LEAVENWORTH COUNTY — The search continues for an inmate who escaped from a satellite camp at the Leavenworth Penitentiary, according to a statement from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

Just after 4p.m. Friday, 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 were 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 Bureau of Prisons" />
 <figcaption>Thompson-photo Bureau of Prisons</figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH COUNTY — The search continues for an inmate who escaped from a satellite camp at the Leavenworth Penitentiary, according to a statement from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.Just after 4p.m. Friday, 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 were 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 inmate from satellite camp at Kan. penitentiary

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-government-shutdown-43064e2521454f5ce32851ef74ac50cf">temporary spending bill</a>&nbsp;a day before a potential government shutdown, pushing a fight with congressional Republicans over the federal budget into the new year, as wartime aid for Ukraine and Israel remains stalled.

The measure passed the House and Senate by wide bipartisan margins this week, ensuring the government remains open until after the holiday season, and potentially giving lawmakers more time to sort out their considerable differences over government spending levels for the current fiscal year. Biden signed the bill in San Francisco, where he is hosting the summit of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation economies.

News of the signing came late at night. The president signed the bill at the Legion of Honor Museum, where he held a dinner for APEC members.

The spending package keeps government funding at current levels for roughly two more months while a long-term package is negotiated. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-budget-mike-johnson-d942acf1a8b163f0b52f209da42953c6">splits the deadlines</a>&nbsp;for passing full-year appropriations bills into two dates: Jan. 19 for some federal agencies and Feb. 2 for others, creating two dates when there will be a risk of a partial government shutdown.

The two-step approach was championed by new House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, and was not favored by many in the Senate, though all but one Democrat and 10 Republicans supported it because it ensured the government would not shut down for now.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Johnson</a>&nbsp;has vowed that he will not support any further stopgap funding measures, known as continuing resolutions. He portrayed the temporary funding bill as setting the ground for a spending “fight” with the Senate next year.

The spending bill does not include the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">White House’s nearly $106 billion</a>&nbsp;request for wartime aid for Israel and Ukraine. Nor does it provide humanitarian funding for Palestinians and other supplemental requests, including money for border security. Lawmakers are likely to turn their attention more fully to that request after the Thanksgiving holiday in hopes of negotiating a deal.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700218706278.png" alt="President Joe Biden offers a host at the heads of delegation dinner at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, at the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden offers a host at the heads of delegation dinner at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, at the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)</figcaption>
 </figure>SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-government-shutdown-43064e2521454f5ce32851ef74ac50cf">temporary spending bill</a>&nbsp;a day before a potential government shutdown, pushing a fight with congressional Republicans over the federal budget into the new year, as wartime aid for Ukraine and Israel remains stalled.The measure passed the House and Senate by wide bipartisan margins this week, ensuring the government remains open until after the holiday season, and potentially giving lawmakers more time to sort out their considerable differences over government spending levels for the current fiscal year. Biden signed the bill in San Francisco, where he is hosting the summit of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation economies.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Last night I signed a bill preventing a government shutdown. It’s an important step but we have more to do. I urge Congress to address our national security and domestic needs — and House Republicans to stop wasting time on extreme bills and honor our bipartisan budget agreement. <a href="https://t.co/6Ja5jW4YPR">pic.twitter.com/6Ja5jW4YPR</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1725486559741272335?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>News of the signing came late at night. The president signed the bill at the Legion of Honor Museum, where he held a dinner for APEC members.The spending package keeps government funding at current levels for roughly two more months while a long-term package is negotiated. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-budget-mike-johnson-d942acf1a8b163f0b52f209da42953c6">splits the deadlines</a>&nbsp;for passing full-year appropriations bills into two dates: Jan. 19 for some federal agencies and Feb. 2 for others, creating two dates when there will be a risk of a partial government shutdown.The two-step approach was championed by new House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, and was not favored by many in the Senate, though all but one Democrat and 10 Republicans supported it because it ensured the government would not shut down for now.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Johnson</a>&nbsp;has vowed that he will not support any further stopgap funding measures, known as continuing resolutions. He portrayed the temporary funding bill as setting the ground for a spending “fight” with the Senate next year.The spending bill does not include the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">White House’s nearly $106 billion</a>&nbsp;request for wartime aid for Israel and Ukraine. Nor does it provide humanitarian funding for Palestinians and other supplemental requests, including money for border security. Lawmakers are likely to turn their attention more fully to that request after the Thanksgiving holiday in hopes of negotiating a deal.

Biden signs bill pushing budget fight into new year

SALINE COUNTY—Three people were injured in an accident just before 10p.m. Thursday in Saline County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 GMC Sonoma driven by Molly Ann Wallace, 17, Beverly, was northbound on Interstate 135 and started to&nbsp;take the exit to Interstate 70.

When veering back onto Interstate 135 into the driving lane, the pickup&nbsp; &nbsp;and a&nbsp;northbound 2006 Peterbilt semi hauling cattle and driven by Ray Dean Hummel, 66, of Wisconsin collided and side swiped.&nbsp;

EMS transported Wallace, Hummel and a passenger in the semi Joyce Elaine&nbsp;Hummel, 66, also of Wisconsin, to Salina Regional Health Center.

Joyce Hummel was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700192333126.jpeg" alt="Photo KHP Trooper Voss&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP Trooper Voss&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY—Three people were injured in an accident just before 10p.m. Thursday in Saline County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 GMC Sonoma driven by Molly Ann Wallace, 17, Beverly, was northbound on Interstate 135 and started to&nbsp;take the exit to Interstate 70.When veering back onto Interstate 135 into the driving lane, the pickup&nbsp; &nbsp;and a&nbsp;northbound 2006 Peterbilt semi hauling cattle and driven by Ray Dean Hummel, 66, of Wisconsin collided and side swiped.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700193470951.jpeg" alt="Salena firefighters assist in response to the accident on the I 135" />
 <figcaption>Salena firefighters assist in response to the accident on the I 135</figcaption>
 </figure>EMS transported Wallace, Hummel and a passenger in the semi Joyce Elaine&nbsp;Hummel, 66, also of Wisconsin, to Salina Regional Health Center.Joyce Hummel was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Three hospitalized after pickup, semi hauling cattle collide

KANSAS CIty – A former Kansas City police officer was sentenced in federal court this week for sexually exploiting a child.

Jeffrey Prowant, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Prowant to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration. Prowant will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.

Prowant was a Kansas City, Mo., police officer from 2000 to 2002 and a Monroe County, Michigan, sheriff’s deputy from 2002 to 2005.

On Nov. 16, 2022, Prowant pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of a child. Prowant admitted that he engaged in online conversations via the Kik application with an undercover FBI employee. During those online conversations, Prowant shared pornographic images of a 14-year-old victim with whom he claimed to be sexually active. Prowant offered to meet the undercover FBI employee in person to engage in illegal sexual activity.

On Sept. 29, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Prowant’s residence. Prowant delayed answering the front door for nine minutes, during which time he deleted the Kik application and a folder containing suspicious images.

The 14-year-old child victim told investigators that Prowant had sexually assaulted her and confirmed that he took pornographic photos of her.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699974094554.png" alt="Prowant is being held in Greene County" />
 <figcaption>Prowant is being held in Greene County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CIty – A former Kansas City police officer was sentenced in federal court this week for sexually exploiting a child.Jeffrey Prowant, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Prowant to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration. Prowant will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.Prowant was a Kansas City, Mo., police officer from 2000 to 2002 and a Monroe County, Michigan, sheriff’s deputy from 2002 to 2005.On Nov. 16, 2022, Prowant pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of a child. Prowant admitted that he engaged in online conversations via the Kik application with an undercover FBI employee. During those online conversations, Prowant shared pornographic images of a 14-year-old victim with whom he claimed to be sexually active. Prowant offered to meet the undercover FBI employee in person to engage in illegal sexual activity.On Sept. 29, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Prowant’s residence. Prowant delayed answering the front door for nine minutes, during which time he deleted the Kik application and a folder containing suspicious images.The 14-year-old child victim told investigators that Prowant had sexually assaulted her and confirmed that he took pornographic photos of her.

Former KCMO officer sentenced for child sex crimes 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a Sheriff's Office K9 died during an arrest.

Just before noon on Thursday, the Wichita Police Domestic intervention and Violence Reduction team was in the area of Pawnee and Rock attempting to locate a 24-year-old robbery suspect, according to Wichita Police Lt.&nbsp;Lieutenant Aaron Moses.

Just after noon, police located the suspect but he fled into a creek and barricaded himself in a storm drain and refused to come out.

Sheriff's deputies and police used extended leashes and sent K9 officers into the drain.&nbsp; There was an altercation between the suspect and&nbsp; Sedgwick County Sheriff K9 Bane. The dog was pronounced deceased on scene, according to Moses.

Just after 2:30p.m. the suspect was finally taken into custody and transported for treatment of minor injuries from the K9. After the suspect is released, police will book him into the Sedgwick County Detention Center.

A necropsy will be performed on the K9 officer to determine the cause of death. Wichita Police are in charge of the investigation and will present the case to the district attorney's office, according Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700174387964.png" alt="Public Service Dog Bane-photo courtesy Sedgwick County Sheriff Office" />
 <figcaption>Public Service Dog Bane-photo courtesy Sedgwick County Sheriff Office</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a Sheriff's Office K9 died during an arrest.Just before noon on Thursday, the Wichita Police Domestic intervention and Violence Reduction team was in the area of Pawnee and Rock attempting to locate a 24-year-old robbery suspect, according to Wichita Police Lt.&nbsp;Lieutenant Aaron Moses.Just after noon, police located the suspect but he fled into a creek and barricaded himself in a storm drain and refused to come out.Sheriff's deputies and police used extended leashes and sent K9 officers into the drain.&nbsp; There was an altercation between the suspect and&nbsp; Sedgwick County Sheriff K9 Bane. The dog was pronounced deceased on scene, according to Moses.Just after 2:30p.m. the suspect was finally taken into custody and transported for treatment of minor injuries from the K9. After the suspect is released, police will book him into the Sedgwick County Detention Center.A necropsy will be performed on the K9 officer to determine the cause of death. Wichita Police are in charge of the investigation and will present the case to the district attorney's office, according Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs.

Kansas sheriff's K9 killed during arrest of robbery suspect

OSAGE COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just before 5p.m. Nov. 14, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of California Street and Nichols Street in Osage City for a traffic offense, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

During the stop, illegal narcotics were located. The driver of the vehicle, Paige D. Schrader, 32, of Melvern was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia, Driving with a suspended driver’s license and an&nbsp;&nbsp;Expired vehicle registration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700092422551.png" alt="Schrader-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Schrader-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 5p.m. Nov. 14, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of California Street and Nichols Street in Osage City for a traffic offense, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.During the stop, illegal narcotics were located. The driver of the vehicle, Paige D. Schrader, 32, of Melvern was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia, Driving with a suspended driver’s license and an&nbsp;&nbsp;Expired vehicle registration.

Sheriff: Kansas woman was transporting meth

KANSAS CITY(AP) — Missouri lawmakers intended to “impose their religious beliefs on everyone" in the state when they passed a restrictive abortion ban, lawyers for a group of religious leaders who support abortion rights said at a court hearing Thursday.

But attorneys for the state countered that just because some supporters of the law oppose abortion on religious grounds doesn't mean that the law forces their beliefs on anyone else.

Thirteen Christian, Jewish and Unitarian Universalist leaders filed suit in January seeking a permanent injunction barring Missouri from enforcing its abortion law and a declaration that provisions violate the Missouri Constitution. Thursday's hearing in St. Louis concerned the state's request to dismiss the lawsuit. Judge Jason Sengheiser said he'll likely rule in January.

The Missouri lawsuit is one of 38 filed in 23 states challenging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-health-indiana-state-government-reproductive-rights-7308b2edc8a8ac62446d821abc5fae59">restrictive abortion laws</a>&nbsp;enacted after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022</a>, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/state-court-abortion-litigation-tracker#arizona">Brennan Center for Justice</a>. The landmark ruling left abortion rights up to each state to decide.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the faith leaders by Americans United for Separation of Church &amp; State and the National Women’s Law Center, said sponsors and supporters of the Missouri measure “repeatedly emphasized their religious intent in enacting the legislation.”

The lawsuit quotes the bill’s sponsor, Republican state Rep. Nick Schroer, as saying that “as a Catholic I do believe life begins at conception and that is built into our legislative findings.” A co-sponsor, Republican state Rep. Barry Hovis, said he was motivated “from the Biblical side of it,” according to the lawsuit.

“We know this has a religious purpose because when the lawmakers passed the law 2019, they told us that,” said K.M. Bell, an attorney for the plaintiffs.

But Maria Lanahan, Missouri's deputy solicitor general, told the judge that lawmakers had varying reasons for supporting the law. She said that while the abortion ban “was in harmony” with the religious beliefs of some members of the Legislature, no one was “compelled to support any system of worship.”

Within minutes of the Supreme Court decision, then-Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Gov. Mike Parson, both Republicans, filed paperwork to immediately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-missouri-government-and-politics-7bb5798bae32c3f15abad3a10941dfb5">enact a 2019 law</a>&nbsp;prohibiting abortions “except in cases of medical emergency.” That law contained a provision making it effective only if Roe v. Wade was overturned.

The law makes it a felony punishable by five to 15 years in prison to perform or induce an abortion. Medical professionals who do so also could lose their licenses. The law says that women who undergo abortions cannot be prosecuted.

Missouri already had some of the nation’s more restrictive abortion laws and had seen a significant decline in the number of abortions performed, with residents instead traveling to clinics just across the state line in Illinois and Kansas.

Lawsuits in other states have taken similar approaches.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-indiana-government-and-politics-a987c724aa4502bca17f4eb34b7b1860">In Indiana</a>, lawyers for five anonymous women — who are Jewish, Muslim and spiritual — and advocacy group Hoosier Jews for Choice argued that state’s ban infringes on their beliefs. Their lawsuit specifically highlights the Jewish teaching that a fetus becomes a living person at birth and that Jewish law prioritizes the mother’s life and health. A state appeals court is scheduled to hear arguments Dec. 6.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-health-kentucky-legislature-26ecd225013231ee8766248633d289a3">In Kentucky</a>, three Jewish women sued, claiming the state’s ban violates their religious rights under the state’s constitution and religious freedom law. They allege that Kentucky’s Republican-dominated legislature “imposed sectarian theology” by prohibiting nearly all abortions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661521097697.png" alt="Within minutes of the Supreme Court decision, then-Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Gov. Mike Parson, both Republicans, filed paperwork to immediately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-missouri-government-and-politics-7bb5798bae32c3f15abad3a10941dfb5">enact a 2019 law</a>&nbsp;prohibiting abortions “except in cases of medical emergency.” Schmitt is now the junior U.S. Senator for Missouri photo by Madeline Carter/Missouri Independent." />
 <figcaption>Within minutes of the Supreme Court decision, then-Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Gov. Mike Parson, both Republicans, filed paperwork to immediately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-missouri-government-and-politics-7bb5798bae32c3f15abad3a10941dfb5">enact a 2019 law</a>&nbsp;prohibiting abortions “except in cases of medical emergency.” Schmitt is now the junior U.S. Senator for Missouri photo by Madeline Carter/Missouri Independent.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY(AP) — Missouri lawmakers intended to “impose their religious beliefs on everyone" in the state when they passed a restrictive abortion ban, lawyers for a group of religious leaders who support abortion rights said at a court hearing Thursday.But attorneys for the state countered that just because some supporters of the law oppose abortion on religious grounds doesn't mean that the law forces their beliefs on anyone else.Thirteen Christian, Jewish and Unitarian Universalist leaders filed suit in January seeking a permanent injunction barring Missouri from enforcing its abortion law and a declaration that provisions violate the Missouri Constitution. Thursday's hearing in St. Louis concerned the state's request to dismiss the lawsuit. Judge Jason Sengheiser said he'll likely rule in January.The Missouri lawsuit is one of 38 filed in 23 states challenging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-health-indiana-state-government-reproductive-rights-7308b2edc8a8ac62446d821abc5fae59">restrictive abortion laws</a>&nbsp;enacted after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022</a>, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/state-court-abortion-litigation-tracker#arizona">Brennan Center for Justice</a>. The landmark ruling left abortion rights up to each state to decide.The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the faith leaders by Americans United for Separation of Church &amp; State and the National Women’s Law Center, said sponsors and supporters of the Missouri measure “repeatedly emphasized their religious intent in enacting the legislation.”The lawsuit quotes the bill’s sponsor, Republican state Rep. Nick Schroer, as saying that “as a Catholic I do believe life begins at conception and that is built into our legislative findings.” A co-sponsor, Republican state Rep. Barry Hovis, said he was motivated “from the Biblical side of it,” according to the lawsuit.“We know this has a religious purpose because when the lawmakers passed the law 2019, they told us that,” said K.M. Bell, an attorney for the plaintiffs.But Maria Lanahan, Missouri's deputy solicitor general, told the judge that lawmakers had varying reasons for supporting the law. She said that while the abortion ban “was in harmony” with the religious beliefs of some members of the Legislature, no one was “compelled to support any system of worship.”Within minutes of the Supreme Court decision, then-Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Gov. Mike Parson, both Republicans, filed paperwork to immediately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-missouri-government-and-politics-7bb5798bae32c3f15abad3a10941dfb5">enact a 2019 law</a>&nbsp;prohibiting abortions “except in cases of medical emergency.” That law contained a provision making it effective only if Roe v. Wade was overturned.The law makes it a felony punishable by five to 15 years in prison to perform or induce an abortion. Medical professionals who do so also could lose their licenses. The law says that women who undergo abortions cannot be prosecuted.Missouri already had some of the nation’s more restrictive abortion laws and had seen a significant decline in the number of abortions performed, with residents instead traveling to clinics just across the state line in Illinois and Kansas.Lawsuits in other states have taken similar approaches.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-indiana-government-and-politics-a987c724aa4502bca17f4eb34b7b1860">In Indiana</a>, lawyers for five anonymous women — who are Jewish, Muslim and spiritual — and advocacy group Hoosier Jews for Choice argued that state’s ban infringes on their beliefs. Their lawsuit specifically highlights the Jewish teaching that a fetus becomes a living person at birth and that Jewish law prioritizes the mother’s life and health. A state appeals court is scheduled to hear arguments Dec. 6.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-health-kentucky-legislature-26ecd225013231ee8766248633d289a3">In Kentucky</a>, three Jewish women sued, claiming the state’s ban violates their religious rights under the state’s constitution and religious freedom law. They allege that Kentucky’s Republican-dominated legislature “imposed sectarian theology” by prohibiting nearly all abortions.

Judge hears religious leaders’ lawsuit challenging Missouri abortion ban

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting are asking the public for help to find a suspect identified as 29-year-old&nbsp;Tremale M. Serrano of Topeka.

Just after 9:30 a.m., October 15, police responded to a report of an individual laying in the front yard of an address in the 1600 block of SW 21st Street, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.

First responders located Jackson E. Danner, 23, of Topeka, who was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The investigation has led police to believe that there is a second suspect, identified as Tremale Serrano was involved.&nbsp; Anyone with information on Serrano is asked to contact police.

On November 14, police booked 33-year-old Aaron Serrano into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections in connection with Danner's death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700082021069.png" alt="Serrano-photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Serrano-photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting are asking the public for help to find a suspect identified as 29-year-old&nbsp;Tremale M. Serrano of Topeka.Just after 9:30 a.m., October 15, police responded to a report of an individual laying in the front yard of an address in the 1600 block of SW 21st Street, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.First responders located Jackson E. Danner, 23, of Topeka, who was pronounced deceased at the scene.The investigation has led police to believe that there is a second suspect, identified as Tremale Serrano was involved.&nbsp; Anyone with information on Serrano is asked to contact police.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700082583370.png" alt="Aaron Serrano-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Aaron Serrano-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>On November 14, police booked 33-year-old Aaron Serrano into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections in connection with Danner's death.

Police: Search continues for suspect in month-old killing

DETROIT (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-auto-workers">United Auto Workers</a>&nbsp;union members have voted to approve a new contract with General Motors, making the company the first Detroit automaker to get a ratified deal that could end a contentious labor dispute and a series of crippling strikes.

A vote-tracking spreadsheet on the union’s website shows that with all local union offices reporting, the contract passed by just over 3,400 votes, with 54.7% in favor. A union spokesman on Thursday confirmed that the spreadsheet had the official GM totals.

The outcome was closer than expected after the UAW’s celebrations of victories last month on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strike-ford-agreement-2e3b61035a1180fdf69b23be8d602d6c">many key demands</a>&nbsp;that led to six weeks of targeted walkouts against GM, Ford and Stellantis, the maker of Jeep and Ram vehicles.

On Thursday the contract had a big lead in voting at Ford and Stellantis. Ratification was leading at Ford by more than 10,000 votes, with 66.7% of ballots in favor. At Stellantis, the lead was over 5,700, with 66.5% voting for the deal, according to the UAW website.

Voting continues at Ford through early Saturday with only two large factories in the Detroit area and some smaller facilities left to be counted. At Stellantis, three Detroit-area factories were the only large plants yet to vote, with tallies expected to be complete by Tuesday.

The three contracts, if approved by 146,000 union members, would dramatically raise pay for autoworkers, with increases and cost-of-living adjustments that would translate into a 33% wage gain. Top assembly plant workers would get immediate 11% raises and earn roughly $42 per hour when the contracts expire in April of 2028.

At GM, about 46,000 workers were eligible to vote on the deal, and about 36,000 cast ballots.

Of the four GM plants that went on strike, workers at only a large SUV factory in Arlington, Texas, approved the contract. Workers in Wentzville, Missouri; Lansing Delta Township, Michigan; and Spring Hill, Tennessee, voted it down. Workers said that longtime employees at GM were unhappy they didn’t get larger pay raises like newer workers, and they wanted a bigger pension increase.

“I'm not ungrateful, but I feel like it could have been better,” said Andrea Repasky, a body shop worker at GM's pickup truck factory in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, who voted against the deal.

Repasky said she's happy that temporary workers will be hired faster and won't have to wait multiple years to reach the full assembly worker pay rate, now about $32 per hour. She's also glad that workers at parts warehouses and component factories will get the top wage.

But she says she'll get only $4 per hour more at ratification, and her pay will have gone up only $7 per hour since 2006 due to concessions made to help the company out of dire financial straits during the Great Recession. “I would have been happy if we would have gotten a bigger jump up front,” she said. “I just think in 17 years, $7 more is not too good of a deal.”

She also wanted to see larger pension increases as well as defined benefit pensions and health care in retirement for workers hired after 2007. With GM making healthy profits, she's worried that the union may have missed the chance to get more because the company may not be doing as well in 2028.

Many newer hires wanted defined benefit pension plans instead of defined contribution plans. But the companies agreed to contribute 10% per year into 401(k) plans instead.

Keith Crowell, the local union president at GM's Arlington plant, said the factory has a diverse group of workers from full- and part-time temporary hires to longtime assembly line employees. Full-time temporary workers liked the large raises they received and the chance to get top union pay, he said. But many longtime workers didn’t think immediate pay raises were enough to make up for concessions granted to GM in 2008, he said.

“There was something in there for everybody, but everybody couldn’t get everything they wanted,” Crowell said. “At least we’re making a step in the right direction to recover from 2008.”

Citing the automakers' strong profits, UAW President Shawn Fain has insisted it was well past time to make up for the 2008 concessions.

Marick Masters, a business professor at Wayne State University in Detroit, said GM has more older workers than the other two companies, so he expected the vote to be closer there. About half of GM's factory workers were hired before 2007. “They may have felt they were not listened to enough,” Masters said of the workers.

He expects the contracts to be ratified at Ford and Stellantis and said only lopsided votes against the deals that run counter to the current trends could sink the agreements. “It certainly seems that they're on track to pass,” he said.

President Joe Biden has hailed the resolution of the strikes as an early victory for what he calls a worker-centered economy. But the success of the contracts will ultimately hinge on the ability of automakers to keep generating profits as they shift toward electric vehicles.

Thousands of UAW members joined picket lines in targeted strikes starting Sept. 15 before the tentative deals were reached late last month. Rather than striking at one company, the union targeted individual plants at all three automakers. At the peak of the strikes, about 46,000 workers a were walking picket lines.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700163619934.png" alt="Local UAW 31 at the Fairfax plant in Kansas approved the deal with GM this week- google image" />
 <figcaption>Local UAW 31 at the Fairfax plant in Kansas approved the deal with GM this week- google image</figcaption>
 </figure>DETROIT (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-auto-workers">United Auto Workers</a>&nbsp;union members have voted to approve a new contract with General Motors, making the company the first Detroit automaker to get a ratified deal that could end a contentious labor dispute and a series of crippling strikes.A vote-tracking spreadsheet on the union’s website shows that with all local union offices reporting, the contract passed by just over 3,400 votes, with 54.7% in favor. A union spokesman on Thursday confirmed that the spreadsheet had the official GM totals.The outcome was closer than expected after the UAW’s celebrations of victories last month on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strike-ford-agreement-2e3b61035a1180fdf69b23be8d602d6c">many key demands</a>&nbsp;that led to six weeks of targeted walkouts against GM, Ford and Stellantis, the maker of Jeep and Ram vehicles.On Thursday the contract had a big lead in voting at Ford and Stellantis. Ratification was leading at Ford by more than 10,000 votes, with 66.7% of ballots in favor. At Stellantis, the lead was over 5,700, with 66.5% voting for the deal, according to the UAW website.Voting continues at Ford through early Saturday with only two large factories in the Detroit area and some smaller facilities left to be counted. At Stellantis, three Detroit-area factories were the only large plants yet to vote, with tallies expected to be complete by Tuesday.The three contracts, if approved by 146,000 union members, would dramatically raise pay for autoworkers, with increases and cost-of-living adjustments that would translate into a 33% wage gain. Top assembly plant workers would get immediate 11% raises and earn roughly $42 per hour when the contracts expire in April of 2028.At GM, about 46,000 workers were eligible to vote on the deal, and about 36,000 cast ballots.Of the four GM plants that went on strike, workers at only a large SUV factory in Arlington, Texas, approved the contract. Workers in Wentzville, Missouri; Lansing Delta Township, Michigan; and Spring Hill, Tennessee, voted it down. Workers said that longtime employees at GM were unhappy they didn’t get larger pay raises like newer workers, and they wanted a bigger pension increase.“I'm not ungrateful, but I feel like it could have been better,” said Andrea Repasky, a body shop worker at GM's pickup truck factory in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, who voted against the deal.Repasky said she's happy that temporary workers will be hired faster and won't have to wait multiple years to reach the full assembly worker pay rate, now about $32 per hour. She's also glad that workers at parts warehouses and component factories will get the top wage.But she says she'll get only $4 per hour more at ratification, and her pay will have gone up only $7 per hour since 2006 due to concessions made to help the company out of dire financial straits during the Great Recession. “I would have been happy if we would have gotten a bigger jump up front,” she said. “I just think in 17 years, $7 more is not too good of a deal.”She also wanted to see larger pension increases as well as defined benefit pensions and health care in retirement for workers hired after 2007. With GM making healthy profits, she's worried that the union may have missed the chance to get more because the company may not be doing as well in 2028.Many newer hires wanted defined benefit pension plans instead of defined contribution plans. But the companies agreed to contribute 10% per year into 401(k) plans instead.Keith Crowell, the local union president at GM's Arlington plant, said the factory has a diverse group of workers from full- and part-time temporary hires to longtime assembly line employees. Full-time temporary workers liked the large raises they received and the chance to get top union pay, he said. But many longtime workers didn’t think immediate pay raises were enough to make up for concessions granted to GM in 2008, he said.“There was something in there for everybody, but everybody couldn’t get everything they wanted,” Crowell said. “At least we’re making a step in the right direction to recover from 2008.”Citing the automakers' strong profits, UAW President Shawn Fain has insisted it was well past time to make up for the 2008 concessions.Marick Masters, a business professor at Wayne State University in Detroit, said GM has more older workers than the other two companies, so he expected the vote to be closer there. About half of GM's factory workers were hired before 2007. “They may have felt they were not listened to enough,” Masters said of the workers.He expects the contracts to be ratified at Ford and Stellantis and said only lopsided votes against the deals that run counter to the current trends could sink the agreements. “It certainly seems that they're on track to pass,” he said.President Joe Biden has hailed the resolution of the strikes as an early victory for what he calls a worker-centered economy. But the success of the contracts will ultimately hinge on the ability of automakers to keep generating profits as they shift toward electric vehicles.Thousands of UAW members joined picket lines in targeted strikes starting Sept. 15 before the tentative deals were reached late last month. Rather than striking at one company, the union targeted individual plants at all three automakers. At the peak of the strikes, about 46,000 workers a were walking picket lines.

GM seals deal with union workers in Kansas, nationwide

WASHINGTON (AP) — It was a meeting a year in the making.

President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-xi-apec-san-francisco-58d11e7e3902955302182c2bc41430e0" target="_blank">sat down together</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday just outside of San Francisco, where Asian leaders gathered for an annual summit. It was almost exactly one year since their last encounter in Bali, Indonesia, on the sidelines of another global gathering.

In addition to a formal bilateral meeting, Biden and Xi shared a lunch with top advisers and strolled the verdant grounds of the luxury estate where their meeting took place.

(Click below to watch the news conference or <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2023/11/16/remarks-by-president-biden-in-a-press-conference-woodside-ca/">click here</a> to read the remarks

Biden said afterwards that the meeting included “some of the most constructive and productive discussions we’ve had.” He added that they will “keep the lines of communication open” and Xi is “willing to pick up the phone” — no small thing in the world of high-risk, high-stakes diplomacy between Washington and Beijing.

In another potential sign of warmer feelings, Xi signaled later in the night that China would send new pandas to the United States after the three at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington were returned earlier this month. In a speech, Xi said he wanted to “deepen the friendly ties between our two peoples.” Xi also said he learned that Americans — particularly children — were “really reluctant” to say goodbye to the rare and popular animals.

Here’s a look at how the rest of the day panned out.

Biden left the meeting with commitments on key issues.

Xi agreed to help curb the production of the illicit fentanyl that is a deadly component of drugs sold in the United States. A senior administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a private meeting, said the shift will be a setback for Latin American drug dealers.

“It’s going to save lives, and I appreciated President Xi’s commitment on this issue,” Biden said at a press conference after his meeting.

In addition, Biden and Xi reached an agreement to resume&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-military-relations-339980a0d494bcde92905411838808a4" target="_blank">military-to-military communications</a>. That means Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will speak with his Chinese counterpart once someone is named to the job, the official said. Similar engagements will take place up and down the military chain of command.

The official said Biden was “very clear” to Xi that such communications between U.S. and China should be institutionalized and that they are “not done as a gift or as a favor to either side.”

Biden said the U.S. and China would talk more about artificial intelligence as well.

“We’re going to get our experts together and discuss risk and safety issues,” he said.

The agreements helped fulfill the White House’s goal for the meeting — prove to voters that Biden’s dedication to personal diplomacy is paying off.

On Sunday, national security adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN that Biden wanted “practical ways” to show that meeting with Xi can help “defend American interests and also deliver progress on the priorities of the American people.”

Zoe Liu, a fellow for China studies at the Council for Foreign Relations, described the meeting between Biden and Xi as a positive step, albeit an incremental one.

“These agreements will not change the structural challenges in the bilateral relations, but it paves the way for more detailed working-level discussions, which is more important,” she said.

BIDEN PRESSES CHINA TO ACT LIKE A SUPERPOWER IN COOLING GLOBAL TENSIONS

Beijing has long sought to be treated as an equal by Washington, and Biden sought to leverage those ambitions with Xi to address two devastating wars.

In their private session, Biden appealed to Xi to use his influence to try to calm global tensions, particularly to try to pressure Iran not to widen the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

A U.S. official said Biden did most of the talking on the matter, and that Xi mostly listened, and that it was too soon to tell what sort of message China was sending to Tehran and how it was being received.

Biden has also pressed Xi to continue to withhold military support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

A ‘CLEAR-HEADED’ EXCHANGE AND A WARNING ON TAIWAN

Biden and Xi held a “clear-headed” and “not heated” discussion on Taiwan — the most sensitive topic in the relationship with the greatest potential to spiral into wider conflict. Biden said he reaffirmed the United States’ “One China” policy and its belief that any resolution must be peaceful.

“I’m not going to change that,” Biden said. “That’s not going to change.”

He reiterated, though, that the U.S. would continue to arm Taiwan as a deterrent against any attempt by China to use force to reunify the self-governing island with the mainland. The U.S. had maintained strategic ambiguity about whether it would directly intervene to protect Taiwan in the event of an invasion by Beijing.

Xi, a U.S. official said, told Biden he had no plans to invade the island, though Biden chided him for China’s massive military build-up around Taiwan. Biden also called on China to avoid meddling in Taiwan’s elections next year.

Xi arrived in San Francisco at a time of economic challenges back in China, where an aging population and growing debt have hampered its recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Beijing’s description of the meeting, Xi pressed Biden to lift sanctions and change policies on export controls for sensitive equipment.

“Stifling China’s technological progress is nothing but a move to contain China’s high-quality development and deprive the Chinese people of their right to development,” the readout said. “China’s development and growth, driven by its own inherent logic, will not be stopped by external forces.”

There’s no indication that Biden will agree to take such steps. But even the meeting itself could calm jittery nerves back in China, where there have been signs foreign investment is tapering off.

Zhang Lei, a Chinese businessman whose company, Cheche Group, is listed on NASDAQ, said high-level meetings such as the one between Biden and Xi can help assure companies that have been hesitant to invest in China.

“Confrontations don’t work,” he said. “You don’t make money with confrontations.”

Biden and Xi go back years, and Biden often repeats the story of their meetings when they were both vice presidents.

But on Wednesday, it was Xi’s turn to reference their previous encounters during brief public remarks, although he eschewed the embellishments that Biden usually adds to the tale.

“It was 12 years ago,” Xi said. “I still remember our interactions very vividly, and it always gives me a lot of thoughts.”

Biden also emphasized the length of their relationship and the value of their interactions.

“We haven’t always agreed, which was not a surprise to anyone, but our meetings have always been candid, straightforward and useful,” Biden said. He added that “it’s paramount that you and I understand each other clearly, leader to leader, with no misconceptions or miscommunication.”

Bilateral meetings aren’t always conducive to a personal touch, and Biden and Xi were flanked by advisers on opposite sides of a long table. However, a senior administration official said they spoke about their wives, and Biden wished Xi’s wife a happy birthday.

The official, who requested anonymity to discuss a private conversation, said Xi was embarrassed, and he admitted that he had forgotten his wife’s upcoming birthday because he’s been working so hard.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700099093038.png" alt="Biden said afterwards that the meeting included “some of the most constructive and productive discussions we’ve had.”-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Biden said afterwards that the meeting included “some of the most constructive and productive discussions we’ve had.”-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — It was a meeting a year in the making.President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-xi-apec-san-francisco-58d11e7e3902955302182c2bc41430e0" target="_blank">sat down together</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday just outside of San Francisco, where Asian leaders gathered for an annual summit. It was almost exactly one year since their last encounter in Bali, Indonesia, on the sidelines of another global gathering.In addition to a formal bilateral meeting, Biden and Xi shared a lunch with top advisers and strolled the verdant grounds of the luxury estate where their meeting took place.(Click below to watch the news conference or <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2023/11/16/remarks-by-president-biden-in-a-press-conference-woodside-ca/">click here</a> to read the remarks<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-eyN56bHf9c?si=489IZb8GyKRGEJW1" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Biden said afterwards that the meeting included “some of the most constructive and productive discussions we’ve had.” He added that they will “keep the lines of communication open” and Xi is “willing to pick up the phone” — no small thing in the world of high-risk, high-stakes diplomacy between Washington and Beijing.In another potential sign of warmer feelings, Xi signaled later in the night that China would send new pandas to the United States after the three at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington were returned earlier this month. In a speech, Xi said he wanted to “deepen the friendly ties between our two peoples.” Xi also said he learned that Americans — particularly children — were “really reluctant” to say goodbye to the rare and popular animals.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Mr. President, we have known each other for a long time. We have not always agreed. But our meetings are always candid, straightforward, and useful. Yesterday was no different. Our nations may be in competition, but that doesn&#39;t mean we can&#39;t compete responsibly. <a href="https://t.co/550epPY91b">pic.twitter.com/550epPY91b</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1725188999688413443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Here’s a look at how the rest of the day panned out.<h2>NEW AGREEMENTS</h2>Biden left the meeting with commitments on key issues.Xi agreed to help curb the production of the illicit fentanyl that is a deadly component of drugs sold in the United States. A senior administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a private meeting, said the shift will be a setback for Latin American drug dealers.“It’s going to save lives, and I appreciated President Xi’s commitment on this issue,” Biden said at a press conference after his meeting.In addition, Biden and Xi reached an agreement to resume&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-military-relations-339980a0d494bcde92905411838808a4" target="_blank">military-to-military communications</a>. That means Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will speak with his Chinese counterpart once someone is named to the job, the official said. Similar engagements will take place up and down the military chain of command.The official said Biden was “very clear” to Xi that such communications between U.S. and China should be institutionalized and that they are “not done as a gift or as a favor to either side.”Biden said the U.S. and China would talk more about artificial intelligence as well.“We’re going to get our experts together and discuss risk and safety issues,” he said.The agreements helped fulfill the White House’s goal for the meeting — prove to voters that Biden’s dedication to personal diplomacy is paying off.On Sunday, national security adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN that Biden wanted “practical ways” to show that meeting with Xi can help “defend American interests and also deliver progress on the priorities of the American people.”Zoe Liu, a fellow for China studies at the Council for Foreign Relations, described the meeting between Biden and Xi as a positive step, albeit an incremental one.“These agreements will not change the structural challenges in the bilateral relations, but it paves the way for more detailed working-level discussions, which is more important,” she said.<h2>BIDEN PRESSES CHINA TO ACT LIKE A SUPERPOWER IN COOLING GLOBAL TENSIONS</h2>Beijing has long sought to be treated as an equal by Washington, and Biden sought to leverage those ambitions with Xi to address two devastating wars.In their private session, Biden appealed to Xi to use his influence to try to calm global tensions, particularly to try to pressure Iran not to widen the conflict between Israel and Hamas.A U.S. official said Biden did most of the talking on the matter, and that Xi mostly listened, and that it was too soon to tell what sort of message China was sending to Tehran and how it was being received.Biden has also pressed Xi to continue to withhold military support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.<h2>A ‘CLEAR-HEADED’ EXCHANGE AND A WARNING ON TAIWAN</h2>Biden and Xi held a “clear-headed” and “not heated” discussion on Taiwan — the most sensitive topic in the relationship with the greatest potential to spiral into wider conflict. Biden said he reaffirmed the United States’ “One China” policy and its belief that any resolution must be peaceful.“I’m not going to change that,” Biden said. “That’s not going to change.”He reiterated, though, that the U.S. would continue to arm Taiwan as a deterrent against any attempt by China to use force to reunify the self-governing island with the mainland. The U.S. had maintained strategic ambiguity about whether it would directly intervene to protect Taiwan in the event of an invasion by Beijing.Xi, a U.S. official said, told Biden he had no plans to invade the island, though Biden chided him for China’s massive military build-up around Taiwan. Biden also called on China to avoid meddling in Taiwan’s elections next year.<h2>ECONOMIC CHALLENGES</h2>Xi arrived in San Francisco at a time of economic challenges back in China, where an aging population and growing debt have hampered its recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.According to Beijing’s description of the meeting, Xi pressed Biden to lift sanctions and change policies on export controls for sensitive equipment.“Stifling China’s technological progress is nothing but a move to contain China’s high-quality development and deprive the Chinese people of their right to development,” the readout said. “China’s development and growth, driven by its own inherent logic, will not be stopped by external forces.”There’s no indication that Biden will agree to take such steps. But even the meeting itself could calm jittery nerves back in China, where there have been signs foreign investment is tapering off.Zhang Lei, a Chinese businessman whose company, Cheche Group, is listed on NASDAQ, said high-level meetings such as the one between Biden and Xi can help assure companies that have been hesitant to invest in China.“Confrontations don’t work,” he said. “You don’t make money with confrontations.”<h2>IT’S PERSONAL</h2>Biden and Xi go back years, and Biden often repeats the story of their meetings when they were both vice presidents.But on Wednesday, it was Xi’s turn to reference their previous encounters during brief public remarks, although he eschewed the embellishments that Biden usually adds to the tale.“It was 12 years ago,” Xi said. “I still remember our interactions very vividly, and it always gives me a lot of thoughts.”Biden also emphasized the length of their relationship and the value of their interactions.“We haven’t always agreed, which was not a surprise to anyone, but our meetings have always been candid, straightforward and useful,” Biden said. He added that “it’s paramount that you and I understand each other clearly, leader to leader, with no misconceptions or miscommunication.”Bilateral meetings aren’t always conducive to a personal touch, and Biden and Xi were flanked by advisers on opposite sides of a long table. However, a senior administration official said they spoke about their wives, and Biden wished Xi’s wife a happy birthday.The official, who requested anonymity to discuss a private conversation, said Xi was embarrassed, and he admitted that he had forgotten his wife’s upcoming birthday because he’s been working so hard.<h2>___</h2>

🎥 Biden answers questions after visit with China's President

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating&nbsp;a homicide that left one man dead and another injured have identified the man who died as 26-year-old&nbsp;&nbsp;Juan Jose Balleza-Ojeda of Olathe.

Just after 9p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to an armed disturbance in the 500 block of North Marion Street in Olathe, according to Sergeant John Mancayo.

First responders found Balleza-Ojeda with an apparent stab wound. Officers conducted life-saving measures but he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased on scene.

Officers also found a 28-year-old man who sustained a non-life-threatening stab wound. That man was transported to an area hospital for further treatment.

Police took 22-year-old&nbsp;Jesus Neri-Aguilar of Olathe into custody on a requested charge of 2nd degree murder. He is being held on&nbsp;$1,000,000 bond and is due in court November 22, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699993696285.png" alt="Neri-Aguilar-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Neri-Aguilar-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating&nbsp;a homicide that left one man dead and another injured have identified the man who died as 26-year-old&nbsp;&nbsp;Juan Jose Balleza-Ojeda of Olathe.Just after 9p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to an armed disturbance in the 500 block of North Marion Street in Olathe, according to Sergeant John Mancayo.First responders found Balleza-Ojeda with an apparent stab wound. Officers conducted life-saving measures but he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased on scene.Officers also found a 28-year-old man who sustained a non-life-threatening stab wound. That man was transported to an area hospital for further treatment.Police took 22-year-old&nbsp;Jesus Neri-Aguilar of Olathe into custody on a requested charge of 2nd degree murder. He is being held on&nbsp;$1,000,000 bond and is due in court November 22, according to online jail records.

Suspect in Kansas knife fight killing held on $1,000,000 bond

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of vandalism in Wichita.

On Wednesday morning, police released video on social media asking the public for help to identify a suspect involved in multiple vandalisms. The video shows the suspect shattering the glass window of a Wichita business.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of vandalism in Wichita.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=266&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWichitaPolice%2Fvideos%2F1160083504971113%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1" width="560" height="266" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>On Wednesday morning, police released video on social media asking the public for help to identify a suspect involved in multiple vandalisms. The video shows the suspect shattering the glass window of a Wichita business.

🎥 Police ask for help to ID Kansas vandalism suspect

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The substance in a suspicious letter sent to the top elections agency in Kansas doesn't appear to have been hazardous, and the mail appeared unrelated to threatening letters sent to election offices in other states, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation said Wednesday.

The letter delivered Tuesday to the Kansas secretary of state's office prompted authorities to evacuate its building just before noon and keep it closed for the rest of the day. The KBI said it has identified a suspect in Tuesday’s incident, though no arrest was announced.

The KBI also said it has no reason to believe the letter was connected to threatening letters containing a harmless&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-letters-white-powder-f59cfa50f3f35a5301e34c8d9b3cc0a1">white powder</a>&nbsp;sent in June to dozens of Republican legislators in Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/montana-letters-white-powder-republicans-e0e48401f2973232be975755ebbcc9e1">Montana</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-white-powder-building-evacuated-82ba88e307efd5c1b4f0b95469f7b28d">Tennessee.</a>

While authorities are still waiting on final tests of the substance in Tuesday's letter, preliminary testing indicated it was not harmful, KBI spokesperson Melissa Underwood said in an emailed statement. The secretary of state's building reopened Wednesday morning.

“Law enforcement has identified the person they believe sent the suspicious letter,” Underwood said. “The investigation is ongoing.”

Tuesday's incident in Kansas occurred less than a week after election offices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-offices-workers-threats-letters-fentanyl-286f88eadef68d9ef08501809f95f8ff">in at least five states</a>&nbsp;received threatening mail, some containing the potentially dangerous opioid fentanyl. The motivation of anyone responsible for suspicious mail in the other states was unclear.

The KBI did not disclose a potential motive for the latest Kansas letter, and no arrests have been announced over the letters sent in June. Secretary of State Scott Schwab is a Republican who has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-politics-donald-trump-arizona-9b675ed2223da37a90e5b53cfb6cf9b8">pushed back</a>&nbsp;against baseless theories about the 2020 election being stolen.

The secretary of state's building is near the Kansas Statehouse and also houses the offices of the state's attorney general.

“Threats such as this and all forms of political intimidation are unacceptable and must always be strongly condemned,” Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/DanHawkinsKS/status/1724816561330929672">tweeted</a>&nbsp;Wednesday morning.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700017944580.png" alt="Authorities evacuated the building, which also houses the Kansas attorney general's office, “out of an abundance of caution.” The building that was evacuated is located near the Statehouse-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Authorities evacuated the building, which also houses the Kansas attorney general's office, “out of an abundance of caution.” The building that was evacuated is located near the Statehouse-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The substance in a suspicious letter sent to the top elections agency in Kansas doesn't appear to have been hazardous, and the mail appeared unrelated to threatening letters sent to election offices in other states, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation said Wednesday.The letter delivered Tuesday to the Kansas secretary of state's office prompted authorities to evacuate its building just before noon and keep it closed for the rest of the day. The KBI said it has identified a suspect in Tuesday’s incident, though no arrest was announced.The KBI also said it has no reason to believe the letter was connected to threatening letters containing a harmless&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-letters-white-powder-f59cfa50f3f35a5301e34c8d9b3cc0a1">white powder</a>&nbsp;sent in June to dozens of Republican legislators in Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/montana-letters-white-powder-republicans-e0e48401f2973232be975755ebbcc9e1">Montana</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-white-powder-building-evacuated-82ba88e307efd5c1b4f0b95469f7b28d">Tennessee.</a><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This political intimidation is absolutely unacceptable. No Kansan should ever feel unsafe because of their politics. Thank you to the KBI, KHP, and other law enforcement who are investigating this case and the letters sent this past summer. 2/2&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1724610953050775750?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>While authorities are still waiting on final tests of the substance in Tuesday's letter, preliminary testing indicated it was not harmful, KBI spokesperson Melissa Underwood said in an emailed statement. The secretary of state's building reopened Wednesday morning.“Law enforcement has identified the person they believe sent the suspicious letter,” Underwood said. “The investigation is ongoing.”Tuesday's incident in Kansas occurred less than a week after election offices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-offices-workers-threats-letters-fentanyl-286f88eadef68d9ef08501809f95f8ff">in at least five states</a>&nbsp;received threatening mail, some containing the potentially dangerous opioid fentanyl. The motivation of anyone responsible for suspicious mail in the other states was unclear.The KBI did not disclose a potential motive for the latest Kansas letter, and no arrests have been announced over the letters sent in June. Secretary of State Scott Schwab is a Republican who has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-politics-donald-trump-arizona-9b675ed2223da37a90e5b53cfb6cf9b8">pushed back</a>&nbsp;against baseless theories about the 2020 election being stolen.The secretary of state's building is near the Kansas Statehouse and also houses the offices of the state's attorney general.“Threats such as this and all forms of political intimidation are unacceptable and must always be strongly condemned,” Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/DanHawkinsKS/status/1724816561330929672">tweeted</a>&nbsp;Wednesday morning.

KBI has identified who sent the suspicious letter to election agency

NEW YORK (AP) — Workers at more than 200 U.S. Starbucks walked off the job Thursday in what organizers said was the largest strike yet in the two-year-old effort to unionize the company’s stores.

The Workers United union chose Starbucks' annual Red Cup Day to stage the walkout since it’s usually one of the busiest days of the year. Starbucks expects to give away thousands of reusable cups Thursday to customers who order holiday drinks.

The union said it was expecting more than 5,000 workers to take part in its “Red Cup Rebellion.” Workers were expected to picket for part of the day and visit non-union stores the rest of the day, the union said. Around 30 stores also staged walkouts on Wednesday.

Edwin Palmasolis, a Starbucks employee for more than two years, joined the picket line Thursday in front of his New York store. His store voted to unionize last year, but so far Starbucks and the union haven't started bargaining. A contract would help improve working conditions at his busy Manhattan store, Palmasolis said.

“It’s been more of a downgrade than an uphill for us. It’s been exhausting trying to deal with their retaliation and not much of a change has been made in the past year,” he said. “They’ve been silent on their part, they have not made anything to benefit us."

Thursday’s strike was the fifth major labor action by Starbucks workers since a store in Buffalo, New York, became the first to unionize in late 2021. Workers at 110 stores&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-strike-walkout-red-cup-day-386896c728bc4a66d1aa51aa002fb1ba">walked out last year</a>&nbsp;on Red Cup Day; most recently, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-strike-pride-456cd0e40bba4004ff70c777ac67446b">strike in June</a>&nbsp;protested reports that Starbucks had removed Pride displays from its stores.

But the strikes have had little impact on Starbucks’ sales. For its 2023 fiscal year, which ended Oct. 1,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-earnings-coffee-ffda43505dd24c2c07c9f37aeb762c7e">Starbucks reported</a>&nbsp;its revenue rose 12%,to a record $36.0 billion.

Starbucks said Thursday that many of the stores with striking workers remained open.

“We have nearly 10,000 stores open right now delighting our customers with the joy of Red Cup Day,” the company said.

At least 363 company-operated Starbucks stores in 41 states have voted to unionize since late 2021. The Starbucks effort was at the leading edge of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-of-unions-us-labor-organizing-15ad8061bcd21e0c1dcaa5f10b3f10ee">period of labor activism</a>&nbsp;that has also seen strikes by Amazon workers, auto workers and Hollywood writers and actors. At least 457,000 workers have participated in 315 strikes in the U.S. just this year, according to Johnnie Kallas, a Ph.D. candidate and the project director of Cornell University’s Labor Action Tracker.

Starbucks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-corp-business-arizona-labor-unions-amazoncom-inc-5a24ff399e186a3f0da8dc8b7094e3d4">opposes the unionization effort</a>&nbsp;and has yet to reach a labor agreement with any of the stores that have voted to unionize. The process has been contentious; regional offices with the National Labor Relations Board have issued 111 complaints against Starbucks for unfair labor practices, including refusal to bargain. Starbucks says Workers United is refusing to schedule bargaining sessions.

Starbucks noted that it has started bargaining with the Teamsters union, which organized a Starbucks store outside of Pittsburgh in June 2022. But the two sides have not reached a labor agreement. The Teamsters didn’t say Wednesday whether workers at the unionized store would also be striking.

Relations between Starbucks and Workers United have grown increasingly tense. Last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-workers-united-union-lawsuit-israel-palestinian-f212a994fef67f122854a4df7e5d13f5">Starbucks sued Workers United</a>, saying a pro-Palestinian post on a union account damaged its reputation and demanding that the union stop using the name Starbucks Workers United. Workers United responded with its own lawsuit, saying Starbucks defamed the union by suggesting it supports terrorism and violence.

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Thousands of workers at more than 200 U.S. Starbucks stores plan to walk off the job Thursday in what organizers say is the largest strike yet in the two-year-old effort to unionize the company’s stores. Stores in Kansas and Missouri are expected to join the walkout.&nbsp;

The union said it was expecting more than 5,000 workers to take part in its “Red Cup Rebellion.” Around 30 stores also staged walkouts on Wednesday.

Neha Cremin, a Starbucks barista in Oklahoma City, said she was striking to protest understaffing in stores, especially during promotions like Red Cup Day. Cremin said workers are already overwhelmed filling delivery orders, drive-thru orders, mobile orders and in-store orders; promotions add another layer of stress.

“Understaffing hurts workers and also creates an unpleasant experience for customers,” Cremin said. “Starbucks has made it clear that they won’t listen to workers, so we’re advocating for ourselves by going on strike.”

Starbucks downplayed any potential impact of the strike Wednesday, saying it would occur at a “small subset” of the company’s 9,600 company-owned U.S. stores.

“We remain committed to working with all partners, side-by-side, to elevate the everyday, and we hope that Workers United’s priorities will shift to include the shared success of our partners and negotiating contracts for those they represent,” Starbucks said in a statement.

NEW YORK (AP) — Workers at more than 200 U.S. Starbucks walked off the job Thursday in what organizers said was the largest strike yet in the two-year-old effort to unionize the company’s stores.The Workers United union chose Starbucks' annual Red Cup Day to stage the walkout since it’s usually one of the busiest days of the year. Starbucks expects to give away thousands of reusable cups Thursday to customers who order holiday drinks.The union said it was expecting more than 5,000 workers to take part in its “Red Cup Rebellion.” Workers were expected to picket for part of the day and visit non-union stores the rest of the day, the union said. Around 30 stores also staged walkouts on Wednesday.Edwin Palmasolis, a Starbucks employee for more than two years, joined the picket line Thursday in front of his New York store. His store voted to unionize last year, but so far Starbucks and the union haven't started bargaining. A contract would help improve working conditions at his busy Manhattan store, Palmasolis said.“It’s been more of a downgrade than an uphill for us. It’s been exhausting trying to deal with their retaliation and not much of a change has been made in the past year,” he said. “They’ve been silent on their part, they have not made anything to benefit us."Thursday’s strike was the fifth major labor action by Starbucks workers since a store in Buffalo, New York, became the first to unionize in late 2021. Workers at 110 stores&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-strike-walkout-red-cup-day-386896c728bc4a66d1aa51aa002fb1ba">walked out last year</a>&nbsp;on Red Cup Day; most recently, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-strike-pride-456cd0e40bba4004ff70c777ac67446b">strike in June</a>&nbsp;protested reports that Starbucks had removed Pride displays from its stores.But the strikes have had little impact on Starbucks’ sales. For its 2023 fiscal year, which ended Oct. 1,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-earnings-coffee-ffda43505dd24c2c07c9f37aeb762c7e">Starbucks reported</a>&nbsp;its revenue rose 12%,to a record $36.0 billion.Starbucks said Thursday that many of the stores with striking workers remained open.“We have nearly 10,000 stores open right now delighting our customers with the joy of Red Cup Day,” the company said.At least 363 company-operated Starbucks stores in 41 states have voted to unionize since late 2021. The Starbucks effort was at the leading edge of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-of-unions-us-labor-organizing-15ad8061bcd21e0c1dcaa5f10b3f10ee">period of labor activism</a>&nbsp;that has also seen strikes by Amazon workers, auto workers and Hollywood writers and actors. At least 457,000 workers have participated in 315 strikes in the U.S. just this year, according to Johnnie Kallas, a Ph.D. candidate and the project director of Cornell University’s Labor Action Tracker.Starbucks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-corp-business-arizona-labor-unions-amazoncom-inc-5a24ff399e186a3f0da8dc8b7094e3d4">opposes the unionization effort</a>&nbsp;and has yet to reach a labor agreement with any of the stores that have voted to unionize. The process has been contentious; regional offices with the National Labor Relations Board have issued 111 complaints against Starbucks for unfair labor practices, including refusal to bargain. Starbucks says Workers United is refusing to schedule bargaining sessions.Starbucks noted that it has started bargaining with the Teamsters union, which organized a Starbucks store outside of Pittsburgh in June 2022. But the two sides have not reached a labor agreement. The Teamsters didn’t say Wednesday whether workers at the unionized store would also be striking.Relations between Starbucks and Workers United have grown increasingly tense. Last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-workers-united-union-lawsuit-israel-palestinian-f212a994fef67f122854a4df7e5d13f5">Starbucks sued Workers United</a>, saying a pro-Palestinian post on a union account damaged its reputation and demanding that the union stop using the name Starbucks Workers United. Workers United responded with its own lawsuit, saying Starbucks defamed the union by suggesting it supports terrorism and violence.------------------KANSAS CITY (AP) —Thousands of workers at more than 200 U.S. Starbucks stores plan to walk off the job Thursday in what organizers say is the largest strike yet in the two-year-old effort to unionize the company’s stores. Stores in Kansas and Missouri are expected to join the walkout.&nbsp;The Workers United union chose Starbucks' annual Red Cup Day to stage the walkout since it’s usually one of the busiest days of the year. Starbucks expects to give away thousands of reusable cups Thursday to customers who order holiday drinks.The union said it was expecting more than 5,000 workers to take part in its “Red Cup Rebellion.” Around 30 stores also staged walkouts on Wednesday.Neha Cremin, a Starbucks barista in Oklahoma City, said she was striking to protest understaffing in stores, especially during promotions like Red Cup Day. Cremin said workers are already overwhelmed filling delivery orders, drive-thru orders, mobile orders and in-store orders; promotions add another layer of stress.“Understaffing hurts workers and also creates an unpleasant experience for customers,” Cremin said. “Starbucks has made it clear that they won’t listen to workers, so we’re advocating for ourselves by going on strike.”Thursday’s strike was the fifth major labor action by Starbucks workers since a store in Buffalo, New York, became the first to unionize in late 2021. Workers at 110 stores&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-strike-walkout-red-cup-day-386896c728bc4a66d1aa51aa002fb1ba">walked out last year</a>&nbsp;on Red Cup Day; most recently, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-strike-pride-456cd0e40bba4004ff70c777ac67446b">strike in June</a>&nbsp;protested reports that Starbucks had removed Pride displays from its stores.But the strikes have had little impact on Starbucks’ sales. For its 2023 fiscal year, which ended Oct. 1,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-earnings-coffee-ffda43505dd24c2c07c9f37aeb762c7e">Starbucks reported</a>&nbsp;its revenue rose 12%,to a record $36.0 billion.Starbucks downplayed any potential impact of the strike Wednesday, saying it would occur at a “small subset” of the company’s 9,600 company-owned U.S. stores.“We remain committed to working with all partners, side-by-side, to elevate the everyday, and we hope that Workers United’s priorities will shift to include the shared success of our partners and negotiating contracts for those they represent,” Starbucks said in a statement.At least 363 company-operated Starbucks stores in 41 states have voted to unionize since late 2021. The Starbucks effort was at the leading edge of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-of-unions-us-labor-organizing-15ad8061bcd21e0c1dcaa5f10b3f10ee">period of labor activism</a>&nbsp;that has also seen strikes by Amazon workers, auto workers and Hollywood writers and actors. At least 457,000 workers have participated in 315 strikes in the U.S. just this year, according to Johnnie Kallas, a Ph.D. candidate and the project director of Cornell University’s Labor Action Tracker.Starbucks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-corp-business-arizona-labor-unions-amazoncom-inc-5a24ff399e186a3f0da8dc8b7094e3d4">opposes the unionization effort</a>&nbsp;and has yet to reach a labor agreement with any of the stores that have voted to unionize. The process has been contentious; regional offices with the National Labor Relations Board have issued 111 complaints against Starbucks for unfair labor practices, including refusal to bargain. Starbucks says Workers United is refusing to schedule bargaining sessions.Starbucks noted that it has started bargaining with the Teamsters union, which organized a Starbucks store outside of Pittsburgh in June 2022. But the two sides have not reached a labor agreement. The Teamsters didn’t say Wednesday whether workers at the unionized store would also be striking.Relations between Starbucks and Workers United have grown increasingly tense. Last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-workers-united-union-lawsuit-israel-palestinian-f212a994fef67f122854a4df7e5d13f5">Starbucks sued Workers United</a>, saying a pro-Palestinian post on a union account damaged its reputation and demanding that the union stop using the name Starbucks Workers United. Workers United responded with its own lawsuit, saying Starbucks defamed the union by suggesting it supports terrorism and violence.

Workers in Kan., Mo. to participate in Starbucks strike 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ending the threat of a government shutdown until after the holidays, Congress gave final approval Wednesday night to a temporary government funding package that pushes a confrontation over the federal budget into the new year.

The Senate met into the night to pass the bill with an 87-11 tally. Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted in favor of the bill.&nbsp;

The legislation now goes to President Joe Biden for his signature one day after it passed the House on an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-house-republican-speaker-johnson-9cb26b703804a9e82e776e44caedcaa2">overwhelming bipartisan vote</a>. It provides a funding patch into next year, when the House and Senate will be forced to confront — and somehow overcome — their considerable differences over what funding levels should be.

In the meantime, the bill removes the threat of a government shutdown days before funding would have expired.

“This year, there will be no government shutdown,” Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/sen-chuck-schumer">Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;said at a news conference after the bill's passage.

The spending package keeps government funding at current levels for roughly two more months while a long-term package is negotiated. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-budget-mike-johnson-d942acf1a8b163f0b52f209da42953c6">splits the deadlines</a>&nbsp;for passing full-year appropriations bills into two dates: Jan. 19 for some federal agencies and Feb. 2 for others, creating two deadlines where there will be a risk of a partial government shutdown.

“Everybody is really kind of ready to vote and fight another day,” Republican Whip John Thune, the No. 2 Republican, said earlier Wednesday.

The two-step approach was not favored by many in the Senate, though all but one Democrat and 10 Republicans supported it because it ensured the government would not shut down for now. Sen. Patty Murray, the Washington Democrat who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, voted for the bill but said it would eventually “double the shutdown risk.”

The spending bill also does not include the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">White House’s nearly $106 billion</a>&nbsp;request for wartime aid for Israel and Ukraine, as well as humanitarian funding for Palestinians and other supplemental requests. Lawmakers are likely to turn their attention more fully to that request after the Thanksgiving holiday in hopes of negotiating a deal.

House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>, who crafted the plan, has vowed that he will not support any further stopgap funding measures, known as continuing resolutions. He portrayed the temporary funding bill as setting the ground for a spending “fight” with the Senate next year.

The new speaker, who told reporters this week that he counted himself among the “arch-conservatives” of the House, is pushing for deeper spending cuts. He wanted to avoid lawmakers being forced to consider a massive government funding package before the December holidays — a tactic that incenses conservatives in particular.

But Johnson is also facing pushback from other hardline conservatives who wanted to leverage the prospect of a government shutdown to extract steep cuts and policy demands.

Many of those conservatives were among a group of 19 Republicans who defied Johnson Wednesday to prevent floor consideration of an appropriations bill to fund several government agencies.

GOP leaders called off the week's work after the vote, sending lawmakers home early for Thanksgiving. It capped a period of intense bickering among lawmakers.

“This place is a pressure cooker,” Johnson said Tuesday, noting that the House had been in Washington for 10 weeks straight.

The House GOP's inability to present a united front on funding legislation could undercut the Louisiana congressman's ability to negotiate spending bills with the Senate.

Republicans are demanding that Congress work out government funding through 12 separate bills, as the budgetary process requires, but House leadership has so far been forced to pull two of those bills from the floor, seen another rejected on a procedural vote and struggled to win support for others.

When it returns in two weeks, Congress is expected to focus on the Biden administration's requests for Ukraine and Israel funding. Republican senators have demanded that Congress pass immigration and border legislation alongside additional Ukraine aid, but a bipartisan Senate group working on a possible compromise has struggled to find consensus.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in a floor speech pledged that Republicans would continue to push for policy changes on the U.S. border with Mexico, saying it is “impossible to ignore the crisis at our southern border that’s erupted on Washington Democrats’ watch.”

One idea floating among Republicans is directly tying Ukraine funding levels with decreases in the number of illegal border crossings. It showed how even longtime supporters of Ukraine’s defense against Russia are willing to hold up the funding to force Congress to tackle an issue that has flummoxed generations of lawmakers: U.S. border policy.

Most Senate Republicans support the Ukraine funding, said Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., but he added, “It is secondary to securing our own border."

But the U.S. is already trimming some of the wartime aid packages it is sending Ukraine as funds run low, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said from San Francisco, where he accompanied President Joe Biden for a summit of Asia-Pacific leaders.

He said the pot of money available for Ukraine is “withering away, and with it will be a deleterious effect on Ukraine’s ability to continue to defend itself."

Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said in a statement that he voted against Wednesday's funding package because it did not include aid for Ukraine.

Schumer said the Senate would try to move forward on both the funding and border legislation in the coming weeks, but warned it would require a compromise and implored the House speaker, Johnson, to once again work with Democrats.

“I hope the new speaker continues to choose the bipartisan approach,” Schumer said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700135273249.png" alt="The Senate met into the night to pass the bill with an 87-11 tally. Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted in favor of the bill.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The Senate met into the night to pass the bill with an 87-11 tally. Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted in favor of the bill.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Ending the threat of a government shutdown until after the holidays, Congress gave final approval Wednesday night to a temporary government funding package that pushes a confrontation over the federal budget into the new year.The Senate met into the night to pass the bill with an 87-11 tally. Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted in favor of the bill.&nbsp;The legislation now goes to President Joe Biden for his signature one day after it passed the House on an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-house-republican-speaker-johnson-9cb26b703804a9e82e776e44caedcaa2">overwhelming bipartisan vote</a>. It provides a funding patch into next year, when the House and Senate will be forced to confront — and somehow overcome — their considerable differences over what funding levels should be.In the meantime, the bill removes the threat of a government shutdown days before funding would have expired.“This year, there will be no government shutdown,” Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/sen-chuck-schumer">Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;said at a news conference after the bill's passage.The spending package keeps government funding at current levels for roughly two more months while a long-term package is negotiated. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-budget-mike-johnson-d942acf1a8b163f0b52f209da42953c6">splits the deadlines</a>&nbsp;for passing full-year appropriations bills into two dates: Jan. 19 for some federal agencies and Feb. 2 for others, creating two deadlines where there will be a risk of a partial government shutdown.“Everybody is really kind of ready to vote and fight another day,” Republican Whip John Thune, the No. 2 Republican, said earlier Wednesday.The two-step approach was not favored by many in the Senate, though all but one Democrat and 10 Republicans supported it because it ensured the government would not shut down for now. Sen. Patty Murray, the Washington Democrat who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, voted for the bill but said it would eventually “double the shutdown risk.”The spending bill also does not include the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">White House’s nearly $106 billion</a>&nbsp;request for wartime aid for Israel and Ukraine, as well as humanitarian funding for Palestinians and other supplemental requests. Lawmakers are likely to turn their attention more fully to that request after the Thanksgiving holiday in hopes of negotiating a deal.House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>, who crafted the plan, has vowed that he will not support any further stopgap funding measures, known as continuing resolutions. He portrayed the temporary funding bill as setting the ground for a spending “fight” with the Senate next year.The new speaker, who told reporters this week that he counted himself among the “arch-conservatives” of the House, is pushing for deeper spending cuts. He wanted to avoid lawmakers being forced to consider a massive government funding package before the December holidays — a tactic that incenses conservatives in particular.But Johnson is also facing pushback from other hardline conservatives who wanted to leverage the prospect of a government shutdown to extract steep cuts and policy demands.Many of those conservatives were among a group of 19 Republicans who defied Johnson Wednesday to prevent floor consideration of an appropriations bill to fund several government agencies.GOP leaders called off the week's work after the vote, sending lawmakers home early for Thanksgiving. It capped a period of intense bickering among lawmakers.“This place is a pressure cooker,” Johnson said Tuesday, noting that the House had been in Washington for 10 weeks straight.The House GOP's inability to present a united front on funding legislation could undercut the Louisiana congressman's ability to negotiate spending bills with the Senate.Republicans are demanding that Congress work out government funding through 12 separate bills, as the budgetary process requires, but House leadership has so far been forced to pull two of those bills from the floor, seen another rejected on a procedural vote and struggled to win support for others.When it returns in two weeks, Congress is expected to focus on the Biden administration's requests for Ukraine and Israel funding. Republican senators have demanded that Congress pass immigration and border legislation alongside additional Ukraine aid, but a bipartisan Senate group working on a possible compromise has struggled to find consensus.Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in a floor speech pledged that Republicans would continue to push for policy changes on the U.S. border with Mexico, saying it is “impossible to ignore the crisis at our southern border that’s erupted on Washington Democrats’ watch.”One idea floating among Republicans is directly tying Ukraine funding levels with decreases in the number of illegal border crossings. It showed how even longtime supporters of Ukraine’s defense against Russia are willing to hold up the funding to force Congress to tackle an issue that has flummoxed generations of lawmakers: U.S. border policy.Most Senate Republicans support the Ukraine funding, said Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., but he added, “It is secondary to securing our own border."But the U.S. is already trimming some of the wartime aid packages it is sending Ukraine as funds run low, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said from San Francisco, where he accompanied President Joe Biden for a summit of Asia-Pacific leaders.He said the pot of money available for Ukraine is “withering away, and with it will be a deleterious effect on Ukraine’s ability to continue to defend itself."Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said in a statement that he voted against Wednesday's funding package because it did not include aid for Ukraine.Schumer said the Senate would try to move forward on both the funding and border legislation in the coming weeks, but warned it would require a compromise and implored the House speaker, Johnson, to once again work with Democrats.“I hope the new speaker continues to choose the bipartisan approach,” Schumer said.