TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators aren't likely to legalize marijuana for medical uses this year following a vote Thursday.

A Senate committee tabled a bill that would allow doctors to sign off on patients using marijuana products to treat 21 illnesses or conditions, including cancer, epilepsy, spinal cord injuries or chronic pain, starting in July 2024. Committee Chair Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican, said he has no plans to bring the bill back up this year.

Thirty-seven states allow the medical use of marijuana, including Oklahoma and Arkansas. Of those, 21 also allow recreational use, including Colorado and Missouri.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly supports legalizing medical marijuana, but opposition from law enforcement officials bolstered the skepticism of Thompson and other conservative Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature.

The Kansas House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-health-medical-marijuana-marijuana-7f059c07fd72dbec30180f0f50f6dc74">passed a medical marijuana bill</a>&nbsp;in 2021, but the measure didn't receive a committee vote in the Senate. Like this year's bill, the earlier measure would prohibit smoking pot or vaping with it.

The bill before the Senate committee would require both patients and their caregivers to register with the state health department to have permission to buy marijuana at state-licensed dispensaries. The state would impose a 10% tax on dispensaries' sales.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1564743065476.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators aren't likely to legalize marijuana for medical uses this year following a vote Thursday.A Senate committee tabled a bill that would allow doctors to sign off on patients using marijuana products to treat 21 illnesses or conditions, including cancer, epilepsy, spinal cord injuries or chronic pain, starting in July 2024. Committee Chair Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican, said he has no plans to bring the bill back up this year.Thirty-seven states allow the medical use of marijuana, including Oklahoma and Arkansas. Of those, 21 also allow recreational use, including Colorado and Missouri.Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly supports legalizing medical marijuana, but opposition from law enforcement officials bolstered the skepticism of Thompson and other conservative Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature.The Kansas House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-health-medical-marijuana-marijuana-7f059c07fd72dbec30180f0f50f6dc74">passed a medical marijuana bill</a>&nbsp;in 2021, but the measure didn't receive a committee vote in the Senate. Like this year's bill, the earlier measure would prohibit smoking pot or vaping with it.The bill before the Senate committee would require both patients and their caregivers to register with the state health department to have permission to buy marijuana at state-licensed dispensaries. The state would impose a 10% tax on dispensaries' sales.___

Kansas push for medical marijuana appears done for this year

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces charges in connection with the March 12, 2023, fatal shooting of Darryl B. Brown III, who answered the door of a south Kansas City residence and was met by gunfire from the defendant, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Derek C. Jones, 24, faces Murder 2nd Degree, Armed Criminal Action, and Violation of an Order of Protection.

According to court records, police were dispatched to the 8400 block of Highland Avenue in Kansas City on a report of shots fired. They encountered a victim on the floor inside the front door of the residence. 

He was unresponsive and was later pronounced deceased. Officers obtained information that the defendant, Derek C. Jones, was the shooting suspect. 

Witnesses told police that the victim was with several children in the residence when there was a knock at the door and the victim went to the door. 

Jones stepped one foot inside, the witness told police, and discharged a firearm several times at the victim.

 He backed up and re-approached the door, discharging more rounds at the victim. He did the same a third time. Jones told police he knocked on the door and fired shots at the victim when it was opened. He also retrieved the victim's pistol and took it with him when he left the residence. Jones is being held on a $250,000 cash bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678905755457.png" alt="Jones-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Jones-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces charges in connection with the March 12, 2023, fatal shooting of Darryl B. Brown III, who answered the door of a south Kansas City residence and was met by gunfire from the defendant, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Derek C. Jones, 24, faces Murder 2nd Degree, Armed Criminal Action, and Violation of an Order of Protection.According to court records, police were dispatched to the 8400 block of Highland Avenue in Kansas City on a report of shots fired. They encountered a victim on the floor inside the front door of the residence. He was unresponsive and was later pronounced deceased. Officers obtained information that the defendant, Derek C. Jones, was the shooting suspect. Witnesses told police that the victim was with several children in the residence when there was a knock at the door and the victim went to the door. Jones stepped one foot inside, the witness told police, and discharged a firearm several times at the victim. He backed up and re-approached the door, discharging more rounds at the victim. He did the same a third time. Jones told police he knocked on the door and fired shots at the victim when it was opened. He also retrieved the victim's pistol and took it with him when he left the residence. Jones is being held on a $250,000 cash bond.

Man shot, killed when he answered door of his KC home

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after he was seen littering from his vehicle.

Just before 3a.m. Thursday,&nbsp; a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) deputy with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a&nbsp; 2000 Ford Taurus after a mattress fell off the top of the vehicle near SW 29th Street and SW Topeka Boulevard, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. 

The driver identified as 59-year-old Robert N. Kirk, Jr.&nbsp; of Topeka had an expired and suspended Kansas driver’s license and felony warrants out of Shawnee County and Elk County, Kansas.

During the investigation, the deputy found illegal narcotics and arrested Kirk on requested&nbsp;charge of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while license suspended and littering from vehicle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678991093670.png" alt="Kirk-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Kirk-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after he was seen littering from his vehicle.Just before 3a.m. Thursday,&nbsp; a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) deputy with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a&nbsp; 2000 Ford Taurus after a mattress fell off the top of the vehicle near SW 29th Street and SW Topeka Boulevard, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. The driver identified as 59-year-old Robert N. Kirk, Jr.&nbsp; of Topeka had an expired and suspended Kansas driver’s license and felony warrants out of Shawnee County and Elk County, Kansas.During the investigation, the deputy found illegal narcotics and arrested Kirk on requested&nbsp;charge of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while license suspended and littering from vehicle.

Sheriff: Kan. driver lost mattress and is accused of drug possession

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican lawmakers pushing to prevent Kansas from investing its funds using socially and environmentally conscious principles disagree about also imposing rules for investment managers handling private funds, complicating their efforts to thwart what they see as “woke” investing.

Committees in the Kansas House and Senate this week approved competing versions of anti-ESG legislation, and the two chambers could debate them as early as next week. ESG stands for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-esg-investing-3a98b6f584357b8e10c31b1ff93ce4b6">environmental, social and governance</a>&nbsp;and those considerations have become more prominent in investing in recent years, sparking a nationwide backlash from conservative Republicans.

The Kansas Senate's version of the anti-ESG measure would require private money managers to get their clients' written consent before investing their funds along ESG principles. The House bill contains no such provision.

The issue of requiring managers of private funds to disclose their ESG activities to clients or to get clients' verbal or written consent to use them appears to be the last major sticking point among Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature. They've already backed off the toughest version of the anti-ESG legislation because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/esg-woke-investing-big-business-backlash-be6dac7d7d25d823645525597b6f1782">opposition from powerful business groups</a>, and have rewritten both bills to prevent projected investment losses of $3.6 billion over 10 years for the pension fund for Kansas teachers and government workers.

A desire to thwart ESG investing has some Republicans breaking with the party's longstanding aversion to tougher business regulations.

“We have labels on our food,” said state Rep. Michael Murphy, a Republican from rural south-central Kansas who backed the strongest anti-ESG legislation. “We could look at it and say, ‘Well, I don’t want that, and I’ll take this over here.' It allows you to make that choice, and that's all this is.”

Supporters of ESG principles argue that they're not about investment managers boycotting industries such as oil production. Instead, they encourage being more comprehensive about assessing investment risks, such as whether concerns about climate change make green energy more attractive and fossil fuels less so. They also argue that Republicans have turned ESG into a culture war issue to keep the GOP's conservative base riled up.

In Kansas, Democrats argue that anti-ESG legislation is unnecessary because state law already requires its managers to work to get the maximum investment returns possible. They also worry that even if the final legislation focuses on the investment of state funds, its provisions will be broad enough to handcuff cities and counties if, for example, they want to purchase energy from green sources.

“It's going to cause problems,” said Kansas City-area Rep. Rui Xu, the top Democrat on the House committee that handled the anti-ESG legislation.

Utah's Republican state treasurer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2023/03/14/utah-treasurer-marlo-oaks-tells/">recently told a GOP gathering</a>&nbsp;that ESG “opens the door to authoritarianism” and is “Satan's plan.” On Thursday, 19 GOP governors, including Ron DeSantis of Florida and Kristi Noem of South Dakota, issued&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.sd.gov/doc/JointGovernors-Policy-StatementonESG_3-16-2023.pdf">a joint statement</a>&nbsp;calling ESG a "direct threat to the American economy, individual economic freedom, and our way of life.”

In Kansas, newly elected GOP Attorney General Kris Kobach and Republican State Treasurer Steven Johnson back anti-ESG measures, but they've argued that allowing the investment of state funds using ESG principles threatens to reduce the state's investment returns. Kobach has argued for an informed consent requirement for private money managers as a consumer protection measure.

But state Rep. Nick Hoheisel, a Wichita Republican who chairs the House committee that handled anti-ESG legislation, said its GOP members don't want to impose new mandates on private businesses.

“We have enough mandates on businesses already,” Hoheisel said after the committee approved its bill. “In fact, we need to go back and start repealing some mandates on businesses.”

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican lawmakers pushing to prevent Kansas from investing its funds using socially and environmentally conscious principles disagree about also imposing rules for investment managers handling private funds, complicating their efforts to thwart what they see as “woke” investing.Committees in the Kansas House and Senate this week approved competing versions of anti-ESG legislation, and the two chambers could debate them as early as next week. ESG stands for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-esg-investing-3a98b6f584357b8e10c31b1ff93ce4b6">environmental, social and governance</a>&nbsp;and those considerations have become more prominent in investing in recent years, sparking a nationwide backlash from conservative Republicans.The Kansas Senate's version of the anti-ESG measure would require private money managers to get their clients' written consent before investing their funds along ESG principles. The House bill contains no such provision.The issue of requiring managers of private funds to disclose their ESG activities to clients or to get clients' verbal or written consent to use them appears to be the last major sticking point among Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature. They've already backed off the toughest version of the anti-ESG legislation because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/esg-woke-investing-big-business-backlash-be6dac7d7d25d823645525597b6f1782">opposition from powerful business groups</a>, and have rewritten both bills to prevent projected investment losses of $3.6 billion over 10 years for the pension fund for Kansas teachers and government workers.A desire to thwart ESG investing has some Republicans breaking with the party's longstanding aversion to tougher business regulations.“We have labels on our food,” said state Rep. Michael Murphy, a Republican from rural south-central Kansas who backed the strongest anti-ESG legislation. “We could look at it and say, ‘Well, I don’t want that, and I’ll take this over here.' It allows you to make that choice, and that's all this is.”Supporters of ESG principles argue that they're not about investment managers boycotting industries such as oil production. Instead, they encourage being more comprehensive about assessing investment risks, such as whether concerns about climate change make green energy more attractive and fossil fuels less so. They also argue that Republicans have turned ESG into a culture war issue to keep the GOP's conservative base riled up.In Kansas, Democrats argue that anti-ESG legislation is unnecessary because state law already requires its managers to work to get the maximum investment returns possible. They also worry that even if the final legislation focuses on the investment of state funds, its provisions will be broad enough to handcuff cities and counties if, for example, they want to purchase energy from green sources.“It's going to cause problems,” said Kansas City-area Rep. Rui Xu, the top Democrat on the House committee that handled the anti-ESG legislation.Utah's Republican state treasurer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2023/03/14/utah-treasurer-marlo-oaks-tells/">recently told a GOP gathering</a>&nbsp;that ESG “opens the door to authoritarianism” and is “Satan's plan.” On Thursday, 19 GOP governors, including Ron DeSantis of Florida and Kristi Noem of South Dakota, issued&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.sd.gov/doc/JointGovernors-Policy-StatementonESG_3-16-2023.pdf">a joint statement</a>&nbsp;calling ESG a "direct threat to the American economy, individual economic freedom, and our way of life.”In Kansas, newly elected GOP Attorney General Kris Kobach and Republican State Treasurer Steven Johnson back anti-ESG measures, but they've argued that allowing the investment of state funds using ESG principles threatens to reduce the state's investment returns. Kobach has argued for an informed consent requirement for private money managers as a consumer protection measure.But state Rep. Nick Hoheisel, a Wichita Republican who chairs the House committee that handled anti-ESG legislation, said its GOP members don't want to impose new mandates on private businesses.“We have enough mandates on businesses already,” Hoheisel said after the committee approved its bill. “In fact, we need to go back and start repealing some mandates on businesses.”

Kansas anti-ESG push slowed by debate over private investors

BUTLER COUNTY—The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and El Dorado Police continue their investigation of a shooting that critically injured a woman in El Dorado.

On Thursday, the victim was identified as 38-year-old Nateka Jones of El Dorado, according to Police Chief Mike Holton.

Just after 1a.m. Wednesday, police responded to report of a shooting at a home in the 600 block of west Olive Street in El Dorado, according to Police Chief Mike Holton.

First responders found Jones who had been shot at the home. Butler County EMS transported her to a Wichita hospital.

 She remained in critical, but stable condition Thursday afternoon, according to Holton.&nbsp; Police have interviewed a person of interest in this case and hope to obtain a statement from the victim as soon as she is able to talk with investigators.

BUTLER COUNTY—The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and El Dorado Police continue their investigation of a shooting that critically injured a woman in El Dorado.On Thursday, the victim was identified as 38-year-old Nateka Jones of El Dorado, according to Police Chief Mike Holton.Just after 1a.m. Wednesday, police responded to report of a shooting at a home in the 600 block of west Olive Street in El Dorado, according to Police Chief Mike Holton.First responders found Jones who had been shot at the home. Butler County EMS transported her to a Wichita hospital. She remained in critical, but stable condition Thursday afternoon, according to Holton.&nbsp; Police have interviewed a person of interest in this case and hope to obtain a statement from the victim as soon as she is able to talk with investigators.---------

Police: Kan. woman remains in critical condition from shooting 

NEW YORK (AP) — Eleven of the biggest banks in the country announced a $30 billion rescue package for First Republic Bank on Thursday, in an effort to prevent the California-based bank from becoming the third bank to fail in less than a week.

First Republic serves a similar clientele as Silicon Valley Bank, which failed Friday after depositors withdrew about $40 billion. It appears that First Republic, which had deposits totaling $176.4 billion as of Dec. 31, was facing a similar crisis.

In a statement, the group of banks confirmed that other unnamed banks had seen large amounts of withdrawals of uninsured deposits, which are those that exceed the $250,000 level insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. First Republic's shares dropped more than 60% Monday, even after the bank said it had secured additional funding from JPMorgan and the Federal Reserve.

Thursday the bank’s shares were down as much as 36%, but rallied after reports the rescue package was in the works, and closed up nearly 9%.

JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup and Wells Fargo have agreed to each put $5 billion in uninsured deposits into First Republic. Meanwhile Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs would deposit $2.5 billion each into the bank. The remaining $5 billion would consist of $1 billion contributions from BNY Mellon, State Street, PNC Bank, Truist and US Bank.

“The actions of America's largest banks reflect their confidence in the country's banking system,” the banks said in their statement.

The nation's banking regulators also issued a statement in support of the bank rescue package.

“This show of support by a group of large banks is most welcome, and demonstrates the resilience of the banking system,” said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg.

The news could help calm the nerves of bank investors after the collapse last week of Silicon Valley Bank, which was the second biggest bank failure in U.S. history after the demise of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/08aeb5a6c9d542ccb6d6154d4fa1e3a6">Washington Mutual</a>&nbsp;in 2008.

The shuttering of Silicon Valley Bank Friday and of New York-based Signature Bank two days later has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/banks-federal-reserve-silicon-valley-lending-rescue-a04875a164165b50e971ff4576bf4e27">revived bad memories</a>&nbsp;of the financial crisis that plunged the United States into the Great Recession of 2007-2009.

Over the weekend the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-wall-street-silicon-valley-banks-trump-e6c27850d35d7f782fc6af9498925e7f">federal government</a>, determined to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-uk-bailout-hsbc-sale-4d2da0e9c6f39c0fd8faf321a2b295cf">restore public confidence</a>&nbsp;in the banking system, moved to protect all the banks' deposits, even those that exceeded the FDIC’s $250,000 limit per individual account.

NEW YORK (AP) — A group of Wall Street banks is planning a rescue package of at least $20 billion for <a href="https://www.firstrepublic.com/locations?gnav=globalheader;locations-view-all-locations">First Republic Bank, </a>sources told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The rescue package comes as San Francisco-based First Republic has been battered by investors and worries have grown that the midsized bank might be the next to fail, after Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.

Sources familiar with the matter said that JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs are part of the group of banks pulling together the package. It is likely to consist of $20 billion in deposits and capital for First Republic, but it might be as high as $30 billion.

The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because the package was still being developed.

A First Republic spokesman declined to comment on the reports.

First Republic Bank's stock has faltered as customers began pulling their deposits out. But it was up more than 3% Thursday after reports of the recue package surfaced.

The news comes after the collapse last week of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/svb-fed-bonds-rates-banks-inflation-a24b28b3caeede91c76cd120aa9b7966">Silicon Valley Bank</a>, which was the second biggest bank failure in U.S. history after the demise of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/08aeb5a6c9d542ccb6d6154d4fa1e3a6">Washington Mutual</a>&nbsp;in 2008.

The shuttering of Silicon Valley Bank Friday and of New York-based&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/signature-bank-fdic-new-york-svb-40c361918e2bc9c20d7b19b683b01f65">Signature Bank</a>&nbsp;two days later has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/banks-federal-reserve-silicon-valley-lending-rescue-a04875a164165b50e971ff4576bf4e27">revived bad memories</a>&nbsp;of the financial crisis that plunged the United States into the Great Recession of 2007-2009.

The White House had no comment Thursday on the reports of the rescue package for First Republic Bank, which has more than $200 billion in assets.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678995137267.png" alt="First Republic Bank's stock has faltered as customers began pulling their deposits out. But it was up more than 3% Thursday after reports of the recue package surfaced-photo courtesy First Republic Bank" />
 <figcaption>First Republic Bank's stock has faltered as customers began pulling their deposits out. But it was up more than 3% Thursday after reports of the recue package surfaced-photo courtesy First Republic Bank</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Eleven of the biggest banks in the country announced a $30 billion rescue package for First Republic Bank on Thursday, in an effort to prevent the California-based bank from becoming the third bank to fail in less than a week.First Republic serves a similar clientele as Silicon Valley Bank, which failed Friday after depositors withdrew about $40 billion. It appears that First Republic, which had deposits totaling $176.4 billion as of Dec. 31, was facing a similar crisis.In a statement, the group of banks confirmed that other unnamed banks had seen large amounts of withdrawals of uninsured deposits, which are those that exceed the $250,000 level insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. First Republic's shares dropped more than 60% Monday, even after the bank said it had secured additional funding from JPMorgan and the Federal Reserve.Thursday the bank’s shares were down as much as 36%, but rallied after reports the rescue package was in the works, and closed up nearly 9%.JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup and Wells Fargo have agreed to each put $5 billion in uninsured deposits into First Republic. Meanwhile Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs would deposit $2.5 billion each into the bank. The remaining $5 billion would consist of $1 billion contributions from BNY Mellon, State Street, PNC Bank, Truist and US Bank.“The actions of America's largest banks reflect their confidence in the country's banking system,” the banks said in their statement.The nation's banking regulators also issued a statement in support of the bank rescue package.“This show of support by a group of large banks is most welcome, and demonstrates the resilience of the banking system,” said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg.The news could help calm the nerves of bank investors after the collapse last week of Silicon Valley Bank, which was the second biggest bank failure in U.S. history after the demise of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/08aeb5a6c9d542ccb6d6154d4fa1e3a6">Washington Mutual</a>&nbsp;in 2008.The shuttering of Silicon Valley Bank Friday and of New York-based Signature Bank two days later has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/banks-federal-reserve-silicon-valley-lending-rescue-a04875a164165b50e971ff4576bf4e27">revived bad memories</a>&nbsp;of the financial crisis that plunged the United States into the Great Recession of 2007-2009.Over the weekend the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-wall-street-silicon-valley-banks-trump-e6c27850d35d7f782fc6af9498925e7f">federal government</a>, determined to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-uk-bailout-hsbc-sale-4d2da0e9c6f39c0fd8faf321a2b295cf">restore public confidence</a>&nbsp;in the banking system, moved to protect all the banks' deposits, even those that exceeded the FDIC’s $250,000 limit per individual account.----------------NEW YORK (AP) — A group of Wall Street banks is planning a rescue package of at least $20 billion for <a href="https://www.firstrepublic.com/locations?gnav=globalheader;locations-view-all-locations">First Republic Bank, </a>sources told The Associated Press on Thursday.The rescue package comes as San Francisco-based First Republic has been battered by investors and worries have grown that the midsized bank might be the next to fail, after Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.Sources familiar with the matter said that JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs are part of the group of banks pulling together the package. It is likely to consist of $20 billion in deposits and capital for First Republic, but it might be as high as $30 billion.The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because the package was still being developed.A First Republic spokesman declined to comment on the reports.First Republic Bank's stock has faltered as customers began pulling their deposits out. But it was up more than 3% Thursday after reports of the recue package surfaced.The news comes after the collapse last week of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/svb-fed-bonds-rates-banks-inflation-a24b28b3caeede91c76cd120aa9b7966">Silicon Valley Bank</a>, which was the second biggest bank failure in U.S. history after the demise of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/08aeb5a6c9d542ccb6d6154d4fa1e3a6">Washington Mutual</a>&nbsp;in 2008.The shuttering of Silicon Valley Bank Friday and of New York-based&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/signature-bank-fdic-new-york-svb-40c361918e2bc9c20d7b19b683b01f65">Signature Bank</a>&nbsp;two days later has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/banks-federal-reserve-silicon-valley-lending-rescue-a04875a164165b50e971ff4576bf4e27">revived bad memories</a>&nbsp;of the financial crisis that plunged the United States into the Great Recession of 2007-2009.Over the weekend the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-wall-street-silicon-valley-banks-trump-e6c27850d35d7f782fc6af9498925e7f">federal government</a>, determined to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-uk-bailout-hsbc-sale-4d2da0e9c6f39c0fd8faf321a2b295cf">restore public confidence</a>&nbsp;in the banking system, moved to protect all the banks' deposits, even those that exceeded the FDIC’s $250,000 limit per individual account.The White House had no comment Thursday on the reports of the rescue package for First Republic Bank, which has more than $200 billion in assets.

Effort underway on $30 billion rescue plan for failing U.S. bank

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti won confirmation Wednesday from a divided Senate as the nation’s next ambassador to India, more than a year and a half after he was first nominated by President Joe Biden and after weathering doubts about his truthfulness in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-india-los-angeles-chuck-grassley-dfefd15c6e8a199fb9246df8a6ef5d0a">sexual harassment scandal</a>&nbsp;involving a City Hall adviser.

<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00055.htm">The 52-42 vote gave the</a> administration a long-sought victory with several Republicans breaking party discipline for the vote that they said was critical to fill one of the country’s highest-profile diplomatic posts.

<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00055.htm">Kansas Senator Roger Marshall</a> joined Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Steve Daines of Montana, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee and Todd Young of Indiana and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00055.htm">voted</a>&nbsp;to confirm Garcetti.&nbsp; Kansas senior Senator Jerry Moran voted against the nomination.

“It’s a national security imperative to immediately have an ambassador in place in India. We can’t afford to wait any longer,” said Indiana Sen. Todd Young, one of the Republican crossover votes.

The day began with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/india-biden-garcetti-senate-ef19f4f436b38e3bd6f80d834b852fc8">uncertain prospects for Garcetti,</a>&nbsp;a two-term, progressive Democrat first nominated to the diplomatic post by Biden in July 2021.

With several Democrats defecting, Garcetti's fate rested with Republican senators in a chamber&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-business-eric-garcetti-congress-601c278321167879fcc81b53f904818e">often divided along partisan lines.</a>&nbsp;He secured seven GOP votes, more than enough to make up for the Democratic breakaways.

Marshall said having an ambassador in place in India was vital in advancing relations among members of the “quad” — the U.S. India, Australia and Japan, which he said puts pressure on China.

“We don’t agree on all the different policies he did as mayor, but I think he’s a good person at heart and he would be a good ambassador,” Marshall said. He said on the allegations: “He answered my questions adequately.”

At the White House, spokesperson Olivia Dalton said Biden “believes that we have a crucial and consequential partnership with India and that Mayor Garcetti will make a strong and effective ambassador.”

The vacancy in the ambassadorship had left a significant diplomatic gap for the administration at a time of rising global tensions, including China’s increasingly assertive presence in the Pacific region and Russia’s war with Ukraine.

India, the world’s most populous democracy, is continuing to buy oil from Russia, while Western governments move to limit fossil fuel earnings that support Moscow’s budget, its military and its invasion of Ukraine. Russia also provides the majority of India’s military hardware.

The nomination had been freighted with questions about what the former mayor knew, and when, about sexual harassment allegations against his friend and once-close adviser, Rick Jacobs. A lawsuit alleges that Jacobs frequently harassed one of the then-mayor’s police bodyguards while Garcetti ignored the abuse or laughed it off.

Garcetti, the son of former Los Angeles district attorney Gil Garcetti, has repeatedly denied the claims. Jacobs has called the allegations against him “pure fiction.” The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year.

At a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-los-angeles-india-3e3ed6a19cfba4fb441a041586dd5051">Senate committee hearing</a>&nbsp;in December 2021, Garcetti said, “I never witnessed, nor was it brought to my attention, the behavior that’s been alleged. … If it had been, I would have immediately taken action to stop that.”

Wednesday's vote tested Democratic loyalty to Biden, and also measured assessments of Garcetti’s judgment and trustworthiness, stemming from the City Hall allegations that shadowed him in the #MeToo era.

“I think we can find somebody that will do the job better,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, one of the Democrats who opposed Garcetti.

Garcetti also failed to win over Democrat Mark Kelly of Arizona, who said he had “serious concerns.”

Rachel Rizzo, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, said she sensed frustration about the lack of an ambassador during a recent trip to India. She said it gave "an impression that the relationship isn’t important.”

“It really points to the internal dysfunction in the U.S. Congress at the moment, and it makes it very hard for us to send the messages that we’re trying to send when it looks to our diplomatic partners that we don’t have our house in order,” she said.

Last May, a top Senate Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-india-los-angeles-chuck-grassley-dfefd15c6e8a199fb9246df8a6ef5d0a">released an investigation t</a>&nbsp;hat concluded Garcetti “likely knew or should have known” that Jacobs was alleged to be sexually harassing city employees, a finding that appeared to contradict the mayor’s assertion that he was unaware of any inappropriate behavior. The 23-page report released by Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa found it was “extremely unlikely” that the mayor would not have been aware.

The White House called that report a partisan smear.

In a final push to stop the nomination, Grassley released a statement Tuesday saying his office identified at least 19 people who said they either witnessed inappropriate behavior by Jacobs or were victims of it.

“On the one hand, the Biden administration says it supports victims," Grassley wrote. "Yet, on the other hand, the Biden administration supports a nominee who enables misconduct that creates more victims.”

The legal nonprofit Whistleblower Aid, which sought to defeat the nomination, said the vote “will have a chilling effect on future attempts to hold enablers and perpetrators to account and cause victims and witnesses to think twice about the risks they are taking in coming forward.”

The nomination, first announced in July 2021, cleared the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January 2022 but was not considered by the full Senate.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-los-angeles-india-eric-garcetti-898945408a3033d088c0dff961bd5c4a">Biden renominated Garcetti early this year,</a>&nbsp;and the White House has defended him as a well-qualified candidate.

On a politically divided vote, the committee again advanced the nomination to the full Senate early this month, though Jim Risch of Idaho, the top Republican on the panel, said that “new evidence” had raised questions about Garcetti’s judgment and prompted him to oppose the nomination.

Garcetti’s confirmation follows a contentious tenure at Los Angeles City Hall framed by rising homelessness, the pandemic and high crime rates as well as sexual harassment and corruption scandals. The Los Angeles area, once known for boundless growth, has seen its population decline.

Garcetti took office in 2013 with a “back to basics” agenda that centered on fixing L.A.’s notoriously cratered streets and sidewalks. But those early ambitions faded as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-business-crime-los-angeles-homelessness-16e5653f2eaf40b1574fd0d512aa2240">out-of-control homeless encampments</a>&nbsp;transformed the city and then the government shuttered businesses, restaurants and schoolrooms — and shed hundreds of thousands of jobs — in the depths of the pandemic.

Still, the former mayor has been credited with continuing a transit buildup in a city choked with traffic and establishing tougher earthquake safety standards for thousands of buildings.

An Ivy Leaguer and Rhodes Scholar, he spent two decades in city government either as mayor or a city councilman and took a circuitous path toward the diplomatic corps. Ambassadorships are frequently a reward for political supporters.

Garcetti&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c71a4bec6c434383b37bc46c58a4ff74">considered a 2020 White House</a>&nbsp;run but later became part of Biden’s inner circle, emerging as a widely discussed possibility to join the Cabinet.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-race-and-ethnicity-cabinets-coronavirus-pandemic-f81b90eeab4f8ee51dbc6e43b8c93f76">He took himself out of the running</a>&nbsp;after many of the plum jobs had been filled, saying the coronavirus crisis at the time made it impossible for him to step away from City Hall.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678927862432.png" alt="Marshall said having an ambassador in place in India was vital in advancing relations among members of the “quad” — the U.S. India, Australia and Japan, which he said puts pressure on China.- photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Marshall said having an ambassador in place in India was vital in advancing relations among members of the “quad” — the U.S. India, Australia and Japan, which he said puts pressure on China.- photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti won confirmation Wednesday from a divided Senate as the nation’s next ambassador to India, more than a year and a half after he was first nominated by President Joe Biden and after weathering doubts about his truthfulness in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-india-los-angeles-chuck-grassley-dfefd15c6e8a199fb9246df8a6ef5d0a">sexual harassment scandal</a>&nbsp;involving a City Hall adviser.<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00055.htm">The 52-42 vote gave the</a> administration a long-sought victory with several Republicans breaking party discipline for the vote that they said was critical to fill one of the country’s highest-profile diplomatic posts.<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00055.htm">Kansas Senator Roger Marshall</a> joined Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Steve Daines of Montana, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee and Todd Young of Indiana and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00055.htm">voted</a>&nbsp;to confirm Garcetti.&nbsp; Kansas senior Senator Jerry Moran voted against the nomination.“It’s a national security imperative to immediately have an ambassador in place in India. We can’t afford to wait any longer,” said Indiana Sen. Todd Young, one of the Republican crossover votes.The day began with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/india-biden-garcetti-senate-ef19f4f436b38e3bd6f80d834b852fc8">uncertain prospects for Garcetti,</a>&nbsp;a two-term, progressive Democrat first nominated to the diplomatic post by Biden in July 2021.With several Democrats defecting, Garcetti's fate rested with Republican senators in a chamber&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-business-eric-garcetti-congress-601c278321167879fcc81b53f904818e">often divided along partisan lines.</a>&nbsp;He secured seven GOP votes, more than enough to make up for the Democratic breakaways.Marshall said having an ambassador in place in India was vital in advancing relations among members of the “quad” — the U.S. India, Australia and Japan, which he said puts pressure on China.“We don’t agree on all the different policies he did as mayor, but I think he’s a good person at heart and he would be a good ambassador,” Marshall said. He said on the allegations: “He answered my questions adequately.”At the White House, spokesperson Olivia Dalton said Biden “believes that we have a crucial and consequential partnership with India and that Mayor Garcetti will make a strong and effective ambassador.”The vacancy in the ambassadorship had left a significant diplomatic gap for the administration at a time of rising global tensions, including China’s increasingly assertive presence in the Pacific region and Russia’s war with Ukraine.India, the world’s most populous democracy, is continuing to buy oil from Russia, while Western governments move to limit fossil fuel earnings that support Moscow’s budget, its military and its invasion of Ukraine. Russia also provides the majority of India’s military hardware.The nomination had been freighted with questions about what the former mayor knew, and when, about sexual harassment allegations against his friend and once-close adviser, Rick Jacobs. A lawsuit alleges that Jacobs frequently harassed one of the then-mayor’s police bodyguards while Garcetti ignored the abuse or laughed it off.Garcetti, the son of former Los Angeles district attorney Gil Garcetti, has repeatedly denied the claims. Jacobs has called the allegations against him “pure fiction.” The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year.At a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-los-angeles-india-3e3ed6a19cfba4fb441a041586dd5051">Senate committee hearing</a>&nbsp;in December 2021, Garcetti said, “I never witnessed, nor was it brought to my attention, the behavior that’s been alleged. … If it had been, I would have immediately taken action to stop that.”Wednesday's vote tested Democratic loyalty to Biden, and also measured assessments of Garcetti’s judgment and trustworthiness, stemming from the City Hall allegations that shadowed him in the #MeToo era.“I think we can find somebody that will do the job better,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, one of the Democrats who opposed Garcetti.Garcetti also failed to win over Democrat Mark Kelly of Arizona, who said he had “serious concerns.”Rachel Rizzo, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, said she sensed frustration about the lack of an ambassador during a recent trip to India. She said it gave "an impression that the relationship isn’t important.”“It really points to the internal dysfunction in the U.S. Congress at the moment, and it makes it very hard for us to send the messages that we’re trying to send when it looks to our diplomatic partners that we don’t have our house in order,” she said.Last May, a top Senate Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-india-los-angeles-chuck-grassley-dfefd15c6e8a199fb9246df8a6ef5d0a">released an investigation t</a>&nbsp;hat concluded Garcetti “likely knew or should have known” that Jacobs was alleged to be sexually harassing city employees, a finding that appeared to contradict the mayor’s assertion that he was unaware of any inappropriate behavior. The 23-page report released by Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa found it was “extremely unlikely” that the mayor would not have been aware.The White House called that report a partisan smear.In a final push to stop the nomination, Grassley released a statement Tuesday saying his office identified at least 19 people who said they either witnessed inappropriate behavior by Jacobs or were victims of it.“On the one hand, the Biden administration says it supports victims," Grassley wrote. "Yet, on the other hand, the Biden administration supports a nominee who enables misconduct that creates more victims.”The legal nonprofit Whistleblower Aid, which sought to defeat the nomination, said the vote “will have a chilling effect on future attempts to hold enablers and perpetrators to account and cause victims and witnesses to think twice about the risks they are taking in coming forward.”The nomination, first announced in July 2021, cleared the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January 2022 but was not considered by the full Senate.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-los-angeles-india-eric-garcetti-898945408a3033d088c0dff961bd5c4a">Biden renominated Garcetti early this year,</a>&nbsp;and the White House has defended him as a well-qualified candidate.On a politically divided vote, the committee again advanced the nomination to the full Senate early this month, though Jim Risch of Idaho, the top Republican on the panel, said that “new evidence” had raised questions about Garcetti’s judgment and prompted him to oppose the nomination.Garcetti’s confirmation follows a contentious tenure at Los Angeles City Hall framed by rising homelessness, the pandemic and high crime rates as well as sexual harassment and corruption scandals. The Los Angeles area, once known for boundless growth, has seen its population decline.Garcetti took office in 2013 with a “back to basics” agenda that centered on fixing L.A.’s notoriously cratered streets and sidewalks. But those early ambitions faded as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-business-crime-los-angeles-homelessness-16e5653f2eaf40b1574fd0d512aa2240">out-of-control homeless encampments</a>&nbsp;transformed the city and then the government shuttered businesses, restaurants and schoolrooms — and shed hundreds of thousands of jobs — in the depths of the pandemic.Still, the former mayor has been credited with continuing a transit buildup in a city choked with traffic and establishing tougher earthquake safety standards for thousands of buildings.An Ivy Leaguer and Rhodes Scholar, he spent two decades in city government either as mayor or a city councilman and took a circuitous path toward the diplomatic corps. Ambassadorships are frequently a reward for political supporters.Garcetti&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c71a4bec6c434383b37bc46c58a4ff74">considered a 2020 White House</a>&nbsp;run but later became part of Biden’s inner circle, emerging as a widely discussed possibility to join the Cabinet.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-race-and-ethnicity-cabinets-coronavirus-pandemic-f81b90eeab4f8ee51dbc6e43b8c93f76">He took himself out of the running</a>&nbsp;after many of the plum jobs had been filled, saying the coronavirus crisis at the time made it impossible for him to step away from City Hall.___

Marshall voted with Dems to confirm controversial ambassador  

KANSAS CITY (AP) —The stakes are higher in Ohio this year for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">March Madness</a>&nbsp;— and not just because it's a regional host for the first round of the men's NCAA basketball tournament.

For the first time, Ohio sports fans can click on a mobile app or tap into kiosks at bars, restaurants or grocery stores and legally bet on the famed tournament.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-legislature-betting-dodge-city-3dd926041924c63c3cdbf4ba950b1d98">Kansas</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-sports-betting-addiction-mobile-massachusetts-2a82643a86d6d17a42a1e52c27215854">Massachusetts</a>&nbsp;and Maryland also are new additions to the world of online sports betting since the NCAA tournament last tipped off. A total of 33 states and the District of Columbia now offer at least some form of sports wagering — each scrambling for shares of a multibillion-dollar enterprise that has rapidly expanded after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nv-state-wire-north-america-courts-supreme-courts-gambling-industry-f3fa1f71b8f44378a7e2c51d321b13b4">the U.S. Supreme Court allowed it</a>&nbsp;nearly five years ago.

Ohio got off to a booming start when it launched sports betting in January. In its first month, Ohio bettors&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-sports-betting-gambling-acedf48f0a29188936c9f95a16d4ca7a">wagered more than $1.1 billion</a>, generating more than $20 million in state tax revenue. That nearly tripled the revenue amount that legislative analysts had projected for the entire first six months of operation. But no one's blaming them for missing the mark.

“They couldn’t know how big of a market we were going to have on day one,” said Jessica Franks, communications director at the Ohio Casino Control Commission.

Whereas some states started with limited in-person sports betting and gradually added mobile apps, Ohio began more aggressively — simultaneously launching numerous mobile options and retail locations. Republican Gov. Mike DeWine is now proposing to double the tax rate on sports betting.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d09a306184914ed28c402251176cec8d">New York began allowing sports betting</a>&nbsp;in 2019, but only in person at four upstate casinos, limiting the market. Betting boomed when the state began allowing people to make sports bets through cell phones and computers in January 2022. In the first month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-business-football-new-york-new-jersey-5dd240f1375493c5c08066ec74034890">more than $1.6 billion was wagered</a>&nbsp;through online sports betting, compared to just $15 million through in-person sports bets at casinos.

New York charges a 51% tax on revenue from mobile sports betting — a far higher rate than other states — with most revenue going to education. Budget officials originally projected that mobile sports betting would generate $357 million in state tax revenue for the 2023 fiscal year, which ends March 31. Bettors have blown that away. Through February, mobile sports betting had&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gaming.ny.gov/pdf/mobile/Monthly%20Mobile%20Sports%20Wagering%20Report%20Statewide.pdf">generated $661 million of tax revenue</a>&nbsp;for education.

State Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr., who advocated for sports betting as chair of the Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee, said even he is amazed at the results.

“There is an appetite, certainly, to do sports betting with a mobile device," Addabbo said.

New York and Ohio both have large populations and multiple professional sports teams to help drive interest in sports betting.

Arkansas, a much smaller state without major league sports teams, began in-person sports betting at casinos in July 2019. Things really took off last year when it launched mobile sports betting. State figures show nearly $3 million was wagered on this year's Super Bowl — more than three times the annual amount before mobile betting was allowed.

State officials expect people from neighboring states to cross into Arkansas to bet on March Madness.

“We will be surprised if March doesn’t set a new monthly record for sports betting in the state,” said Scott Hardin, spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.

Other states also have exceeded expectations for sports betting revenues.

Indiana's sports wagering taxes topped $31 million in the 2022 fiscal year — well more than&nbsp;<a href="https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/house/1015#document-e379226d">the $12 million projection</a>&nbsp;when lawmakers authorized it in 2019. New Hampshire's tax take of nearly $24 million from sports betting easily doubled its original projection for the 2022 fiscal year.

But not every state is banking as many bucks as projected from sports betting.

Legislative analysts in Montana, which allows sports bets only from online networks inside bars and casinos, had anticipated that $79 million of bets would be cast last fiscal year, generating $4.8 million of state tax revenue. The actual results were about half that — $2.4 million of state tax revenue from about $45 million of sports bets.

Connecticut received less than $20 million in sports betting taxes in the first 16 months since wagering began in October 2021. Legislative analysts had projected $21 million in its first full fiscal year.

Nationwide, legal sports betting has generated more than $3 billion in state and federal taxes since the 2018 Supreme Court ruling allowing it, according to the American Gaming Association. It's producing about three-quarters of what eventually could be expected from a fully mature market.

The debate about sports betting has shifted from "`Is this something we should consider?' to 'How should we go about doing this in a way that best serves our constituencies?’” said Casey Clark, the association's senior vice president.

The prospects for sports betting to expand into more states this year appear mixed.

A bill legalizing sports betting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-gambling-legalized-betting-wagering-kentucky-8031ecb4f4568769eb4d22b6fc1201b6">passed the Kentucky House</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-gambling-legalized-betting-kentucky-legislature-5d51206d19c953e173c5036f92d9bb61">advanced Wednesday to the Senate</a>&nbsp;but still faces a high hurdle. Similar bills have died in the past in the Senate, and this year's version would a need three-fifths vote to pass.

Supporters also are taking another run at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-sports-minnesota-state-government-business-72906b8d372a2e1b9c7da3bcfd5005e1">a sports betting bill in Minnesota</a>&nbsp;and various other states.

In Missouri, attempts to authorize sports betting have gotten bogged down in the Senate over whether to pair them with regulations on slot-machine-style games that have been popping up in convenience stores.

In Georgia,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gambling-gaming-sports-betting-georgia-51ba7da58835cf3ae47bf3dc67eb9324">sports betting bills have stalled</a>&nbsp;amid debate about whether a constitutional amendment is needed, how to spend the potential tax revenue and whether to pair sports betting with the legalization of casinos and horse racing tracks.

The three most populous states — California, Texas and Florida — all currently lack online sports betting. The Seminole Tribe of Florida, which received exclusive state rights to run sports betting,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-business-florida-district-of-columbia-sports-betting-c1eaff80b40aeea9d243abeb5d760e01">shut down its online app</a>&nbsp;in December 2021 after federal courts ruled it violated a rule requiring people to be physically present on tribal land when wagering.

After the most expensive ballot issue battle in U.S. history, California voters last November rejected a pair of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-technology-sports-business-california-7552c76ea151ba145e8c85ee7b277838">rival sports betting initiatives</a>&nbsp;backed by Native American tribes and the gambling industry. Supporters are likely to try again, though it's unclear when that might occur.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678989435605.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID A. LIEB&nbsp;KANSAS CITY (AP) —The stakes are higher in Ohio this year for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">March Madness</a>&nbsp;— and not just because it's a regional host for the first round of the men's NCAA basketball tournament.For the first time, Ohio sports fans can click on a mobile app or tap into kiosks at bars, restaurants or grocery stores and legally bet on the famed tournament.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-legislature-betting-dodge-city-3dd926041924c63c3cdbf4ba950b1d98">Kansas</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-sports-betting-addiction-mobile-massachusetts-2a82643a86d6d17a42a1e52c27215854">Massachusetts</a>&nbsp;and Maryland also are new additions to the world of online sports betting since the NCAA tournament last tipped off. A total of 33 states and the District of Columbia now offer at least some form of sports wagering — each scrambling for shares of a multibillion-dollar enterprise that has rapidly expanded after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nv-state-wire-north-america-courts-supreme-courts-gambling-industry-f3fa1f71b8f44378a7e2c51d321b13b4">the U.S. Supreme Court allowed it</a>&nbsp;nearly five years ago.Ohio got off to a booming start when it launched sports betting in January. In its first month, Ohio bettors&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-sports-betting-gambling-acedf48f0a29188936c9f95a16d4ca7a">wagered more than $1.1 billion</a>, generating more than $20 million in state tax revenue. That nearly tripled the revenue amount that legislative analysts had projected for the entire first six months of operation. But no one's blaming them for missing the mark.“They couldn’t know how big of a market we were going to have on day one,” said Jessica Franks, communications director at the Ohio Casino Control Commission.Whereas some states started with limited in-person sports betting and gradually added mobile apps, Ohio began more aggressively — simultaneously launching numerous mobile options and retail locations. Republican Gov. Mike DeWine is now proposing to double the tax rate on sports betting.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d09a306184914ed28c402251176cec8d">New York began allowing sports betting</a>&nbsp;in 2019, but only in person at four upstate casinos, limiting the market. Betting boomed when the state began allowing people to make sports bets through cell phones and computers in January 2022. In the first month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-business-football-new-york-new-jersey-5dd240f1375493c5c08066ec74034890">more than $1.6 billion was wagered</a>&nbsp;through online sports betting, compared to just $15 million through in-person sports bets at casinos.New York charges a 51% tax on revenue from mobile sports betting — a far higher rate than other states — with most revenue going to education. Budget officials originally projected that mobile sports betting would generate $357 million in state tax revenue for the 2023 fiscal year, which ends March 31. Bettors have blown that away. Through February, mobile sports betting had&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gaming.ny.gov/pdf/mobile/Monthly%20Mobile%20Sports%20Wagering%20Report%20Statewide.pdf">generated $661 million of tax revenue</a>&nbsp;for education.State Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr., who advocated for sports betting as chair of the Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee, said even he is amazed at the results.“There is an appetite, certainly, to do sports betting with a mobile device," Addabbo said.New York and Ohio both have large populations and multiple professional sports teams to help drive interest in sports betting.Arkansas, a much smaller state without major league sports teams, began in-person sports betting at casinos in July 2019. Things really took off last year when it launched mobile sports betting. State figures show nearly $3 million was wagered on this year's Super Bowl — more than three times the annual amount before mobile betting was allowed.State officials expect people from neighboring states to cross into Arkansas to bet on March Madness.“We will be surprised if March doesn’t set a new monthly record for sports betting in the state,” said Scott Hardin, spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.Other states also have exceeded expectations for sports betting revenues.Indiana's sports wagering taxes topped $31 million in the 2022 fiscal year — well more than&nbsp;<a href="https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/house/1015#document-e379226d">the $12 million projection</a>&nbsp;when lawmakers authorized it in 2019. New Hampshire's tax take of nearly $24 million from sports betting easily doubled its original projection for the 2022 fiscal year.But not every state is banking as many bucks as projected from sports betting.Legislative analysts in Montana, which allows sports bets only from online networks inside bars and casinos, had anticipated that $79 million of bets would be cast last fiscal year, generating $4.8 million of state tax revenue. The actual results were about half that — $2.4 million of state tax revenue from about $45 million of sports bets.Connecticut received less than $20 million in sports betting taxes in the first 16 months since wagering began in October 2021. Legislative analysts had projected $21 million in its first full fiscal year.Nationwide, legal sports betting has generated more than $3 billion in state and federal taxes since the 2018 Supreme Court ruling allowing it, according to the American Gaming Association. It's producing about three-quarters of what eventually could be expected from a fully mature market.The debate about sports betting has shifted from "`Is this something we should consider?' to 'How should we go about doing this in a way that best serves our constituencies?’” said Casey Clark, the association's senior vice president.The prospects for sports betting to expand into more states this year appear mixed.A bill legalizing sports betting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-gambling-legalized-betting-wagering-kentucky-8031ecb4f4568769eb4d22b6fc1201b6">passed the Kentucky House</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-gambling-legalized-betting-kentucky-legislature-5d51206d19c953e173c5036f92d9bb61">advanced Wednesday to the Senate</a>&nbsp;but still faces a high hurdle. Similar bills have died in the past in the Senate, and this year's version would a need three-fifths vote to pass.Supporters also are taking another run at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-sports-minnesota-state-government-business-72906b8d372a2e1b9c7da3bcfd5005e1">a sports betting bill in Minnesota</a>&nbsp;and various other states.In Missouri, attempts to authorize sports betting have gotten bogged down in the Senate over whether to pair them with regulations on slot-machine-style games that have been popping up in convenience stores.In Georgia,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gambling-gaming-sports-betting-georgia-51ba7da58835cf3ae47bf3dc67eb9324">sports betting bills have stalled</a>&nbsp;amid debate about whether a constitutional amendment is needed, how to spend the potential tax revenue and whether to pair sports betting with the legalization of casinos and horse racing tracks.The three most populous states — California, Texas and Florida — all currently lack online sports betting. The Seminole Tribe of Florida, which received exclusive state rights to run sports betting,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-business-florida-district-of-columbia-sports-betting-c1eaff80b40aeea9d243abeb5d760e01">shut down its online app</a>&nbsp;in December 2021 after federal courts ruled it violated a rule requiring people to be physically present on tribal land when wagering.After the most expensive ballot issue battle in U.S. history, California voters last November rejected a pair of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-technology-sports-business-california-7552c76ea151ba145e8c85ee7b277838">rival sports betting initiatives</a>&nbsp;backed by Native American tribes and the gambling industry. Supporters are likely to try again, though it's unclear when that might occur.

Mobile sports bets booming in some states as others shy away

CHEROKEE COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Galena Police Department have identified the remains of a man found on Feb. 27, in a field in Galena, according to a media release.

The man has been identified as 52-year-old Peter C. Wittington, of Carthage, Missouri. Wittington last spoke to family in late 2022.

The investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play. Authorities are awaiting the final autopsy report. The investigation is ongoing.

CHEROKEE COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Galena Police Department are investigating a man’s death after remains were found Monday afternoon in Galena, Kansas.

At around 3 p.m. Monday, the Galena Police Department received a report of a body found in a field, near 11th&nbsp;Street and Wood Street, according to a media release from the KBI. When officers responded, they located the badly decomposed remains of a man.

At this time, the man has not been identified. Due to the condition of his remains, positive identification is expected to take longer than typical cases.

Death investigations may be determined to be the result of homicide, suicide, natural causes, or an accident. An autopsy is scheduled.

CHEROKEE COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Galena Police Department have identified the remains of a man found on Feb. 27, in a field in Galena, according to a media release.The man has been identified as 52-year-old Peter C. Wittington, of Carthage, Missouri. Wittington last spoke to family in late 2022.The investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play. Authorities are awaiting the final autopsy report. The investigation is ongoing.--------------CHEROKEE COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Galena Police Department are investigating a man’s death after remains were found Monday afternoon in Galena, Kansas.At around 3 p.m. Monday, the Galena Police Department received a report of a body found in a field, near 11th&nbsp;Street and Wood Street, according to a media release from the KBI. When officers responded, they located the badly decomposed remains of a man.At this time, the man has not been identified. Due to the condition of his remains, positive identification is expected to take longer than typical cases.Death investigations may be determined to be the result of homicide, suicide, natural causes, or an accident. An autopsy is scheduled.

Police ID body of man found in Kansas field

KANSAS CITY—A&nbsp;Kansas City man has been charged with Assault 1st Degree of a Law Enforcement Officer and other felonies after he was seen shooting with a gun later determined to be altered to be fully automatic at a chasing Cass County Sheriff's Deputy, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Kainon K. Singleton, 25, faces felony criminal charges of the Class A Felony of Assault 1st Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Resisting Arrest and two counts of Armed Criminal Action.

According to court records, early Friday Kansas City police officers notified Grandview police that they were conducting surveillance on a moving vehicle that was subject of a multi-agency burglary investigation. 

Cass County deputies soon joined the high-speed pursuit of the vehicle and deployed stop sticks. As the pursuit neared 140th Street in Grandview, the suspect fired at officers. 

Soon after, Cass County deputies deployed a heavy-duty nylon net that snagged the vehicle and it stopped. The defendant exited the vehicle and an officer pursued him on foot until he took the suspect to the ground. A handgun was recovered that had been modified to be fully automatic. 

A second gun altered to be fully automatic was recovered from the passenger, a woman. Inside the vehicle, officers found merchandise from an Overland Park, Kan., store that recently was burglarized and from a liquor store in Clay County. 

Singleton told an officer who asked to talked to him, &nbsp;"All that sh** is on me. I was driving and she was in the back seat." He remains jailed on a $250,000 cash bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678545125064.png" alt="Singleton-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Singleton-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—A&nbsp;Kansas City man has been charged with Assault 1st Degree of a Law Enforcement Officer and other felonies after he was seen shooting with a gun later determined to be altered to be fully automatic at a chasing Cass County Sheriff's Deputy, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Kainon K. Singleton, 25, faces felony criminal charges of the Class A Felony of Assault 1st Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Resisting Arrest and two counts of Armed Criminal Action.According to court records, early Friday Kansas City police officers notified Grandview police that they were conducting surveillance on a moving vehicle that was subject of a multi-agency burglary investigation. Cass County deputies soon joined the high-speed pursuit of the vehicle and deployed stop sticks. As the pursuit neared 140th Street in Grandview, the suspect fired at officers. Soon after, Cass County deputies deployed a heavy-duty nylon net that snagged the vehicle and it stopped. The defendant exited the vehicle and an officer pursued him on foot until he took the suspect to the ground. A handgun was recovered that had been modified to be fully automatic. A second gun altered to be fully automatic was recovered from the passenger, a woman. Inside the vehicle, officers found merchandise from an Overland Park, Kan., store that recently was burglarized and from a liquor store in Clay County. Singleton told an officer who asked to talked to him, &nbsp;"All that sh** is on me. I was driving and she was in the back seat." He remains jailed on a $250,000 cash bond.

KC man fired automatic weapon at police during high-speed chase

WASHINGTON (AP) — A week after the second-largest bank collapse in U.S. history, Treasury Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/janet-yellen">Janet Yellen</a>&nbsp;told the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday that the nation's banking system “remains sound” and Americans "can feel confident” about their deposits.

Yellen is the first Biden administration official to face lawmakers over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-failure-deposits-fdic-8011ea377d8f9941032790ce1d704c5a?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_03">the decision to protect uninsured money</a>&nbsp;at two failed regional banks, a move that some Republicans have criticized as a bank “bailout.”

“The government took decisive and forceful actions to strengthen public confidence” in the U.S. banking system, Yellen said in testimony before the committee. “I can reassure the members of the Committee that our banking system remains sound, and that Americans can feel confident that their deposits will be there when they need them."

In less than a week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/svb-fed-bonds-rates-banks-inflation-a24b28b3caeede91c76cd120aa9b7966">Silicon Valley Bank</a>, based in Santa Clara, California, failed after depositors rushed to withdraw money amid anxiety over the bank’s health. Then, regulators convened over the weekend and announced that New York-based Signature Bank also failed. They ensured all depositors, including those holding uninsured funds exceeding $250,000, were protected by federal deposit insurance.

The Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission have since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bank-collapse-justice-sec-cc9b1f724d87e79b94592d730d24dcb7">launched investigations</a>&nbsp;into the Silicon Valley Bank collapse.

Thursday's hearing, meant to address President Joe Biden's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-budget-debt-limit-deficit-republicans-56ed3a1b2ed906f89bc84edc435d3e7d">budget proposal</a>, comes after the sudden collapse of the nation’s 16th-biggest bank and go-to financial institution for tech entrepreneurs. While Yellen prepared to talk about spending proposals, the hearing inevitably turned to the government's decision-making process to intervene in the bank failure.

“Nerves are certainly frayed at this moment,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, chairman of the committee. “One of the most important steps the Congress can take now is make sure there are no questions about the full faith and credit of the United States,” he said, referring to raising the debt ceiling.

Mike Crapo of Idaho, the committee's top Republican, said, “I’m concerned about the precedent of guaranteeing all deposits,” calling the federal rescue action a “moral hazard."

Yellen said on CBS' “Face the Nation” last Sunday that a bailout was not on the table, stating, “we’re not going to do that again," referring to the U.S. government's response to the 2008 financial crisis, which led to massive government rescue policies to large U.S. banks.

Yellen, a former Federal Reserve chair and past president of the San Francisco Federal Reserve during the 2008 financial crisis, was a leading figure in the resolution this past weekend, which was engineered to prevent a wider systemic problem in the banking sector.

"This week’s actions demonstrate our resolute commitment to ensure that depositors’ savings remain safe,” she said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A week after the second-largest bank collapse in U.S. history, Treasury Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/janet-yellen">Janet Yellen</a>&nbsp;told the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday that the nation's banking system “remains sound” and Americans "can feel confident” about their deposits.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecYellen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecYellen</a>: &quot;This week the government took decisive and forceful actions to stabilize and strengthen public confidence in our financial system.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/9zYIEuLLg8">pic.twitter.com/9zYIEuLLg8</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1636377651806892032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Yellen is the first Biden administration official to face lawmakers over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-failure-deposits-fdic-8011ea377d8f9941032790ce1d704c5a?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_03">the decision to protect uninsured money</a>&nbsp;at two failed regional banks, a move that some Republicans have criticized as a bank “bailout.”“The government took decisive and forceful actions to strengthen public confidence” in the U.S. banking system, Yellen said in testimony before the committee. “I can reassure the members of the Committee that our banking system remains sound, and that Americans can feel confident that their deposits will be there when they need them."In less than a week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/svb-fed-bonds-rates-banks-inflation-a24b28b3caeede91c76cd120aa9b7966">Silicon Valley Bank</a>, based in Santa Clara, California, failed after depositors rushed to withdraw money amid anxiety over the bank’s health. Then, regulators convened over the weekend and announced that New York-based Signature Bank also failed. They ensured all depositors, including those holding uninsured funds exceeding $250,000, were protected by federal deposit insurance.The Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission have since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bank-collapse-justice-sec-cc9b1f724d87e79b94592d730d24dcb7">launched investigations</a>&nbsp;into the Silicon Valley Bank collapse.Thursday's hearing, meant to address President Joe Biden's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-budget-debt-limit-deficit-republicans-56ed3a1b2ed906f89bc84edc435d3e7d">budget proposal</a>, comes after the sudden collapse of the nation’s 16th-biggest bank and go-to financial institution for tech entrepreneurs. While Yellen prepared to talk about spending proposals, the hearing inevitably turned to the government's decision-making process to intervene in the bank failure.“Nerves are certainly frayed at this moment,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, chairman of the committee. “One of the most important steps the Congress can take now is make sure there are no questions about the full faith and credit of the United States,” he said, referring to raising the debt ceiling.Mike Crapo of Idaho, the committee's top Republican, said, “I’m concerned about the precedent of guaranteeing all deposits,” calling the federal rescue action a “moral hazard."Yellen said on CBS' “Face the Nation” last Sunday that a bailout was not on the table, stating, “we’re not going to do that again," referring to the U.S. government's response to the 2008 financial crisis, which led to massive government rescue policies to large U.S. banks.Yellen, a former Federal Reserve chair and past president of the San Francisco Federal Reserve during the 2008 financial crisis, was a leading figure in the resolution this past weekend, which was engineered to prevent a wider systemic problem in the banking sector."This week’s actions demonstrate our resolute commitment to ensure that depositors’ savings remain safe,” she said.

🎥 Treasury Sec. tells Congress US banking system 'remains sound'

SEWARD COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating a double murder at a southwest Kansas home have identified the victims as 57-year-old Valentin Rey and 50-year-old Rosalia Rey. They are the suspect&nbsp; Hector Rey's parents, according to the Liberal Police Department.

Just before 1 a.m. Monday, crews responded to a house fire in the 900 block of Maple Street in Liberal, according to a media release.

Officers found Rosalia inside the door. She was unconscious. EMS transported her to Southwest Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. Once the fire was extinguished, the fire department found Valentin who was also dead inside.

Just before 6a.m. Monday, law enforcement learned of a suspect in the crime later identified as 22-year-old Hector Jesus Rey. was driving a Kia Optima southbound on U.S. 83 ten miles north of Hamlin, Texas.&nbsp; According to police, the suspect was threatening "suicide by cop."

Officers conducted a "high risk felony stop" on the vehicle after it traveled south of the Hamlin city limits.&nbsp; Rey hesitated at first but finally exited the car and was taken into custody. He remains in the Jones County jail in connection with the death of his parents. Authorities have not released details on when Rey would be returned to Kansas or possible charges in the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678801340555.png" alt="Hector Rey-photo Jones County, Texas" />
 <figcaption>Hector Rey-photo Jones County, Texas</figcaption>
 </figure>SEWARD COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating a double murder at a southwest Kansas home have identified the victims as 57-year-old Valentin Rey and 50-year-old Rosalia Rey. They are the suspect&nbsp; Hector Rey's parents, according to the Liberal Police Department.Just before 1 a.m. Monday, crews responded to a house fire in the 900 block of Maple Street in Liberal, according to a media release.Officers found Rosalia inside the door. She was unconscious. EMS transported her to Southwest Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. Once the fire was extinguished, the fire department found Valentin who was also dead inside.Just before 6a.m. Monday, law enforcement learned of a suspect in the crime later identified as 22-year-old Hector Jesus Rey. was driving a Kia Optima southbound on U.S. 83 ten miles north of Hamlin, Texas.&nbsp; According to police, the suspect was threatening "suicide by cop."Officers conducted a "high risk felony stop" on the vehicle after it traveled south of the Hamlin city limits.&nbsp; Rey hesitated at first but finally exited the car and was taken into custody. He remains in the Jones County jail in connection with the death of his parents. Authorities have not released details on when Rey would be returned to Kansas or possible charges in the case.

Victims in fatal SW Kansas house fire were suspect's parents

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The Pentagon on Thursday released footage of what it said was a Russian aircraft pouring fuel on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-kramatorsk-peace-plan-fde09a8ea4d9b692637ad8f76cd05f3a">a U.S. Air Force surveillance drone</a>&nbsp;and clipping the drone's propeller in international airspace over the Black Sea.

(click the video below to watch courtesy U.S. European Command)

The 42-second video shows a Russian Su-27 approaching the back of the MQ-9 drone and beginning to release fuel as it passes, the Pentagon said. Dumping the fuel appeared to be aimed at blinding its optical instruments and driving it out of the area.

On a second approach, either the same jet or another Russian fighter that had been shadowing the MQ-9 struck the drone’s propeller, damaging one blade, according to the U.S. military.

The U.S. military said it ditched the MQ-9 Reaper in the sea after what it described as the Russian fighter making an unsafe intercept of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

The video excerpt released by the Pentagon does not show events before or after the apparent fuel-dumping confrontation.

Russia said its warplanes didn’t strike the drone and claimed the unmanned aerial vehicle went down after making a sharp maneuver over the sea.

Asked Thursday if Russia would try to recover the drone debris, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters the decision was up to the military. “If they consider it necessary to do so in the Black Sea for the benefit of our interests and our security, they will do it,” he said.

Nikolai Patrushev, the secretary of Russia’s Security Council, said Wednesday that Moscow would try to recover the drone fragments.

U.S. officials have expressed confidence that nothing of military value would remain from the drone even if Russia managed to retrieve the wreckage.

While intercept attempts are not uncommon, the incident amid the war in Ukraine has raised concerns it could bring the United States and Russia closer to a direct conflict.

Moscow has repeatedly voiced concern about U.S. intelligence flights close to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014 and illegally annexed.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-drone-pentagon-9f4b3e8fdd719c0fa91a0683228b9e51">top U.S. and Russian defense and military leaders</a>&nbsp;spoke Wednesday about the encounter over the Black Sea, underscoring its seriousness.

The calls between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of Russian General Staff, were the first since October.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in its report of the call with Austin that Shoigu accused the U.S. of provoking the incident by ignoring flight restrictions the Kremlin had imposed because of its military operations in Ukraine.

The Kremlin argues that by providing weapons to Ukraine and sharing intelligence information with Kyiv, the U.S. and its allies have effectively become engaged in the war, which is now in its 13th month.

Russia also blamed “the intensification of intelligence activities against the interests of the Russian Federation,” the Defense Ministry said.

Such U.S. actions “are fraught with escalation of the situation in the Black Sea area,” the ministry said, warning that Moscow “will respond in kind to all provocations.”

Sergei Aksenov, the Moscow-appointed head of Crimea, said he thinks Russia should act even more forcefully to put an end the U.S. surveillance flights in the area.

“I personally think that our response in such situations should be tougher,” Aksenov said on his messaging app channel. “We realize that attempted attacks on Crimea have been launched with Americans’ guidance. In fact, they are a warring party.”

The MQ-9, which has a 66-foot (20-meter) wingspan, includes a ground control station and satellite equipment. It is capable of carrying munitions, but Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, a Pentagon spokesperson, would not say whether the ditched drone had been armed.

Ryder said the incident occurred at 7:03 a.m. Central European time (0603 GMT; 2:03 a.m. EST) over international waters, and well clear of Ukraine, after the Russian jets had flown in the vicinity of the drone for 30 to 40 minutes.

There did not appear to be any communications between the aircraft before the collision, Ryder added.

The U.S. has not recovered the crashed drone, U.S. Air Forces-Europe said in a statement, and neither has Russia, Ryder said. Russian officials said Wednesday that they would try to salvage fragments of the MQ-9 from the Black Sea.

U.S. officials have left open the possibility of trying to recover portions of the downed $32 million drone, which they said crashed into waters that were 4,000 to 5,000 feet (1,200 to 1,500 meters) deep.

Other U.S. officials said the U.S. does not have military ships in the region likely won't attempt to recover the wreckage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678968513854.png" alt="This photo taken from video released on Thursday, March 16, 2023, shows a Russian Su-27 approaching the back of the MQ-9 drone and beginning to release fuel as it passes, over the Black Sea, the Pentagon said. The Pentagon has released footage of what it says is a Russian aircraft conducting an unsafe intercept of a U.S. Air Force surveillance drone in international airspace over the Black Sea. (US Department of Defense via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This photo taken from video released on Thursday, March 16, 2023, shows a Russian Su-27 approaching the back of the MQ-9 drone and beginning to release fuel as it passes, over the Black Sea, the Pentagon said. The Pentagon has released footage of what it says is a Russian aircraft conducting an unsafe intercept of a U.S. Air Force surveillance drone in international airspace over the Black Sea. (US Department of Defense via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The Pentagon on Thursday released footage of what it said was a Russian aircraft pouring fuel on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-kramatorsk-peace-plan-fde09a8ea4d9b692637ad8f76cd05f3a">a U.S. Air Force surveillance drone</a>&nbsp;and clipping the drone's propeller in international airspace over the Black Sea.(click the video below to watch courtesy U.S. European Command)<div><iframe src="https://www.dvidshub.net/video/embed/876667" width="800" height="450" frameborder="0" allowtransparency allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The 42-second video shows a Russian Su-27 approaching the back of the MQ-9 drone and beginning to release fuel as it passes, the Pentagon said. Dumping the fuel appeared to be aimed at blinding its optical instruments and driving it out of the area.On a second approach, either the same jet or another Russian fighter that had been shadowing the MQ-9 struck the drone’s propeller, damaging one blade, according to the U.S. military.The U.S. military said it ditched the MQ-9 Reaper in the sea after what it described as the Russian fighter making an unsafe intercept of the unmanned aerial vehicle.The video excerpt released by the Pentagon does not show events before or after the apparent fuel-dumping confrontation.Russia said its warplanes didn’t strike the drone and claimed the unmanned aerial vehicle went down after making a sharp maneuver over the sea.Asked Thursday if Russia would try to recover the drone debris, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters the decision was up to the military. “If they consider it necessary to do so in the Black Sea for the benefit of our interests and our security, they will do it,” he said.Nikolai Patrushev, the secretary of Russia’s Security Council, said Wednesday that Moscow would try to recover the drone fragments.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> Austin: &quot;I just got off the phone with my Russian counterpart, Minister Shoigu. As I&#39;ve said repeatedly, it&#39;s important that great powers be models of transparency and communication.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/LPqwdCiPnP">pic.twitter.com/LPqwdCiPnP</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1636073165540544512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>U.S. officials have expressed confidence that nothing of military value would remain from the drone even if Russia managed to retrieve the wreckage.While intercept attempts are not uncommon, the incident amid the war in Ukraine has raised concerns it could bring the United States and Russia closer to a direct conflict.Moscow has repeatedly voiced concern about U.S. intelligence flights close to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014 and illegally annexed.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-drone-pentagon-9f4b3e8fdd719c0fa91a0683228b9e51">top U.S. and Russian defense and military leaders</a>&nbsp;spoke Wednesday about the encounter over the Black Sea, underscoring its seriousness.The calls between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of Russian General Staff, were the first since October.The Russian Defense Ministry said in its report of the call with Austin that Shoigu accused the U.S. of provoking the incident by ignoring flight restrictions the Kremlin had imposed because of its military operations in Ukraine.The Kremlin argues that by providing weapons to Ukraine and sharing intelligence information with Kyiv, the U.S. and its allies have effectively become engaged in the war, which is now in its 13th month.Russia also blamed “the intensification of intelligence activities against the interests of the Russian Federation,” the Defense Ministry said.Such U.S. actions “are fraught with escalation of the situation in the Black Sea area,” the ministry said, warning that Moscow “will respond in kind to all provocations.”Sergei Aksenov, the Moscow-appointed head of Crimea, said he thinks Russia should act even more forcefully to put an end the U.S. surveillance flights in the area.“I personally think that our response in such situations should be tougher,” Aksenov said on his messaging app channel. “We realize that attempted attacks on Crimea have been launched with Americans’ guidance. In fact, they are a warring party.”The MQ-9, which has a 66-foot (20-meter) wingspan, includes a ground control station and satellite equipment. It is capable of carrying munitions, but Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, a Pentagon spokesperson, would not say whether the ditched drone had been armed.Ryder said the incident occurred at 7:03 a.m. Central European time (0603 GMT; 2:03 a.m. EST) over international waters, and well clear of Ukraine, after the Russian jets had flown in the vicinity of the drone for 30 to 40 minutes.There did not appear to be any communications between the aircraft before the collision, Ryder added.The U.S. has not recovered the crashed drone, U.S. Air Forces-Europe said in a statement, and neither has Russia, Ryder said. Russian officials said Wednesday that they would try to salvage fragments of the MQ-9 from the Black Sea.U.S. officials have left open the possibility of trying to recover portions of the downed $32 million drone, which they said crashed into waters that were 4,000 to 5,000 feet (1,200 to 1,500 meters) deep.Other U.S. officials said the U.S. does not have military ships in the region likely won't attempt to recover the wreckage.___

🎥 Video shows Russian fighter jet dumping fuel on U.S. drone

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide in Topeka have identified the victim as 19-year-old&nbsp; Khristopher A. L. Brown of Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.

Just before 8 p.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp;&nbsp;responded to the 1300 block SE 8th for a hit-and-run accident, according Eubanks. Officers located Brown, who was suffering from a gunshot wound. 

First responders pronounced him deceased at the scene.&nbsp; Detectives were notified and traffic was shut down along 8th and 10th street between SE Locust and SE Lime.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678875079561.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW&nbsp; TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW&nbsp; TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide in Topeka have identified the victim as 19-year-old&nbsp; Khristopher A. L. Brown of Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.Just before 8 p.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp;&nbsp;responded to the 1300 block SE 8th for a hit-and-run accident, according Eubanks. Officers located Brown, who was suffering from a gunshot wound. First responders pronounced him deceased at the scene.&nbsp; Detectives were notified and traffic was shut down along 8th and 10th street between SE Locust and SE Lime.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.