WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday for a third straight time, and its officials signaled that they expect to make three quarter-point cuts to their benchmark rate next year.

Speaking at a news conference, Chair Jerome Powell said that Fed officials are likely done raising interest rates because of how steadily inflation has cooled.

“Inflation has eased over the past year but remains over our longer run goal of 2%,” Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference after the Fed’s 19-member policy committee ended its latest meeting.

The three rate cuts that Fed officials now envision — which wouldn't likely begin until the second half of 2024 — suggest that they believe high borrowing rates will still be needed for much of next year to further slow inflation.

Traders on Wall Street welcomed the prospect of lower rates ahead. Stock prices surged and bond yields fell after the Fed's policymakers signaled that they envision three interest rate cuts in 2024.

The Fed kept its benchmark rate at about 5.4%, its highest level in 22 years, a rate that has led to much higher costs for mortgages, auto loans, business borrowing and many other forms of credit. Higher mortgage rates have sharply reduced home sales. Spending on appliances and other expensive goods that people often buy on credit has also declined.

So far, the Fed has achieved what few observers had thought possible a year ago: Inflation has tumbled without an accompanying surge in unemployment or a recession, which typically coincide with a central bank’s efforts to cool the economy and curb inflation. Though inflation remains above the Fed’s 2% target, it has declined faster than Fed officials had expected, allowing them to keep rates unchanged and wait to see if price increases continue to ease.

At the same time, the government’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-e6c70e11671a5803eac13cb8a55f1f3a">latest report on consumer prices</a>&nbsp;showed that inflation in some areas, particularly health care, apartment rents, restaurant meals and other services, remains persistently high, one reason why Powell is reluctant to signal that policymakers are prepared to cut rates anytime soon.

On Wednesday, the Fed’s quarterly economic projections showed that its officials envision a “soft landing” for the economy, in which inflation would continue its decline toward the central bank’s 2% target without causing a steep downturn. The forecasts showed that the policymakers expect to cut their benchmark rate to 4.6% by the end of 2024 — three quarter-point reductions from its current level.

A sharp economic slowdown could prompt even faster rate reductions. So far, though, there is no sign that a downturn is imminent.

In its quarterly projections, the Fed's policymakers now expect “core” inflation, according to its preferred measure, to fall to just 2.4% by the end of 2024, down from a 2.6% forecast in September. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy costs, is considered a better gauge to inflation’s future path.

The policymakers foresee unemployment rising to 4.1% next year, from its current 3.7%, which would still be a low level historically. They project that the economy will expand at a modest 1.4% next year and 1.8% in 2025.

Interest rate cuts by the Fed, whenever they happen, would reduce borrowing costs across the economy. Stock prices could rise, too, though share prices have already rallied in expectation of rate cuts, potentially limiting any further increases.

Powell, though, has recently downplayed the idea that rate reductions are nearing. He hasn’t yet even signaled that the Fed is conclusively done with its hikes.

One reason the Fed might be able to cut rates next year, even if the economy plows ahead, would be if inflation kept falling, as expected. A steady slowdown in price increases would have the effect of raising inflation-adjusted interest rates, thereby making borrowing costs higher than the Fed intends. Reducing rates, in this scenario, would simply keep inflation-adjusted borrowing costs from rising.

Recent economic data have modestly cooled financial markets’ expectations for early rate cuts. Last week’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-economy-inflation-rates-hiring-federal-reserve-953387b195e6c58703b33ef94dad11b4">jobs report for November</a>&nbsp;showed that the unemployment rate fell to 3.7%, near a half-century low, down from 3.9% as businesses engaged in solid hiring. Such a low unemployment rate could force companies to keep raising pay to find and retain workers, which would fuel inflationary pressures.

And consumer prices were mostly unchanged last month, the government said Tuesday, suggesting that while inflation is likely headed back to the Fed’s 2% target, it might take longer than optimists expect. The central bank, as a result, could opt to keep rates at their current level to try to ensure that prices resume their downward path.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday for a third straight time, and its officials signaled that they expect to make three quarter-point cuts to their benchmark rate next year.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fed Chair Powell: &quot;Today we decided to leave our policy interest rate unchanged and to continue to reduce our securities holdings. Given how far we have come, along with the uncertainties and risks that we face, the Committee is proceeding carefully.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FOMC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FOMC</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZiOCKcrT9b">pic.twitter.com/ZiOCKcrT9b</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1735024654199210398?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Speaking at a news conference, Chair Jerome Powell said that Fed officials are likely done raising interest rates because of how steadily inflation has cooled.“Inflation has eased over the past year but remains over our longer run goal of 2%,” Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference after the Fed’s 19-member policy committee ended its latest meeting.The three rate cuts that Fed officials now envision — which wouldn't likely begin until the second half of 2024 — suggest that they believe high borrowing rates will still be needed for much of next year to further slow inflation.Traders on Wall Street welcomed the prospect of lower rates ahead. Stock prices surged and bond yields fell after the Fed's policymakers signaled that they envision three interest rate cuts in 2024.The Fed kept its benchmark rate at about 5.4%, its highest level in 22 years, a rate that has led to much higher costs for mortgages, auto loans, business borrowing and many other forms of credit. Higher mortgage rates have sharply reduced home sales. Spending on appliances and other expensive goods that people often buy on credit has also declined.So far, the Fed has achieved what few observers had thought possible a year ago: Inflation has tumbled without an accompanying surge in unemployment or a recession, which typically coincide with a central bank’s efforts to cool the economy and curb inflation. Though inflation remains above the Fed’s 2% target, it has declined faster than Fed officials had expected, allowing them to keep rates unchanged and wait to see if price increases continue to ease.At the same time, the government’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-e6c70e11671a5803eac13cb8a55f1f3a">latest report on consumer prices</a>&nbsp;showed that inflation in some areas, particularly health care, apartment rents, restaurant meals and other services, remains persistently high, one reason why Powell is reluctant to signal that policymakers are prepared to cut rates anytime soon.On Wednesday, the Fed’s quarterly economic projections showed that its officials envision a “soft landing” for the economy, in which inflation would continue its decline toward the central bank’s 2% target without causing a steep downturn. The forecasts showed that the policymakers expect to cut their benchmark rate to 4.6% by the end of 2024 — three quarter-point reductions from its current level.A sharp economic slowdown could prompt even faster rate reductions. So far, though, there is no sign that a downturn is imminent.In its quarterly projections, the Fed's policymakers now expect “core” inflation, according to its preferred measure, to fall to just 2.4% by the end of 2024, down from a 2.6% forecast in September. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy costs, is considered a better gauge to inflation’s future path.The policymakers foresee unemployment rising to 4.1% next year, from its current 3.7%, which would still be a low level historically. They project that the economy will expand at a modest 1.4% next year and 1.8% in 2025.Interest rate cuts by the Fed, whenever they happen, would reduce borrowing costs across the economy. Stock prices could rise, too, though share prices have already rallied in expectation of rate cuts, potentially limiting any further increases.Powell, though, has recently downplayed the idea that rate reductions are nearing. He hasn’t yet even signaled that the Fed is conclusively done with its hikes.One reason the Fed might be able to cut rates next year, even if the economy plows ahead, would be if inflation kept falling, as expected. A steady slowdown in price increases would have the effect of raising inflation-adjusted interest rates, thereby making borrowing costs higher than the Fed intends. Reducing rates, in this scenario, would simply keep inflation-adjusted borrowing costs from rising.Recent economic data have modestly cooled financial markets’ expectations for early rate cuts. Last week’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-economy-inflation-rates-hiring-federal-reserve-953387b195e6c58703b33ef94dad11b4">jobs report for November</a>&nbsp;showed that the unemployment rate fell to 3.7%, near a half-century low, down from 3.9% as businesses engaged in solid hiring. Such a low unemployment rate could force companies to keep raising pay to find and retain workers, which would fuel inflationary pressures.And consumer prices were mostly unchanged last month, the government said Tuesday, suggesting that while inflation is likely headed back to the Fed’s 2% target, it might take longer than optimists expect. The central bank, as a result, could opt to keep rates at their current level to try to ensure that prices resume their downward path.

🎥 Christmas gift for borrowers: Fed keeps interest rate unchanged

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates(AP) — Two missiles fired from territory held by Yemen’s Houthi rebels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-ship-attacks-us-navy-1727df3d95e548c6e4d20b51f096268f">missed a commercial tanker</a>&nbsp;near the key Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Wednesday, a U.S. official said.

An American warship also shot down a suspected Houthi drone flying in its direction during the incident, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters. No one was hurt in the attack, the official said.

The ship that was targeted, the oil and chemical tanker Marshall Islands-flagged Ardmore Encounter, was traveling north toward the Suez Canal in the Red Sea, satellite tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press showed. The vessel had been coming from India and had an armed security crew aboard it, according to data transmitted by the ship.

The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge the attack.

Meanwhle, at least nine Israeli soldiers were killed during an ambush, marking one of the deadliest single attacks that Palestinian militants have carried out since the ground invasion of Gaza began, the military said Wednesday. The attack in a dense urban neighborhood came after repeated recent claims by the Israeli military that it had broken Hamas’ command structure in northern Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later vowed to press ahead with Israel’s Gaza offensive “until the end,” rejecting international pressure for a cease-fire.

The day before, Israel drew international outrage and rare criticism from the United States over the killing of thousands of civilians. The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-assembly-israel-palestinians-hamas-vote-resolution-bffc37b2ecc444d906492008cde0aaf6?user_email=d668b2da8311dd4406fee480bc9f3b2558d1e3aa222a38b97feb09c5da7261c1&amp;utm_medium=Afternoon_Wire&amp;utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_campaign=AfternoonWire_Dec12_2023&amp;utm_term=Afternoon%20Wire">demand a humanitarian cease-fire</a>, General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, but the assembly’s message in favor of ending the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-12-12-2023-1824ba907c86f7202d4a3ac532ae8d4d">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;serves as an important barometer of world opinion.

Just hours before the vote, U.S. President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-oct-7-44c4229d4c1270d9cfa484b664a22071">warned that Israel was losing international support</a>&nbsp;because of its “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza.

The Israel-Hamas war has resulted in the deaths of over 18,400 Palestinians, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory</a>, which does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Israel says 113 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive after Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">raided southern Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-b6ffc286ca7d4b48caaada43e9c6e411">about 240 hostages</a>.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates(AP) — Two missiles fired from territory held by Yemen’s Houthi rebels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-ship-attacks-us-navy-1727df3d95e548c6e4d20b51f096268f">missed a commercial tanker</a>&nbsp;near the key Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Wednesday, a U.S. official said.An American warship also shot down a suspected Houthi drone flying in its direction during the incident, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters. No one was hurt in the attack, the official said.The ship that was targeted, the oil and chemical tanker Marshall Islands-flagged Ardmore Encounter, was traveling north toward the Suez Canal in the Red Sea, satellite tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press showed. The vessel had been coming from India and had an armed security crew aboard it, according to data transmitted by the ship.The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge the attack.Meanwhle, at least nine Israeli soldiers were killed during an ambush, marking one of the deadliest single attacks that Palestinian militants have carried out since the ground invasion of Gaza began, the military said Wednesday. The attack in a dense urban neighborhood came after repeated recent claims by the Israeli military that it had broken Hamas’ command structure in northern Gaza.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later vowed to press ahead with Israel’s Gaza offensive “until the end,” rejecting international pressure for a cease-fire.The day before, Israel drew international outrage and rare criticism from the United States over the killing of thousands of civilians. The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-assembly-israel-palestinians-hamas-vote-resolution-bffc37b2ecc444d906492008cde0aaf6?user_email=d668b2da8311dd4406fee480bc9f3b2558d1e3aa222a38b97feb09c5da7261c1&amp;utm_medium=Afternoon_Wire&amp;utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_campaign=AfternoonWire_Dec12_2023&amp;utm_term=Afternoon%20Wire">demand a humanitarian cease-fire</a>, General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, but the assembly’s message in favor of ending the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-12-12-2023-1824ba907c86f7202d4a3ac532ae8d4d">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;serves as an important barometer of world opinion.Just hours before the vote, U.S. President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-oct-7-44c4229d4c1270d9cfa484b664a22071">warned that Israel was losing international support</a>&nbsp;because of its “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza.The Israel-Hamas war has resulted in the deaths of over 18,400 Palestinians, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory</a>, which does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Israel says 113 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive after Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">raided southern Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-b6ffc286ca7d4b48caaada43e9c6e411">about 240 hostages</a>.

US Warship shot down another drone in the Red Sea

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;agreed on Wednesday to take up a dispute over a medication used in the most common method of abortion in the United States, its first abortion case since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">it overturned Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;last year.

The justices will hear appeals from the Biden administration and the maker of the drug mifepristone asking the high court to reverse&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-restrictions-appeals-court-402be732d162af449c40ed1315cfb851">an appellate ruling</a>&nbsp;that would cut off access to the drug through the mail and impose other restrictions, even in states where abortion remains legal. The restrictions include shortening from the current 10 weeks to seven weeks the time during which mifepristone can be used in pregnancy.

The nine justices rejected a separate appeal from abortion opponents who challenged the Food and Drug Administration's initial approval of mifepristone as safe and effective in 2000.

The case will be argued in the spring, with a decision likely by late June, in the middle of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-presidential-candidates-gop-2024-32f0b379ef6610aec0219e9c197bbbde">the 2024 presidential and congressional campaigns</a>.

Mifepristone, made by New York-based Danco Laboratories, is one of two drugs used in medication abortions, which account for more than half of all abortions in the United States. More than 5 million people have used it since 2000.

The Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion in June 2022. That ruling has led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-dobbs-anniversary-state-laws-51c2a83899f133556e715342abfcface">bans on abortion</a>&nbsp;at all stages of pregnancy in 14 states, with some exceptions, and once cardiac activity can be detected, which is around six weeks, in two others.

Abortion opponents filed their challenge to mifepristone the following November and initially won a sweeping ruling six months later revoking the drug’s approval entirely. The appeals court left intact the FDA’s initial approval of mifepristone. But it would reverse changes regulators made in 2016 and 2021 that eased some conditions for administering the drug.

The justices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-pill-mifepristone-access-f781488016640bf571faf36096339ea4">blocked that ruling</a>&nbsp;from taking effect while the case played out, though Justices Samuel Alito, the author of last year’s decision overturning Roe, and Clarence Thomas said they would have allowed some restrictions to take effect while the case proceeded.

Women seeking to end their pregnancies in the first 10 weeks without more invasive surgical abortion can take mifepristone, along with misoprostol. The FDA has eased the terms of mifepristone’s use over the years, including allowing it to be sent through the mail in states that allow access.

In its appeal, the Democratic administration said the appeals court ignored the FDA’s scientific judgment about mifepristone’s safety and effectiveness since its approval in 2000.

Lawyers for the anti-abortion medical groups and individual physicians who have challenged the use of mifepristone had urged the Supreme Court to turn away the appeals.

“The modest decision below merely restores the common-sense safeguards under which millions of women have taken chemical abortion drugs,” wrote lawyers for the Alliance Defending Freedom, which describes itself as a Christian law firm. The lead attorney on the Supreme Court filing is Erin Hawley, wife of Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-judge-matthew-kacsmaryk-abortion-pill-fda-75964b777ef09593a1ad948c6cfc0237">U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk</a>, an appointee of President Donald Trump in Texas, initially revoked FDA approval of mifepristone.

Responding to a quick appeal, two more Trump appointees on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23774813-5th-circuit-abortion-pill-stay-order">the FDA’s original approval would stand for now</a>. But Judges Andrew Oldham and Kurt Engelhardt said most of the rest of Kacsmaryk’s ruling could take effect while the case winds through federal courts.

Besides reducing the time during which the drug can be taken and halting distribution through the mail, patients who are seeking medication abortions would have had to make three in-person visits with a doctor. Women also might have been required to take a higher dosage of the drug than the FDA says is necessary.

Health care providers have said that if mifepristone is no longer available or is too hard to obtain, they would switch to using only misoprostol, which is somewhat less effective in ending pregnancies.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680967457500.png" alt="Mifepristone, made by New York-based Danco Laboratories, is one of two drugs used in medication abortions, which account for more than half of all abortions in the United States. More than 5 million people have used it since 2000.-photo Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Mifepristone, made by New York-based Danco Laboratories, is one of two drugs used in medication abortions, which account for more than half of all abortions in the United States. More than 5 million people have used it since 2000.-photo Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;agreed on Wednesday to take up a dispute over a medication used in the most common method of abortion in the United States, its first abortion case since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">it overturned Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;last year.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702480129262.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The justices will hear appeals from the Biden administration and the maker of the drug mifepristone asking the high court to reverse&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-restrictions-appeals-court-402be732d162af449c40ed1315cfb851">an appellate ruling</a>&nbsp;that would cut off access to the drug through the mail and impose other restrictions, even in states where abortion remains legal. The restrictions include shortening from the current 10 weeks to seven weeks the time during which mifepristone can be used in pregnancy.The nine justices rejected a separate appeal from abortion opponents who challenged the Food and Drug Administration's initial approval of mifepristone as safe and effective in 2000.The case will be argued in the spring, with a decision likely by late June, in the middle of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-presidential-candidates-gop-2024-32f0b379ef6610aec0219e9c197bbbde">the 2024 presidential and congressional campaigns</a>.Mifepristone, made by New York-based Danco Laboratories, is one of two drugs used in medication abortions, which account for more than half of all abortions in the United States. More than 5 million people have used it since 2000.The Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion in June 2022. That ruling has led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-dobbs-anniversary-state-laws-51c2a83899f133556e715342abfcface">bans on abortion</a>&nbsp;at all stages of pregnancy in 14 states, with some exceptions, and once cardiac activity can be detected, which is around six weeks, in two others.Abortion opponents filed their challenge to mifepristone the following November and initially won a sweeping ruling six months later revoking the drug’s approval entirely. The appeals court left intact the FDA’s initial approval of mifepristone. But it would reverse changes regulators made in 2016 and 2021 that eased some conditions for administering the drug.The justices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-pill-mifepristone-access-f781488016640bf571faf36096339ea4">blocked that ruling</a>&nbsp;from taking effect while the case played out, though Justices Samuel Alito, the author of last year’s decision overturning Roe, and Clarence Thomas said they would have allowed some restrictions to take effect while the case proceeded.Women seeking to end their pregnancies in the first 10 weeks without more invasive surgical abortion can take mifepristone, along with misoprostol. The FDA has eased the terms of mifepristone’s use over the years, including allowing it to be sent through the mail in states that allow access.In its appeal, the Democratic administration said the appeals court ignored the FDA’s scientific judgment about mifepristone’s safety and effectiveness since its approval in 2000.Lawyers for the anti-abortion medical groups and individual physicians who have challenged the use of mifepristone had urged the Supreme Court to turn away the appeals.“The modest decision below merely restores the common-sense safeguards under which millions of women have taken chemical abortion drugs,” wrote lawyers for the Alliance Defending Freedom, which describes itself as a Christian law firm. The lead attorney on the Supreme Court filing is Erin Hawley, wife of Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-judge-matthew-kacsmaryk-abortion-pill-fda-75964b777ef09593a1ad948c6cfc0237">U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk</a>, an appointee of President Donald Trump in Texas, initially revoked FDA approval of mifepristone.Responding to a quick appeal, two more Trump appointees on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23774813-5th-circuit-abortion-pill-stay-order">the FDA’s original approval would stand for now</a>. But Judges Andrew Oldham and Kurt Engelhardt said most of the rest of Kacsmaryk’s ruling could take effect while the case winds through federal courts.Besides reducing the time during which the drug can be taken and halting distribution through the mail, patients who are seeking medication abortions would have had to make three in-person visits with a doctor. Women also might have been required to take a higher dosage of the drug than the FDA says is necessary.Health care providers have said that if mifepristone is no longer available or is too hard to obtain, they would switch to using only misoprostol, which is somewhat less effective in ending pregnancies.

Supreme Court agrees to decide access to key abortion medication

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a teen for an alleged arson fire.

Just after 2:30p.m. Tuesday, officers responded to the area of Reisner Park,  in the 700 block North 10th Street in Atchison to investigate a report that a restroom had been set on fire, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; Four people were seen fleeing the area. 

Officers located the four several blocks from the park. It was determined that a fire had been set in a porta potty causing minor damage. The Fire Department had responded to the park and extinguished the fire. 

Police determined 18-year-old Odessa L. Ellison of Atchison was one of the four persons&nbsp;at the park together and he was responsible for setting the fire.

Police arrested&nbsp; Ellison on requested charges of arson&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702477660417.png" alt="Ellison-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Ellison-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a teen for an alleged arson fire.Just after 2:30p.m. Tuesday, officers responded to the area of Reisner Park, in the 700 block North 10th Street in Atchison to investigate a report that a restroom had been set on fire, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; Four people were seen fleeing the area. Officers located the four several blocks from the park. It was determined that a fire had been set in a porta potty causing minor damage. The Fire Department had responded to the park and extinguished the fire. Police determined 18-year-old Odessa L. Ellison of Atchison was one of the four persons&nbsp;at the park together and he was responsible for setting the fire.Police arrested&nbsp; Ellison on requested charges of arson&nbsp;

Kan. teen accused of setting fire in park bathroom

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

Barton County officials are pondering the best way to move forward with an error on tax statements that were recently mailed to residents throughout the county. Shortly after the county notified the public via social media that statements would go out on Dec. 8, Clerk Bev Schmeidler issued a press release stating a clerical error in her office resulted in an error. Treasurer Jim Jordan said during Tuesday's commission meeting that the error is causing headaches in his office.

"Every year, my elections are December," he said. "The month before we get the statements out, the month of, and the month after. We have other things we need to address with this that's coming through my office. We don't have the manpower, nor the time, to deal with all of this."

Numbers for a utility company with a pipeline that affects eight taxing units in the county were not certified until September. Schmeidler said, through a clerical error, the numbers were not calculated in a portion of the 2023 tax levies. Once the taxes were rolled over to collections, the mistake was virtually impossible to correct as it would have undone months of work in several departments. Commissioner Tricia Schlessiger tried to pin down which residents were impacted.

"This is very confusing to the average taxpayer who is going to look at their statement," she said. "Now, they don't know if it's correct or incorrect. Is there a way to pull a report or put something out there? Or how do we address this?"

Two taxing units in Beaver and Cheyenne Townships, as well as Fairview, Independent, Union, and Wheatland Townships will be impacted the most. The error is relatively small numerically: a property valued at $250,000 in those townships would be over-taxed by approximately $8. Statements around the rest of the county may also be impacted in less significant amounts. The discussion turned to how the errors would be addressed, including paying under protest or carrying them over into next year as a tax credit.

"There's no easy solution just to say it's next year," said County Counselor Patrick Hoffman. "At the end of the day, it's really up to the taxpayers if they want to protest or pay under protest, whether it's 50 cents, a dollar, or a big amount. It's up to the taxpayers. They have the right to file that way."

Appraiser Wendy Prosser said filing a protest may cost taxpayers significantly more than they are due back, and the protest process could take several months to process. Commission Chair Shawn Hutchinson said teamwork will be required to come up with a solution.

"I guess this is one time we're blessed to have a past appraiser and a past county clerk on the board with us who have a lot of experience and can maybe help us get through this," he said. "I think the main thing is being completely transparent with the taxpayers. For me, I was sitting here biting my tongue waiting to make sure that's what happened this morning. I'm thankful it did."

The issue may have ramifications for future tax cycles. "The other thing that now presents a problem is we can't roll the tax year next year until everything is in, which in turn, is going to put the tax statements later," Jordan said. "Usually, I get all my stuff together and Bev has the levies in, they're good, and I send them out right away. Now, we can't roll until she has them in and they're all corrected."

Anyone with questions or concerns is encouraged to call the Barton County Clerk's Office at (620) 793-1835, or by emailing clerk@bartoncounty.org.

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostBarton County officials are pondering the best way to move forward with an error on tax statements that were recently mailed to residents throughout the county. Shortly after the county notified the public via social media that statements would go out on Dec. 8, Clerk Bev Schmeidler issued a press release stating a clerical error in her office resulted in an error. Treasurer Jim Jordan said during Tuesday's commission meeting that the error is causing headaches in his office."Every year, my elections are December," he said. "The month before we get the statements out, the month of, and the month after. We have other things we need to address with this that's coming through my office. We don't have the manpower, nor the time, to deal with all of this."Numbers for a utility company with a pipeline that affects eight taxing units in the county were not certified until September. Schmeidler said, through a clerical error, the numbers were not calculated in a portion of the 2023 tax levies. Once the taxes were rolled over to collections, the mistake was virtually impossible to correct as it would have undone months of work in several departments. Commissioner Tricia Schlessiger tried to pin down which residents were impacted."This is very confusing to the average taxpayer who is going to look at their statement," she said. "Now, they don't know if it's correct or incorrect. Is there a way to pull a report or put something out there? Or how do we address this?"Two taxing units in Beaver and Cheyenne Townships, as well as Fairview, Independent, Union, and Wheatland Townships will be impacted the most. The error is relatively small numerically: a property valued at $250,000 in those townships would be over-taxed by approximately $8. Statements around the rest of the county may also be impacted in less significant amounts. The discussion turned to how the errors would be addressed, including paying under protest or carrying them over into next year as a tax credit.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702412674940.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"There's no easy solution just to say it's next year," said County Counselor Patrick Hoffman. "At the end of the day, it's really up to the taxpayers if they want to protest or pay under protest, whether it's 50 cents, a dollar, or a big amount. It's up to the taxpayers. They have the right to file that way."Appraiser Wendy Prosser said filing a protest may cost taxpayers significantly more than they are due back, and the protest process could take several months to process. Commission Chair Shawn Hutchinson said teamwork will be required to come up with a solution."I guess this is one time we're blessed to have a past appraiser and a past county clerk on the board with us who have a lot of experience and can maybe help us get through this," he said. "I think the main thing is being completely transparent with the taxpayers. For me, I was sitting here biting my tongue waiting to make sure that's what happened this morning. I'm thankful it did."The issue may have ramifications for future tax cycles. "The other thing that now presents a problem is we can't roll the tax year next year until everything is in, which in turn, is going to put the tax statements later," Jordan said. "Usually, I get all my stuff together and Bev has the levies in, they're good, and I send them out right away. Now, we can't roll until she has them in and they're all corrected."Anyone with questions or concerns is encouraged to call the Barton County Clerk's Office at (620) 793-1835, or by emailing clerk@bartoncounty.org.

Barton Co. officials: No easy solution for error on tax statements

DETROIT (AP) — Tesla is recalling nearly all vehicles sold in the U.S., more than 2 million, to update software and fix a defective system that’s supposed to ensure drivers are paying attention&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-autopilot-crash-investigation-self-driving-3c6ec0bf9c1c204d546769386f94bcb7">when using Autopilot</a>.

Documents posted Wednesday by U.S. safety regulators say the update will increase warnings and alerts to drivers and even limit the areas where basic versions of Autopilot can operate.

The recall comes after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-health-business-8fc617fc492847d15bf253558ed1f925">a two-year investigation</a>&nbsp;by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into a series of crashes that happened while the Autopilot partially automated driving system was in use.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-virginia-crash-autopilot-investigation-b34f24ebb7db674f87f2bd80af7b72e6">Some were deadly.</a>

The agency says its investigation found Autopilot's method of making sure that drivers are paying attention can be inadequate and can lead to “foreseeable misuse of the system.”

The added controls and alerts will “further encourage the driver to adhere to their continuous driving responsibility,” the documents said.

But safety experts said while the recall is a good step, it still makes the driver responsible and doesn't fix the underlying problem that Tesla's automated systems have trouble spotting and stopping for obstacles in their path.

The recall covers models Y, S, 3 and X produced between Oct. 5, 2012, and Dec. 7 of this year. The update was to be sent to certain affected vehicles on Tuesday, with the rest getting it later.

Autopilot includes features called Autosteer and Traffic Aware Cruise Control, with Autosteer intended for use on limited access freeways when it’s not operating with a more sophisticated feature called Autosteer on City Streets.

The software update will limit where Autosteer can be used. “If the driver attempts to engage Autosteer when conditions are not met for engagement, the feature will alert the driver it is unavailable through visual and audible alerts, and Autosteer will not engage,” the recall documents said.

Depending on a Tesla’s hardware, the added controls include “increasing prominence” of visual alerts, simplifying how Autosteer is turned on and off, and additional checks on whether Autosteer is being used outside of controlled access roads and when approaching traffic control devices. A driver could be suspended from using Autosteer if they repeatedly fail "to demonstrate continuous and sustained driving responsibility,” the documents say.

According to&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V838-8276.PDF">recall documents</a>, agency investigators met with Tesla starting in October to explain “tentative conclusions” about the fixing the monitoring system. Tesla did not concur with NHTSA's analysis but agreed to the recall on Dec. 5 in an effort to resolve the investigation.

Auto safety advocates for years have been calling for stronger regulation of the driver monitoring system, which mainly detects whether a driver's hands are on the steering wheel. They have called for cameras to make sure a driver is paying attention, which are used by other automakers with similar systems.

Philip Koopman, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University who studies autonomous vehicle safety, called the software update a compromise that doesn't address a lack of night vision cameras to watch drivers' eyes, as well as Teslas failing to spot and stop for obstacles.

“The compromise is disappointing because it does not fix the problem that the older cars do not have adequate hardware for driver monitoring,” Koopman said.

Koopman and Michael Brooks, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, contend that crashing into emergency vehicles is a safety defect that isn't addressed. “It’s not digging at the root of what the investigation is looking at,” Brooks said. “It's not answering the question of why are Teslas on Autopilot not detecting and responding to emergency activity?”

Koopman said NHTSA apparently decided that the software change was the most it could get from the company, “and the benefits of doing this now outweigh the costs of spending another year wrangling with Tesla.”

In its statement Wednesday, NHTSA said the investigation remains open “as we monitor the efficacy of Tesla’s remedies and continue to work with the automaker to ensure the highest level of safety.”

Autopilot can steer, accelerate and brake automatically in its lane, but is a driver-assist system and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-autopilot-buttigieg-investigation-crash-musk-1455d194b18fe17609554dd68864654c">cannot drive itself despite its name</a>. Independent tests have found that the monitoring system is easy to fool, so much that drivers have been caught while driving drunk&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ca-state-wire-california-arrests-business-technology-388ae97b2c5c8a7ca7ae816323e7b829">or even sitting in the back seat</a>.

In its defect report filed with the safety agency, Tesla said Autopilot's controls “may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse.”

A message was left early Wednesday seeking further comment from the Austin, Texas, company.

Tesla says on its website that Autopilot and a more sophisticated Full Self Driving system are meant to help drivers who have to be ready to intervene at all times. Full Self Driving is being tested by Tesla owners on public roads.

In a statement posted Monday on X, formerly Twitter, Tesla said safety is stronger when Autopilot is engaged.

NHTSA has dispatched investigators to 35 Tesla crashes since 2016 in which the agency suspects the vehicles were running on an automated system. At least 17 people have been killed.

The investigations are part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-health-business-8fc617fc492847d15bf253558ed1f925">a larger probe by the NHTSA</a>&nbsp;into multiple instances of Teslas using Autopilot crashing into emergency vehicles. NHTSA has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-tesla-electric-vehicle-steering-wheel-c69867f4eb15bc582d956c309aeba95b">become more aggressive</a>&nbsp;in pursuing safety problems with Teslas, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-recalls-full-self-driving-cars-875b54d4b71e97d43a17e968d7b856ae">recall of Full Self Driving software</a>.

In May, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose department includes NHTSA, said Tesla&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-autopilot-buttigieg-investigation-crash-musk-1455d194b18fe17609554dd68864654c">shouldn’t be calling the system Autopilot</a>&nbsp;because it can’t drive itself.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689862965931.jpeg" alt="photo Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>photo Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>DETROIT (AP) — Tesla is recalling nearly all vehicles sold in the U.S., more than 2 million, to update software and fix a defective system that’s supposed to ensure drivers are paying attention&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-autopilot-crash-investigation-self-driving-3c6ec0bf9c1c204d546769386f94bcb7">when using Autopilot</a>.Documents posted Wednesday by U.S. safety regulators say the update will increase warnings and alerts to drivers and even limit the areas where basic versions of Autopilot can operate.The recall comes after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-health-business-8fc617fc492847d15bf253558ed1f925">a two-year investigation</a>&nbsp;by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into a series of crashes that happened while the Autopilot partially automated driving system was in use.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-virginia-crash-autopilot-investigation-b34f24ebb7db674f87f2bd80af7b72e6">Some were deadly.</a>The agency says its investigation found Autopilot's method of making sure that drivers are paying attention can be inadequate and can lead to “foreseeable misuse of the system.”The added controls and alerts will “further encourage the driver to adhere to their continuous driving responsibility,” the documents said.But safety experts said while the recall is a good step, it still makes the driver responsible and doesn't fix the underlying problem that Tesla's automated systems have trouble spotting and stopping for obstacles in their path.The recall covers models Y, S, 3 and X produced between Oct. 5, 2012, and Dec. 7 of this year. The update was to be sent to certain affected vehicles on Tuesday, with the rest getting it later.Autopilot includes features called Autosteer and Traffic Aware Cruise Control, with Autosteer intended for use on limited access freeways when it’s not operating with a more sophisticated feature called Autosteer on City Streets.The software update will limit where Autosteer can be used. “If the driver attempts to engage Autosteer when conditions are not met for engagement, the feature will alert the driver it is unavailable through visual and audible alerts, and Autosteer will not engage,” the recall documents said.Depending on a Tesla’s hardware, the added controls include “increasing prominence” of visual alerts, simplifying how Autosteer is turned on and off, and additional checks on whether Autosteer is being used outside of controlled access roads and when approaching traffic control devices. A driver could be suspended from using Autosteer if they repeatedly fail "to demonstrate continuous and sustained driving responsibility,” the documents say.According to&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V838-8276.PDF">recall documents</a>, agency investigators met with Tesla starting in October to explain “tentative conclusions” about the fixing the monitoring system. Tesla did not concur with NHTSA's analysis but agreed to the recall on Dec. 5 in an effort to resolve the investigation.Auto safety advocates for years have been calling for stronger regulation of the driver monitoring system, which mainly detects whether a driver's hands are on the steering wheel. They have called for cameras to make sure a driver is paying attention, which are used by other automakers with similar systems.Philip Koopman, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University who studies autonomous vehicle safety, called the software update a compromise that doesn't address a lack of night vision cameras to watch drivers' eyes, as well as Teslas failing to spot and stop for obstacles.“The compromise is disappointing because it does not fix the problem that the older cars do not have adequate hardware for driver monitoring,” Koopman said.Koopman and Michael Brooks, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, contend that crashing into emergency vehicles is a safety defect that isn't addressed. “It’s not digging at the root of what the investigation is looking at,” Brooks said. “It's not answering the question of why are Teslas on Autopilot not detecting and responding to emergency activity?”Koopman said NHTSA apparently decided that the software change was the most it could get from the company, “and the benefits of doing this now outweigh the costs of spending another year wrangling with Tesla.”In its statement Wednesday, NHTSA said the investigation remains open “as we monitor the efficacy of Tesla’s remedies and continue to work with the automaker to ensure the highest level of safety.”Autopilot can steer, accelerate and brake automatically in its lane, but is a driver-assist system and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-autopilot-buttigieg-investigation-crash-musk-1455d194b18fe17609554dd68864654c">cannot drive itself despite its name</a>. Independent tests have found that the monitoring system is easy to fool, so much that drivers have been caught while driving drunk&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ca-state-wire-california-arrests-business-technology-388ae97b2c5c8a7ca7ae816323e7b829">or even sitting in the back seat</a>.In its defect report filed with the safety agency, Tesla said Autopilot's controls “may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse.”A message was left early Wednesday seeking further comment from the Austin, Texas, company.Tesla says on its website that Autopilot and a more sophisticated Full Self Driving system are meant to help drivers who have to be ready to intervene at all times. Full Self Driving is being tested by Tesla owners on public roads.In a statement posted Monday on X, formerly Twitter, Tesla said safety is stronger when Autopilot is engaged.NHTSA has dispatched investigators to 35 Tesla crashes since 2016 in which the agency suspects the vehicles were running on an automated system. At least 17 people have been killed.The investigations are part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-health-business-8fc617fc492847d15bf253558ed1f925">a larger probe by the NHTSA</a>&nbsp;into multiple instances of Teslas using Autopilot crashing into emergency vehicles. NHTSA has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-tesla-electric-vehicle-steering-wheel-c69867f4eb15bc582d956c309aeba95b">become more aggressive</a>&nbsp;in pursuing safety problems with Teslas, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-recalls-full-self-driving-cars-875b54d4b71e97d43a17e968d7b856ae">recall of Full Self Driving software</a>.In May, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose department includes NHTSA, said Tesla&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-autopilot-buttigieg-investigation-crash-musk-1455d194b18fe17609554dd68864654c">shouldn’t be calling the system Autopilot</a>&nbsp;because it can’t drive itself.

Tesla recalls nearly all vehicles sold in United States

OKLAHOMA CITY —Authorities investigating a deadly small plane crash have identified the victims as Barrett Ellis and his wife Megan Ellis, according to the Sooner Nation Collective and the University of Oklahoma Foundation.

Just before 10:30a.m. Sunday, the Oklahoma City Fire Department was dispatched to an aircraft crash at Wiley Post Airport involving one single engine prop plane with two on-board, according to a media release. Firefighters arrived to find Barrett Ellis attempting to rescue his wife from the fully engulfed aircraft wreckage.

Firefighters extinguished the aircraft and began treating him.&nbsp; Megan Ellis was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; First responders treated Barrett Ellis on-scene and transported him to an area hospital in critical condition where he later died.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702305105860.png" alt="photo Oklahoma City Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>photo Oklahoma City Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>OKLAHOMA CITY —Authorities investigating a deadly small plane crash have identified the victims as Barrett Ellis and his wife Megan Ellis, according to the Sooner Nation Collective and the University of Oklahoma Foundation.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FUnivofOklahomaFoundation%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02VEf3TqqidYLcj2LQjpv5CExPma5hVYxoXwN2qvqrRDaJcAZXXRNVexZHx5UBb1mel&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="737" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Just before 10:30a.m. Sunday, the Oklahoma City Fire Department was dispatched to an aircraft crash at Wiley Post Airport involving one single engine prop plane with two on-board, according to a media release. Firefighters arrived to find Barrett Ellis attempting to rescue his wife from the fully engulfed aircraft wreckage.Firefighters extinguished the aircraft and began treating him.&nbsp; Megan Ellis was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; First responders treated Barrett Ellis on-scene and transported him to an area hospital in critical condition where he later died.

Officials ID victims in deadly Oklahoma small plane crash

TOPEKA —It's time to vote for your favorite license plate among five designs created by Mammoth Creative Co., a Kansas-based marketing firm, in partnership with Kansas Tourism for the next official State of Kansas standard issue license plate.

<a href="https://appengine.egov.com/apps/ks/plates">Click here to vote</a>&nbsp;on your choice of design.

Voting will end at 5 p.m. on Friday, December 15.

The proposed designs were chosen in part because they align with Kansas Tourism design standards, with law enforcement needs, and with the following guidelines, according to a media release from the governor's office.

Kansans can vote on their favorite design as many times as they’d like between 9 a.m. CT on Monday, December 11, 2023, and 5 p.m. CT on Friday, December 15, 2023.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702310334406.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —It's time to vote for your favorite license plate among five designs created by Mammoth Creative Co., a Kansas-based marketing firm, in partnership with Kansas Tourism for the next official State of Kansas standard issue license plate.<a href="https://appengine.egov.com/apps/ks/plates">Click here to vote</a>&nbsp;on your choice of design.Voting will end at 5 p.m. on Friday, December 15.The proposed designs were chosen in part because they align with Kansas Tourism design standards, with law enforcement needs, and with the following guidelines, according to a media release from the governor's office.<ul>
 <li>License plate numbers will be seven (7) digits.</li><li>Any phrase, motto, or slogan must be placed at the bottom of the license plate.</li><li>Any graphic must be placed on either side of the license plate number.</li><li>Graphics must not resemble letters, numbers, or special characters in a way that would interfere with the ability to read the license plate number.</li><li>Background design must not interfere with the ability to read the license plate number.</li><li>The license plate must have a light background behind the license plate number, and the license plate number must be black.</li>
 </ul>Kansans can vote on their favorite design as many times as they’d like between 9 a.m. CT on Monday, December 11, 2023, and 5 p.m. CT on Friday, December 15, 2023.

Time running out to vote on new Kansas license plate design

KANSAS CITY—One person was injured in a Kansas City-area explosion and fire.

Just before 4:30p.m. Tuesday, fire crews&nbsp; responded to a fire in the 13000 Block East 99 Street near S. Noland Road, according to a media release from Lee's Summit Fire Department.

Several callers reported an explosion and black smoke coming from a building and a man on fire.

First responders observed black smoke visible from a large metal barn that stores underground utility equipment and houses several horses and other livestock. Employees near the building at the time of the explosion were assisting the man who had been on fire and removed the livestock. &nbsp;

KCFD firefighters entered the building and extinguished a fire involving a pickup truck and a diesel fuel transfer tank for a pickup truck. The patient was treated and transported to a metro area trauma center.&nbsp;

&nbsp;The fire was contained to a pickup truck, fuel tank, and other nearby equipment. The area and structure around the fire received heat and smoke damage.

The investigation determined that the fire and explosion occurred when the employee was welding on an approximately 100-gallon diesel fuel transfer tank from a different truck to repair a leak.

&nbsp;After the smoke cleared from the building and no other hazards were present, the livestock could return to the building. There were no other injuries reported to people or livestock.

&nbsp;The building is located at the border with Kansas City, MO, and units from the Kansas City Fire Department and Raytown Fire Protection District also responded.&nbsp; Officials released no additional details.

KANSAS CITY—One person was injured in a Kansas City-area explosion and fire.Just before 4:30p.m. Tuesday, fire crews&nbsp; responded to a fire in the 13000 Block East 99 Street near S. Noland Road, according to a media release from Lee's Summit Fire Department.Several callers reported an explosion and black smoke coming from a building and a man on fire.First responders observed black smoke visible from a large metal barn that stores underground utility equipment and houses several horses and other livestock. Employees near the building at the time of the explosion were assisting the man who had been on fire and removed the livestock. &nbsp;KCFD firefighters entered the building and extinguished a fire involving a pickup truck and a diesel fuel transfer tank for a pickup truck. The patient was treated and transported to a metro area trauma center.&nbsp;&nbsp;The fire was contained to a pickup truck, fuel tank, and other nearby equipment. The area and structure around the fire received heat and smoke damage.The investigation determined that the fire and explosion occurred when the employee was welding on an approximately 100-gallon diesel fuel transfer tank from a different truck to repair a leak.&nbsp;After the smoke cleared from the building and no other hazards were present, the livestock could return to the building. There were no other injuries reported to people or livestock.&nbsp;The building is located at the border with Kansas City, MO, and units from the Kansas City Fire Department and Raytown Fire Protection District also responded.&nbsp; Officials released no additional details.

KC-area man welding fuel tank critically injured after explosion, fire

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly weekend shooting and have identified the victim as 47-year-old Leopoldo Garcia Pando of Kansas City, Kansas.

Shortly after midnight Satuday, police responded&nbsp; to a shooting in the 6500 Block of Kaw Drive, according to a media releas.

First responders found Pando with an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;

&nbsp;This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). All tips remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.This is the 23rd homicide of 2023 in Kansas City, Kansas compared to 35 in 2022.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly weekend shooting and have identified the victim as 47-year-old Leopoldo Garcia Pando of Kansas City, Kansas.Shortly after midnight Satuday, police responded&nbsp; to a shooting in the 6500 Block of Kaw Drive, according to a media releas.First responders found Pando with an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;&nbsp;This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). All tips remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.This is the 23rd homicide of 2023 in Kansas City, Kansas compared to 35 in 2022.

Homicide: Police ID victim in Kansas shooting 

WASHINGTON —Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told Americans his country is fighting for “our freedom and yours” as he made an impassioned for Congress to approve more assistance to fight Russia’s invasion. But prospects for additional U.S. aid to Ukraine are seriously delayed, if not in grave doubt, despite his whirlwind diplomacy in Washington on Tuesday.

President Joe Biden pledged that the U.S. will continue to stand with Ukraine following his meeting today with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House.

Biden praised Ukraine's defenders who have pushed back against Russia's full-scale assault for nearly two years, adding that the "American people can and should be incredibly proud of the part they played in supporting Ukraine's success."

"Mr. President, I will not walk away from Ukraine, and neither will the American people," Biden said.&nbsp;

The two leaders met amid negotiations on Capitol Hill over Biden's supplemental funding request to continue critical military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine.

He said he would continue to provide U.S. military assistance for as long as Congressionally approved funds are available. &nbsp;&nbsp;

During his address, Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3615582/biden-administration-announces-new-security-assistance-for-ukraine/">announced his approval on the latest round of military assistance</a>, valued at $200 million, which includes critically needed air defense interceptors, artillery and ammunition. &nbsp;

"Without supplemental funding, we are rapidly coming to an end of our ability to help Ukraine respond to the urgent operational demands that it has," he said.

"Putin is banking on the United States failing to deliver for Ukraine," he continued. "We must prove him wrong." &nbsp;

While in Washington, Zelenskyy met with defense officials and lawmakers to extend his gratitude for the United States' support and underscore the urgent need for that support to continue.

In introductory remarks yesterday ahead of Zelenskyy's address at National Defense University in Washington, D.C., Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III underscored the United States' "unshakable" commitment to support Ukraine as it defends itself against Russian aggression.

"Ukraine matters profoundly to America's security, and to the trajectory of global security in the 21st century," Austin said. "That's why the United States has committed more than $44 billion in security assistance to Ukraine's brave defenders."

He added that the U.S.-led coalition of allies and partners have also contributed more than $37 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. Those contributions include capabilities that "are making a crucial difference on the battlefield," Austin said, and have helped Ukraine recoup more than half of the territory seized by Russia since February 2022.

He said the U.S. and its allies and partners remain "determined to help Ukraine consolidate and extend its battlefield gains, and to build a future force that can ward off Russian aggression in the years ahead."--

-Joseph Clark, Department of Defense contributed to the report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702416493983.png" alt="President Joe Biden shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they meet in the Oval Office of the White House on Tuesday-photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they meet in the Oval Office of the White House on Tuesday-photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told Americans his country is fighting for “our freedom and yours” as he made an impassioned for Congress to approve more assistance to fight Russia’s invasion. But prospects for additional U.S. aid to Ukraine are seriously delayed, if not in grave doubt, despite his whirlwind diplomacy in Washington on Tuesday.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1726010394564145%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=343" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>President Joe Biden pledged that the U.S. will continue to stand with Ukraine following his meeting today with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House.Biden praised Ukraine's defenders who have pushed back against Russia's full-scale assault for nearly two years, adding that the "American people can and should be incredibly proud of the part they played in supporting Ukraine's success.""Mr. President, I will not walk away from Ukraine, and neither will the American people," Biden said.&nbsp;The two leaders met amid negotiations on Capitol Hill over Biden's supplemental funding request to continue critical military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine.He said he would continue to provide U.S. military assistance for as long as Congressionally approved funds are available. &nbsp;&nbsp;During his address, Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3615582/biden-administration-announces-new-security-assistance-for-ukraine/">announced his approval on the latest round of military assistance</a>, valued at $200 million, which includes critically needed air defense interceptors, artillery and ammunition. &nbsp;"Without supplemental funding, we are rapidly coming to an end of our ability to help Ukraine respond to the urgent operational demands that it has," he said."Putin is banking on the United States failing to deliver for Ukraine," he continued. "We must prove him wrong." &nbsp;While in Washington, Zelenskyy met with defense officials and lawmakers to extend his gratitude for the United States' support and underscore the urgent need for that support to continue.In introductory remarks yesterday ahead of Zelenskyy's address at National Defense University in Washington, D.C., Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III underscored the United States' "unshakable" commitment to support Ukraine as it defends itself against Russian aggression."Ukraine matters profoundly to America's security, and to the trajectory of global security in the 21st century," Austin said. "That's why the United States has committed more than $44 billion in security assistance to Ukraine's brave defenders."He added that the U.S.-led coalition of allies and partners have also contributed more than $37 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. Those contributions include capabilities that "are making a crucial difference on the battlefield," Austin said, and have helped Ukraine recoup more than half of the territory seized by Russia since February 2022.He said the U.S. and its allies and partners remain "determined to help Ukraine consolidate and extend its battlefield gains, and to build a future force that can ward off Russian aggression in the years ahead."---Joseph Clark, Department of Defense contributed to the report.

🎥Biden OKs another $200M in military assistance for Ukraine

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are seeking information on the whereabouts of 3 wanted suspects who have been indicted as a part of a conspiracy to distribute $7.9 million in fentanyl and methamphetamine, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

 All three were last seen in Kansas City, but have strong ties to the Chicago, Illinois area.

Zamewick McCray aka "Buck" is described as a black male, 31 years old, approximately 5-foot-7 and 130 pounds.

Devion Miles aka "Rooster, Ru, Ruben, GuRu” is described as a black male, 28 years old, approximately 5-foot-7 and 130 pounds.

Jermon McCray aka "Crowe" is described as a black male, 29 years old, approximately 5-foot-7 and 130 pounds.

All three fugitives should be considered armed and dangerous. Members of the public are cautioned not to confront any of these individuals, but to contact law enforcement immediately.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Zamewick McCray, Devion Miles or Jermon McCray should contact the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers at 816-474-TIPS or report a TIP online at <a href="https://t.co/ZFyNY84nVy" target="_blank">https://tips.fbi.gov</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701916797059.png" alt="McCray-photo FBI" />
 <figcaption>McCray-photo FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are seeking information on the whereabouts of 3 wanted suspects who have been indicted as a part of a conspiracy to distribute $7.9 million in fentanyl and methamphetamine, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. All three were last seen in Kansas City, but have strong ties to the Chicago, Illinois area.Zamewick McCray aka "Buck" is described as a black male, 31 years old, approximately 5-foot-7 and 130 pounds.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701916837725.png" alt="Miles-photo FBI" />
 <figcaption>Miles-photo FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>Devion Miles aka "Rooster, Ru, Ruben, GuRu” is described as a black male, 28 years old, approximately 5-foot-7 and 130 pounds.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701916928068.png" alt="McCray photo FBI" />
 <figcaption>McCray photo FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>Jermon McCray aka "Crowe" is described as a black male, 29 years old, approximately 5-foot-7 and 130 pounds.All three fugitives should be considered armed and dangerous. Members of the public are cautioned not to confront any of these individuals, but to contact law enforcement immediately.Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Zamewick McCray, Devion Miles or Jermon McCray should contact the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers at 816-474-TIPS or report a TIP online at <a href="https://t.co/ZFyNY84nVy" target="_blank">https://tips.fbi.gov</a>.

Search continues for 3 accused in fentanyl distribution ring 

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli army announced on Tuesday that they had retrieved the bodies of two hostages from Gaza in an operation that killed two Israeli soldiers.

Soldiers retrieved the bodies of Eden Zakaria, 27, who was kidnapped from the music festival near Kibbutz Re’im, and Ziv Dado, 36, a soldier serving near the Gaza border. Dado was killed on October 7 and his body was taken to Gaza. Zakaria was wounded on October 7, and it was unclear if she was taken alive or dead to Gaza, according to reports on Israel’s Channel 12.

During the operation to rescue the bodies, two soldiers, Gal Meir Eizenkot and Eyal Meir Berkowitz, were killed. Gal Eisenkot is the son of Gadi Eizenkot, who served as military chief of staff from 2015 to 2019 and sits on the war cabinet.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Israel pressed ahead Tuesday with an offensive against Gaza’s Hamas rulers that it says could go on for weeks or months. Ahead of a non-binding vote at the United Nations later Tuesday, Israel and the United States faced global calls for a cease-fire in Gaza.

More than 17,700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, around two-thirds of them women and children, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory</a>. About 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been displaced within the besieged territory, where United Nations agencies say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-war-90e02d26420b8fe3157f73c256f9ed6a">there is no safe place to flee</a>. With only a trickle of humanitarian aid reaching a small portion of Gaza, residents face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-war-southern-gaza-humanitarian-conditions-4da8410ab2e849adef8aff18c79b310c">severe shortages of food, water and other basic goods</a>.

Israel says 97 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive after Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">raided southern Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-b6ffc286ca7d4b48caaada43e9c6e411">about 240 hostages</a>. Qatar, which has played a key mediating role, says efforts to stop the war and have all hostages released will continue, but a willingness to discuss a cease-fire is fading.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696679013332.png" alt="Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis southern Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. File photo (AP Photo/Yousef Masoud)" />
 <figcaption>Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis southern Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. File photo (AP Photo/Yousef Masoud)</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli army announced on Tuesday that they had retrieved the bodies of two hostages from Gaza in an operation that killed two Israeli soldiers.Soldiers retrieved the bodies of Eden Zakaria, 27, who was kidnapped from the music festival near Kibbutz Re’im, and Ziv Dado, 36, a soldier serving near the Gaza border. Dado was killed on October 7 and his body was taken to Gaza. Zakaria was wounded on October 7, and it was unclear if she was taken alive or dead to Gaza, according to reports on Israel’s Channel 12.During the operation to rescue the bodies, two soldiers, Gal Meir Eizenkot and Eyal Meir Berkowitz, were killed. Gal Eisenkot is the son of Gadi Eizenkot, who served as military chief of staff from 2015 to 2019 and sits on the war cabinet.Meanwhile,&nbsp;Israel pressed ahead Tuesday with an offensive against Gaza’s Hamas rulers that it says could go on for weeks or months. Ahead of a non-binding vote at the United Nations later Tuesday, Israel and the United States faced global calls for a cease-fire in Gaza.More than 17,700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, around two-thirds of them women and children, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory</a>. About 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been displaced within the besieged territory, where United Nations agencies say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-war-90e02d26420b8fe3157f73c256f9ed6a">there is no safe place to flee</a>. With only a trickle of humanitarian aid reaching a small portion of Gaza, residents face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-war-southern-gaza-humanitarian-conditions-4da8410ab2e849adef8aff18c79b310c">severe shortages of food, water and other basic goods</a>.Israel says 97 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive after Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">raided southern Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-b6ffc286ca7d4b48caaada43e9c6e411">about 240 hostages</a>. Qatar, which has played a key mediating role, says efforts to stop the war and have all hostages released will continue, but a willingness to discuss a cease-fire is fading.

2 soldiers killed retrieving bodies of 2 hostages in Gaza

JOHNSON COUNTY —A man has been charged in connection with a crash that left a 9-year-old Kansas boy dead.

&nbsp;Matthew Jacobo, 25,&nbsp; Kansas City, Kansas, was charged with second degree murder, leaving the scene of an accident and possession of a firearm while driving under the influence, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

Just before 7p.m. on December 1, police responded to a crash involving a white truck and a black sedan near Johnson Drive and Bell Road in Shawnee, Kansas, according to a media release.&nbsp; EMS transported&nbsp; nine-year-old Nolan Davidson of Lenexa to Children's Mercy in critical condition. He died December 7, according to a GoFundMe page for the family.

The driver of the truck later identified as Jacobo left the scene.&nbsp; Police tracked him down and made an arrest later that night.

Nolan and his family were on their way from one basketball game to another when they were involved in the crash. The collision, impacted the rear passenger side where Nolan was seated.

Jacobo is being held on a $1 million bond. A preliminary hearing in the case has been set for Dec. 14 at 11 a.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702397009027.png" alt="Jacobo-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Jacobo-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A man has been charged in connection with a crash that left a 9-year-old Kansas boy dead.&nbsp;Matthew Jacobo, 25,&nbsp; Kansas City, Kansas, was charged with second degree murder, leaving the scene of an accident and possession of a firearm while driving under the influence, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702398123562.png" alt="Davidson-photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Davidson-photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 7p.m. on December 1, police responded to a crash involving a white truck and a black sedan near Johnson Drive and Bell Road in Shawnee, Kansas, according to a media release.&nbsp; EMS transported&nbsp; nine-year-old Nolan Davidson of Lenexa to Children's Mercy in critical condition. He died December 7, according to a GoFundMe page for the family.The driver of the truck later identified as Jacobo left the scene.&nbsp; Police tracked him down and made an arrest later that night.Nolan and his family were on their way from one basketball game to another when they were involved in the crash. The collision, impacted the rear passenger side where Nolan was seated.Jacobo is being held on a $1 million bond. A preliminary hearing in the case has been set for Dec. 14 at 11 a.m.

Man charged in crash that killed 9-year-old Kansas boy

KANSAS CITY —A man has been charged for the fatal shooting of a man on Nov. 28,&nbsp; inside his Kansas City residence, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Kequan O. Herring, 25, Kansas City, faces Murder 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and two counts of Armed Criminal Action charges.

According to court records, Kanas City police were dispatched to the shooting and found the victim inside a residence, suffering from a gunshot. 

KCPD detectives and crime scene technicians located nearly two dozen shell casings outside the residence. Detectives used witness statements, video and phone records to establish the defendant as the shooter in the area of the homicide at the time of the crime.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702072810901.png" alt="Herring-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Herring-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A man has been charged for the fatal shooting of a man on Nov. 28,&nbsp; inside his Kansas City residence, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Kequan O. Herring, 25, Kansas City, faces Murder 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and two counts of Armed Criminal Action charges.According to court records, Kanas City police were dispatched to the shooting and found the victim inside a residence, suffering from a gunshot. KCPD detectives and crime scene technicians located nearly two dozen shell casings outside the residence. Detectives used witness statements, video and phone records to establish the defendant as the shooter in the area of the homicide at the time of the crime.

Homicide: Police found 2 dozen shell casings outside KC home

KANSAS CITY — Kansas City Police share the sad news this week that their K-9 officer Victor passed away Sunday, according to a social media report.

Over the weekend, Victor lost mobility in his front legs. After extensive medical evaluation of his chance for recovery and quality of life, the determination was made for euthanasia.

Victor and his partner, Officer Kenny Davis, were together last night with the K-9 Unit at their sides to say goodbye.

Victor was a 7-year-old Belgian Malinois who partnered with Davis for 5 ½ years.

KANSAS CITY — Kansas City Police share the sad news this week that their K-9 officer Victor passed away Sunday, according to a social media report.Over the weekend, Victor lost mobility in his front legs. After extensive medical evaluation of his chance for recovery and quality of life, the determination was made for euthanasia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702331229975.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Victor and his partner, Officer Kenny Davis, were together last night with the K-9 Unit at their sides to say goodbye.

Victor was a 7-year-old Belgian Malinois who partnered with Davis for 5 ½ years.

KCPD K-9 officer with over 5-years of service has died 

WASHINGTON (AP) — His country's future at stake, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told senators Tuesday that with U.S. aid his fighters can beat back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the Russian invasion</a>. But with funding in doubt, his grim trip to Capitol Hill was far from the hero's welcome he received last winter.

Zelenskyy's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-zelenskyy-us-military-russia-8663f4d1e1b8b05828fde1c0be05686d">visit to Washington</a>&nbsp;came as President Joe Biden's request for an additional $110 billion U.S. aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other national security needs is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-immigration-ukraine-6bdcc5dde4dadb48b43ace75b5a55242">at serious risk of collapse</a>&nbsp;in Congress. Republicans are insisting on linking it to strict U.S.-Mexico&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-congress-humanitarian-parole-asylum-trump-5b5808183c1642bae520b7d9456cc36d">border security changes</a>&nbsp;that Democrats decry.

Flanked by Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Zelenskyy entered a private meeting with senators with a public bipartisan show of support and to some applause. But more than an hour later few senators minds appeared changed.

Schumer called it a “very powerful” meeting, but gave no update on stalled negotiations.

“It is maddening,” said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., a close ally of Biden, ahead of the session. “A very bad message to the world, to the Ukrainian people.”

The White House said the time was right for Zelenskyy’s trip to Washington as Biden pushes lawmakers approve the aid package before the year-end holidays. A top spokesman said the U.S. can't let Ukraine aid lapse, especially as the Israel-Hamas war has taken attention, and that the president was willing to make compromises with Republicans.

“This additional funding will absolutely help Ukraine claw back even more of their territory and kick the Russians right out of Ukraine," said the White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on NBC.

However, prospects for a congressional deal on Ukraine funding seemed all but out of reach.

Zelenskyy impressed on the senators that Ukraine could win the war against Russia, telling them he was drafting men in their 30s and 40s in a show of strength for the battle. In his trademark olive drab, he stood before a portrait of George Washington, history hanging behind him.

But Republicans senators exited the meeting unmoved from their position that border security policy be paired with the aid to Ukraine.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said the emergency funding wouldn’t gain GOP support unless it includes “real, meaningful border reform.”

Zelenskyy was next scheduled to visit new House Speaker Mike Johnson, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and then Biden.

Biden has expressed a willingness to engage with the Republicans as migrant crossings have hit record highs along the U.S.-Mexico border, but Democrats in his own party oppose proposals for expedited deportations and strict asylum standards as a return to Trump-era hostility towards migrants.

With talks at a standstill, one chief Republican negotiator, Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, said there was nothing Zelenskyy could say during his visit with the senators to sway the outcome.

“Hey, pay attention to us, but not your own country? No,” Lankford told reporters. “We’ve got to be able to deal with all these things together.”

Ahead of Zelenskyy’s high-stakes meetings, the White House late Monday pointed to newly declassified intelligence that shows Ukraine has inflicted heavy losses on Russia in recent fighting along the Avdiivka-Novopavlivka axis — including 13,000 casualties and over 220 combat vehicle losses. The Ukrainian holdout in the country’s partly-occupied east has been the center of some of the fiercest fighting in recent weeks.

U.S. intelligence officials have determined that the Russians think if they can achieve a military deadlock through the winter it will drain Western support for Ukraine and ultimately give Russia the advantage, despite the fact that Russians have sustained heavy losses and have been slowed by persistent shortages of trained personnel, munitions and equipment.

White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said that Russian President Vladimir Putin “is clearly watching what happens in Congress — and we need Congress to act this month to support Ukraine in its time of need.”

Zelenskyy, who visited Washington&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-washington-visit-congress-ukraine-war-1d20574fb3ea4fb5efcc7db5458a33a3">just months ago in September</a>&nbsp;when the aid package was first being considered, is making his third trip to the Capitol since the war broke out in February 2022.

His&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-68c65b3274e552f36f16853f24fedbb9">surprise arrival</a>&nbsp;days before Christmas last December was Zelenskyy's first wartime trip out of Ukraine and he received thunderous applause in Congress. Lawmakers sported the blue-and-yellow colors of Ukraine, and Zelenskyy delivered a speech that drew on the parallels to World War II as he thanked Americans for their support.

But 2023 brought a new power center of hard-right Republicans, many aligned with Donald Trump, the former president who is now the GOP front-runner in the 2024 race for the White House.

New Speaker Johnson, on the job since October when Republicans ousted their previous leader Kevin McCarthy, has spoken publicly in favor of aiding Ukraine, as has McConnell. But it's not certain they can steer an aid package through the House's right flank.

Johnson said in a social media post ahead of their meeting: "If we’re going to have a national security supplemental package, it ought to begin with our own national security first."

Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Zelenskyy has an opportunity to impress on Johnson in their private talk “the moral clarity and why is Ukraine important.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — His country's future at stake, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told senators Tuesday that with U.S. aid his fighters can beat back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the Russian invasion</a>. But with funding in doubt, his grim trip to Capitol Hill was far from the hero's welcome he received last winter.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, Senate Leadership is using valuable time that we could be spending addressing solutions to secure our border. Instead, the Senate is gathering to discuss why we should send more money to Ukraine… Their priorities are on full display.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1734607451948044695?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Zelenskyy's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-zelenskyy-us-military-russia-8663f4d1e1b8b05828fde1c0be05686d">visit to Washington</a>&nbsp;came as President Joe Biden's request for an additional $110 billion U.S. aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other national security needs is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-immigration-ukraine-6bdcc5dde4dadb48b43ace75b5a55242">at serious risk of collapse</a>&nbsp;in Congress. Republicans are insisting on linking it to strict U.S.-Mexico&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-congress-humanitarian-parole-asylum-trump-5b5808183c1642bae520b7d9456cc36d">border security changes</a>&nbsp;that Democrats decry.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Ukrainian President Zelensky walks alongside <a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenSchumer</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderMcConnell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeaderMcConnell</a>. <a href="https://t.co/Qsb9HOGkNG">pic.twitter.com/Qsb9HOGkNG</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1734597060811210973?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Flanked by Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Zelenskyy entered a private meeting with senators with a public bipartisan show of support and to some applause. But more than an hour later few senators minds appeared changed.Schumer called it a “very powerful” meeting, but gave no update on stalled negotiations.“It is maddening,” said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., a close ally of Biden, ahead of the session. “A very bad message to the world, to the Ukrainian people.”The White House said the time was right for Zelenskyy’s trip to Washington as Biden pushes lawmakers approve the aid package before the year-end holidays. A top spokesman said the U.S. can't let Ukraine aid lapse, especially as the Israel-Hamas war has taken attention, and that the president was willing to make compromises with Republicans.“This additional funding will absolutely help Ukraine claw back even more of their territory and kick the Russians right out of Ukraine," said the White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on NBC.However, prospects for a congressional deal on Ukraine funding seemed all but out of reach.Zelenskyy impressed on the senators that Ukraine could win the war against Russia, telling them he was drafting men in their 30s and 40s in a show of strength for the battle. In his trademark olive drab, he stood before a portrait of George Washington, history hanging behind him.But Republicans senators exited the meeting unmoved from their position that border security policy be paired with the aid to Ukraine.Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said the emergency funding wouldn’t gain GOP support unless it includes “real, meaningful border reform.”Zelenskyy was next scheduled to visit new House Speaker Mike Johnson, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and then Biden.Biden has expressed a willingness to engage with the Republicans as migrant crossings have hit record highs along the U.S.-Mexico border, but Democrats in his own party oppose proposals for expedited deportations and strict asylum standards as a return to Trump-era hostility towards migrants.With talks at a standstill, one chief Republican negotiator, Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, said there was nothing Zelenskyy could say during his visit with the senators to sway the outcome.“Hey, pay attention to us, but not your own country? No,” Lankford told reporters. “We’ve got to be able to deal with all these things together.”Ahead of Zelenskyy’s high-stakes meetings, the White House late Monday pointed to newly declassified intelligence that shows Ukraine has inflicted heavy losses on Russia in recent fighting along the Avdiivka-Novopavlivka axis — including 13,000 casualties and over 220 combat vehicle losses. The Ukrainian holdout in the country’s partly-occupied east has been the center of some of the fiercest fighting in recent weeks.U.S. intelligence officials have determined that the Russians think if they can achieve a military deadlock through the winter it will drain Western support for Ukraine and ultimately give Russia the advantage, despite the fact that Russians have sustained heavy losses and have been slowed by persistent shortages of trained personnel, munitions and equipment.White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said that Russian President Vladimir Putin “is clearly watching what happens in Congress — and we need Congress to act this month to support Ukraine in its time of need.”Zelenskyy, who visited Washington&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-washington-visit-congress-ukraine-war-1d20574fb3ea4fb5efcc7db5458a33a3">just months ago in September</a>&nbsp;when the aid package was first being considered, is making his third trip to the Capitol since the war broke out in February 2022.His&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-68c65b3274e552f36f16853f24fedbb9">surprise arrival</a>&nbsp;days before Christmas last December was Zelenskyy's first wartime trip out of Ukraine and he received thunderous applause in Congress. Lawmakers sported the blue-and-yellow colors of Ukraine, and Zelenskyy delivered a speech that drew on the parallels to World War II as he thanked Americans for their support.But 2023 brought a new power center of hard-right Republicans, many aligned with Donald Trump, the former president who is now the GOP front-runner in the 2024 race for the White House.New Speaker Johnson, on the job since October when Republicans ousted their previous leader Kevin McCarthy, has spoken publicly in favor of aiding Ukraine, as has McConnell. But it's not certain they can steer an aid package through the House's right flank.Johnson said in a social media post ahead of their meeting: "If we’re going to have a national security supplemental package, it ought to begin with our own national security first."Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Zelenskyy has an opportunity to impress on Johnson in their private talk “the moral clarity and why is Ukraine important.”He said Zelenskyy could shake up the stalemate in Congress by reminding Johnson and the senators, “If we abandon our NATO allies and Ukraine, like we did in Afghanistan, we’re just going to invite more aggression and embolden and empower our adversaries.”Zelenskyy kicked off the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjDBI5rigV4">quick visit</a>&nbsp;to Washington on Monday, warning in a speech at a defense university that Russia may be fighting in Ukraine but its “real target is freedom” in America and around the world.Of the new $110 billion national security package, $61.4 billion would go toward Ukraine — with about half, some $30 billion, going to the Defense Department to replenish weaponry it is supplying, and the other half for humanitarian assistance and to help the Ukrainian government function with emergency responders, public works and other operations.The package includes another nearly $14 billion for Israel as it fights Hamas and $14 billion for U.S. border security. Additional funds would go for national security needs in the Asia-Pacific region.The U.S. has already provided Ukraine $111 billion for its fight against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s 2022 invasion</a>.The White House has been more engaged with Congress, with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in some discussions, according to a person familiar with the talks and granted anonymity to discuss them. But Republicans said the Democrats did not respond to their latest offer.Border security talks have focused on making it more difficult for migrants to claim asylum and releasing fewer of them temporarily into the U.S. while they await proceedings to determine if they can remain permanently.Republicans have also proposed allowing the president to shut parts of the border when crossings reach high numbers, as they have for the past two years. One White House idea would expand the ability to conduct expedited deportations, drawing alarm from immigrant advocates.