DETROIT (AP) — Stellantis is recalling nearly 285,000 Dodge and Chrysler sedans because the&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V198-1964.PDF">side air bag inflators can explode</a>&nbsp;with too much force during a crash and hurl metal fragments at drivers and passengers.

The recall covers air bag inflators on both sides of Dodge Chargers and Chrysler 300 large cars from the 2018 through 2021 model years.

The automaker says in documents posted Friday by U.S. safety regulators that moisture may get into the inflators due to a manufacturing defect and cause corrosion and cracks. The documents say Stellantis has seven warranty claims and customer assistance reports but no reports of injuries.

Dealers will replace both side air bag modules. Owners will be notified starting May 3.

Stellantis estimates that 1% of the inflators are defective.

The inflators are made by Joyson Safety Systems, a company that ended up acquiring Japanese air bag maker Takata after its bankruptcy. Takata used ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate front air bags in a crash. But the chemical propellant can deteriorate over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. It can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel.

It wasn’t clear whether Takata was involved in designing the recalled Dodge and Chrysler air bags or if the company used ammonium nitrate as the propellant. Messages were left seeking comment from Stellantis.

DETROIT (AP) — Stellantis is recalling nearly 285,000 Dodge and Chrysler sedans because the&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V198-1964.PDF">side air bag inflators can explode</a>&nbsp;with too much force during a crash and hurl metal fragments at drivers and passengers.The recall covers air bag inflators on both sides of Dodge Chargers and Chrysler 300 large cars from the 2018 through 2021 model years.The automaker says in documents posted Friday by U.S. safety regulators that moisture may get into the inflators due to a manufacturing defect and cause corrosion and cracks. The documents say Stellantis has seven warranty claims and customer assistance reports but no reports of injuries.Dealers will replace both side air bag modules. Owners will be notified starting May 3.Stellantis estimates that 1% of the inflators are defective.The inflators are made by Joyson Safety Systems, a company that ended up acquiring Japanese air bag maker Takata after its bankruptcy. Takata used ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate front air bags in a crash. But the chemical propellant can deteriorate over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. It can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel.It wasn’t clear whether Takata was involved in designing the recalled Dodge and Chrysler air bags or if the company used ammonium nitrate as the propellant. Messages were left seeking comment from Stellantis.

Recall on Dodge Chargers, Chrysler 300s: Air bags could explode

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that sent a man to the hospital.

Just before 1p.m. Thursday, police responded to a request for medical attention in the 200 Block of Southwest Boulevard in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.

First responders found a man with a gunshot wound. EMS transported the man to a hospital in critical condition. The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department's Major Case unit in in charge of the investigation. Police have not reported an arrest or possible suspect information.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that sent a man to the hospital.Just before 1p.m. Thursday, police responded to a request for medical attention in the 200 Block of Southwest Boulevard in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.First responders found a man with a gunshot wound. EMS transported the man to a hospital in critical condition. The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department's Major Case unit in in charge of the investigation. Police have not reported an arrest or possible suspect information.

Kansas man critically injured in shooting 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers introduced a&nbsp;<a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/republicans.appropriations.house.gov/files/Second%20FY24%20Package%20-%20Further%20Consolidated%20Appropriations%20Act%2C%202024.pdf">$1.2 trillion spending package</a>&nbsp;Thursday that sets the stage for avoiding a partial government shutdown for several&nbsp;<a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/further-consolidated-appropriations-act-2024">key federal agencies</a>&nbsp;this weekend and allows Congress, nearly six months into the budget year, to complete its work funding the government through September.

<a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/republicans.appropriations.house.gov/files/Second%20FY24%20Package%20-%20Further%20Consolidated%20Appropriations%20Act%2C%202024.pdf">Click here to read</a> details of the bill

Democrats were able to swat back scores of policy mandates and some of the steeper budget cuts that House Republicans were seeking to impose on nondefense programs, though House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., highlighted some wins, including a nearly 24% increase in detention beds for migrants awaiting their immigration proceedings or removal from the country.

This year’s spending bills were divided into two packages. The first one&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-senate-congress-budget-spending-7dfcb8d8682d5dc28c91af3702489d89">cleared Congress</a>&nbsp;two weeks ago, just hours before a shutdown deadline for the agencies funded through the bills.

Now Congress is focused on the second, larger package, which includes about $886 billion for the&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20240318/Division%20A%20Defense.PDF">Defense Department</a>, a more than 3% increase from last year’s levels. The 1,012-page bill also funds the departments of&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20240318/Division%20C%20Homeland.pdf">Homeland Security</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20240318/Division%20D%20LHHS.pdf">Health and Human Services, Labor</a>, and others.

“Congress must now race to pass this package before government funding runs out this Friday,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Nondefense spending will be relatively flat compared with the prior year, though some agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, are taking a hit, and many agencies will not see their budgets keep up with inflation.

When combining the two packages, discretionary spending for the budget year will come to about $1.66 trillion. That does not include programs such as Social Security and Medicare, and financing the country's rising debt.

The House is expected to take the measure up first on Friday. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., urged Republicans to vote for the measure, noting that more than 70% of the spending goes to defense.

“At at time when the world's on fire, more than ever, we need to make sure that we are properly funding our nation's defense and supporting our troops,” Scalise said.

Then it would move to the Senate where senators would have to agree on taking it up expeditiously to avoid a partial shutdown. Usually, such agreements include votes on proposed amendments to the bill.

Johnson described the bill as a serious commitment to strengthening national defense while expanding support for those serving in the military. The bill provides for a 5.2% pay increase for service members.

In promoting the bill, Republicans cited several ways it would help Israel. Most notably, they highlighted a prohibition on funding through March 2025 for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-un-aid-refugees-29932f8d12c4fa748daa03e3689dc536">U.N. Relief and Works Agency</a>, which is the main supplier of food, water and shelter to civilians in Gaza.

Republicans are insisting on cutting off funding to the agency after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-29-2024-4c49c2fb89c3bfd4963f2260b34943c1">Israel alleged that a dozen employees of the agency were involved in the attack</a>&nbsp;that Hamas conducted in Israel on Oct. 7.

But the prohibition does concern some lawmakers because many relief agencies say there is no way to replace its ability to deliver the humanitarian assistance that the United States and others are trying to send to Gaza, where one-quarter of the 2.3 million residents are starving.

Democrats emphasized that humanitarian assistance will increase globally though, by about $336.4 million.

Sen. Patty Murray, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, also highlighted a $1 billion increase for Head Start programs and new child care centers for military families. Democrats also played up a $120 million increase in funding for cancer research and a $100 million increase for Alzheimer's research.

“We defeated outlandish cuts that would have been a gut punch for American families and our economy," said Murray, D-Wash.

She also said Democrats successfully fought off numerous policy measures, known as riders, that House Republicans were seeking to add.

“From Day 1 of this process, I said there would be no extreme, far-right riders to restrict women’s reproductive freedoms — and there aren’t, she said.

Among the policy provisions that House Republicans did secure was a requirement that only allows for the American flag and “other official flags” to fly over U.S. diplomatic facilities. Under the Biden administration, U.S. embassies have been invited to fly the pride flag or light up with rainbow colors in support of the LGBTQ community.

There is also a provision that prevents the Consumer Product Safety Commission from banning gas stoves. But the White House has said President Joe Biden would not support a ban, and the commission, an independent agency,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-us-consumer-product-safety-commission-ap-fact-check-texas-2003dcf8d0bee8ddf45080186b2e0c7b">says no such ban</a>&nbsp;was in the works.

The spending in the bill largely tracks with an agreement that former Speaker Kevin McCarthy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-biden-mccarthy-house-votes-9375cce9b7526b2d0a5728f8d4a18a0a">worked out</a>&nbsp;with the White House in May 2023, which restricted spending for two years and suspended the debt ceiling into January 2025 so the federal government could continue paying its bills.

Shalanda Young, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, told lawmakers Thursday that last year's agreement, which became the Fiscal Responsibility Act, will save taxpayers about $1 trillion over the coming decade.

McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted from the speaker’s role a few months after securing the debt ceiling deal. Eight Republicans ended up joining with Democrats in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-3542dd134dccf35bc67db3463baec53b">removing</a>&nbsp;McCarthy as speaker. And some of those unhappy with that deal also expressed misgivings about the latest package.

“I hope there will be some modest wins. Unfortunately, I don’t expect that we will get much in the way of significant policy wins based on past history and based on our unwillingness to use any kind of leverage to force policy wins, meaning a willingness to walk away and say no,” said Rep. Bob Good, R-Va.

Work on the spending bills has been more bipartisan in the Senate. Murray issued a joint statement after the bill's release with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, urging colleagues to vote for it.

“There is zero need for a shutdown or chaos — and members of Congress should waste no time in passing these six bills, which will greatly benefit every state in America and reflect important priorities of many senators,” Murray and Collins said.

Johnson said that after the spending package passes, the House would next turn its attention to a bill that focuses on aiding Ukraine and Israel, though lawmakers are scheduled to be away from Washington for the next two weeks. The Senate has already approved a $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, but Johnson has declined to bring that up for a vote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711054939075.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers introduced a&nbsp;<a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/republicans.appropriations.house.gov/files/Second%20FY24%20Package%20-%20Further%20Consolidated%20Appropriations%20Act%2C%202024.pdf">$1.2 trillion spending package</a>&nbsp;Thursday that sets the stage for avoiding a partial government shutdown for several&nbsp;<a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/further-consolidated-appropriations-act-2024">key federal agencies</a>&nbsp;this weekend and allows Congress, nearly six months into the budget year, to complete its work funding the government through September.<a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/republicans.appropriations.house.gov/files/Second%20FY24%20Package%20-%20Further%20Consolidated%20Appropriations%20Act%2C%202024.pdf">Click here to read</a> details of the billDemocrats were able to swat back scores of policy mandates and some of the steeper budget cuts that House Republicans were seeking to impose on nondefense programs, though House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., highlighted some wins, including a nearly 24% increase in detention beds for migrants awaiting their immigration proceedings or removal from the country.This year’s spending bills were divided into two packages. The first one&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-senate-congress-budget-spending-7dfcb8d8682d5dc28c91af3702489d89">cleared Congress</a>&nbsp;two weeks ago, just hours before a shutdown deadline for the agencies funded through the bills.Now Congress is focused on the second, larger package, which includes about $886 billion for the&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20240318/Division%20A%20Defense.PDF">Defense Department</a>, a more than 3% increase from last year’s levels. The 1,012-page bill also funds the departments of&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20240318/Division%20C%20Homeland.pdf">Homeland Security</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20240318/Division%20D%20LHHS.pdf">Health and Human Services, Labor</a>, and others.“Congress must now race to pass this package before government funding runs out this Friday,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.Nondefense spending will be relatively flat compared with the prior year, though some agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, are taking a hit, and many agencies will not see their budgets keep up with inflation.When combining the two packages, discretionary spending for the budget year will come to about $1.66 trillion. That does not include programs such as Social Security and Medicare, and financing the country's rising debt.The House is expected to take the measure up first on Friday. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., urged Republicans to vote for the measure, noting that more than 70% of the spending goes to defense.“At at time when the world's on fire, more than ever, we need to make sure that we are properly funding our nation's defense and supporting our troops,” Scalise said.Then it would move to the Senate where senators would have to agree on taking it up expeditiously to avoid a partial shutdown. Usually, such agreements include votes on proposed amendments to the bill.Johnson described the bill as a serious commitment to strengthening national defense while expanding support for those serving in the military. The bill provides for a 5.2% pay increase for service members.In promoting the bill, Republicans cited several ways it would help Israel. Most notably, they highlighted a prohibition on funding through March 2025 for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-un-aid-refugees-29932f8d12c4fa748daa03e3689dc536">U.N. Relief and Works Agency</a>, which is the main supplier of food, water and shelter to civilians in Gaza.Republicans are insisting on cutting off funding to the agency after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-29-2024-4c49c2fb89c3bfd4963f2260b34943c1">Israel alleged that a dozen employees of the agency were involved in the attack</a>&nbsp;that Hamas conducted in Israel on Oct. 7.But the prohibition does concern some lawmakers because many relief agencies say there is no way to replace its ability to deliver the humanitarian assistance that the United States and others are trying to send to Gaza, where one-quarter of the 2.3 million residents are starving.Democrats emphasized that humanitarian assistance will increase globally though, by about $336.4 million.Sen. Patty Murray, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, also highlighted a $1 billion increase for Head Start programs and new child care centers for military families. Democrats also played up a $120 million increase in funding for cancer research and a $100 million increase for Alzheimer's research.“We defeated outlandish cuts that would have been a gut punch for American families and our economy," said Murray, D-Wash.She also said Democrats successfully fought off numerous policy measures, known as riders, that House Republicans were seeking to add.“From Day 1 of this process, I said there would be no extreme, far-right riders to restrict women’s reproductive freedoms — and there aren’t, she said.Among the policy provisions that House Republicans did secure was a requirement that only allows for the American flag and “other official flags” to fly over U.S. diplomatic facilities. Under the Biden administration, U.S. embassies have been invited to fly the pride flag or light up with rainbow colors in support of the LGBTQ community.There is also a provision that prevents the Consumer Product Safety Commission from banning gas stoves. But the White House has said President Joe Biden would not support a ban, and the commission, an independent agency,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-us-consumer-product-safety-commission-ap-fact-check-texas-2003dcf8d0bee8ddf45080186b2e0c7b">says no such ban</a>&nbsp;was in the works.The spending in the bill largely tracks with an agreement that former Speaker Kevin McCarthy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-biden-mccarthy-house-votes-9375cce9b7526b2d0a5728f8d4a18a0a">worked out</a>&nbsp;with the White House in May 2023, which restricted spending for two years and suspended the debt ceiling into January 2025 so the federal government could continue paying its bills.Shalanda Young, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, told lawmakers Thursday that last year's agreement, which became the Fiscal Responsibility Act, will save taxpayers about $1 trillion over the coming decade.McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted from the speaker’s role a few months after securing the debt ceiling deal. Eight Republicans ended up joining with Democrats in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-3542dd134dccf35bc67db3463baec53b">removing</a>&nbsp;McCarthy as speaker. And some of those unhappy with that deal also expressed misgivings about the latest package.“I hope there will be some modest wins. Unfortunately, I don’t expect that we will get much in the way of significant policy wins based on past history and based on our unwillingness to use any kind of leverage to force policy wins, meaning a willingness to walk away and say no,” said Rep. Bob Good, R-Va.Work on the spending bills has been more bipartisan in the Senate. Murray issued a joint statement after the bill's release with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, urging colleagues to vote for it.“There is zero need for a shutdown or chaos — and members of Congress should waste no time in passing these six bills, which will greatly benefit every state in America and reflect important priorities of many senators,” Murray and Collins said.Johnson said that after the spending package passes, the House would next turn its attention to a bill that focuses on aiding Ukraine and Israel, though lawmakers are scheduled to be away from Washington for the next two weeks. The Senate has already approved a $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, but Johnson has declined to bring that up for a vote.

What's in the $1.2 trillion spending plan to avert a government shutdown

BUTLER COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 6p.m. Wednesday in Butler County.

A truck and trailer driven by Blake Randall Strasser, 59, of rural Whitewater was westbound on NW 100th Street near&nbsp;Tawakoni Road, according to Butler County Undersheriff Daimon Cundiff.

The driver lost control of the truck. It left the roadway and to rest in the tree row on the north side of the road.

Strasser was pronounced dead at the scene. Preliminary investigation indicates that Strasser was not wearing a seatbelt and alcohol is suspected, but not confirmed, to be a factor, according to Cundiff.

BUTLER COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 6p.m. Wednesday in Butler County.A truck and trailer driven by Blake Randall Strasser, 59, of rural Whitewater was westbound on NW 100th Street near&nbsp;Tawakoni Road, according to Butler County Undersheriff Daimon Cundiff.The driver lost control of the truck. It left the roadway and to rest in the tree row on the north side of the road.Strasser was pronounced dead at the scene. Preliminary investigation indicates that Strasser was not wearing a seatbelt and alcohol is suspected, but not confirmed, to be a factor, according to Cundiff.

Undersheriff: Alcohol a possible factor in crash that killed Kansas man

SEWARD COUNTY -Luna has been located and is now safe with the Liberal Police Department, according to the KBI.

SEWARD COUNTY —The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has issued an Amber Alert for 22-month-old Luna Amaro.

She was last seen Wednesday when she was taken from Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, Kansas, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. She was wearing a white striped shirt, “princess pineapple shoes,” and a backpack.&nbsp;

The possible vehicle is a black sedan, unknown tag, according to the KBI.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711072919397.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SEWARD COUNTY -Luna has been located and is now safe with the Liberal Police Department, according to the KBI.-------------SEWARD COUNTY —The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has issued an Amber Alert for 22-month-old Luna Amaro.She was last seen Wednesday when she was taken from Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, Kansas, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. She was wearing a white striped shirt, “princess pineapple shoes,” and a backpack.&nbsp;The possible vehicle is a black sedan, unknown tag, according to the KBI.

Amber Alert canceled; missing toddler is with police in Kansas

JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just after 6p.m. March 18, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a silver Dodge Durango on U.S. Highway 75 just south of 330th Road for a traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 During the stop, probable cause was obtained to search the vehicle where round blue pills, known as “Dirty 30’s” and drug paraphernalia were discovered.

The driver, Steven Perry, 34, of Hiawatha, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for distribution of fentanyl, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while suspended and no insurance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710941770049.png" alt="Perry-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Perry-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just after 6p.m. March 18, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a silver Dodge Durango on U.S. Highway 75 just south of 330th Road for a traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. During the stop, probable cause was obtained to search the vehicle where round blue pills, known as “Dirty 30’s” and drug paraphernalia were discovered.The driver, Steven Perry, 34, of Hiawatha, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for distribution of fentanyl, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while suspended and no insurance.

Sheriff: Kansas man was selling pills with fentanyl

CHANUTE, Kan. (AP) — A fire engulfed an apartment complex in Chanute, Kansas, early Thursday morning, killing one person and injuring several others.

The blaze damaged the roughly 15-year-old, 24-unit Cornerstone Apartments throughout the building,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iolaregister.com/news/local-news/fire-destroys-chanute-apartment-complex">The Iola Register reported.</a>

The apartment building's company president said the cause is unknown. The building was fully occupied with sprinkler systems, fire alarms and smoke detectors that all appeared to function, he said.

The number and types of injuries weren't immediately announced.

Firefighters arrived to find the south side of the building engulfed in flames. The Iola, Parsons and Thayer fire departments helped Chanute firefighters fight the blaze. Chanute police helped evacuate the building.

CHANUTE, Kan. (AP) — A fire engulfed an apartment complex in Chanute, Kansas, early Thursday morning, killing one person and injuring several others.The blaze damaged the roughly 15-year-old, 24-unit Cornerstone Apartments throughout the building,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iolaregister.com/news/local-news/fire-destroys-chanute-apartment-complex">The Iola Register reported.</a>The apartment building's company president said the cause is unknown. The building was fully occupied with sprinkler systems, fire alarms and smoke detectors that all appeared to function, he said.The number and types of injuries weren't immediately announced.Firefighters arrived to find the south side of the building engulfed in flames. The Iola, Parsons and Thayer fire departments helped Chanute firefighters fight the blaze. Chanute police helped evacuate the building.

1 person killed, others injured in Kansas apartment building fire

WASHINGTON —The Biden Administration is cancelling student loans for an additional 78,000 public service workers – teachers, nurses, firefighters, and more – through Public Service Loan Forgiveness, according to a statement on the White House web site.

"These public service workers have dedicated their careers to serving their communities, but because of past administrative failures, never got the relief they were entitled to under the law."

&nbsp; "Because of the fixes my Administration has made, we have now cancelled student debt for over 870,000 public service workers– compared to only about 7,000 public service borrowers ever receiving forgiveness prior to my Administration," the statement said. 

"And through all of our various student debt relief actions, nearly four million Americans have had their student debt cancelled under my Administration."

"The announcement comes on top of the significant progress we’ve achieved for students and student loan borrowers in the past few years.&nbsp; This includes: providing the largest increases in Pell Grants in over a decade to help families who earn less than roughly $60,000 a year; fixing Income-Driven Repayment plans so borrowers in repayment for years get the relief they earned; and creating the most generous Income-Driven Repayment plan in history – the SAVE plan."

"Borrowers can go to&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/" target="_blank">studentaid.gov</a>&nbsp;to apply. And, in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision on my Administration’s original student debt relief plan, we are continuing to pursue an alternative path to deliver student debt relief to as many borrowers as possible as quickly as possible.

"From day one of my Administration, I promised to fix broken student loan programs and make sure higher education is a ticket to the middle class, not a barrier to opportunity. I won’t back down from using every tool at my disposal to deliver student debt relief to more Americans, and build an economy from the middle out and bottom up. "

WASHINGTON —The Biden Administration is cancelling student loans for an additional 78,000 public service workers – teachers, nurses, firefighters, and more – through Public Service Loan Forgiveness, according to a statement on the White House web site."These public service workers have dedicated their careers to serving their communities, but because of past administrative failures, never got the relief they were entitled to under the law."&nbsp; "Because of the fixes my Administration has made, we have now cancelled student debt for over 870,000 public service workers– compared to only about 7,000 public service borrowers ever receiving forgiveness prior to my Administration," the statement said. "And through all of our various student debt relief actions, nearly four million Americans have had their student debt cancelled under my Administration.""The announcement comes on top of the significant progress we’ve achieved for students and student loan borrowers in the past few years.&nbsp; This includes: providing the largest increases in Pell Grants in over a decade to help families who earn less than roughly $60,000 a year; fixing Income-Driven Repayment plans so borrowers in repayment for years get the relief they earned; and creating the most generous Income-Driven Repayment plan in history – the SAVE plan.""Borrowers can go to&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/" target="_blank">studentaid.gov</a>&nbsp;to apply. And, in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision on my Administration’s original student debt relief plan, we are continuing to pursue an alternative path to deliver student debt relief to as many borrowers as possible as quickly as possible."From day one of my Administration, I promised to fix broken student loan programs and make sure higher education is a ticket to the middle class, not a barrier to opportunity. I won’t back down from using every tool at my disposal to deliver student debt relief to more Americans, and build an economy from the middle out and bottom up. "

Biden cancels another $6 billion in student loan debt 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Republican lawmakers on Thursday&nbsp; brought a Medicaid expansion bill to a halt, after one day of discussion, 900 testimonies in support of expansion and dozens of statewide rallies held by Kansans desperate for more health care coverage.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The move will severely limit chances of the bill’s survival during this year’s legislative session.&nbsp;

Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican, led opposition to the bill the latest Medicaid expansion bill, encapsulated as House Bill&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2556/">2556</a>. Landwehr, chairwoman of a House committee that heard the bill Thursday,&nbsp; called for action Thursday, following a Wednesday hearing on the bill.&nbsp; Landwehr was supported in her opposition to expansion by fellow Republican committee lawmakers.&nbsp;The five Democrats and 12 Republicans on the committee voted on party lines.

“But why would you expand a broken system?” Landwehr said, justifying her vote. “I don’t understand that.”

Several committee Democrats said their colleagues deserved a chance to debate the legislation.&nbsp;

“If this bill is so unpopular, give this a chance to have that vote on the House floor, so not just 17 of us will be able to decide this huge of an issue,” Rep. Christina Haswood, a Lawrence Democrat, said.&nbsp;

Medicaid expansion could be reassigned to another committee, inserted into another bill, or forced to the House floor if enough lawmakers throw their support behind expansion.&nbsp;

But that would be unlikely as top&nbsp;Republicans in the House and Senate remain firmly against expansion despite widespread bipartisan support.&nbsp;

Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins have characterized it as a way to “expand the welfare state,” though most of the estimated 150,000 Kansans who would benefit from expansion are low-income workers or Kansans suffering from chronic illness.&nbsp;

Medicaid expansion would expand state health insurance coverage for lower-income families. Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government covers 90% of the extra cost of Medicaid services in exchange for expanding eligibility to those at 138% of the federal poverty rate and below.

Medicaid expansion would also unlock $700 million in annual federal funding and could save 59 rural hospitals on the brink of closing.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/03/20/first-medicaid-expansion-hearing-held-in-years-yields-many-kansas-supporters/">Wednesday was the first time</a>&nbsp;in four years legislative leaders allowed hearings on expanding state health care coverage.

(Click below to watch a replay of the Medicaid hearing on Wednesday)

Support comes from many sectors across the state, including disability rights advocates, health care workers, Kansans without insurance–and even the state’s sheriffs, because&nbsp;Medicaid expansion would cover medical costs for people incarcerated in county jails under the bill.&nbsp;

Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter said the medical costs of caring for prisoners could be “devastating,” especially in rural counties. Easter spoke on behalf of the Kansas Sheriff’s Association Wednesday to voice support for Medicaid coverage in jails as a way to reduce financial burdens for counties.&nbsp;

“We have a lot of sick people that come into the jail,” Easter told committee lawmakers.&nbsp; “We have to, by law, by human standards, provide very good care to these inmates, most of whom have not had care in years. That is becoming extremely expensive.”

House Bill&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2556/">2556</a>&nbsp;includes a provision that would provide Medicaid coverage for those who are incarcerated in county jails. The section was added at the request of law enforcement to a governor-endorsed Medicaid expansion bill.&nbsp;

Since the state terminates Medicaid coverage for people in jail — a policy many have called inhumane — people must wait to exit the system to re-enroll. Kansas correctional facilities are mandated to provide medication to people under their custody and Kansas counties shoulder in-facility health care and treatment costs.&nbsp;

In the Sedgwick County Jail, which holds more than 1,500 inmates at times, Easter said several inmates had extremely expensive medical costs. He pointed to one inmate that had been hospitalized 18 times and resulted in a treatment bill of $1,004,588.92.&nbsp;

&nbsp;In another case, an inmate that had been in custody for more than two years was hospitalized 25 times, and the jail was billed for 65 different treatments. Easter said the total cost was around $629,700.&nbsp;

“I use that example, because if you throw that out into the smaller counties, they’d go bankrupt. They have no way to afford that,” Easter said. “When I started as sheriff 12 years ago, our medical budget was $4 million dollars. It is now $9 million and we go over it every year. We simply ask that there is some relief to our local taxpayers on this particular subject, so that those monies can be spent in other ways within our counties.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711056070665.png" alt=" Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican and chairwoman of the health committee, took action Thursday on a Medicaid expansion bill. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican and chairwoman of the health committee, took action Thursday on a Medicaid expansion bill. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Republican lawmakers on Thursday&nbsp; brought a Medicaid expansion bill to a halt, after one day of discussion, 900 testimonies in support of expansion and dozens of statewide rallies held by Kansans desperate for more health care coverage.&nbsp;&nbsp;The move will severely limit chances of the bill’s survival during this year’s legislative session.&nbsp;Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican, led opposition to the bill the latest Medicaid expansion bill, encapsulated as House Bill&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2556/">2556</a>. Landwehr, chairwoman of a House committee that heard the bill Thursday,&nbsp; called for action Thursday, following a Wednesday hearing on the bill.&nbsp; Landwehr was supported in her opposition to expansion by fellow Republican committee lawmakers.&nbsp;The five Democrats and 12 Republicans on the committee voted on party lines.“But why would you expand a broken system?” Landwehr said, justifying her vote. “I don’t understand that.”Several committee Democrats said their colleagues deserved a chance to debate the legislation.&nbsp;“If this bill is so unpopular, give this a chance to have that vote on the House floor, so not just 17 of us will be able to decide this huge of an issue,” Rep. Christina Haswood, a Lawrence Democrat, said.&nbsp;Medicaid expansion could be reassigned to another committee, inserted into another bill, or forced to the House floor if enough lawmakers throw their support behind expansion.&nbsp;But that would be unlikely as top&nbsp;Republicans in the House and Senate remain firmly against expansion despite widespread bipartisan support.&nbsp;Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins have characterized it as a way to “expand the welfare state,” though most of the estimated 150,000 Kansans who would benefit from expansion are low-income workers or Kansans suffering from chronic illness.&nbsp;Medicaid expansion would expand state health insurance coverage for lower-income families. Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government covers 90% of the extra cost of Medicaid services in exchange for expanding eligibility to those at 138% of the federal poverty rate and below.Medicaid expansion would also unlock $700 million in annual federal funding and could save 59 rural hospitals on the brink of closing.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/03/20/first-medicaid-expansion-hearing-held-in-years-yields-many-kansas-supporters/">Wednesday was the first time</a>&nbsp;in four years legislative leaders allowed hearings on expanding state health care coverage.(Click below to watch a replay of the Medicaid hearing on Wednesday)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GwpzfLj1a7Y?si=sVN2h0yo5hX3ySVT&amp;start=3" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Support comes from many sectors across the state, including disability rights advocates, health care workers, Kansans without insurance–and even the state’s sheriffs, because&nbsp;Medicaid expansion would cover medical costs for people incarcerated in county jails under the bill.&nbsp;Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter said the medical costs of caring for prisoners could be “devastating,” especially in rural counties. Easter spoke on behalf of the Kansas Sheriff’s Association Wednesday to voice support for Medicaid coverage in jails as a way to reduce financial burdens for counties.&nbsp;“We have a lot of sick people that come into the jail,” Easter told committee lawmakers.&nbsp; “We have to, by law, by human standards, provide very good care to these inmates, most of whom have not had care in years. That is becoming extremely expensive.”House Bill&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2556/">2556</a>&nbsp;includes a provision that would provide Medicaid coverage for those who are incarcerated in county jails. The section was added at the request of law enforcement to a governor-endorsed Medicaid expansion bill.&nbsp;Since the state terminates Medicaid coverage for people in jail — a policy many have called inhumane — people must wait to exit the system to re-enroll. Kansas correctional facilities are mandated to provide medication to people under their custody and Kansas counties shoulder in-facility health care and treatment costs.&nbsp;In the Sedgwick County Jail, which holds more than 1,500 inmates at times, Easter said several inmates had extremely expensive medical costs. He pointed to one inmate that had been hospitalized 18 times and resulted in a treatment bill of $1,004,588.92.&nbsp;&nbsp;In another case, an inmate that had been in custody for more than two years was hospitalized 25 times, and the jail was billed for 65 different treatments. Easter said the total cost was around $629,700.&nbsp;“I use that example, because if you throw that out into the smaller counties, they’d go bankrupt. They have no way to afford that,” Easter said. “When I started as sheriff 12 years ago, our medical budget was $4 million dollars. It is now $9 million and we go over it every year. We simply ask that there is some relief to our local taxpayers on this particular subject, so that those monies can be spent in other ways within our counties.”

Despite overwhelming Kansas public support, Medicaid expansion bill shot down

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Thursday announced a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/apple-inc">Apple</a>, accusing the tech giant of engineering an illegal monopoly in smartphones that boxes out competitors and stifles innovation.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in New Jersey, alleges that Apple has monopoly power in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/smartphones">the smartphone market</a>&nbsp;and uses its control over the iPhone to “engage in a broad, sustained, and illegal course of conduct.”

It specifically seeks to stop Apple from undermining technologies that compete with its own apps -- in areas including streaming, messaging and digital payments -- and prevent it from building language into its contracts with developers, accessory makers and consumers that lets it “obtain, maintain, extend or entrench a monopoly.”

The lawsuit — which was also filed with 16 state attorneys general — is the latest example of the Justice Department’s approach to aggressive enforcement of federal antitrust law that officials say is aimed at ensuring a fair and competitive market, even as it has lost some significant anticompetition cases.

“The Department of Justice has an enduring legacy taking on the biggest and toughest monopolies in history,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, head of the antitrust division, at a press conference announcing the lawsuit. “Today we stand here once again to promote competition and innovation for next generation of technology.”

Apple called the lawsuit “wrong on the facts and the law” and said it “will vigorously defend against it.”

President Joe Biden has called for the Justice Department and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/federal-trade-commission">the Federal Trade Commission</a>&nbsp;to vigorously enforce&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-business-federal-trade-commission-fb6913615c7122579a4795f5c3f457c0">antitrust statutes</a>. The increased policing of corporate mergers and business deals has been met with resistance from some business leaders who have said the Democratic administration is overreaching, but it’s been lauded by others as long overdue.

The case is taking direct aim at the digital fortress that Apple Inc., based in Cupertino, California, has assiduously built around the iPhone and other popular products such as the iPad, Mac and Apple Watch to create what is often referred to as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-inc-trials-lifestyle-technology-business-ab4cdc38a09734e3632c25228636bdd0">a “walled garden”</a>&nbsp;so its meticulously designed hardware and software can seamlessly flourish together while requiring consumers to do little more than turn the devices on.

The strategy has helped make Apple the world’s most prosperous company, with annual revenue of nearly $400 billion and, until recently,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-market-value-trillion-dow-jones-7f47279af45cb00506515111b92b46b5">a market value of more than $3 trillion</a>. But Apple’s shares have fallen by 7% this year even as most of the stock market has climbed to new highs, resulting in long-time rival Microsoft — a target of a major Justice Department antitrust case a quarter-century ago — to seize the mantle as the world’s most valuable company.

Apple said the lawsuit, if successful, would “hinder our ability to create the kind of technology people expect from Apple — where hardware, software, and services intersect” and would “set a dangerous precedent, empowering government to take a heavy hand in designing people’s technology.”

“At Apple, we innovate every day to make technology people love — designing products that work seamlessly together, protect people’s privacy and security, and create a magical experience for our users,” the company said in a statement. “This lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that set Apple products apart in fiercely competitive markets.

Apple has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-apple-inc-games-c5fcfcc748398aa2f56586256711b0b9">defended the walled garden</a>&nbsp;as an indispensable feature prized by consumers who want the best protection available for their personal information. It has described the barrier as a way for the iPhone to distinguish itself from devices running on Google’s Android software, which isn’t as restrictive and is licensed to a wide range of manufacturers.

“Apple claims to be a champion of protecting user data, but its app store fee structure and partnership with Google search erode privacy,” Consumer Reports senior researcher Sumit Sharma said in a statement.

The lawsuit complains that Apple charges as much as $1,599 for an iPhone and that the high margins it earns on each is more than double what others in the industry get. And when users run an internet search, Google gives Apple a “significant cut” of the advertising revenue those searches generate.

The company’s app store also charges developers up to 30 percent of the app’s price for consumers.

Critics of Apple’s anticompetitive practices have long complained that it’s claim to prioritize user privacy is hypocritical when profits are at stake. While its iMessage services is sheathed from prying eyes by end-to-end encryption, that protection evaporates the moment someone texts a non-Apple device.

Prominent critic Cory Doctorow has complained that while Apple has blocked Facebook from spying on its users it runs its “own surveillance advertising empire” that gathers the same kinds of personal data but for its own use.

Fears about an antitrust crackdown on Apple’s business model have contributed to the drop in the company’s stock price, along with concerns that it is lagging Microsoft and Google in the push to develop products powered by artificial intelligence technology.

But antitrust regulators made it clear in their complaint that they see Apple’s walled garden most as a weapon to ward off competition, creating market conditions that enable it to charge higher prices that have propelled its lofty profit margins while stifling innovation.

“Consumers should not have to pay higher prices because companies violate the antitrust laws,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. “We allege that Apple has maintained monopoly power in the smartphone market, not simply by staying ahead of the competition on the merits, but by violating federal antitrust law. If left unchallenged, Apple will only continue to strengthen its smartphone monopoly.”

With the attempt to rein in Apple’s dominance, the Biden administration is escalating an antitrust siege that has already triggered lawsuits against Google and Amazon accusing them in engaging in illegal tactics to thwart competition, as well as unsuccessful attempts to block acquisitions by Microsoft and Facebook parent Meta Platforms.

Apple’s business interests are also entangled in the Justice Department’s case against Google, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-antitrust-trial-search-engine-justice-department-2cfb06271455c7e12c4927959061e832">went to trial last fall</a>&nbsp;and is headed toward final arguments scheduled to begin May 1 in Washington, D.C. In that case, regulators are alleging Google has stymied competition by paying for the rights for its already dominant online search engine to be the automatic place to handle queries on the iPhone and a variety of web browsers in an arrangement that generates an estimated $15 billion to $20 billion annually.

Now that the Justice Department is mounting a direct attack across its business, Apple stands to lose even more.

The Justice Department is following up an other recent attempts to force Apple to change the way it runs the iPhone and other parts of its business.

Epic Games, the maker of the popular Fortnite video game, filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple in 2020 in an effort break down the barriers protecting the iPhone App Store and a lucrative payment system operating within it. Apple has long collected commissions ranging from 15% to 30% on digital transactions completed within apps, a setup that Epic alleged was enabled by an illegal monopoly that drives up prices for consumers.

After a monthlong trial in 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-prices-76b30a844324db04f06a144f888a6f0d">a federal judge ruled mostly in favor of Apple</a>&nbsp;with the exception of deciding that links to competing payment options should be permitted inside of iPhone apps. Apple unsuccessfully resisted that portion of the ruling until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-apple-epic-fortnite-antitrust-iphone-c412553d88f8798acd7d5e1cbb5826bc">the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal</a>&nbsp;in January, forcing the company to relent. But the concessions that Apple made to comply with the ruling are still facing a “bad faith” challenge from Epic, which is seeking an April 30 hearing to ask U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to order more changes.

Apple also had to open up the iPhone to allow apps to be downloaded and installed from competing stores in Europe to comply with a new set of regulators called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/digital-markets-act-european-union-rules-apple-5162872791b985e794df9b3a7b46aed1">the Digital Markets Act,</a>&nbsp;or DMA, earlier this month but its approach is being pilloried by critics as little more than an end-around the rules that will enable it to continue to muscle out real competition. European Union regulators already have vowed to crack down on Apple if it finds the company’s tactics continue to thwart true consumer choice.

All of this comes on top of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-antitrust-fine-music-streaming-europe-439e3e8af91d844dee3dc8ff8012c68f">a $2 billion (1.8 billion euro) fine</a>&nbsp;that European regulators slapped on Apple earlier this month after concluding that the company had undermined competition in the music streaming through the iPhone, despite Spotify being the leader in that market.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711052797525.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Thursday announced a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/apple-inc">Apple</a>, accusing the tech giant of engineering an illegal monopoly in smartphones that boxes out competitors and stifles innovation.The lawsuit, filed in federal court in New Jersey, alleges that Apple has monopoly power in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/smartphones">the smartphone market</a>&nbsp;and uses its control over the iPhone to “engage in a broad, sustained, and illegal course of conduct.”It specifically seeks to stop Apple from undermining technologies that compete with its own apps -- in areas including streaming, messaging and digital payments -- and prevent it from building language into its contracts with developers, accessory makers and consumers that lets it “obtain, maintain, extend or entrench a monopoly.”The lawsuit — which was also filed with 16 state attorneys general — is the latest example of the Justice Department’s approach to aggressive enforcement of federal antitrust law that officials say is aimed at ensuring a fair and competitive market, even as it has lost some significant anticompetition cases.“The Department of Justice has an enduring legacy taking on the biggest and toughest monopolies in history,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, head of the antitrust division, at a press conference announcing the lawsuit. “Today we stand here once again to promote competition and innovation for next generation of technology.”Apple called the lawsuit “wrong on the facts and the law” and said it “will vigorously defend against it.”President Joe Biden has called for the Justice Department and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/federal-trade-commission">the Federal Trade Commission</a>&nbsp;to vigorously enforce&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-business-federal-trade-commission-fb6913615c7122579a4795f5c3f457c0">antitrust statutes</a>. The increased policing of corporate mergers and business deals has been met with resistance from some business leaders who have said the Democratic administration is overreaching, but it’s been lauded by others as long overdue.The case is taking direct aim at the digital fortress that Apple Inc., based in Cupertino, California, has assiduously built around the iPhone and other popular products such as the iPad, Mac and Apple Watch to create what is often referred to as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-inc-trials-lifestyle-technology-business-ab4cdc38a09734e3632c25228636bdd0">a “walled garden”</a>&nbsp;so its meticulously designed hardware and software can seamlessly flourish together while requiring consumers to do little more than turn the devices on.The strategy has helped make Apple the world’s most prosperous company, with annual revenue of nearly $400 billion and, until recently,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-market-value-trillion-dow-jones-7f47279af45cb00506515111b92b46b5">a market value of more than $3 trillion</a>. But Apple’s shares have fallen by 7% this year even as most of the stock market has climbed to new highs, resulting in long-time rival Microsoft — a target of a major Justice Department antitrust case a quarter-century ago — to seize the mantle as the world’s most valuable company.Apple said the lawsuit, if successful, would “hinder our ability to create the kind of technology people expect from Apple — where hardware, software, and services intersect” and would “set a dangerous precedent, empowering government to take a heavy hand in designing people’s technology.”“At Apple, we innovate every day to make technology people love — designing products that work seamlessly together, protect people’s privacy and security, and create a magical experience for our users,” the company said in a statement. “This lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that set Apple products apart in fiercely competitive markets.Apple has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-apple-inc-games-c5fcfcc748398aa2f56586256711b0b9">defended the walled garden</a>&nbsp;as an indispensable feature prized by consumers who want the best protection available for their personal information. It has described the barrier as a way for the iPhone to distinguish itself from devices running on Google’s Android software, which isn’t as restrictive and is licensed to a wide range of manufacturers.“Apple claims to be a champion of protecting user data, but its app store fee structure and partnership with Google search erode privacy,” Consumer Reports senior researcher Sumit Sharma said in a statement.The lawsuit complains that Apple charges as much as $1,599 for an iPhone and that the high margins it earns on each is more than double what others in the industry get. And when users run an internet search, Google gives Apple a “significant cut” of the advertising revenue those searches generate.The company’s app store also charges developers up to 30 percent of the app’s price for consumers.Critics of Apple’s anticompetitive practices have long complained that it’s claim to prioritize user privacy is hypocritical when profits are at stake. While its iMessage services is sheathed from prying eyes by end-to-end encryption, that protection evaporates the moment someone texts a non-Apple device.Prominent critic Cory Doctorow has complained that while Apple has blocked Facebook from spying on its users it runs its “own surveillance advertising empire” that gathers the same kinds of personal data but for its own use.Fears about an antitrust crackdown on Apple’s business model have contributed to the drop in the company’s stock price, along with concerns that it is lagging Microsoft and Google in the push to develop products powered by artificial intelligence technology.But antitrust regulators made it clear in their complaint that they see Apple’s walled garden most as a weapon to ward off competition, creating market conditions that enable it to charge higher prices that have propelled its lofty profit margins while stifling innovation.“Consumers should not have to pay higher prices because companies violate the antitrust laws,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. “We allege that Apple has maintained monopoly power in the smartphone market, not simply by staying ahead of the competition on the merits, but by violating federal antitrust law. If left unchallenged, Apple will only continue to strengthen its smartphone monopoly.”With the attempt to rein in Apple’s dominance, the Biden administration is escalating an antitrust siege that has already triggered lawsuits against Google and Amazon accusing them in engaging in illegal tactics to thwart competition, as well as unsuccessful attempts to block acquisitions by Microsoft and Facebook parent Meta Platforms.Apple’s business interests are also entangled in the Justice Department’s case against Google, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-antitrust-trial-search-engine-justice-department-2cfb06271455c7e12c4927959061e832">went to trial last fall</a>&nbsp;and is headed toward final arguments scheduled to begin May 1 in Washington, D.C. In that case, regulators are alleging Google has stymied competition by paying for the rights for its already dominant online search engine to be the automatic place to handle queries on the iPhone and a variety of web browsers in an arrangement that generates an estimated $15 billion to $20 billion annually.Now that the Justice Department is mounting a direct attack across its business, Apple stands to lose even more.The Justice Department is following up an other recent attempts to force Apple to change the way it runs the iPhone and other parts of its business.Epic Games, the maker of the popular Fortnite video game, filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple in 2020 in an effort break down the barriers protecting the iPhone App Store and a lucrative payment system operating within it. Apple has long collected commissions ranging from 15% to 30% on digital transactions completed within apps, a setup that Epic alleged was enabled by an illegal monopoly that drives up prices for consumers.After a monthlong trial in 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-prices-76b30a844324db04f06a144f888a6f0d">a federal judge ruled mostly in favor of Apple</a>&nbsp;with the exception of deciding that links to competing payment options should be permitted inside of iPhone apps. Apple unsuccessfully resisted that portion of the ruling until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-apple-epic-fortnite-antitrust-iphone-c412553d88f8798acd7d5e1cbb5826bc">the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal</a>&nbsp;in January, forcing the company to relent. But the concessions that Apple made to comply with the ruling are still facing a “bad faith” challenge from Epic, which is seeking an April 30 hearing to ask U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to order more changes.Apple also had to open up the iPhone to allow apps to be downloaded and installed from competing stores in Europe to comply with a new set of regulators called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/digital-markets-act-european-union-rules-apple-5162872791b985e794df9b3a7b46aed1">the Digital Markets Act,</a>&nbsp;or DMA, earlier this month but its approach is being pilloried by critics as little more than an end-around the rules that will enable it to continue to muscle out real competition. European Union regulators already have vowed to crack down on Apple if it finds the company’s tactics continue to thwart true consumer choice.All of this comes on top of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-antitrust-fine-music-streaming-europe-439e3e8af91d844dee3dc8ff8012c68f">a $2 billion (1.8 billion euro) fine</a>&nbsp;that European regulators slapped on Apple earlier this month after concluding that the company had undermined competition in the music streaming through the iPhone, despite Spotify being the leader in that market.

DOJ sues Apple over alleged iPhone monopoly

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal pedestrian accident have identified the woman who died as&nbsp;43-year-old Donna Cheever of Wichita.

Just before 9p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the incident at the intersection of 13th and Broadway involving a vehicle that struck Cheever, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Officers arrived on scene and quickly attended to both Cheever and the driver involved.&nbsp; EMS transported Cheever to an area hospital where she was pronounced deceased.

The Wichita Police Department's Accident Follow-Up Unit is leading the investigation into this incident. Initial assessments point to the collision as a tragic accident, but the investigation is still active and ongoing, according to Rebolledo.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Wichita Police ask anyone who witnessed the accident or has information about it to call the Accident Follow-Up Unit at 316-350-3690.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal pedestrian accident have identified the woman who died as&nbsp;43-year-old Donna Cheever of Wichita.Just before 9p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the incident at the intersection of 13th and Broadway involving a vehicle that struck Cheever, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.Officers arrived on scene and quickly attended to both Cheever and the driver involved.&nbsp; EMS transported Cheever to an area hospital where she was pronounced deceased.The Wichita Police Department's Accident Follow-Up Unit is leading the investigation into this incident. Initial assessments point to the collision as a tragic accident, but the investigation is still active and ongoing, according to Rebolledo.&nbsp;&nbsp;Wichita Police ask anyone who witnessed the accident or has information about it to call the Accident Follow-Up Unit at 316-350-3690.

Police ID Kansas woman who died in pedestrian accident

KANSAS CITY, Kansas. –Kansas inmate, 49-year-old John Evans Johnson, Jr.. who escaped March 12, has been apprehended, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

&nbsp;Kansas City, Kansas Police took Johnson, Jr., into custody. He was arrested on the KDOC escape warrant without incident.

Johnson has been serving a one-year sentence at the Johnson County Work Release Center since August 3, 2023. He was convicted in Wyandotte County for one count of burglary.

He had been placed on escape status after attending two job interviews, and not returning to the Johnson County Department of Corrections (JSDOC) Adult Residential Center (ARC).

GARDNER, Kansas. –Kansas inmate 49-year-old&nbsp; John Evans Johnson, Jr., continues on escape status after not returning to the Johnson County Department of Corrections (JSDOC) Adult Residential Center (ARC) facility March 12, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Johnson, a 49-year-old white male with green eyes, stands 5-feet-9 inches tall and weighs 191 pounds. He has a shaved head and nine tattoos across his arms, legs, neck, and back.

He was placed on escape status when he did not return to the residential center following two job interviews.

Anyone with information on Johnson should call the KDOC’s Enforcement, Apprehension, and Investigations Division (EAI) at 816-266-2102, the JCDOC at 913-715-6539, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (800) 572-7463 or local law enforcement at 911. Kansans can also contact EAI via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:KDOC_EAI_Intel@ks.gov">KDOC_EAI_Intel@ks.gov</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711039410218.png" alt="Johnson from an earlier arrest in Wyandotte County" />
 <figcaption>Johnson from an earlier arrest in Wyandotte County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kansas. –Kansas inmate, 49-year-old John Evans Johnson, Jr.. who escaped March 12, has been apprehended, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp;Kansas City, Kansas Police took Johnson, Jr., into custody. He was arrested on the KDOC escape warrant without incident.Johnson has been serving a one-year sentence at the Johnson County Work Release Center since August 3, 2023. He was convicted in Wyandotte County for one count of burglary.He had been placed on escape status after attending two job interviews, and not returning to the Johnson County Department of Corrections (JSDOC) Adult Residential Center (ARC).------------GARDNER, Kansas. –Kansas inmate 49-year-old&nbsp; John Evans Johnson, Jr., continues on escape status after not returning to the Johnson County Department of Corrections (JSDOC) Adult Residential Center (ARC) facility March 12, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Corrections.Johnson, a 49-year-old white male with green eyes, stands 5-feet-9 inches tall and weighs 191 pounds. He has a shaved head and nine tattoos across his arms, legs, neck, and back.He was placed on escape status when he did not return to the residential center following two job interviews.Johnson has been serving a one-year sentence at the Johnson County Work Release Center since August 3, 2023. He was convicted in Wyandotte County for one count of burglary.Anyone with information on Johnson should call the KDOC’s Enforcement, Apprehension, and Investigations Division (EAI) at 816-266-2102, the JCDOC at 913-715-6539, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (800) 572-7463 or local law enforcement at 911. Kansans can also contact EAI via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:KDOC_EAI_Intel@ks.gov">KDOC_EAI_Intel@ks.gov</a>

After 9 day search inmate who escaped Kansas jail is captured

TOPEKA (AP) —Legislators in Kansas and Georgia are citing a recent decision in England to restrict gender transitions for young people as support for their own related proposals.

They weren’t the first to turn to other countries, notably in Europe, for policy and research ideas. Lawmakers across the U.S., where at least 23 states now have tightened or removed access to transgender health care for minors, have routinely cited non-U.S. research or policies as justification for their legislation.

Yet leading health organizations in the United States and Europe continue to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-genderaffirming-care-pediatricians-176134f1b6ee1f2c146fef9a40cf351e">decisively endorse</a>&nbsp;gender-affirming care for both transgender youths and adults.

Among other things, they argue that restrictions on things like hormone therapy tend to single out transgender youths, even though other young people also can benefit from them. And transgender advocates and allies see a political attempt to erase them, cloaked as concern for children.

Some information and perspectives on the global patchwork of health and public policies on gender-affirming care:

England, through rules put forth by its public health system, is limiting the ability of people younger than 16 to begin a medical gender transition.

The National Health Service England recently cemented a policy first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uk-transgender-puberty-blockers-abd9145484006fea23de6b4656c937da">issued on an interim basis</a>&nbsp;almost a year ago that sets a minimum age at which puberty blockers can be started, along with other requirements. NHS England says there is not enough evidence about their long-term effects, including “sexual, cognitive or broader developmental outcomes.”

Starting April 1, NHS England will not prescribe puberty blockers — drugs that suppress sex hormones during puberty — as a “routine treatment” to children and other young people seeking gender transitions. In practice, the decision also applies to Wales, which does not have any NHS gender clinics for children. Northern Ireland says it will adopt England's policy; Scotland is weighing it.

But it's not a blanket, nationwide restriction. NHS England is just one health provider in the country, albeit a major one.

Puberty blockers are available for a cost at a few private clinics. And young people already taking them through the NHS — fewer than 100 in England, according to the BBC — can continue. The drugs will also be available to participants in clinical trials.

Britain’s Conservative government, which has been broadly critical of youth gender transitions, welcomed the NHS England decision. Even so, a proposal in Parliament to flatly make it illegal to provide puberty blockers to those under 16 is unlikely to become law.

The use of puberty blockers is not limited to gender transitions, but they can be an early step in one. They can pause puberty for gender-questioning youths until they are old enough to decide, after discussions with their families and health providers, on treatments that bring more-permanent changes.

U.S. legislators and statehouse bills seeking to restrict transgender health care have often cited European science and policy, from countries including Finland, France, Sweden and Norway, as well as the U.K.

In Kansas, state Sen. Beverly Gossage cited England’s new policy last week when briefing fellow Republicans on a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for minors.

“In England, they’ve declared that there could be no gender-affirming care other than therapy for children because the scientific proof is not there,” Gossage said in comments that mischaracterized the NHS England guidelines. They do call for starting with counseling, as do those of other leading health organizations.

Republican leaders expect the ban to pass this week and hope they can override any veto by Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat.

In Georgia, Republican state Sen. Ben Watson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-transgender-care-minors-restrictions-ban-2ac2dc48bc9f98c6f31782ef70d31357">pointed to Europe</a>&nbsp;as he pushed a ban on gender-affirming care for children: “In light of the information and what’s been going on, not only in Europe, in the U.K., but here in the United States, this is the change that I’m proposing.”

‘DEEP CONCERNS ABOUT HOSTILITY AND HARM’

Puberty blockers for adolescents who meet certain criteria are endorsed by major U.S. medical groups, along with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, when administered properly. Those criteria include no age requirement.

“Puberty blockers have been prescribed for more than 40 years for safe and effective treatment of medical conditions including early puberty. The fact that NHS England is targeting only trans and gender diverse youth with this policy raises deep concerns about hostility and harm to LGTBQ+ people and their families," WPATH and the European Association for Transgender Health said in a statement last week.

“Decisions about healthcare must be driven by clinical evidence, not by politics," the statement continued. "The NHS has provided no indication what criteria it will use to monitor the harm its decision may cause, putting youth and families at enormous risk for no legitimate medical purpose.”

Last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics, which represents 67,000 pediatricians, unanimously voted to reaffirm its pro-stance on gender-affirming care for transgender children, including hormone treatments when appropriate.

Iridescent Riffel, a 27-year-old transgender woman and activist from Lawrence, Kansas, said she views the English policy as too conservative.

Puberty blockers help prevent people from developing physical features not in line with their gender identity, such as beards or breasts. For most teenagers, puberty is well underway or nearly complete by age 16. Treatments to alter physical features later in life to align with one’s identity can be costly and painful.

Transgender youths may find it harder to begin the process of social transitioning — or how a trans person changes how they present themselves to other people — once they start puberty, she said.

“It’s not just, ‘Oh, I’m uncomfortable with my body.’ It’s, ‘How are people perceiving me? Am I going to get judged? Are people going to judge me? Am I going to be unsafe for going out this way?’” she said.

A ban on gender-affirming care isn’t the true goal, Riffel said. Instead, it’s, “We just don’t want to see trans people in public life at all.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710963555757.png" alt="In Kansas, state Sen. Beverly Gossage cited England’s new policy last week when briefing fellow Republicans on a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for minors.-image from Kansas Legislature YouTube" />
 <figcaption>In Kansas, state Sen. Beverly Gossage cited England’s new policy last week when briefing fellow Republicans on a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for minors.-image from Kansas Legislature YouTube</figcaption>
 </figure>By JEFF McMILLAN&nbsp;TOPEKA (AP) —Legislators in Kansas and Georgia are citing a recent decision in England to restrict gender transitions for young people as support for their own related proposals.They weren’t the first to turn to other countries, notably in Europe, for policy and research ideas. Lawmakers across the U.S., where at least 23 states now have tightened or removed access to transgender health care for minors, have routinely cited non-U.S. research or policies as justification for their legislation.Yet leading health organizations in the United States and Europe continue to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-genderaffirming-care-pediatricians-176134f1b6ee1f2c146fef9a40cf351e">decisively endorse</a>&nbsp;gender-affirming care for both transgender youths and adults.Among other things, they argue that restrictions on things like hormone therapy tend to single out transgender youths, even though other young people also can benefit from them. And transgender advocates and allies see a political attempt to erase them, cloaked as concern for children.Some information and perspectives on the global patchwork of health and public policies on gender-affirming care:WHAT DID ENGLAND CHANGE AND WHY?England, through rules put forth by its public health system, is limiting the ability of people younger than 16 to begin a medical gender transition.The National Health Service England recently cemented a policy first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uk-transgender-puberty-blockers-abd9145484006fea23de6b4656c937da">issued on an interim basis</a>&nbsp;almost a year ago that sets a minimum age at which puberty blockers can be started, along with other requirements. NHS England says there is not enough evidence about their long-term effects, including “sexual, cognitive or broader developmental outcomes.”Starting April 1, NHS England will not prescribe puberty blockers — drugs that suppress sex hormones during puberty — as a “routine treatment” to children and other young people seeking gender transitions. In practice, the decision also applies to Wales, which does not have any NHS gender clinics for children. Northern Ireland says it will adopt England's policy; Scotland is weighing it.But it's not a blanket, nationwide restriction. NHS England is just one health provider in the country, albeit a major one.Puberty blockers are available for a cost at a few private clinics. And young people already taking them through the NHS — fewer than 100 in England, according to the BBC — can continue. The drugs will also be available to participants in clinical trials.Britain’s Conservative government, which has been broadly critical of youth gender transitions, welcomed the NHS England decision. Even so, a proposal in Parliament to flatly make it illegal to provide puberty blockers to those under 16 is unlikely to become law.The use of puberty blockers is not limited to gender transitions, but they can be an early step in one. They can pause puberty for gender-questioning youths until they are old enough to decide, after discussions with their families and health providers, on treatments that bring more-permanent changes.WHAT ARE US LEGISLATORS SAYING?U.S. legislators and statehouse bills seeking to restrict transgender health care have often cited European science and policy, from countries including Finland, France, Sweden and Norway, as well as the U.K.In Kansas, state Sen. Beverly Gossage cited England’s new policy last week when briefing fellow Republicans on a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for minors.“In England, they’ve declared that there could be no gender-affirming care other than therapy for children because the scientific proof is not there,” Gossage said in comments that mischaracterized the NHS England guidelines. They do call for starting with counseling, as do those of other leading health organizations.Republican leaders expect the ban to pass this week and hope they can override any veto by Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat.In Georgia, Republican state Sen. Ben Watson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-transgender-care-minors-restrictions-ban-2ac2dc48bc9f98c6f31782ef70d31357">pointed to Europe</a>&nbsp;as he pushed a ban on gender-affirming care for children: “In light of the information and what’s been going on, not only in Europe, in the U.K., but here in the United States, this is the change that I’m proposing.”‘DEEP CONCERNS ABOUT HOSTILITY AND HARM’Puberty blockers for adolescents who meet certain criteria are endorsed by major U.S. medical groups, along with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, when administered properly. Those criteria include no age requirement.“Puberty blockers have been prescribed for more than 40 years for safe and effective treatment of medical conditions including early puberty. The fact that NHS England is targeting only trans and gender diverse youth with this policy raises deep concerns about hostility and harm to LGTBQ+ people and their families," WPATH and the European Association for Transgender Health said in a statement last week.“Decisions about healthcare must be driven by clinical evidence, not by politics," the statement continued. "The NHS has provided no indication what criteria it will use to monitor the harm its decision may cause, putting youth and families at enormous risk for no legitimate medical purpose.”Last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics, which represents 67,000 pediatricians, unanimously voted to reaffirm its pro-stance on gender-affirming care for transgender children, including hormone treatments when appropriate.Iridescent Riffel, a 27-year-old transgender woman and activist from Lawrence, Kansas, said she views the English policy as too conservative.Puberty blockers help prevent people from developing physical features not in line with their gender identity, such as beards or breasts. For most teenagers, puberty is well underway or nearly complete by age 16. Treatments to alter physical features later in life to align with one’s identity can be costly and painful.Transgender youths may find it harder to begin the process of social transitioning — or how a trans person changes how they present themselves to other people — once they start puberty, she said.“It’s not just, ‘Oh, I’m uncomfortable with my body.’ It’s, ‘How are people perceiving me? Am I going to get judged? Are people going to judge me? Am I going to be unsafe for going out this way?’” she said.A ban on gender-affirming care isn’t the true goal, Riffel said. Instead, it’s, “We just don’t want to see trans people in public life at all.”

Kan. legislators watching as England limits gender transition for youths

KANSAS CITY —(AP)—The Missouri Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to halt the execution of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-date-set-brian-dorsey-306c6e0cb8cc344004eb4b7a5ea9a0b4">Brian Dorsey</a>, who is scheduled to die next month for killing his cousin and her husband 18 years ago.

Judge W. Brent Powell wrote in the unanimous decision that Dorsey "has not demonstrated he is actually innocent" of the killing. Powell also wrote that the state Supreme Court previously turned aside Dorsey's claim that his trial lawyer was ineffective, and he is barred from raising that claim again.

It was unclear if Dorsey would appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. A message was left Wednesday with his attorney, Megan Crane.

Dorsey is scheduled to die by injection at 6 p.m. April 9 at the state prison in Bonne Terre. It would be Missouri's first execution in 2024 after four people were put to death last year. Another Missouri inmate,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/execution-date-set-missouri-inmate-hosier-58f9b156cf4fd640e04b90c7253f3a1c">David Hosier</a>, faces execution June 11 for killing a Jefferson City woman in 2009.

Dorsey, who turns 52 on Thursday, was convicted of fatally shooting Sarah and Ben Bonnie on Dec. 23, 2006, at their home near New Bloomfield. Prosecutors said that earlier that day, Dorsey had called Sarah Bonnie seeking to borrow money to pay two drug dealers who were at his apartment.

Sarah Bonnie’s parents found the bodies the next day. The couple’s 4-year-old daughter was unhurt.

In his appeal, Dorsey alleged that he was incapable of premeditation at the time of the killings because of drug-induced psychosis. The appeal said Dorsey had not slept for more than three days, had been drinking and was withdrawing from crack cocaine usage, causing him to experience hallucinations and paranoid delusions.

But Powell wrote that attorneys for the state cited “significant evidence” of premeditation.

Dorsey pleaded guilty in 2008 but later claimed he should have instead been sentenced to life in prison without parole. The Missouri Supreme Court first upheld the death sentence in 2010 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/missouri-court-rejects-appeal-in-2006-killings-318d3d3424124cb7ac956fa16a58f828">again in 2014</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702606426537.png" alt="Dorsey-photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Dorsey-photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —(AP)—The Missouri Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to halt the execution of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-date-set-brian-dorsey-306c6e0cb8cc344004eb4b7a5ea9a0b4">Brian Dorsey</a>, who is scheduled to die next month for killing his cousin and her husband 18 years ago.Judge W. Brent Powell wrote in the unanimous decision that Dorsey "has not demonstrated he is actually innocent" of the killing. Powell also wrote that the state Supreme Court previously turned aside Dorsey's claim that his trial lawyer was ineffective, and he is barred from raising that claim again.It was unclear if Dorsey would appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. A message was left Wednesday with his attorney, Megan Crane.Dorsey is scheduled to die by injection at 6 p.m. April 9 at the state prison in Bonne Terre. It would be Missouri's first execution in 2024 after four people were put to death last year. Another Missouri inmate,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/execution-date-set-missouri-inmate-hosier-58f9b156cf4fd640e04b90c7253f3a1c">David Hosier</a>, faces execution June 11 for killing a Jefferson City woman in 2009.Dorsey, who turns 52 on Thursday, was convicted of fatally shooting Sarah and Ben Bonnie on Dec. 23, 2006, at their home near New Bloomfield. Prosecutors said that earlier that day, Dorsey had called Sarah Bonnie seeking to borrow money to pay two drug dealers who were at his apartment.Sarah Bonnie’s parents found the bodies the next day. The couple’s 4-year-old daughter was unhurt.In his appeal, Dorsey alleged that he was incapable of premeditation at the time of the killings because of drug-induced psychosis. The appeal said Dorsey had not slept for more than three days, had been drinking and was withdrawing from crack cocaine usage, causing him to experience hallucinations and paranoid delusions.But Powell wrote that attorneys for the state cited “significant evidence” of premeditation.Dorsey pleaded guilty in 2008 but later claimed he should have instead been sentenced to life in prison without parole. The Missouri Supreme Court first upheld the death sentence in 2010 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/missouri-court-rejects-appeal-in-2006-killings-318d3d3424124cb7ac956fa16a58f828">again in 2014</a>.

Court declines to halt man's execution for killing cousin, her husband

DES MOINES (AP) —The winning numbers for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mega-millions-drawing-friday-798a3c138c8e5dc0ddbb743c6b1d5345">nearly $1 billion Mega Millions</a>&nbsp;lottery prize will be drawn Friday night, offering sudden riches to any lucky player who matches them and almost certain disappointment for everyone else.

Since three months have passed without a winner, the Mega Millions jackpot has grown to an estimated $977 million. That large prize reflects the incredibly long odds of winning the jackpot, as the longer the stretch without a winner, the more the prize grows.

The jackpot ranks as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/largest-lottery-jackpots-mega-millions-powerball-cb473805c48cd3b74a84d7ee4127450d">10th largest in U.S. lottery history</a>&nbsp;— about half the size of a record $2.04 billion Powerball prize won in November 2022.

Players can buy tickets for $2 and select six numbers from separate pools. Five of the selections come from one pool, with different numbers from 1 to 70, and the other is for the Mega Ball, with numbers from 1 to 25. Some states also give players the option of paying more for different options that increase payouts or give people extra sets of numbers.

People can pick their own numbers — and some play the same numbers each time — but most players opt for the quick pick option, which lets a computer generate random numbers.

Mega Millions holds drawings twice a week, at 11 p.m. EDT on Tuesday and Fridays, telecast from a television studio in Atlanta. The numbers are also quickly posted on the game's website.

A lot, but likely a lot less than you might think.

First, that's because the advertised jackpot of $977 million is for a sole winner who is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">paid through an annuity</a>, with an initial payment and then annual checks for 29 years. Nearly all winners actually prefer a cash payout, which for Friday night's drawing would be an estimated $461 million — less than half the number splashed across billboards and in neon ads at convenience stores.

Before forking over the money, lottery officials also would deduct 24% for federal taxes. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-mega-millions-jackpot-irs-870361236131">final tax bill</a>&nbsp;could ultimately be higher though, as some of the winnings could be subject to the top federal tax bracket of 37%. State taxes also could be assessed, depending on where a player bought the winning ticket.

There also is a chance that more than one person will buy a winning ticket — as in 2016, when there were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-2b540577dabe4d47986b66ea1ffbfbcf">three winning tickets</a>&nbsp;for a $1.6 billion lottery jackpot. Whatever the jackpot amount, it could be divvied into smaller prizes.

Focusing on the amount of a jackpot prize misses the greater point — that you almost certainly will not win.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-mega-millions-winning-odds-numbers-a3e5a8e8e7ed15d7500c1d6acdab6785">odds of winning</a>&nbsp;the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302.6 million, and it's those low odds that enable the game to trundle along without a winner for months. If the odds were better, people would win jackpots more frequently, so the top prizes wouldn't grow so large — and entice so many people to play. In fact, Mega Millions lengthened its odds in 2019 in order to create bigger jackpots.

DES MOINES (AP) —The winning numbers for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mega-millions-drawing-friday-798a3c138c8e5dc0ddbb743c6b1d5345">nearly $1 billion Mega Millions</a>&nbsp;lottery prize will be drawn Friday night, offering sudden riches to any lucky player who matches them and almost certain disappointment for everyone else.Since three months have passed without a winner, the Mega Millions jackpot has grown to an estimated $977 million. That large prize reflects the incredibly long odds of winning the jackpot, as the longer the stretch without a winner, the more the prize grows.The jackpot ranks as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/largest-lottery-jackpots-mega-millions-powerball-cb473805c48cd3b74a84d7ee4127450d">10th largest in U.S. lottery history</a>&nbsp;— about half the size of a record $2.04 billion Powerball prize won in November 2022.HOW DO I PLAY?Players can buy tickets for $2 and select six numbers from separate pools. Five of the selections come from one pool, with different numbers from 1 to 70, and the other is for the Mega Ball, with numbers from 1 to 25. Some states also give players the option of paying more for different options that increase payouts or give people extra sets of numbers.People can pick their own numbers — and some play the same numbers each time — but most players opt for the quick pick option, which lets a computer generate random numbers.Mega Millions holds drawings twice a week, at 11 p.m. EDT on Tuesday and Fridays, telecast from a television studio in Atlanta. The numbers are also quickly posted on the game's website.HOW MUCH WOULD I WIN?A lot, but likely a lot less than you might think.First, that's because the advertised jackpot of $977 million is for a sole winner who is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">paid through an annuity</a>, with an initial payment and then annual checks for 29 years. Nearly all winners actually prefer a cash payout, which for Friday night's drawing would be an estimated $461 million — less than half the number splashed across billboards and in neon ads at convenience stores.Before forking over the money, lottery officials also would deduct 24% for federal taxes. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-mega-millions-jackpot-irs-870361236131">final tax bill</a>&nbsp;could ultimately be higher though, as some of the winnings could be subject to the top federal tax bracket of 37%. State taxes also could be assessed, depending on where a player bought the winning ticket.There also is a chance that more than one person will buy a winning ticket — as in 2016, when there were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-2b540577dabe4d47986b66ea1ffbfbcf">three winning tickets</a>&nbsp;for a $1.6 billion lottery jackpot. Whatever the jackpot amount, it could be divvied into smaller prizes.SO WHAT ARE THE ODDS?Focusing on the amount of a jackpot prize misses the greater point — that you almost certainly will not win.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-mega-millions-winning-odds-numbers-a3e5a8e8e7ed15d7500c1d6acdab6785">odds of winning</a>&nbsp;the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302.6 million, and it's those low odds that enable the game to trundle along without a winner for months. If the odds were better, people would win jackpots more frequently, so the top prizes wouldn't grow so large — and entice so many people to play. In fact, Mega Millions lengthened its odds in 2019 in order to create bigger jackpots.During the current stretch, there hasn't been a jackpot winner since Dec. 8, 2023. That's 29 consecutive drawings without someone matching all the numbers.That said, lottery officials note there have been millions of winning tickets during that span, with prizes ranging from $2 to $1 million. The key, they say, is to play for fun and take a chance to dream a little, but not with an expectation of getting rich.And of course, eventually someone will win the jackpot.WHO RUNS THESE GAMES?Mega Millions and Powerball, the other big lottery game, are run separately but both are overseen by state lotteries. Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Powerball also operates in 45 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.The games don't operate in Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada or Utah.Both of the games raise money for the jurisdictions where they operate along with profits from other lottery games, such as scratch tickets. Some states shift the money into their general funds while others use it for specific purposes, such as funding college scholarships or state parks.