in the collision.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the driver who died.This is fatality #35 compared to #22 at this time last year, according to Gonzalez.

KCPD: Driver ignored crossing arm, struck and killed by train

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Topeka police are asking&nbsp;for the public’s help in a vehicle burglary and theft investigation. The incident involved the burglary and theft of a law enforcement vehicle and equipment that occurred on April 17, 2024 in the overnight hours at the Spring Hill Suites,&nbsp; 2745 SW Fairlawn Avenue in Topeka.

Police recovered the vehicle.&nbsp; If you have any information about this incident, report anonymously to <a href="https://twitter.com/ShawneeCountyCS">@ShawneeCountyCS</a> at 785-234-0007 or online at <a href="https://t.co/g6Ezl6yyVr" target="_blank">http://p3tips.com/128</a>. You can also contact investigators Sergeant Burger or Detective Qualls by calling 785-368-9400 or by emailing telltpd@topeka.org.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Topeka police are asking&nbsp;for the public’s help in a vehicle burglary and theft investigation. The incident involved the burglary and theft of a law enforcement vehicle and equipment that occurred on April 17, 2024 in the overnight hours at the Spring Hill Suites,&nbsp; 2745 SW Fairlawn Avenue in Topeka.Police recovered the vehicle.&nbsp; If you have any information about this incident, report anonymously to <a href="https://twitter.com/ShawneeCountyCS">@ShawneeCountyCS</a> at 785-234-0007 or online at <a href="https://t.co/g6Ezl6yyVr" target="_blank">http://p3tips.com/128</a>. You can also contact investigators Sergeant Burger or Detective Qualls by calling 785-368-9400 or by emailing telltpd@topeka.org.

Police investigate burglary, theft of law enforcement vehicle

WASHINGTON (AP) — After its midnight deadline, the Senate voted early Saturday to reauthorize a key&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-surveillance">U.S. surveillance law</a>&nbsp;after divisions over whether the FBI should be restricted from using the program to search for Americans’ data nearly forced the statute to lapse.

The legislation approved 60-34 with bipartisan support would extend for two years the program known as Section 702 of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-surveillance-section-702-c69db6741ca9f4c26f24ebf5941a5cb0">Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act</a>. It now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk to become law. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Biden "will swiftly sign the bill."&nbsp; Kansas Senator Jerry Moran voted for the measure while Roger Marshall and Missouri Senator Josh Hawley voted against the bill. Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt was among six who did not vote.

“In the nick of time, we are reauthorizing FISA right before it expires at midnight,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said when voting on final passage began 15 minutes before the deadline. “All day long, we persisted and we persisted in trying to reach a breakthrough and in the end, we have succeeded.”

U.S. officials have said the surveillance tool, first authorized in 2008 and renewed several times since then, is crucial in disrupting terror attacks, cyber intrusions, and foreign espionage and has also produced intelligence that the U.S. has relied on for specific operations, such as the 2022 killing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ayman-al-zawahri">al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri.</a>

“If you miss a key piece of intelligence, you may miss some event overseas or put troops in harm’s way," Sen. Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said. "You may miss a plot to harm the country here, domestically, or somewhere else. So in this particular case, there’s real-life implications.”

The proposal would renew the program, which permits the U.S. government to collect without a warrant the communications of non-Americans located outside the country to gather foreign intelligence. The reauthorization faced a long and bumpy road to final passage Friday after months of clashes between privacy advocates and national security hawks pushed consideration of the legislation to the brink of expiration.

Though the spy program was technically set to expire at midnight, the Biden administration had said it expected its authority to collect intelligence to remain operational for at least another year, thanks to an opinion earlier this month from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which receives surveillance applications.

Still, officials had said that court approval shouldn’t be a substitute for congressional authorization, especially since communications companies could cease cooperation with the government if the program is allowed to lapse.

Hours before the law was set to expire, U.S. officials were already scrambling after two major U.S. communication providers said they would stop complying with orders through the surveillance program, according to a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private negotiations.

Attorney General Merrick Garland praised the reauthorization and reiterated how “indispensable” the tool is to the Justice Department.

“This reauthorization of Section 702 gives the United States the authority to continue to collect foreign intelligence information about non-U.S. persons located outside the United States, while at the same time codifying important reforms the Justice Department has adopted to ensure the protection of Americans’ privacy and civil liberties," Garland said in a statement Saturday.

But despite the Biden administration's urging and classified briefings to senators this week on the crucial role they say the spy program plays in protecting national security, a group of progressive and conservative lawmakers who were agitating for further changes had refused to accept the version of the bill the House sent over last week.

The lawmakers had demanded that Majority Leader Chuck Schumer allow votes on amendments to the legislation that would seek to address what they see as civil liberty loopholes in the bill. In the end, Schumer was able to cut a deal that would allow critics to receive floor votes on their amendments in exchange for speeding up the process for passage.

The six amendments ultimately failed to garner the necessary support on the floor to be included in the final passage.

One of the major changes detractors had proposed centered around restricting the FBI’s access to information about Americans through the program. Though the surveillance tool only targets non-Americans in other countries, it also collects communications of Americans when they are in contact with those targeted foreigners. Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the chamber, had been pushing a proposal that would require U.S. officials to get a warrant before accessing American communications.

“If the government wants to spy on my private communications or the private communications of any American, they should be required to get approval from a judge, just as our Founding Fathers intended in writing the Constitution,” Durbin said.

In the past year, U.S. officials have revealed a series of abuses and mistakes by FBI analysts in improperly querying the intelligence repository for information about Americans or others in the U.S., including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fisa-foreign-surveillance-fbi-3f7d4cc0ef413cdf20bc0b70548cde84">member of Congress</a>&nbsp;and participants in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-fbi-surveillance-75c466a64e838ab12eaef96f6335f3cd">racial justice protests of 2020</a>&nbsp;and the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

But members on both the House and Senate intelligence committees as well as the Justice Department warned requiring a warrant would severely handicap officials from quickly responding to imminent national security threats.

“I think that is a risk that we cannot afford to take with the vast array of challenges our nation faces around the world,” Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713611092442.png" alt="Early Saturday in the U.S. Senate -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Early Saturday in the U.S. Senate -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — After its midnight deadline, the Senate voted early Saturday to reauthorize a key&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-surveillance">U.S. surveillance law</a>&nbsp;after divisions over whether the FBI should be restricted from using the program to search for Americans’ data nearly forced the statute to lapse.The legislation approved 60-34 with bipartisan support would extend for two years the program known as Section 702 of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-surveillance-section-702-c69db6741ca9f4c26f24ebf5941a5cb0">Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act</a>. It now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk to become law. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Biden "will swiftly sign the bill."&nbsp; Kansas Senator Jerry Moran voted for the measure while Roger Marshall and Missouri Senator Josh Hawley voted against the bill. Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt was among six who did not vote.“In the nick of time, we are reauthorizing FISA right before it expires at midnight,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said when voting on final passage began 15 minutes before the deadline. “All day long, we persisted and we persisted in trying to reach a breakthrough and in the end, we have succeeded.”U.S. officials have said the surveillance tool, first authorized in 2008 and renewed several times since then, is crucial in disrupting terror attacks, cyber intrusions, and foreign espionage and has also produced intelligence that the U.S. has relied on for specific operations, such as the 2022 killing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ayman-al-zawahri">al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri.</a>“If you miss a key piece of intelligence, you may miss some event overseas or put troops in harm’s way," Sen. Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said. "You may miss a plot to harm the country here, domestically, or somewhere else. So in this particular case, there’s real-life implications.”The proposal would renew the program, which permits the U.S. government to collect without a warrant the communications of non-Americans located outside the country to gather foreign intelligence. The reauthorization faced a long and bumpy road to final passage Friday after months of clashes between privacy advocates and national security hawks pushed consideration of the legislation to the brink of expiration.Though the spy program was technically set to expire at midnight, the Biden administration had said it expected its authority to collect intelligence to remain operational for at least another year, thanks to an opinion earlier this month from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which receives surveillance applications.Still, officials had said that court approval shouldn’t be a substitute for congressional authorization, especially since communications companies could cease cooperation with the government if the program is allowed to lapse.Hours before the law was set to expire, U.S. officials were already scrambling after two major U.S. communication providers said they would stop complying with orders through the surveillance program, according to a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private negotiations.Attorney General Merrick Garland praised the reauthorization and reiterated how “indispensable” the tool is to the Justice Department.“This reauthorization of Section 702 gives the United States the authority to continue to collect foreign intelligence information about non-U.S. persons located outside the United States, while at the same time codifying important reforms the Justice Department has adopted to ensure the protection of Americans’ privacy and civil liberties," Garland said in a statement Saturday.But despite the Biden administration's urging and classified briefings to senators this week on the crucial role they say the spy program plays in protecting national security, a group of progressive and conservative lawmakers who were agitating for further changes had refused to accept the version of the bill the House sent over last week.The lawmakers had demanded that Majority Leader Chuck Schumer allow votes on amendments to the legislation that would seek to address what they see as civil liberty loopholes in the bill. In the end, Schumer was able to cut a deal that would allow critics to receive floor votes on their amendments in exchange for speeding up the process for passage.The six amendments ultimately failed to garner the necessary support on the floor to be included in the final passage.One of the major changes detractors had proposed centered around restricting the FBI’s access to information about Americans through the program. Though the surveillance tool only targets non-Americans in other countries, it also collects communications of Americans when they are in contact with those targeted foreigners. Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the chamber, had been pushing a proposal that would require U.S. officials to get a warrant before accessing American communications.“If the government wants to spy on my private communications or the private communications of any American, they should be required to get approval from a judge, just as our Founding Fathers intended in writing the Constitution,” Durbin said.In the past year, U.S. officials have revealed a series of abuses and mistakes by FBI analysts in improperly querying the intelligence repository for information about Americans or others in the U.S., including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fisa-foreign-surveillance-fbi-3f7d4cc0ef413cdf20bc0b70548cde84">member of Congress</a>&nbsp;and participants in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-fbi-surveillance-75c466a64e838ab12eaef96f6335f3cd">racial justice protests of 2020</a>&nbsp;and the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.But members on both the House and Senate intelligence committees as well as the Justice Department warned requiring a warrant would severely handicap officials from quickly responding to imminent national security threats.“I think that is a risk that we cannot afford to take with the vast array of challenges our nation faces around the world,” Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Friday.

Hawley no, Schmitt no vote: Senate passes controversial surveillance bill

JACKSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 2p.m. Friday in Jackson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1984 Ford F250 driven by James A&nbsp;Rolfe, 77, Holton, was southbound on M Road at Kansas 16. 

The driver&nbsp; failed to yield at a stop sign intended for southbound traffic. The pickup entered Kansas 16. 

An eastbound 2014 Peterbilt semi driven by Kyle Wade Puckett, 34, Pickering, Missouri, struck the Ford. Rolfe was&nbsp; pronounced dead at the scene and was transported Frontier Forensics. Puckett was not injured. Rolfe was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

JACKSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 2p.m. Friday in Jackson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1984 Ford F250 driven by James A&nbsp;Rolfe, 77, Holton, was southbound on M Road at Kansas 16. The driver&nbsp; failed to yield at a stop sign intended for southbound traffic. The pickup entered Kansas 16. An eastbound 2014 Peterbilt semi driven by Kyle Wade Puckett, 34, Pickering, Missouri, struck the Ford. Rolfe was&nbsp; pronounced dead at the scene and was transported Frontier Forensics. Puckett was not injured. Rolfe was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after pickup, semi crash

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a disturbing allegation of animal cruelty that was reported on April 17, to Wichita Police and shared on social media.

The incident involves a white male subject with an animal at Sim Park,&nbsp;2020 W. Murdock in Wichita and was captured on video demonstrating potential cruelty, according to Wichita Police spokesman Andrew Ford.

Upon receiving the video, the Wichita Police Department promptly initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this unsettling event. The department is urgently seeking to locate and interview the subject seen in the video to determine the nature of the incident and whether any laws have been violated.

Chief of Police Joe Sullivan reassured, "We take allegations of animal cruelty very seriously and are unwavering in our commitment to ensuring the safety and welfare of all animals in our community. We urge anyone with information about this case to come forward to help us resolve this matter swiftly."

The Wichita Police Department requests that anyone with information regarding this incident contact Wichita Police Animal Control at 316-350-3360 or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-4111. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713521234950.png" alt="Image from Wichita Animal Action League" />
 <figcaption>Image from Wichita Animal Action League</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a disturbing allegation of animal cruelty that was reported on April 17, to Wichita Police and shared on social media.The incident involves a white male subject with an animal at Sim Park,&nbsp;2020 W. Murdock in Wichita and was captured on video demonstrating potential cruelty, according to Wichita Police spokesman Andrew Ford.Upon receiving the video, the Wichita Police Department promptly initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this unsettling event. The department is urgently seeking to locate and interview the subject seen in the video to determine the nature of the incident and whether any laws have been violated.Chief of Police Joe Sullivan reassured, "We take allegations of animal cruelty very seriously and are unwavering in our commitment to ensuring the safety and welfare of all animals in our community. We urge anyone with information about this case to come forward to help us resolve this matter swiftly."The Wichita Police Department requests that anyone with information regarding this incident contact Wichita Police Animal Control at 316-350-3360 or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-4111.

Police investigating report of alleged animal cruelty at Kan. park

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects in connection with the death of a child.

On Thursday 30-year-old Alexis S. Williams and 31-year-old Kevin S. Martenia were charged with first-degree murder, child abuse and aggravated endangerment of a child, according to a statement from&nbsp;Johnson County District Attorney Stephen Howe.

They were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the child's death in the summer of 2023.

Authorities released no additional information on the investigation into the child’s death.&nbsp; Martenia has a previous conviction for robbery and has been out of prison since March of 2020, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Both suspects are due back in court on April 25, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713544261995.png" alt="Martenia-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Martenia-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects in connection with the death of a child.On Thursday 30-year-old Alexis S. Williams and 31-year-old Kevin S. Martenia were charged with first-degree murder, child abuse and aggravated endangerment of a child, according to a statement from&nbsp;Johnson County District Attorney Stephen Howe.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713544223601.png" alt="Williams-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Williams-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>They were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the child's death in the summer of 2023.Authorities released no additional information on the investigation into the child’s death.&nbsp; Martenia has a previous conviction for robbery and has been out of prison since March of 2020, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.Both suspects are due back in court on April 25, according to online jail records.

Kansas couple charged with abuse death of child

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Mandisa, a contemporary Christian singer who appeared on “American Idol” and won a Grammy for her 2013 album ‘Overcomer’, has died. She was 47.

A representative for the singer told The Associated Press that the singer was found dead in her home in Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday. The representative said the cause of Mandisa's death was not yet known.

Mandisa, whose full name was Mandisa Lynn Hundley, was born near Sacramento, California, and grew up singing in church. She gained stardom after finishing ninth on “American Idol” in 2006.

As she left, host Ryan Seacrest told the singer that she was “a great spirit on the show."

Mandisa moved on, releasing her debut album in 2007 called “True Beauty,” which received a Grammy nomination that year for best pop and contemporary gospel album.

She went on to release five more albums, including a Christmas album.

In 2014, she won a Grammy for best contemporary Christian music album for “Overcomer,” her fifth album.

Mandisa spoke openly about her struggles with depression, releasing a memoir entitled “Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy” in 2022 that detailed her experiences with severe depression, weight-related challenges, the coronavirus pandemic and her faith.

On Friday, the Christian radio network K-Love paid tribute to the singer on social media, saying: “Mandisa struggled, and she was vulnerable enough to share that with us, which helped us talk about our own struggles.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713556575642.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Mandisa, a contemporary Christian singer who appeared on “American Idol” and won a Grammy for her 2013 album ‘Overcomer’, has died. She was 47.A representative for the singer told The Associated Press that the singer was found dead in her home in Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday. The representative said the cause of Mandisa's death was not yet known.Mandisa, whose full name was Mandisa Lynn Hundley, was born near Sacramento, California, and grew up singing in church. She gained stardom after finishing ninth on “American Idol” in 2006.As she left, host Ryan Seacrest told the singer that she was “a great spirit on the show."Mandisa moved on, releasing her debut album in 2007 called “True Beauty,” which received a Grammy nomination that year for best pop and contemporary gospel album.She went on to release five more albums, including a Christmas album.In 2014, she won a Grammy for best contemporary Christian music album for “Overcomer,” her fifth album.Mandisa spoke openly about her struggles with depression, releasing a memoir entitled “Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy” in 2022 that detailed her experiences with severe depression, weight-related challenges, the coronavirus pandemic and her faith.On Friday, the Christian radio network K-Love paid tribute to the singer on social media, saying: “Mandisa struggled, and she was vulnerable enough to share that with us, which helped us talk about our own struggles.”

Mandisa, Grammy-winning singer and 'American Idol' alum, dies at 47

WASHINGTON (AP) — Legislation that could ban TikTok in the U.S. if its China-based owner doesn’t sell its stake won a major boost late Wednesday when House Republican leaders included it in a package of bills that would send aid to Ukraine and Israel. The bill could be law as soon as next week if Congress moves quickly.

The TikTok legislation, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-house-vote-china-national-security-8fa7258fae1a4902d344c9d978d58a37">passed the House</a>&nbsp;in March and has widespread support in both chambers, was included in the House package as leaders have worked to win votes for the foreign aid bills and after negotiations with the Senate over how long the Chinese technology firm ByteDance Ltd. would have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/divesting-tiktok-buyer-330c3a10d80aa9223facbfba0296a608">to sell its stake</a>&nbsp;in the app to continue operating in the United States. President Joe Biden has said he would sign the TikTok legislation if it reaches his desk.

The new version of the legislation won a key endorsement from Senate Commerce Committee Chairwoman Maria Cantwell, who said in a statement that she had successfully pushed to extend the period from six months to a year to give the company enough time to find a buyer. While the original bill had a six-month deadline for TikTok to be sold, the revised legislation would give nine months and a possible three-month extension if a sale was in progress.

“Extending the divestment period is necessary to ensure there is enough time for a new buyer to get a deal done,” said Cantwell, who had previously expressed doubts about the bill. ”I support this updated legislation.”

If Congress passes the TikTok bill, it would be an extraordinary and unusual moment in which both parties unite against one company – something lawmakers are usually reluctant to do. But the popular social media app has prompted widespread outrage on Capitol Hill, where there is bipartisan concern about Chinese threats to the United States and where few members use the platform themselves.

Opponents say they believe the ban would be unconstitutional, and there would be likely court challenges if it passes. There has been aggressive pushback from the company, content creators who make money on the app and some of the platform’s 170 million U.S. users, many of whom are young. In some cases, lawmakers have received&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-tiktok-ban-lobbying-congress-china-a340cf30b05343816380793af1c5d186">profanity-laced calls</a>&nbsp;from users who were prompted by the app to call their representatives in Congress.

To date, the U.S. government has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-tiktok-security-technology-social-media-2245e433b5854010ebd99b7987fc78ca">not provided</a>&nbsp;evidence that shows TikTok shared U.S. user data with the Chinese government, or that Chinese authorities have tinkered with the company’s popular algorithm, which influences what Americans see.

Since mid-March, TikTok has spent $5 million on TV ads opposing the legislation, according to AdImpact, an advertising tracking firm. The ads have included a range of content creators, including a nun, extolling the positive impacts of the platform on their lives and arguing a ban would trample on the First Amendment.

TikTok has also spent money on Facebook and Instagram ads that, among other things, talk about investments in data safety. In addition, the company has mounted a lobbying campaign in Washington that included flying in content creators who rely on the platform for income.

Alex Haurek, a spokesman for the company, said in a statement Thursday that “It is unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a ban bill that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, devastate 7 million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion to the U.S. economy, annually.”

Nadya Okamoto, a content creator who has roughly four million followers on TikTok, said she’s been having conversations with other creators who are experiencing “so much anger and anxiety” about the bill and how it’s going to impact their lives. The 26-year-old, whose company “August” sells menstrual products and is known for her advocacy around destigmatizing menstrual periods, makes most of her income from TikTok.

“This is going to have real repercussions,” she said.

Dan Ives, a tech analyst at the financial advisory firm Wedbush Securities, said such a sale would be very complex to carry out, even with an extended timeline.

The platform would come with a hefty price tag that only the biggest tech companies could afford, something that’s likely to raise antitrust concerns. Then, there’s the issue of TikTok’s algorithm, the app’s secret sauce that recommends videos to users. The bill bars ByteDance from controlling TikTok’s algorithm, and a potential sale is likely to face opposition from China, which has been clamping down on exports of recommendation algorithms by Chinese tech companies.

“Buying TikTok without the algorithm would be like buying a Ferrari without the engine,” said Ives.

Some investors, including former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary, have already voiced interest in buying TikTok’s U.S. business. If a sale isn’t approved and the platform does get banned, Ives said it would be a “dream scenario” for Snapchat, Meta and YouTube, which have faced stiff competition from TikTok the past few years.

If the bill does pass, it would be the most significant step Congress has taken in decades to regulate the tech industry. For years Congress has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-technology-regulation-tiktok-155d696fd44a450a43ce8cb9802e40bb">failed to act</a>&nbsp;on legislation that would protect users’ privacy, protect children online, make companies more liable for their content and put loose guardrails around artificial intelligence, among other things.

Still, it is a narrow shot at one company when many lawmakers would like to see broader change.

Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has been pushing for years for tech regulation. If the TikTok bill passes, he said, “it will be the first guardrail we put on anything on social media."

Warner said there are a lot of other things that Congress needs to do, “but you've got to start someplace.”

While most lawmakers support the TikTok bill, some have said it would set a dangerous precedent.

“The passage of the House TikTok ban is not just a misguided overreach; it’s a draconian measure that stifles free expression, tramples constitutional rights, and disrupts the economic pursuits of millions of Americans,” Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul posted on X after the House passed it.

Others are defending the app’s loyal users.

“I am a NO on the TikTok bill we are about to vote on,” Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost posted on X before the House vote. At 27, Frost is much younger than most of his colleagues.

“I believe the bill does set TikTok up to be banned," Frost said. "There are first amendment issues I see with taking away a platform that over 170 million Americans use, and this won’t fix the serious issues we have with data privacy."

Jenna Leventoff, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, previewed potential First Amendment challenges to the bill.

“Congress cannot take away the rights of over 170 million Americans who use TikTok to express themselves, engage in political advocacy, and access information from around the world,” she said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Legislation that could ban TikTok in the U.S. if its China-based owner doesn’t sell its stake won a major boost late Wednesday when House Republican leaders included it in a package of bills that would send aid to Ukraine and Israel. The bill could be law as soon as next week if Congress moves quickly.The TikTok legislation, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-house-vote-china-national-security-8fa7258fae1a4902d344c9d978d58a37">passed the House</a>&nbsp;in March and has widespread support in both chambers, was included in the House package as leaders have worked to win votes for the foreign aid bills and after negotiations with the Senate over how long the Chinese technology firm ByteDance Ltd. would have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/divesting-tiktok-buyer-330c3a10d80aa9223facbfba0296a608">to sell its stake</a>&nbsp;in the app to continue operating in the United States. President Joe Biden has said he would sign the TikTok legislation if it reaches his desk.The new version of the legislation won a key endorsement from Senate Commerce Committee Chairwoman Maria Cantwell, who said in a statement that she had successfully pushed to extend the period from six months to a year to give the company enough time to find a buyer. While the original bill had a six-month deadline for TikTok to be sold, the revised legislation would give nine months and a possible three-month extension if a sale was in progress.“Extending the divestment period is necessary to ensure there is enough time for a new buyer to get a deal done,” said Cantwell, who had previously expressed doubts about the bill. ”I support this updated legislation.”If Congress passes the TikTok bill, it would be an extraordinary and unusual moment in which both parties unite against one company – something lawmakers are usually reluctant to do. But the popular social media app has prompted widespread outrage on Capitol Hill, where there is bipartisan concern about Chinese threats to the United States and where few members use the platform themselves.Opponents say they believe the ban would be unconstitutional, and there would be likely court challenges if it passes. There has been aggressive pushback from the company, content creators who make money on the app and some of the platform’s 170 million U.S. users, many of whom are young. In some cases, lawmakers have received&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-tiktok-ban-lobbying-congress-china-a340cf30b05343816380793af1c5d186">profanity-laced calls</a>&nbsp;from users who were prompted by the app to call their representatives in Congress.To date, the U.S. government has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-tiktok-security-technology-social-media-2245e433b5854010ebd99b7987fc78ca">not provided</a>&nbsp;evidence that shows TikTok shared U.S. user data with the Chinese government, or that Chinese authorities have tinkered with the company’s popular algorithm, which influences what Americans see.Since mid-March, TikTok has spent $5 million on TV ads opposing the legislation, according to AdImpact, an advertising tracking firm. The ads have included a range of content creators, including a nun, extolling the positive impacts of the platform on their lives and arguing a ban would trample on the First Amendment.TikTok has also spent money on Facebook and Instagram ads that, among other things, talk about investments in data safety. In addition, the company has mounted a lobbying campaign in Washington that included flying in content creators who rely on the platform for income.Alex Haurek, a spokesman for the company, said in a statement Thursday that “It is unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a ban bill that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, devastate 7 million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion to the U.S. economy, annually.”Nadya Okamoto, a content creator who has roughly four million followers on TikTok, said she’s been having conversations with other creators who are experiencing “so much anger and anxiety” about the bill and how it’s going to impact their lives. The 26-year-old, whose company “August” sells menstrual products and is known for her advocacy around destigmatizing menstrual periods, makes most of her income from TikTok.“This is going to have real repercussions,” she said.Dan Ives, a tech analyst at the financial advisory firm Wedbush Securities, said such a sale would be very complex to carry out, even with an extended timeline.The platform would come with a hefty price tag that only the biggest tech companies could afford, something that’s likely to raise antitrust concerns. Then, there’s the issue of TikTok’s algorithm, the app’s secret sauce that recommends videos to users. The bill bars ByteDance from controlling TikTok’s algorithm, and a potential sale is likely to face opposition from China, which has been clamping down on exports of recommendation algorithms by Chinese tech companies.“Buying TikTok without the algorithm would be like buying a Ferrari without the engine,” said Ives.Some investors, including former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary, have already voiced interest in buying TikTok’s U.S. business. If a sale isn’t approved and the platform does get banned, Ives said it would be a “dream scenario” for Snapchat, Meta and YouTube, which have faced stiff competition from TikTok the past few years.If the bill does pass, it would be the most significant step Congress has taken in decades to regulate the tech industry. For years Congress has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-technology-regulation-tiktok-155d696fd44a450a43ce8cb9802e40bb">failed to act</a>&nbsp;on legislation that would protect users’ privacy, protect children online, make companies more liable for their content and put loose guardrails around artificial intelligence, among other things.Still, it is a narrow shot at one company when many lawmakers would like to see broader change.Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has been pushing for years for tech regulation. If the TikTok bill passes, he said, “it will be the first guardrail we put on anything on social media."Warner said there are a lot of other things that Congress needs to do, “but you've got to start someplace.”While most lawmakers support the TikTok bill, some have said it would set a dangerous precedent.“The passage of the House TikTok ban is not just a misguided overreach; it’s a draconian measure that stifles free expression, tramples constitutional rights, and disrupts the economic pursuits of millions of Americans,” Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul posted on X after the House passed it.Others are defending the app’s loyal users.“I am a NO on the TikTok bill we are about to vote on,” Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost posted on X before the House vote. At 27, Frost is much younger than most of his colleagues.“I believe the bill does set TikTok up to be banned," Frost said. "There are first amendment issues I see with taking away a platform that over 170 million Americans use, and this won’t fix the serious issues we have with data privacy."Jenna Leventoff, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, previewed potential First Amendment challenges to the bill.“Congress cannot take away the rights of over 170 million Americans who use TikTok to express themselves, engage in political advocacy, and access information from around the world,” she said.

Legislation that could force a TikTok ban revived as part of House foreign aid package

DICKINSON COUNTY—Law enforcement in Kansas located an abducted child in Dickinson County.

Just before 8p.m. Thursday, police in Abilene received an alert from a FLOCK license plate reader that a vehicle associated with an abducted 5-month-old child from Minnesota was in Abilene, according to a media release.

Officers located the vehicle and occupants in the 2100 Block of North Buckeye Avenue. Officers learned the child had been taken from Minnesota by a non-custodial parent.

The child was placed into police custody without incident and arrangements are being made for a safe return to Minnesota.

DICKINSON COUNTY—Law enforcement in Kansas located an abducted child in Dickinson County.Just before 8p.m. Thursday, police in Abilene received an alert from a FLOCK license plate reader that a vehicle associated with an abducted 5-month-old child from Minnesota was in Abilene, according to a media release.Officers located the vehicle and occupants in the 2100 Block of North Buckeye Avenue. Officers learned the child had been taken from Minnesota by a non-custodial parent.The child was placed into police custody without incident and arrangements are being made for a safe return to Minnesota.

Police in Kansas find 5-month old abducted in Minnesota

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a stabbing&nbsp; have a suspect in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712953620190.png" alt="MARTINEZ-AMAYA-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>MARTINEZ-AMAYA-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a stabbing&nbsp; have a suspect in custody.Just before 11:30p.m. April 11, police were dispatched to an armed disturbance at a residence in the the 200 block of North Clinton Street in Olathe, according to Police Major&nbsp;Joe Sudduth.First responders found a 67-year-old man with a stab wound to his abdomen. The victim was transported to an area hospital with a non-life-threatening injury.Officers also found a 35-year-old suspect later identified as Marcos Martinez-Amaya at the scene who is an associate of the victim. Police arrested the Martinez-Amaya on requested charges of Aggravated Battery and lodged at the Johnson County Adult Detention Center.&nbsp;He was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Thursday, according to online jail records.