SHAWNEE COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting continue asking the public for help to locate a suspect.

On October 11, police responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of SW Clay Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.

 First responders found 18-year-old s Ra’Juan Spicer,suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased by medical personnel at the scene.&nbsp;

Police are attempting to locate Reginald Rucker-Plakio, 17, of Topeka, in reference to the homicide.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699048664862.png" alt="Rucker-Plakio-photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Rucker-Plakio-photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting continue asking the public for help to locate a suspect.On October 11, police responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of SW Clay Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks. First responders found 18-year-old s Ra’Juan Spicer,suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased by medical personnel at the scene.&nbsp;Police are attempting to locate Reginald Rucker-Plakio, 17, of Topeka, in reference to the homicide.

Homicide: Search continues for Kan. teen for deadly shooting

KANSAS CITY (AP) — As a Jewish student, Eden Roth always has felt safe and welcome at Tulane University, where more than 40% of the students are Jewish. That has been tested by the aftermath of last month's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Hamas incursion into Israel.</a>

Graffiti appeared on the New Orleans campus with the message “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/river-sea-israel-gaza-hamas-protests-d7abbd756f481fe50b6fa5c0b907cd49">from the river to the sea</a>,” a rallying cry for pro-Palestinian activists. Then came a clash between dueling demonstrations, where a melee led to three arrests and left a Jewish student with a broken nose.

“I think that the shift of experience with Jews on campus was extremely shocking,” said Roth, who was in Israel last summer for a study-abroad program. “A lot of students come to Tulane because of the Jewish population — feeling like they’re supported, like a majority rather than a minority. And I think that’s definitely shifted.”

Tulane isn’t alone. On other campuses,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-college-free-speech-543aff623d5f54ad6529fe598ae48271">long-simmering tensions</a>&nbsp;are erupting in violence and shattering the sense of safety that makes colleges hubs of free discourse. Students on both sides are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/antisemitism-islamophobia-colleges-biden-israel-hamas-57e32457f9113a168cc21d16fa008a79">witnessing acts of hate</a>, leaving many fearing for their safety even as they walk to classrooms.

Threats and clashes have sometimes come from within, including at Cornell, where a student is accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cornell-university-antisemitic-threats-jewish-students-a99394389d7a742412fa171eb8b57160">posting online threats against Jewish students</a>. A University of Massachusetts student was arrested after allegedly punching a Jewish student and spitting on an Israeli flag at a demonstration. At Stanford, an Arab Muslim student was hit by a car in a case being investigated as a hate crime.

The unease is felt acutely at Tulane, where 43% of students are Jewish, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hillel.org/top-60-jewish-colleges/">highest percentage</a>&nbsp;among colleges that are not explicitly Jewish.

“To see it on Tulane’s campus is definitely scary,” said Jacob Starr, a Jewish student from Massachusetts.

Within the student Jewish community, there is a range of perspectives on the conflict. The latest war began with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">an attack on Oct. 7</a>&nbsp;by Hamas militants who targeted towns, farming communities and a music festival near the Gaza border, killing more than 1,400 people. Israel has responded with weeks of attacks in Gaza, which have killed more than 10,800 people, according to the Hamas-run&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Gaza</a>&nbsp;— most of them Palestinian civilians.

Emma Sackheim, a Jewish student from Los Angeles who attends Tulane's law school, said she grew up as a supporter of the Jewish state but now considers herself an opponent of Zionism. Sackheim says she knows students who oppose Israel’s policies “but don’t feel comfortable to publicly say anything.”

“I was standing on the Palestinian side,” she said when asked about the Oct. 26 demonstration, which took place along a public New Orleans street that runs through campus.

Still, she said Tulane is where she feels most comfortable as a Jew. "I know that I have so many options of community,” she said.

On campuses around the U.S., students on both sides say they have been subjected to taunts and rhetoric that oppose their very existence since the invasion and the subsequent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-humanitarian-pauses-b8fc613ffd8b9351c0dc37b90b6e10dd">Israeli assault on Hamas</a>&nbsp;in northern Gaza.

They see it in campus rallies, on anonymous message boards frequented by college students, and on graffiti scrawled on dorms and buildings. In one case under police investigation as a possible hate crime, “Free Palestine” was found written this week on a window of Boston University's Hillel center.

Colleges have been scrambling to restore a sense of security for Jewish and Arab students — and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-college-free-speech-543aff623d5f54ad6529fe598ae48271">stressing messages of inclusion</a>&nbsp;for diverse student bodies. But untangling what’s protected as political speech and what crosses into threatening language can be a daunting task.

Tulane's president, Michael Fitts, has described an increased police presence and other security measures on campus. In messages to the campus community, he has lamented the loss of innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives and said the university was reaching out to Jewish and Muslim student groups and religious organizations.

He has faced criticism from people on both sides seeking more forceful statements.

Islam Elrabieey, for example, seeks condemnation of Israel's actions.

“To condemn Hamas is a good thing,” said Elrabieey, a native of Egypt and a visiting scholar in Tulane’s Middle East and North African Studies program. “But at the same time, if you didn’t condemn Israel for committing war crimes, this is a double standard.”

As places that encourage intellectual debate, it isn’t surprising that colleges have seen heated conflict, said Jonathan Fansmith, a senior vice president for the American Council on Education, an association of university presidents. But when different factions disagree about what crosses the line between free speech and abuse, it puts colleges in a difficult place, he said.

“Everyone should be incredibly sympathetic to Jewish students who feel under threat, and the alarming rise in antisemitic actions is something college universities take very seriously,” Fansmith said. “But they have a requirement, a responsibility under the law as well, to balance the free speech rights of people who may disagree, who may have critiques that they find disagreeable or dislike. And finding that line is very, very difficult.”

After&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-college-free-speech-543aff623d5f54ad6529fe598ae48271">facing criticism</a>&nbsp;for trying to remain too neutral on the war, Harvard University's president on Thursday condemned the phrase “from the river to the sea,” saying it has historical meanings that, to many, imply the eradication of Jews from Israel. Pro-Palestinian activists around the world chanted the phrase in the aftermath of the Hamas raid.

At Tulane, Roth said some Jewish students have been rattled enough to make them think twice about visiting the Mintz Center, the headquarters for the Tulane Hillel organization.

“I don’t feel completely safe, but I feel like we have no other choice but to embrace who we are in these times,” Roth said in an interview at the building. “I know a lot of my friends are nervous to wear their Star of David necklaces, to wear a kippah or even come into this building. But I think it’s critical that we do not let fear consume us.”

Lea Jackson, a freshman from New Jersey who describes herself as a modern Orthodox Jew, said she is concerned supporters of a Palestinian state are nervous expressing their views because of the large numbers of Jewish students on campus.

The Hamas raid may have made some people more reluctant to speak even as others become more outspoken, said Jackson, who said she recently spent a “gap year” in Israel and has friends and family there.

“But it’s a lot harder to have a civil conversation,” Jackson said, “when emotions and tension are so high and so many people are so personally connected to this.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699356430721.png" alt="-Law enforcement authorities are investigating a vandalism report Monday night at the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity, 1116 Indiana Street, in Lawrence, Kansas, according to a media release from Lawrence Police." />
 <figcaption>-Law enforcement authorities are investigating a vandalism report Monday night at the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity, 1116 Indiana Street, in Lawrence, Kansas, according to a media release from Lawrence Police.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — As a Jewish student, Eden Roth always has felt safe and welcome at Tulane University, where more than 40% of the students are Jewish. That has been tested by the aftermath of last month's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Hamas incursion into Israel.</a>Graffiti appeared on the New Orleans campus with the message “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/river-sea-israel-gaza-hamas-protests-d7abbd756f481fe50b6fa5c0b907cd49">from the river to the sea</a>,” a rallying cry for pro-Palestinian activists. Then came a clash between dueling demonstrations, where a melee led to three arrests and left a Jewish student with a broken nose.“I think that the shift of experience with Jews on campus was extremely shocking,” said Roth, who was in Israel last summer for a study-abroad program. “A lot of students come to Tulane because of the Jewish population — feeling like they’re supported, like a majority rather than a minority. And I think that’s definitely shifted.”Tulane isn’t alone. On other campuses,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-college-free-speech-543aff623d5f54ad6529fe598ae48271">long-simmering tensions</a>&nbsp;are erupting in violence and shattering the sense of safety that makes colleges hubs of free discourse. Students on both sides are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/antisemitism-islamophobia-colleges-biden-israel-hamas-57e32457f9113a168cc21d16fa008a79">witnessing acts of hate</a>, leaving many fearing for their safety even as they walk to classrooms.Threats and clashes have sometimes come from within, including at Cornell, where a student is accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cornell-university-antisemitic-threats-jewish-students-a99394389d7a742412fa171eb8b57160">posting online threats against Jewish students</a>. A University of Massachusetts student was arrested after allegedly punching a Jewish student and spitting on an Israeli flag at a demonstration. At Stanford, an Arab Muslim student was hit by a car in a case being investigated as a hate crime.The unease is felt acutely at Tulane, where 43% of students are Jewish, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hillel.org/top-60-jewish-colleges/">highest percentage</a>&nbsp;among colleges that are not explicitly Jewish.“To see it on Tulane’s campus is definitely scary,” said Jacob Starr, a Jewish student from Massachusetts.Within the student Jewish community, there is a range of perspectives on the conflict. The latest war began with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">an attack on Oct. 7</a>&nbsp;by Hamas militants who targeted towns, farming communities and a music festival near the Gaza border, killing more than 1,400 people. Israel has responded with weeks of attacks in Gaza, which have killed more than 10,800 people, according to the Hamas-run&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Gaza</a>&nbsp;— most of them Palestinian civilians.Emma Sackheim, a Jewish student from Los Angeles who attends Tulane's law school, said she grew up as a supporter of the Jewish state but now considers herself an opponent of Zionism. Sackheim says she knows students who oppose Israel’s policies “but don’t feel comfortable to publicly say anything.”“I was standing on the Palestinian side,” she said when asked about the Oct. 26 demonstration, which took place along a public New Orleans street that runs through campus.Still, she said Tulane is where she feels most comfortable as a Jew. "I know that I have so many options of community,” she said.On campuses around the U.S., students on both sides say they have been subjected to taunts and rhetoric that oppose their very existence since the invasion and the subsequent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-humanitarian-pauses-b8fc613ffd8b9351c0dc37b90b6e10dd">Israeli assault on Hamas</a>&nbsp;in northern Gaza.They see it in campus rallies, on anonymous message boards frequented by college students, and on graffiti scrawled on dorms and buildings. In one case under police investigation as a possible hate crime, “Free Palestine” was found written this week on a window of Boston University's Hillel center.Colleges have been scrambling to restore a sense of security for Jewish and Arab students — and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-college-free-speech-543aff623d5f54ad6529fe598ae48271">stressing messages of inclusion</a>&nbsp;for diverse student bodies. But untangling what’s protected as political speech and what crosses into threatening language can be a daunting task.Tulane's president, Michael Fitts, has described an increased police presence and other security measures on campus. In messages to the campus community, he has lamented the loss of innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives and said the university was reaching out to Jewish and Muslim student groups and religious organizations.He has faced criticism from people on both sides seeking more forceful statements.Islam Elrabieey, for example, seeks condemnation of Israel's actions.“To condemn Hamas is a good thing,” said Elrabieey, a native of Egypt and a visiting scholar in Tulane’s Middle East and North African Studies program. “But at the same time, if you didn’t condemn Israel for committing war crimes, this is a double standard.”As places that encourage intellectual debate, it isn’t surprising that colleges have seen heated conflict, said Jonathan Fansmith, a senior vice president for the American Council on Education, an association of university presidents. But when different factions disagree about what crosses the line between free speech and abuse, it puts colleges in a difficult place, he said.“Everyone should be incredibly sympathetic to Jewish students who feel under threat, and the alarming rise in antisemitic actions is something college universities take very seriously,” Fansmith said. “But they have a requirement, a responsibility under the law as well, to balance the free speech rights of people who may disagree, who may have critiques that they find disagreeable or dislike. And finding that line is very, very difficult.”After&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-college-free-speech-543aff623d5f54ad6529fe598ae48271">facing criticism</a>&nbsp;for trying to remain too neutral on the war, Harvard University's president on Thursday condemned the phrase “from the river to the sea,” saying it has historical meanings that, to many, imply the eradication of Jews from Israel. Pro-Palestinian activists around the world chanted the phrase in the aftermath of the Hamas raid.At Tulane, Roth said some Jewish students have been rattled enough to make them think twice about visiting the Mintz Center, the headquarters for the Tulane Hillel organization.“I don’t feel completely safe, but I feel like we have no other choice but to embrace who we are in these times,” Roth said in an interview at the building. “I know a lot of my friends are nervous to wear their Star of David necklaces, to wear a kippah or even come into this building. But I think it’s critical that we do not let fear consume us.”Lea Jackson, a freshman from New Jersey who describes herself as a modern Orthodox Jew, said she is concerned supporters of a Palestinian state are nervous expressing their views because of the large numbers of Jewish students on campus.The Hamas raid may have made some people more reluctant to speak even as others become more outspoken, said Jackson, who said she recently spent a “gap year” in Israel and has friends and family there.“But it’s a lot harder to have a civil conversation,” Jackson said, “when emotions and tension are so high and so many people are so personally connected to this.”___

Clashes over Israel-Hamas shatter students' sense of safety on US college campuses

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City-area man has been charged in connection with a fatal Nov. 3, shooting in the area of 12th and White in Kansas City and other crimes, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Keith D. Adkins, 32, Grandview, faces felony charges of Murder 2nd Degree, Assault 1st Degree, two counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Resisting Arrest, two counts of Tampering with a Motor Vehicle 1st Degree and five counts of Armed Criminal Action.

According to court records, Kansas City Police Department officers were dispatched to the 6000 block of E. 13th Street on a reported shooting. 

Upon arrival, officers found a juvenile victim in the street near a Kia Sportage that had collided with a pole. 

The victim was transported to the hospital and died later; his death was ruled a homicide by the Jackson County Medical Examiner. 

A second victim was located behind a nearby residence. Video surveillance from the area showed the driver, later identified as Adkins, in a black Silverado leaning out of the driver's window and firing two shots at the Kia, which soon collided with the pole. 

Detectives tracked the truck and observed Adkins and female passenger.

The next day detectives located the black Silverado, which had been reported stolen. 

Later on Nov. 4, Adkins and the woman were identified as the driver and passenger in another stolen vehicle, a Hyundai. 

Officers pursued the stolen auto on Nov. 5, 2023. The Hyundai proceeded at high rates of speed and ignoring traffic controls, until it struck another vehicle. Adkins exited the vehicle and fled on foot until he was taken into custody. He is being held on&nbsp;a bond of $500,000 cash.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699452356540.png" alt="Adkins-photo Jackson CO." />
 <figcaption>Adkins-photo Jackson CO.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City-area man has been charged in connection with a fatal Nov. 3, shooting in the area of 12th and White in Kansas City and other crimes, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Keith D. Adkins, 32, Grandview, faces felony charges of Murder 2nd Degree, Assault 1st Degree, two counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Resisting Arrest, two counts of Tampering with a Motor Vehicle 1st Degree and five counts of Armed Criminal Action.According to court records, Kansas City Police Department officers were dispatched to the 6000 block of E. 13th Street on a reported shooting. Upon arrival, officers found a juvenile victim in the street near a Kia Sportage that had collided with a pole. The victim was transported to the hospital and died later; his death was ruled a homicide by the Jackson County Medical Examiner. A second victim was located behind a nearby residence. Video surveillance from the area showed the driver, later identified as Adkins, in a black Silverado leaning out of the driver's window and firing two shots at the Kia, which soon collided with the pole. Detectives tracked the truck and observed Adkins and female passenger.The next day detectives located the black Silverado, which had been reported stolen. Later on Nov. 4, Adkins and the woman were identified as the driver and passenger in another stolen vehicle, a Hyundai. Officers pursued the stolen auto on Nov. 5, 2023. The Hyundai proceeded at high rates of speed and ignoring traffic controls, until it struck another vehicle. Adkins exited the vehicle and fled on foot until he was taken into custody. He is being held on&nbsp;a bond of $500,000 cash.

KC-area man accused of deadly drive-by killing of juvenile

KANSAS CITY– A&nbsp; Kansas City man pleaded guilty in federal court this week to using a GPS tracking device to surveil another man who was shot to death in a grocery store parking lot, according to the United State's attorney.

Dontay Campbell, 34, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to one count of cyberstalking resulting in death.

By pleading guilty today, Campbell admitted that he aided and abetted his co-conspirators in the use of a GPS tracking device to surveil Dontayus Wiles, and that he did so with the intent to kill, injure, harass, and intimidate Wiles. Campbell also admitted that their conduct resulted in the shooting death of Wiles.

Conspirators placed a GPS tracking device on Wiles’s red Chevrolet Tahoe. On March 16, 2019, Campbell and two co-conspirators surveilled Wiles as he and his wife drove to Happy Foods grocery store, located at 4019 E. 31st Street, Kansas City, Mo. When Wiles and his wife left the grocery store and walked back to the Tahoe, through the parking lot crowded with people, including children, Campbell and a co-conspirator pulled up next to the Tahoe in a Chrysler Sebring. Campbell’s co-conspirator exited the Sebring and shot at Wiles several times with a Ruger .40-caliber handgun that belonged to Campbell. During the shooting spree, Campbell attempted unsuccessfully to remove the GPS tracker from Wiles’s vehicle.

Campbell and the co-conspirator then ran back to the Sebring, briefly drove around the parking lot, and parked again near Wiles’s Tahoe. Campbell’s co-conspirator again fired multiple shots into Wiles’s Tahoe while Campbell again tried unsuccessfully to retrieve the GPS tracker. Campbell and his co-conspirator then sped out of the parking lot in the Sebring.

Wiles died from multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators recovered 17 expended .40-caliber shell casings near Wiles’s vehicle, all of which were determined to be fired by the same weapon. Investigators also recovered the GPS tracker underneath the vehicle and determined that the tracker had been purchased and activated in February 2019.

KANSAS CITY– A&nbsp; Kansas City man pleaded guilty in federal court this week to using a GPS tracking device to surveil another man who was shot to death in a grocery store parking lot, according to the United State's attorney.Dontay Campbell, 34, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to one count of cyberstalking resulting in death.By pleading guilty today, Campbell admitted that he aided and abetted his co-conspirators in the use of a GPS tracking device to surveil Dontayus Wiles, and that he did so with the intent to kill, injure, harass, and intimidate Wiles. Campbell also admitted that their conduct resulted in the shooting death of Wiles.Conspirators placed a GPS tracking device on Wiles’s red Chevrolet Tahoe. On March 16, 2019, Campbell and two co-conspirators surveilled Wiles as he and his wife drove to Happy Foods grocery store, located at 4019 E. 31st Street, Kansas City, Mo. When Wiles and his wife left the grocery store and walked back to the Tahoe, through the parking lot crowded with people, including children, Campbell and a co-conspirator pulled up next to the Tahoe in a Chrysler Sebring. Campbell’s co-conspirator exited the Sebring and shot at Wiles several times with a Ruger .40-caliber handgun that belonged to Campbell. During the shooting spree, Campbell attempted unsuccessfully to remove the GPS tracker from Wiles’s vehicle.Campbell and the co-conspirator then ran back to the Sebring, briefly drove around the parking lot, and parked again near Wiles’s Tahoe. Campbell’s co-conspirator again fired multiple shots into Wiles’s Tahoe while Campbell again tried unsuccessfully to retrieve the GPS tracker. Campbell and his co-conspirator then sped out of the parking lot in the Sebring.Wiles died from multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators recovered 17 expended .40-caliber shell casings near Wiles’s vehicle, all of which were determined to be fired by the same weapon. Investigators also recovered the GPS tracker underneath the vehicle and determined that the tracker had been purchased and activated in February 2019.

KC man admits using GPS tracking device to commit murder

JOHNSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 3:30p.m. Friday in. Johnson County.

A USD 233 school bus and motorcycle were involved in a crash at North Ridgeview Road and East Pineview Street, according to Olathe Police Sergeant John Moncayo.

First responders found the motorcyclist with serious injuries. Life-saving measures were conducted by police and medical personnel. The motorcyclist succumbed to his injuries and was declared deceased on scene. 

The driver of the bus, a 56-year-old woman,&nbsp; remained on scene and was cooperating. The school bus was transporting children at the time of the crash. No one on the bus was injured. Police did not release the name of the man who died.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699718779017.png" alt="Investigators on the scene late Friday -photo courtesy KMBC TV" />
 <figcaption>Investigators on the scene late Friday -photo courtesy KMBC TV</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 3:30p.m. Friday in. Johnson County.A USD 233 school bus and motorcycle were involved in a crash at North Ridgeview Road and East Pineview Street, according to Olathe Police Sergeant John Moncayo.First responders found the motorcyclist with serious injuries. Life-saving measures were conducted by police and medical personnel. The motorcyclist succumbed to his injuries and was declared deceased on scene. The driver of the bus, a 56-year-old woman,&nbsp; remained on scene and was cooperating. The school bus was transporting children at the time of the crash. No one on the bus was injured. Police did not release the name of the man who died.

Students on Kan. school bus involved in fatal motorcycle crash

By&nbsp;RACHEL MIPRO&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA&nbsp;— As opioid overdoses in Kansas show no sign of slowing down, officials have unrolled new funding to tackle school-level prevention initiatives and stock more homes with emergency overdose treatments.&nbsp;

The Kansas Fights Addiction Grant Review Board has given a substance abuse treatment organization $594,519 for use in three projects throughout the state.

The organization, DCCA, will use the funds to implement a&nbsp;Douglas County school-based prevention program, distribute naloxone in Johnson, Shawnee and Wyandotte counties and increase men’s residential and outpatient treatment services. Naloxone&nbsp;is medication that can be used to quickly reduce or reverse the effects of an&nbsp;opioid overdose.

&nbsp;“This is a wonderful way for us to expand our prevention resources and address substance use disorders,” DCCCA Chief Community Based Services Officer Chrissy Mayer said. “These projects will engage community partners across the state to help create healthy environments for those we serve.”

The initiative will bring 400 naloxone kits to addiction recovery group homes, as well as install a&nbsp;naloxone vending machine in Wyandotte County. The other project will focus on Wichita, expanding DCCCA’s service list for men’s treatment.

Funds come from the state’s settlements with pharmaceutical companies, pharmaceutical distributors and related companies. The settlements have resulted in approximately $340 million over the next 18 years for preventing and treating opioid addiction. Sunflower Foundation, a statewide health philanthropy based in Topeka, administers the grant program.

As of Oct. 31, there were&nbsp;10,280 suspected overdoses documented so far this year, according to&nbsp;public health analyst DJ Gering.&nbsp;Naloxone was administered in approximately 1,614 of these cases, Gering said in a Nov. 3 presentation to board members.&nbsp;

“There’s not an area of Kansas that’s not really touched by an overdose,” Gering said.

By&nbsp;RACHEL MIPRO&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA&nbsp;— As opioid overdoses in Kansas show no sign of slowing down, officials have unrolled new funding to tackle school-level prevention initiatives and stock more homes with emergency overdose treatments.&nbsp;The Kansas Fights Addiction Grant Review Board has given a substance abuse treatment organization $594,519 for use in three projects throughout the state.The organization, DCCA, will use the funds to implement a&nbsp;Douglas County school-based prevention program, distribute naloxone in Johnson, Shawnee and Wyandotte counties and increase men’s residential and outpatient treatment services. Naloxone&nbsp;is medication that can be used to quickly reduce or reverse the effects of an&nbsp;opioid overdose.&nbsp;“This is a wonderful way for us to expand our prevention resources and address substance use disorders,” DCCCA Chief Community Based Services Officer Chrissy Mayer said. “These projects will engage community partners across the state to help create healthy environments for those we serve.”The initiative will bring 400 naloxone kits to addiction recovery group homes, as well as install a&nbsp;naloxone vending machine in Wyandotte County. The other project will focus on Wichita, expanding DCCCA’s service list for men’s treatment.Funds come from the state’s settlements with pharmaceutical companies, pharmaceutical distributors and related companies. The settlements have resulted in approximately $340 million over the next 18 years for preventing and treating opioid addiction. Sunflower Foundation, a statewide health philanthropy based in Topeka, administers the grant program.As of Oct. 31, there were&nbsp;10,280 suspected overdoses documented so far this year, according to&nbsp;public health analyst DJ Gering.&nbsp;Naloxone was administered in approximately 1,614 of these cases, Gering said in a Nov. 3 presentation to board members.&nbsp;“There’s not an area of Kansas that’s not really touched by an overdose,” Gering said.

Kansas has seen more than 10,000 suspected overdoses this year

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;seemed likely Tuesday to preserve a federal law that prohibits people under domestic violence restraining orders from having guns.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2023/22-915">Click here </a>to listen to the Oral argument

In their first guns case since last year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">expansion of gun rights</a>, the justices suggested that they will reverse a ruling from an appeals court in New Orleans that struck down the 1994 ban on firearms for people under court order to stay away from their spouses or partners.

The court’s decision could affect other cases in which other gun laws have been called into question, including in the high-profile&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-court-gun-charges-indictment-investigation-68b186294bb36071c02428834ec5f470">prosecution of Hunter Biden</a>. President Joe Biden’s son has been charged with buying a firearm while he was addicted to drugs, but his lawyers have indicated they will challenge the indictment.

Liberal and conservative justices sounded persuaded by arguments from the Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer that the prohibition is in line with the longstanding practice of disarming dangerous people.

The case before the court involves a Texas man, Zackey Rahimi, who was accused of hitting his girlfriend during an argument in a parking lot and later threatening to shoot her.

The justices peppered Rahimi's lawyer, J. Matthew Wright, with skeptical questions that seemed to foretell the outcome.

“You don't have any doubt that your client is a dangerous person, do you?” Chief Justice John Roberts asked Wright. When Wright said it depends on what Roberts meant by dangerous, the chief justice shot back, "Well, it means someone who’s shooting, you know, at people. That’s a good start."

Justice Brett Kavanaugh voiced concern that a ruling for Rahimi could also jeopardize the background check system that the Democratic administration said has stopped more than 75,000 gun sales in the past 25 years based on domestic violence protective orders.

The federal appeals court in New Orleans struck down the domestic violence law, following the Supreme Court's Bruen decision in June 2022. That high court ruling not only expanded Americans' gun rights under the Constitution but also changed the way courts are supposed to evaluate restrictions on firearms.

Justice Clarence Thomas'&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/20-843_7j80.pdf">opinion for the court</a>&nbsp;tossed out the balancing test judges had long used to decide whether gun laws were constitutional. Rather than consider whether a law enhances public safety, judges should only weigh whether it fits into the nation’s history of gun regulation, Thomas wrote for the six conservative justices on the nine-member court.

The Bruen decision has resulted in lower court rulings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mississippi-state-government-delaware-california-massachusetts-3983cecfd1107c263d5309ec0d80a966">striking down</a>&nbsp;more than a dozen laws. Those include age restrictions; bans on homemade&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-ghost-guns-biden-administration-lawsuit-46b871969dc6a7da35605c2ebc5385e5">ghost guns</a>, which don't have serial numbers; and prohibitions on gun ownership for people convicted of nonviolent felonies or using illegal drugs.

Justice Elena Kagan noted that “there seems to be a fair bit of division and a fair bit of confusion about what Bruen means and what Bruen requires in the lower courts.”

Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, defending the domestic violence law, urged the justices to use this case to correct lower courts' “profound misreading” of the decision.

It was unclear how far the high court would go in this case, and some of the justices sounded interested in a limited ruling that might leave open other challenges to the same law. “Do we need to get into any of that?” Justice Neil Gorsuch asked Prelogar.

Rahimi, who lived near Fort Worth, Texas, hit his girlfriend during an argument in a parking lot and then fired a gun at a witness in December 2019, according to court papers. Later, Rahimi called the girlfriend and threatened to shoot her if she told anyone about the assault, the Justice Department wrote in its Supreme Court brief.

The girlfriend obtained a protective order against him in Tarrant County in February 2020.

Eleven months later, Rahimi was a suspect in shootings when police searched his apartment and found guns. He eventually pleaded guilty to violating federal law. The appeals court overturned that conviction when it struck down the law. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the Biden administration's appeal.

Rahimi remains jailed in Texas, where he faces other criminal charges. In a letter he wrote from jail last summer, after the Supreme Court agreed to hear his case, Rahimi said he would “stay away from all firearms and weapons” once he's released. The New York Times first reported the existence of the letter.

Guns were used in 57% of killings of spouses, intimate partners, children or relatives in 2020, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seventy women a month, on average, are shot and killed by intimate partners, according to the gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety.

“Guns and domestic are a deadly combination,” Prelogar said in court Tuesday.

A decision in U.S. v. Rahimi, 22-915, is expected by early summer.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is taking up a challenge to a federal law that prohibits people from having guns if they are under a court order to stay away from their spouse, partner or other family members. The justices are hearing arguments Tuesday in their first case about guns since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">last year’s decision</a>&nbsp;that called into question numerous gun control laws.

The federal appeals court in New Orleans struck down the law following the Supreme Court's Bruen decision in June 2022. That high-court ruling not only expanded Americans' gun rights under the Constitution, but also changed the way courts are supposed to evaluate restrictions on firearms.

Justice Clarence&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/20-843_7j80.pdf">Thomas' opinion</a>&nbsp;for the court tossed out the balancing test judges had long used to decide whether gun laws were constitutional. Rather than consider whether a law enhances public safety, judges should only weigh whether it fits into the nation’s history of gun regulation, Thomas wrote.

The Bruen decision has resulted in lower-court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mississippi-state-government-delaware-california-massachusetts-3983cecfd1107c263d5309ec0d80a966">rulings striking down</a>&nbsp;more than a dozen laws. Those include age restrictions, bans on homemade “ghost guns” and prohibitions on gun ownership for people convicted of nonviolent felonies or using illegal drugs.

The court’s decision in the new case could have widespread ripple effects, including in the high-profile&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-court-gun-charges-indictment-investigation-68b186294bb36071c02428834ec5f470">prosecution of Hunter Biden</a>. The president’s son has been charged with buying a firearm while he was addicted to drugs, but his lawyers have indicated they will challenge the indictment as invalid following the Bruen decision.

The outcome probably will come down to the votes of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh. They were part of the six-justice conservative majority in Bruen, but Kavanaugh wrote separately, joined by Roberts, to underscore that not every gun restriction is unconstitutional.

The case before the court involves Zackey Rahimi, who lived near Fort Worth, Texas. Rahimi hit his girlfriend during an argument in a parking lot and then fired a gun at a witness in December 2019, according to court papers. Later, Rahimi called the girlfriend and threatened to shoot her if she told anyone about the assault, the Justice Department wrote in its Supreme Court brief.

Eleven months later, Rahimi was a suspect in additional shootings when police searched his apartment and found guns. He eventually pleaded guilty to violating federal law. The appeals court overturned that conviction when it struck down the law. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the Biden administration's appeal.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;seemed likely Tuesday to preserve a federal law that prohibits people under domestic violence restraining orders from having guns.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2023/22-915">Click here </a>to listen to the Oral argumentIn their first guns case since last year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">expansion of gun rights</a>, the justices suggested that they will reverse a ruling from an appeals court in New Orleans that struck down the 1994 ban on firearms for people under court order to stay away from their spouses or partners.The court’s decision could affect other cases in which other gun laws have been called into question, including in the high-profile&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-court-gun-charges-indictment-investigation-68b186294bb36071c02428834ec5f470">prosecution of Hunter Biden</a>. President Joe Biden’s son has been charged with buying a firearm while he was addicted to drugs, but his lawyers have indicated they will challenge the indictment.Liberal and conservative justices sounded persuaded by arguments from the Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer that the prohibition is in line with the longstanding practice of disarming dangerous people.The case before the court involves a Texas man, Zackey Rahimi, who was accused of hitting his girlfriend during an argument in a parking lot and later threatening to shoot her.The justices peppered Rahimi's lawyer, J. Matthew Wright, with skeptical questions that seemed to foretell the outcome.“You don't have any doubt that your client is a dangerous person, do you?” Chief Justice John Roberts asked Wright. When Wright said it depends on what Roberts meant by dangerous, the chief justice shot back, "Well, it means someone who’s shooting, you know, at people. That’s a good start."Justice Brett Kavanaugh voiced concern that a ruling for Rahimi could also jeopardize the background check system that the Democratic administration said has stopped more than 75,000 gun sales in the past 25 years based on domestic violence protective orders.The federal appeals court in New Orleans struck down the domestic violence law, following the Supreme Court's Bruen decision in June 2022. That high court ruling not only expanded Americans' gun rights under the Constitution but also changed the way courts are supposed to evaluate restrictions on firearms.Justice Clarence Thomas'&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/20-843_7j80.pdf">opinion for the court</a>&nbsp;tossed out the balancing test judges had long used to decide whether gun laws were constitutional. Rather than consider whether a law enhances public safety, judges should only weigh whether it fits into the nation’s history of gun regulation, Thomas wrote for the six conservative justices on the nine-member court.The Bruen decision has resulted in lower court rulings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mississippi-state-government-delaware-california-massachusetts-3983cecfd1107c263d5309ec0d80a966">striking down</a>&nbsp;more than a dozen laws. Those include age restrictions; bans on homemade&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-ghost-guns-biden-administration-lawsuit-46b871969dc6a7da35605c2ebc5385e5">ghost guns</a>, which don't have serial numbers; and prohibitions on gun ownership for people convicted of nonviolent felonies or using illegal drugs.Justice Elena Kagan noted that “there seems to be a fair bit of division and a fair bit of confusion about what Bruen means and what Bruen requires in the lower courts.”Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, defending the domestic violence law, urged the justices to use this case to correct lower courts' “profound misreading” of the decision.It was unclear how far the high court would go in this case, and some of the justices sounded interested in a limited ruling that might leave open other challenges to the same law. “Do we need to get into any of that?” Justice Neil Gorsuch asked Prelogar.Rahimi, who lived near Fort Worth, Texas, hit his girlfriend during an argument in a parking lot and then fired a gun at a witness in December 2019, according to court papers. Later, Rahimi called the girlfriend and threatened to shoot her if she told anyone about the assault, the Justice Department wrote in its Supreme Court brief.The girlfriend obtained a protective order against him in Tarrant County in February 2020.Eleven months later, Rahimi was a suspect in shootings when police searched his apartment and found guns. He eventually pleaded guilty to violating federal law. The appeals court overturned that conviction when it struck down the law. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the Biden administration's appeal.Rahimi remains jailed in Texas, where he faces other criminal charges. In a letter he wrote from jail last summer, after the Supreme Court agreed to hear his case, Rahimi said he would “stay away from all firearms and weapons” once he's released. The New York Times first reported the existence of the letter.Guns were used in 57% of killings of spouses, intimate partners, children or relatives in 2020, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seventy women a month, on average, are shot and killed by intimate partners, according to the gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety.“Guns and domestic are a deadly combination,” Prelogar said in court Tuesday.A decision in U.S. v. Rahimi, 22-915, is expected by early summer.-----------------WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is taking up a challenge to a federal law that prohibits people from having guns if they are under a court order to stay away from their spouse, partner or other family members. The justices are hearing arguments Tuesday in their first case about guns since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">last year’s decision</a>&nbsp;that called into question numerous gun control laws.The federal appeals court in New Orleans struck down the law following the Supreme Court's Bruen decision in June 2022. That high-court ruling not only expanded Americans' gun rights under the Constitution, but also changed the way courts are supposed to evaluate restrictions on firearms.Justice Clarence&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/20-843_7j80.pdf">Thomas' opinion</a>&nbsp;for the court tossed out the balancing test judges had long used to decide whether gun laws were constitutional. Rather than consider whether a law enhances public safety, judges should only weigh whether it fits into the nation’s history of gun regulation, Thomas wrote.The Bruen decision has resulted in lower-court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mississippi-state-government-delaware-california-massachusetts-3983cecfd1107c263d5309ec0d80a966">rulings striking down</a>&nbsp;more than a dozen laws. Those include age restrictions, bans on homemade “ghost guns” and prohibitions on gun ownership for people convicted of nonviolent felonies or using illegal drugs.The court’s decision in the new case could have widespread ripple effects, including in the high-profile&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-court-gun-charges-indictment-investigation-68b186294bb36071c02428834ec5f470">prosecution of Hunter Biden</a>. The president’s son has been charged with buying a firearm while he was addicted to drugs, but his lawyers have indicated they will challenge the indictment as invalid following the Bruen decision.The outcome probably will come down to the votes of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh. They were part of the six-justice conservative majority in Bruen, but Kavanaugh wrote separately, joined by Roberts, to underscore that not every gun restriction is unconstitutional.The case before the court involves Zackey Rahimi, who lived near Fort Worth, Texas. Rahimi hit his girlfriend during an argument in a parking lot and then fired a gun at a witness in December 2019, according to court papers. Later, Rahimi called the girlfriend and threatened to shoot her if she told anyone about the assault, the Justice Department wrote in its Supreme Court brief.The girlfriend obtained a protective order against him in Tarrant County in February 2020.Eleven months later, Rahimi was a suspect in additional shootings when police searched his apartment and found guns. He eventually pleaded guilty to violating federal law. The appeals court overturned that conviction when it struck down the law. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the Biden administration's appeal.Rahimi remains jailed in Texas, where he faces other criminal charges. In a letter he wrote from jail last summer, after the Supreme Court agreed to hear his case, Rahimi said he would “stay away from all firearms and weapons” once he's released. The New York Times first reported the existence of the letter.Guns were used in 57% of killings of spouses, intimate partners, children or relatives in 2020, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seventy women a month, on average, are shot and killed by intimate partners, according to the gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety.

🎧 Supreme Court deciding who can have 2nd amendment rights taken away

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities continue investigating the shooting at Independence Center Mall, 18891 East East 39th Street S in Indpendence, Missouri. According to a statement from police,&nbsp; the woman injured in the shooting remains hospitalized in critical condition.

All of the other victims have been treated and released from the hospital.  All of the involved individuals are over the age of 18.

Just before 2:30p.m. Friday police responded to a shooting call at the 39th Street entrance of the Mall.

First responders located four shooting victims. It appears those victims were shot inside the mall.&nbsp; Three persons of interest have been taken into custody regarding the incident.&nbsp;

Police released no additional details Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699652250717.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities continue investigating the shooting at Independence Center Mall, 18891 East East 39th Street S in Indpendence, Missouri. According to a statement from police,&nbsp; the woman injured in the shooting remains hospitalized in critical condition.All of the other victims have been treated and released from the hospital. All of the involved individuals are over the age of 18.Just before 2:30p.m. Friday police responded to a shooting call at the 39th Street entrance of the Mall.First responders located four shooting victims. It appears those victims were shot inside the mall.&nbsp; Three persons of interest have been taken into custody regarding the incident.&nbsp;Police released no additional details Saturday.

Woman critically injured in KC-area shopping mall shooting 

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting in Kansas City, Kansas.

Just before 9:30p.m. Friday , officers were dispatched to a home in the 2500 block of N.57th Street on a shooting, according to a media release.

First responders discovered a single victim, a man in his late 20s outside the home. He was pronounced deceased on scene. 

This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit.&nbsp; This is the city’s 20th homicide of the year

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting in Kansas City, Kansas.Just before 9:30p.m. Friday , officers were dispatched to a home in the 2500 block of N.57th Street on a shooting, according to a media release.First responders discovered a single victim, a man in his late 20s outside the home. He was pronounced deceased on scene. This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit.&nbsp; This is the city’s 20th homicide of the year

Police: Man found dead after shooting at Kansas home

WASHINGTON (AP) —The human species has topped 8 billion, with longer lifespans offsetting fewer births, but world population growth continues a long-term trend of slowing down, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/growth-population-demographics-race-hispanic-f563ebc4537f83792f3f91ba5d7cdade" target="_blank">U.S. Census Bureau</a>&nbsp;said Thursday.

The bureau estimates the global population exceeded the threshold Sept. 26, a precise date the agency said to take with a grain of salt.

The United Nations estimated the number was passed 10 months earlier, having declared November 22, 2022, the “Day of 8 Billion,” the Census Bureau pointed out in a statement.

The discrepancy is due to countries counting people differently — or not at all. Many lack systems to record births and deaths. Some of the most populous countries, such as India and Nigeria, haven’t conducted censuses in over a decade, according to the bureau.

While world population growth remains brisk, growing from 6 billion to 8 billion since the turn of the millennium, the rate has slowed since doubling between 1960 and 2000.

People living to older ages account for much of the recent increase. The global median age, now 32, has been rising in a trend expected to continue toward 39 in 2060.

Countries such as Canada have been aging with declining older-age mortality, while countries such as Nigeria have seen dramatic declines in deaths of children under 5.

Fertility rates, or the rate of births per woman of childbearing age, are meanwhile declining, falling below replacement level in much of the world and contributing to a more than 50-year trend, on average, of slimmer increases in population growth.

The minimum number of such births necessary to replace both the father and mother for neutral world population is 2.1, demographers say. Almost three-quarters of people now live in countries with fertility rates around or below that level.

Countries with fertility rates around replacement level include India, Tunisia and Argentina.

About 15% of people live in places with fertility rates below replacement level. Countries with low fertility rates include Brazil, Mexico, the U.S. and Sweden, while those with very low fertility rates include China, South Korea and Spain.

Israel, Ethiopia and Papua New Guinea rank among countries with higher-than-replacement fertility rates of up to 5. Such countries have almost one-quarter of the world’s population.

Only about 4% of the world’s population lives in countries with fertility rates above 5. All are in Africa.

Global fertility rates are projected to decline at least through 2060, with no country projected to have a rate higher than 4 by then, according to the bureau.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1560272142634.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The human species has topped 8 billion, with longer lifespans offsetting fewer births, but world population growth continues a long-term trend of slowing down, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/growth-population-demographics-race-hispanic-f563ebc4537f83792f3f91ba5d7cdade" target="_blank">U.S. Census Bureau</a>&nbsp;said Thursday.The bureau estimates the global population exceeded the threshold Sept. 26, a precise date the agency said to take with a grain of salt.The United Nations estimated the number was passed 10 months earlier, having declared November 22, 2022, the “Day of 8 Billion,” the Census Bureau pointed out in a statement.The discrepancy is due to countries counting people differently — or not at all. Many lack systems to record births and deaths. Some of the most populous countries, such as India and Nigeria, haven’t conducted censuses in over a decade, according to the bureau.While world population growth remains brisk, growing from 6 billion to 8 billion since the turn of the millennium, the rate has slowed since doubling between 1960 and 2000.People living to older ages account for much of the recent increase. The global median age, now 32, has been rising in a trend expected to continue toward 39 in 2060.Countries such as Canada have been aging with declining older-age mortality, while countries such as Nigeria have seen dramatic declines in deaths of children under 5.Fertility rates, or the rate of births per woman of childbearing age, are meanwhile declining, falling below replacement level in much of the world and contributing to a more than 50-year trend, on average, of slimmer increases in population growth.The minimum number of such births necessary to replace both the father and mother for neutral world population is 2.1, demographers say. Almost three-quarters of people now live in countries with fertility rates around or below that level.Countries with fertility rates around replacement level include India, Tunisia and Argentina.About 15% of people live in places with fertility rates below replacement level. Countries with low fertility rates include Brazil, Mexico, the U.S. and Sweden, while those with very low fertility rates include China, South Korea and Spain.Israel, Ethiopia and Papua New Guinea rank among countries with higher-than-replacement fertility rates of up to 5. Such countries have almost one-quarter of the world’s population.Only about 4% of the world’s population lives in countries with fertility rates above 5. All are in Africa.Global fertility rates are projected to decline at least through 2060, with no country projected to have a rate higher than 4 by then, according to the bureau.

Feeling crowded? World’s population has passed 8 billion

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY — An inmate escaped from a satellite camp at the Leavenworth Penitentiary, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Just after 4p.m., authorities discovered&nbsp; 50-year-old James Thompson was missing.

Thompson is described as white male with brown hair and brown eyes. He’s 6-foot-2 and weighs approximately 202 pounds.

U.S. Marshals and the FBI have been informed that he’s missing from the minimum security facility Thompson was sentenced to 80 months in prison in the Northern District of Georgia for mail fraud.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699585891299.png" alt="Thompson photo U.S. Dept. of Justice" />
 <figcaption>Thompson photo U.S. Dept. of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH COUNTY — An inmate escaped from a satellite camp at the Leavenworth Penitentiary, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.Just after 4p.m., authorities discovered&nbsp; 50-year-old James Thompson was missing.Thompson is described as white male with brown hair and brown eyes. He’s 6-foot-2 and weighs approximately 202 pounds.U.S. Marshals and the FBI have been informed that he’s missing from the minimum security facility Thompson was sentenced to 80 months in prison in the Northern District of Georgia for mail fraud.

Search continues for escaped inmate from a satellite camp at Kan. penitentiary 

PULASKI COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 7p.m. Friday in Pulaski County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Ford F350 driven by Nathan T. Wheelock, 26, Laquey, was eastbound on Highway 17 at the Ford Wood Inn.

The pickup struck a pedestrian identified as 37-year-old Mitchell F. Woodall of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Woodall was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Waynesville Memorial.&nbsp; Wheelock was not injured and not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

PULASKI COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 7p.m. Friday in Pulaski County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Ford F350 driven by Nathan T. Wheelock, 26, Laquey, was eastbound on Highway 17 at the Ford Wood Inn.The pickup struck a pedestrian identified as 37-year-old Mitchell F. Woodall of Albuquerque, New Mexico.Woodall was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Waynesville Memorial.&nbsp; Wheelock was not injured and not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Man dies after struck by pickup on Missouri highway

By TIM CARPENTER&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The two U.S. senators from Kansas introduced legislation to name the Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Kansas City, Kansas, in honor of the late War II and Korean war veteran Elwin Shopteese of the Prairie Band Potawatomie Nation.

Shopteese, who was born in Mayetta, enlisted in the Kansas National Guard after graduating from high school. He participated in battles in Europe, including the invasion of Normandy and Battle of the Bulge. He earned a battlefield commission for combat leadership on Omaha Beach, was presented the Purple Heart and Bronze Star and was promoted to captain in the U.S. Army.

“In recognition of Captain Shopteese’s service for our country and his service to the Native American community upon his return home, this legislation will help honor his legacy and preserve his story for generations to come,” said U.S. Sen Jerry Moran, a Republican.

Shopteese, who died in June 1992, attended the predecessor of Haskell Indian Nations University before serving in the Korean War.

He was as a Tribal Council member and served as executive director of the Indian Community Alcoholism Resources Expeditors Recovery Home.

The bill sponsored by Moran and U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, also a Republican, would designate the clinic opened in 2022 on Parallel Parkway in Kansas City as the Captain Elwin Shopteese Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic. The facility&nbsp;offers primary care and specialty health services to veterans, including mental health care and laboratory services.

“Captain Shopteese lived a life of unwavering service to Kansas and America,” Marshall said. “He exemplified bravery and patriotism to our great nation. I am proud to work with Senator Moran to ensure his legacy lives on for generations to come and honor his heroism by naming the Kansas City outpatient clinic after him.”

By TIM CARPENTER&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The two U.S. senators from Kansas introduced legislation to name the Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Kansas City, Kansas, in honor of the late War II and Korean war veteran Elwin Shopteese of the Prairie Band Potawatomie Nation.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Introduced legislation with <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RogerMarshallMD</a> to name the Kansas City VA Clinic after Captain Elwin Shopteese - a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation who served in WWII. This legislation will honor his legacy and help preserve his story for generations to come. <a href="https://t.co/Luk80T9cSt">pic.twitter.com/Luk80T9cSt</a>&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1722637213136027962?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Shopteese, who was born in Mayetta, enlisted in the Kansas National Guard after graduating from high school. He participated in battles in Europe, including the invasion of Normandy and Battle of the Bulge. He earned a battlefield commission for combat leadership on Omaha Beach, was presented the Purple Heart and Bronze Star and was promoted to captain in the U.S. Army.“In recognition of Captain Shopteese’s service for our country and his service to the Native American community upon his return home, this legislation will help honor his legacy and preserve his story for generations to come,” said U.S. Sen Jerry Moran, a Republican.Shopteese, who died in June 1992, attended the predecessor of Haskell Indian Nations University before serving in the Korean War.He was as a Tribal Council member and served as executive director of the Indian Community Alcoholism Resources Expeditors Recovery Home.The bill sponsored by Moran and U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, also a Republican, would designate the clinic opened in 2022 on Parallel Parkway in Kansas City as the Captain Elwin Shopteese Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic. The facility&nbsp;offers primary care and specialty health services to veterans, including mental health care and laboratory services.“Captain Shopteese lived a life of unwavering service to Kansas and America,” Marshall said. “He exemplified bravery and patriotism to our great nation. I am proud to work with Senator Moran to ensure his legacy lives on for generations to come and honor his heroism by naming the Kansas City outpatient clinic after him.”

Senators seek to name Kansas VA clinic for Prairie Band tribe member

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man is going to jail for admitting to sexual battery of women while working as a&nbsp;massage therapist.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Zachary Alan Sample, 33, Belle Plaine, pleaded&nbsp;as charged&nbsp;to four counts of misdemeanor sexual battery and agreed to a two-year jail sentence, according to the Sedgwick Count District attorney's office. Judge Tyler Roush followed the recommendation.

On May 23, 2022. police received a report from a 38-year-old woman that a male massage therapist had sexually assaulted her during a massage at an East Wichita massage establishment, according to Office Trevor Macy.

The suspect was identified as Zachary Sample who was an employee of the business at that time.

Two additional victims – a 29-year-old woman and a 26-year-old woman – reported being sexually assaulted by Sample during the month of May.

After extensive follow-up by detectives, a warrant was issued for Sample’s arrest through the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office. Police located and arrested Sample on the warrant.

&nbsp;The massage establishment where the crimes were alleged to have happened&nbsp; cooperated with the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659732152030.png" alt="Sample-photo Sedgwick County." />
 <figcaption>Sample-photo Sedgwick County.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man is going to jail for admitting to sexual battery of women while working as a&nbsp;massage therapist.&nbsp;&nbsp;Zachary Alan Sample, 33, Belle Plaine, pleaded&nbsp;as charged&nbsp;to four counts of misdemeanor sexual battery and agreed to a two-year jail sentence, according to the Sedgwick Count District attorney's office. Judge Tyler Roush followed the recommendation.On May 23, 2022. police received a report from a 38-year-old woman that a male massage therapist had sexually assaulted her during a massage at an East Wichita massage establishment, according to Office Trevor Macy.The suspect was identified as Zachary Sample who was an employee of the business at that time.Two additional victims – a 29-year-old woman and a 26-year-old woman – reported being sexually assaulted by Sample during the month of May.After extensive follow-up by detectives, a warrant was issued for Sample’s arrest through the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office. Police located and arrested Sample on the warrant.&nbsp;The massage establishment where the crimes were alleged to have happened&nbsp; cooperated with the investigation.

Jail time after Kansas massage therapy clients reported him

OTTAWA COUNTY —An earthquake shook portions of north-central Kansas Friday evening.

The quake occurred just after 6p.m. p.m. and measured a magnitude 4.0 according to a preliminary report from&nbsp; the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake was centered approximately 1.2 miles northwest of Bennington.

The Ottawa County sheriff's office reported they received calls asking about the quake.&nbsp;There were no reports of damage or injury.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699663574561.png" alt="USGS image" />
 <figcaption>USGS image</figcaption>
 </figure>OTTAWA COUNTY —An earthquake shook portions of north-central Kansas Friday evening.The quake occurred just after 6p.m. p.m. and measured a magnitude 4.0 according to a preliminary report from&nbsp; the U.S. Geological Survey.The quake was centered approximately 1.2 miles northwest of Bennington.The Ottawa County sheriff's office reported they received calls asking about the quake.&nbsp;There were no reports of damage or injury.

USGS: Earthquake shakes north-central Kansas

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting at the Independence Center Mall, 18801 East 39th Street S. Independence, Missouri, according to a social media report from police.

First responders located four shooting victims.  It appears those victims were shot inside the mall.  Those victims were transported to an area hospital for treatment.  One of those victims is in critical condition.  It appears that the shooting began when two groups of people encountered each other inside the mall.  It is still unclear what initiated the incident.  Three persons of interest have been taken into custody regarding the incident.&nbsp;

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are&nbsp;investigating  a shooting at the Independence Center Mall, 18801 East 39th Street S, Independence, Missouri, according to a social media report from police.

 The situation is stable at this time. For those trying to pick up family, police established a location at the car wash on the northeast corner of the mall lot.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699652250717.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting at the Independence Center Mall, 18801 East 39th Street S. Independence, Missouri, according to a social media report from police.Just before 2:30p.m. Friday police responded to a shooting call at the 39th Street entrance of the Mall.First responders located four shooting victims. It appears those victims were shot inside the mall. Those victims were transported to an area hospital for treatment. One of those victims is in critical condition. It appears that the shooting began when two groups of people encountered each other inside the mall. It is still unclear what initiated the incident. Three persons of interest have been taken into custody regarding the incident.&nbsp;Check the Post for additional details as they become available.----------KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are&nbsp;investigating a shooting at the Independence Center Mall, 18801 East 39th Street S, Independence, Missouri, according to a social media report from police. The situation is stable at this time. For those trying to pick up family, police established a location at the car wash on the northeast corner of the mall lot.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Police : 4 injured in shooting at KC-area shopping mall

OTTAWA COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 9:30a.m. Friday in Ottawa County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Peterbilt semi driven by Brent William Reed, 58, Fairmount, Nebraska was northbound on U.S.81 just north of Limestone Road.

The semi entered the median, traveled down the embankment and struck a concrete bridge support.

Reed was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Wilson Family Funeral Home. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

OTTAWA COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 9:30a.m. Friday in Ottawa County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Peterbilt semi driven by Brent William Reed, 58, Fairmount, Nebraska was northbound on U.S.81 just north of Limestone Road.The semi entered the median, traveled down the embankment and struck a concrete bridge support.Reed was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Wilson Family Funeral Home. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Driver dies after semi struck concrete bridge support in Kansas

TOPEKA —Kansas game wardens have issued an alert to waterfowl and Sandhill Crane Hunters.

According to a social media report from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, hunters are encouraged to be extra vigilant this time of year due to the possible presence of endangered whooping cranes.

"Whooping cranes have been observed over the last week at several reservoirs and wetlands in Kansas. Please be cognizant of potential hunting area closures and reports; even if an area is not closed to hunting, whooping cranes might still be present."

"As always, practice safe and ethical hunting practices and know your target before taking a shot. Shooting a whooping crane is a federal offense which can lead to fines up to $100,000 and/or up to one year in prison."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699449717411.png" alt="photo KDW&amp;P" />
 <figcaption>photo KDW&amp;P</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —Kansas game wardens have issued an alert to waterfowl and Sandhill Crane Hunters.According to a social media report from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, hunters are encouraged to be extra vigilant this time of year due to the possible presence of endangered whooping cranes."Whooping cranes have been observed over the last week at several reservoirs and wetlands in Kansas. Please be cognizant of potential hunting area closures and reports; even if an area is not closed to hunting, whooping cranes might still be present.""As always, practice safe and ethical hunting practices and know your target before taking a shot. Shooting a whooping crane is a federal offense which can lead to fines up to $100,000 and/or up to one year in prison."

Game wardens alert hunters on Whooping cranes in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/xi-jinping">Chinese President Xi Jinping</a>&nbsp;will meet Wednesday in California for talks on trade,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taiwan">Taiwan</a>&nbsp;and managing fraught U.S.-Chinese relations in the first engagement between the leaders of the world's two biggest economies in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-taiwan-indonesia-xi-jinping-government-and-politics-961bb4680962cc53b4375af3bcbc4927">a year</a>.

The White House has said for weeks that it anticipated Biden and Xi would meet on the sidelines of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific-economic-cooperation">the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit</a>&nbsp;in San Francisco, but negotiations went down to the eve of the gathering, which kicks off Saturday.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement the leaders would discuss the “continued importance of maintaining open lines of communication” and how the they “can continue to responsibly manage competition and work together where our interests align, particularly on transnational challenges that affect the international community.”

China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday that Xi would attend APEC from Tuesday to Nov. 17 at Biden’s invitation and would take part in the U.S.-China summit.

Two senior Biden administration officials, who earlier briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House, said that the leaders would meet in the San Francisco Bay area but declined to offer further details because of security concerns. Thousands of protesters are expected to descend on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apec-summit-san-francisco-5182a80875c37ff69dade8ce50f25963">San Francisco</a>&nbsp;during the summit.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yellen-china-biden-white-house-trade-04e57bc5256b3e71cb00b2d4ea1ae7d1">met on Thursday</a>&nbsp;in the San Francisco, the latest in a string of senior level engagements between the nations in recent months aimed at easing tensions. Yellen and He are set to continue talks on Friday.

The Biden-Xi meeting is not expected to lead to many, if any, major announcements, and differences between the two powers certainly won't be resolved. Instead, one official said, Biden is looking toward “managing the competition, preventing the downside risk of conflict and ensuring channels of communication are open.” The officials said they believed it would be Xi's first visit to San Francisco since he was a young Communist Party leader.

The agenda includes no shortage of difficult issues.

Differences in the already complicated U.S.-Chinese relationship have only sharpened in the last year, with Beijing bristling over new U.S. export controls on advanced technology; Biden ordering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-51e49202f2a0a50541cde059934c4cfb">the shooting down</a>&nbsp;of a Chinese spy balloon after it traversed the continental United States; and Chinese anger over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-tsai-us-visit-china-warnings-updates-652813f8ce4d9804f372fd05ccaab435">a stopover</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen earlier this year, among other issues. China claims the island as its territory.

Biden will also likely press Xi on using China's influence on North Korea, during heightened anxiety over an increased pace of ballistic missile tests by North Korea as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-russia-us-munitions-ukraine-war-7091eaba254b680888a9b1ec8a68135f">Pyongyang providing munitions to Russia</a>&nbsp;for its war in Ukraine.

The Democratic president is also expected to let Xi know that he would like China to use its burgeoning sway over Iran to make clear that Tehran or its proxies should not take action that could lead to expansion of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the Israel-Hamas war</a>. His administration believes the Chinese, a big buyer of Iranian oil, have considerable leverage with Iran, which is a major backer of Hamas.

Biden and Xi last met nearly a year ago on the sidelines of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-taiwan-indonesia-xi-jinping-government-and-politics-961bb4680962cc53b4375af3bcbc4927">the Group of 20 summit</a>&nbsp;in Bali, Indonesia. In the nearly three-hour meeting, Biden objected directly to China’s ”coercive and increasingly aggressive actions” toward Taiwan and discussed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and other issues. Xi stressed that "the Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations.”

The Chinese foreign ministry said this time Biden and Xi would focus on “in-depth communications on the strategic, overall and directional issues of the China-US relations as well as major issues concerning world peace and development."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668436660078.png" alt="Two senior Biden administration officials, who earlier briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House, said that the leaders would meet in the San Francisco Bay area but declined to offer further details because of security concerns-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Two senior Biden administration officials, who earlier briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House, said that the leaders would meet in the San Francisco Bay area but declined to offer further details because of security concerns-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/xi-jinping">Chinese President Xi Jinping</a>&nbsp;will meet Wednesday in California for talks on trade,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taiwan">Taiwan</a>&nbsp;and managing fraught U.S.-Chinese relations in the first engagement between the leaders of the world's two biggest economies in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-taiwan-indonesia-xi-jinping-government-and-politics-961bb4680962cc53b4375af3bcbc4927">a year</a>.The White House has said for weeks that it anticipated Biden and Xi would meet on the sidelines of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific-economic-cooperation">the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit</a>&nbsp;in San Francisco, but negotiations went down to the eve of the gathering, which kicks off Saturday.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement the leaders would discuss the “continued importance of maintaining open lines of communication” and how the they “can continue to responsibly manage competition and work together where our interests align, particularly on transnational challenges that affect the international community.”China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday that Xi would attend APEC from Tuesday to Nov. 17 at Biden’s invitation and would take part in the U.S.-China summit.Two senior Biden administration officials, who earlier briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House, said that the leaders would meet in the San Francisco Bay area but declined to offer further details because of security concerns. Thousands of protesters are expected to descend on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apec-summit-san-francisco-5182a80875c37ff69dade8ce50f25963">San Francisco</a>&nbsp;during the summit.Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yellen-china-biden-white-house-trade-04e57bc5256b3e71cb00b2d4ea1ae7d1">met on Thursday</a>&nbsp;in the San Francisco, the latest in a string of senior level engagements between the nations in recent months aimed at easing tensions. Yellen and He are set to continue talks on Friday.The Biden-Xi meeting is not expected to lead to many, if any, major announcements, and differences between the two powers certainly won't be resolved. Instead, one official said, Biden is looking toward “managing the competition, preventing the downside risk of conflict and ensuring channels of communication are open.” The officials said they believed it would be Xi's first visit to San Francisco since he was a young Communist Party leader.The agenda includes no shortage of difficult issues.Differences in the already complicated U.S.-Chinese relationship have only sharpened in the last year, with Beijing bristling over new U.S. export controls on advanced technology; Biden ordering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-51e49202f2a0a50541cde059934c4cfb">the shooting down</a>&nbsp;of a Chinese spy balloon after it traversed the continental United States; and Chinese anger over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-tsai-us-visit-china-warnings-updates-652813f8ce4d9804f372fd05ccaab435">a stopover</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen earlier this year, among other issues. China claims the island as its territory.Biden will also likely press Xi on using China's influence on North Korea, during heightened anxiety over an increased pace of ballistic missile tests by North Korea as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-russia-us-munitions-ukraine-war-7091eaba254b680888a9b1ec8a68135f">Pyongyang providing munitions to Russia</a>&nbsp;for its war in Ukraine.The Democratic president is also expected to let Xi know that he would like China to use its burgeoning sway over Iran to make clear that Tehran or its proxies should not take action that could lead to expansion of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the Israel-Hamas war</a>. His administration believes the Chinese, a big buyer of Iranian oil, have considerable leverage with Iran, which is a major backer of Hamas.Biden and Xi last met nearly a year ago on the sidelines of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-taiwan-indonesia-xi-jinping-government-and-politics-961bb4680962cc53b4375af3bcbc4927">the Group of 20 summit</a>&nbsp;in Bali, Indonesia. In the nearly three-hour meeting, Biden objected directly to China’s ”coercive and increasingly aggressive actions” toward Taiwan and discussed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and other issues. Xi stressed that "the Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations.”The Chinese foreign ministry said this time Biden and Xi would focus on “in-depth communications on the strategic, overall and directional issues of the China-US relations as well as major issues concerning world peace and development."Next week's meeting comes as the United States braces for a potentially bumpy year for U.S.-Chinese relations, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-china-politics-tsai-ing-wen-peace-db344d155e1b33b02a9ab18cc9e7e8de">Taiwan set to hold a presidential election</a>&nbsp;in January and the U.S. holding its own presidential election next November.Beijing sees official American contact with Taiwan as encouragement to make the island’s decades-old de facto independence permanent, a step U.S. leaders say they don’t support. Under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-china-united-states-xi-jinping-taiwan-3055a4fba210ab6dd3d59c109ac9038e">the “One China” policy</a>, the U.S. recognizes Beijing as the government of China and doesn’t have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but it has maintained that Taipei is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific. Biden intends to reaffirm the U.S. wants no change in the status quo, one official said.Disinformation experts testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/disinformation-china-us-xinjiang-global-opinion-c9e033f22622841935a2b1bc1060c01b">have warned</a>&nbsp;that Beijing could aim to target the U.S., sowing discord that might influence election results at the local level, especially in districts with large numbers of Chinese-American voters.The Biden administration has sought to make clear to the Chinese that any actions or interference in the 2024 election “would raise extremely strong concerns from our side,” according to one official.The officials also noted that Biden is determined to restore military-to-military communications that Beijing largely withdrew from after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-asia-beijing-malaysia-a5a6acc391511c99b1b4c2d69e67b133">then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan</a>&nbsp;in August 2022.All the while, the number of unsafe or provocative encounters involving the two nations’ ships and aircraft have spiked.Last month, the U.S. military released a video of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-south-china-sea-military-jet-bomber-0af848de95db435276e7642a4a401939">a Chinese fighter jet flying within 10 feet</a>&nbsp;(3 meters) of an American B-52 bomber over the South China Sea, nearly causing an accident. Earlier that month, the Pentagon released footage of some of the more than 180 intercepts of U.S. warplanes by Chinese aircraft that occurred in the last two years, part of a trend U.S. military officials call concerning.Gen. CQ Brown Jr., the top U.S. military commander, told reporters in Tokyo on Friday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-us-china-military-top-general-e4e85c6f82a8fadbf3a5611bd6ee91d6">restoration of military-to-military contacts</a>&nbsp;is “hugely important” to “ensure there is no miscalculation” between the sides. He said he conveyed his desire to restart the dialogue in a letter to his Chinese counterpart.The officials also said Biden would underscore U.S. commitment to the Philippines, following a recent episode in which Chinese ships&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-china-sea-philippines-collision-67aa7e2ca5df4f4e3a7c3bceff46c26f">blocked and collided with two Filipino vessels</a>&nbsp;off a contested shoal in the South China Sea.The Philippines and other neighbors of China are resisting Beijing’s sweeping territorial claims over virtually the entire sea.“I want to be very clear,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-australia-albanese-state-visit-b8b86f334f8107b2eb04ed96ddb9128b">Biden said in October</a>. "The United States’ defense commitment to the Philippines is iron clad.”Both sides appeared to be carefully considering security for the meeting, declining to publicize the venue of the much-anticipated talks.Thousands of people protesting climate destruction, corporate practices, the Israel-Hamas war and other issues are expected to descend on San Francisco during the summit.San Francisco Police Department Chief Bill Scott said his department expects several protests a day but doesn't know which ones will materialize where and when. He said the city respects people’s right to mobilize peacefully but will not tolerate property destruction, violence or any other crime.